How To Pray For Our Leaders

 

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone—for kings and all those in authority—so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity.

This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all—the testimony that was given at just the right time.

1 Timothy 2:1-6

These verses tell us how we should be praying for the authority and leadership of our nations, our states, our cities, our towns, our communities, our churches, our homes.

1. Petitions:

Pray for a specific need - a heart-felt deep personal need

2. Prayers:

Directed God-ward - both on an individual and congregational level: in a quiet place and in a meeting together place

3. Intercessions

Intervention led by God, marking intersection between heaven and earth as it reflects the Lord's specific will.

4. Thanksgivings

Thankfulness, gratitude for God's grace

With the end result being that we 'lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity.' (verse 2)

Verses 3-4 denote why we should pray in such a manner, while verses 5-6 emphasize the omnipotence and sovereignty of God and His Mediator Jesus Christ.

Mediator: an arbitrator ("mediator"), guaranteeing the performance of all the terms stipulated in a covenant (agreement). A reconciler.

Romans 5:9-11 & Colossians 1:21-23

Reconciled by Christ Jesus through His death and His life

How can we love one another like Christ loves us, if we do allow the love of God through Christ Jesus to change us? We can't. Nor can we have faithful to God's Word leaders if we do not pray for them in this manner.

Self-love is not the way to a better life. A self-oriented lifestyle is not a God-oriented lifestyle. Submission to God is a wonderful way to live our lives. It is a life lived in joy. Even though trials and grief are a part of life, joy is still evident when we abide in Christ as He lives in us.

And so we pray for our leaders. We pray to God for His *good and acceptable will: *Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

* Romans 12:1

*Matthew 6:10

Today's Word -- Almost Persuaded

 

Acts 26:28

Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Almost you persuade me to be a Christian." 

ALMOST: in the realm of, the sphere of; the condition in which something operates from the inside; the nature of, the thought of

PERSUADED: have confidence (in), convinced 

King Agrippa, having had conversations with the Jewish people over whom he ruled, knew what the prophets had spoken of concerning the coming Messiah. Paul knew this and reminded him so (verse 26). Paul spoke with such confidence and belief in his voice and manner that this king Almost believed, was Almost Persuaded. While Scripture does not tell us, I'm under the impression that Paul's sermon resonated within King Agrippa and would not let him go. 

It is not our place to know who went to heaven and who did not. It is our place to share Jesus with as many people as we can so they don't miss heaven. I want my family and friends in heaven with me. I want the strangers I meet in heaven with me. I want those who come against me for my faith in heaven with me. I don't want anyone to die without Jesus. I pray that with my last breath, someone would hear Jesus from my lips and make that decision to believe in Him fully. 

It won't be easy to answer this call to salvation. Some, like Festus (vs 24) will call you crazy to your face. They'll insult you, make fun of you (mock), beat you up, kick you, torture some of you and even kill you, believing that they are honoring God by removing you the believer from the face of the earth. Answer the call anyway. The Holy Spirit is tugging on your heartstring right now. 

Don't let yourself be "Almost Persuaded": BE PERSUADED. 

Today's Word -- Sufficient

 2 Corinthians 12:9

And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

SUFFICIENT: adequate for the purpose; enough 

(synonyms for 'sufficient': acceptable, plentiful, ample, proportionate, satisfactory)

YOUR GRACE IS ENOUGH by Chris Tomlin

Ephesians 3:16-19

I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then you, being rooted and grounded in love, will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Romans 8:35-37

Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

Philippians 1:20

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

THIS IS AMAZING GRACE by Phil Wickham

GRACE THAT IS GREATER THAN ALL OUR SIN by Sovereign Grace Music

Regardless of the trials, the tests, the afflictions we suffer, God's GRACE is SUFFICIENT for us, His children, for the GRACE of CHRIST rests on us, on we who are born again into His Kingdom by the blood of Jesus Christ His only begotten Son. His Grace is truly enough, His Strength is our strength, His Peace is our peace. 

As the verse reminds us, in Acts 17:28 "For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring." 

Today's Word -- Inherent Nature

 Proverbs 2:6 

For the LORD gives wisdom: out of His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 

We are all born with an inherent knowledge of good and evil thanks to Adam and Eve's decision to disobey God. "No" is one of the first words we learn to say after we learn our caregivers names, "Mama", "Dada", or in my son Brian's case, "Dani" (his sister). And we learn when to say 'No': when we want something we can't or shouldn't have and when we want to do something we should or shouldn't do. It's our nature. 

The same logic is applied when we become born-again Christians. We learn what is good and what is evil. We learn to walk in the Spirit. We learn to talk in the Spirit. We learn to read God's Word with wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Especially when we have good leaders to lead us and guide us through God's Word; leaders we look up to and find ourselves following after. 

As this verse in Proverbs 2:6 states, wisdom, knowledge and understanding come from God. And it is to God we must turn to in order to receive each one and apply them to our lives as His children. No longer are we under sin's command, now we are under God's command. And His command is love. Our new nature is very different from our old nature. Before, we always said 'No' and justified according to our desires. Now, we say 'Yes' and are justified by grace according to God's desires for us. We live in His love and can only grow and thrive in His love as long as we remain in His love, His Word. 

Wisdom is Applied. 

Knowledge is Gained.

Understanding is Growth.

Our new nature seeks after God in His Word and in prayer with Him; that's how we hear from Him. This new inherent nature is through Christ living in us: we are new creations in Him. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 

We are new creations in Christ when we believe that Jesus Christ is God's only begotten Son, that He died on the cross in our place, rose from the dead and walked out of the grave into newness of life and is seated at the right hand of the Father Hebrews 12:2 "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Today's Word -- Strive

 Luke 13:24 "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."

Strive here in Luke 13:24 means "to endeavor with strenuous zeal to obtain something (your goal)".

The root word of "strive" is agon, which means struggle against, contend with; from which we get the word 'agonize'. While one definition of agonize is 'to distress/suffer with extreme pain/anguish'.  another definition is 'to put forth great effort of any kind'. It is this word that defines what Christ was going through when He prayed in the garden before His trial and crucifixion (Luke 22:44). And again in 1 Timothy 6:12 when the believer 'fights the good fight of faith'. 

Are we putting forth great effort to enter the narrow gate? Are we endeavoring, exerting, with strenuous zeal (eagerly desiring, enthusiastic diligence) to obtain that which we desire: entering the strait (narrow passage, isthmus) gate?

We must persevere in our daily walk with Christ to be the kind of Christian, Christ-follower, that God wants us to be. That narrow passage, that strait gate, is only wide enough for one person to enter into at a time. While many walk it, making the decision to follow Christ is done on an individual basis. 

Do you believe that Jesus Christ is Lord? A simple question requires a simple response: YES or NO. If you answer YES, then you are already on the holiness road that leads to the strait gate. If you answered NO, then you are walking the broad way that leads to the wide gate which opens into eternal destruction -- Matthew 7:13.

We must Strive, persevere, be determined to trust in the Word of God and follow where He leads us. We cannot let distractions lead astray. Have you ever read Pilgrim's Progress? Great read. 

Being a Christian isn't easy. It's not supposed to be. But every decision to be Christ-like is worth ​the effort when we choose to believe and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I Have Decided To Follow Jesus 

The Lord Is -- May

 

KURIOS THERISMOS

LORD OF THE HARVEST

Matthew 9:38 

"Request therefore of The Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers to His harvest."

Matthew 9:37

Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few."

Matthew 10:1

And calling His twelve disciples to Him, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and sickness.

Psalm 68:11

The Lord gave the Word: great was the company of those that published it. 

MIQVEH YISRAEL

THE HOPE OF ISRAEL

Jeremiah 17:13

O LORD, the Hope of Israel, all who abandon You will be put to shame. All who turn away will be written to the dust, for they have abandoned the LORD, the fountain of living water.

Isaiah 1:28

But rebels and sinners will together be shattered, and those who forsake the Lord shall perish.

Jeremiah 17:17

Do not be a terror to me: You are my Hope in the day of evil.

1 Peter 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

MAQOR MAYIM CHAY

FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS

Jeremiah 2:3

"For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the Fountain of Living Waters, and they have dug their own cisterns --broken cisterns that cannot hold water."

John 4:14

But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life."

Psalm 36:9

For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. 

Jeremiah 1:16

And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.

Psalm 115:4-8

Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; they have hands, but cannot feel; they have feet, but cannot walk; they cannot even clear their throats. Those who make them become like them, as do all who trust in them.

Isaiah 65:11-12

But you who forsake the LORD, who forget My holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny, I will destine you for the sword, and you will all kneel down to be slaughtered, because I called and you did not answer, I spoke and you did not listen; you did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight.”

1 Corinthians 10:21  

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too.

LOGOS

THE WORD

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

LOGOS: expressing the thoughts of the Father through the Spirit, reasoning expressed by words. Used 330 times in the New Testament 

John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 8:58

"Truly, truly, I tell you," Jesus declared, "before Abraham was born, I am!"

1 John 1:2

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands—this is the Word of life.

1 John 5:7

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

AGAPAO

BELOVED ONE

Ephesians 1:6

To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has made us accepted in The Beloved.

Matthew 3:17

And a voice from heaven said, "This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased!"

Colossians 1:13

He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son.

Today's Word -- Foreigner

 

1 PETER 1:17

💚 📖🙏💚

Since you call on a Father who judges each one's work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay here as foreigners.

Our Father

Matthew 6:9

“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name."

Impartial Judge

Romans 10:12

For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him. 

My Conduction (Behavior)

2 Corinthians 1:12

For this is our confidence: The testimony of our conscience is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with God-given sincerity and purity, not by fleshly wisdom but by God’s grace. 

Reverent Fear

Proverbs 9:10

The [reverent] fear of the LORD [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence], And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight.

Foreigners

1 Peter 2:9-11

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.

When we are born into this world, we become citizens of the nation into which we have born. When we are born again, we become foreigners to this world and its way and citizens of  God's kingdom. 

We are odd ducks, we stand out as different; not by anything we have done ourselves, but by the grace of God. We talk different. We live different. We embrace godly characteristics and mores, but eschew worldly wisdom and the world's values. 

The Lord Is -- March

 

YAHWEH CHECED

THE LORD IS MY STEADFAST LOVE

PSALM 144:2

He is my Steadfast Love and my Fortress, my Stronghold and my Deliverer. He is my Shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.

TSADDIQ EBED

RIGHTEOUS SERVANT

Isaiah 53:10

After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My Righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.

ADONAI KOL ERETS

THE LORD OF ALL THE EARTH

Psalm 97:5

The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.

OZ MELEK

THE MIGHTY KING

Psalm 99:4

The Mighty King loves justice. You have established equity; You have exercised justice and righteousness in Jacob.

The Lord Is -- April

 

TSUR YISRAEL

ROCK OF ISRAEL

Isaiah 30:29

You will sing as on the night of a holy festival, and your heart will rejoice like one who walks to the music of a flute, going up to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel. 

YHVH ELOHIM QADOSH

THE LORD OUR GOD IS HOLY

Psalm 99:9

Exalt the LORD our God and worship at His holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.

BACHIR

CHOSEN ONE

Isaiah 42:1

“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations."

Matthew 12:17-21

This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“Here is My Servant, whom I have chosen, My beloved, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations.

He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear His voice in the streets.

A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, till He leads justice to victory.

In His name the nations will put their hope.” 

Matthew 1:21

"She will give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus (The LORD is salvation), for He will save His people from their sins.”

Philippians 2:9-11

Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

LEON IOUDAS

LION OF JUDAH

Revelation 5:5

But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”

Hebrews 7:14-15

He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.

For it is evident that our Lord has sprung out of Judah, a tribe as to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.

Micah 5:2

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be Ruler over Israel--One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.

Today's Word -- Hope

Romans 8:24

For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see?

Romans 12:12

..constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength], .. 

HOPE: an expectation of what is sure

I Know My Redeemer Lives  

Romans 5:3-6

Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us. For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 

Isaiah 33:2

O LORD, be gracious to us; we have waited [expectantly] for You. Be the arm of Your servants every morning [that is, their strength and their defense], Our salvation also in the time of trouble.

Here in Isaiah 33:2 Hope is expressed by 'waited expectantly', meaning to also gather together and look eagerly for.  Here this two-word phrase also means 'to bind together' (twist).  

1 Corinthians 13:12

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (this, too, is hope). 

It is impossible to see through a dark glass. But we press in anyway, knowing that we will eventually see what He wants us to see: The Lord Himself face to face. That's Hope. 

Jeremiah 17:7

Blessed is the man that trusts in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 

Here in Jeremiah 17:7 Hope means confidence, security, secure, and trust.

But in Lamentations 3:24 Hope again means 'to wait expectantly': “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”

My Hope Is In You, Lord and My Life Is In You, Lord are two wonderful songs that go beautifully with this study. 

Today's Word -- Shelter

 

PSALM 61:4

Let me dwell in Your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah.

PSALM 91:1

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

PSALM 27:5

For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will set me high upon a rock.

Both Psalm 61:4 and Psalm 91:1 describe 'shelter' as a 'covering', while Psalm 27:5 references it to mean 'tabernacle or pavilion'. Only Psalm 27:5 is derived from the root word "cakak" which means 'covering', so we see that God is our Shelter, our covering, our tabernacle, our pavilion. 

The KJV of Psalm 91:1 says God is our 'secret place' and in Psalm 32:7 God is our 'Hiding Place'. All of these verses and many more refer to God as our Shelter. But what is shelter? Is it just four walls and a roof or is it more than that? 

If we only had four walls and a roof, would be sheltered? Where is our fire to keep us warm? Where are our meals to nourish us? From where does the water flow which quenches our thirst? How are we clothed? Are our feet properly shod? All of these things are in our Shelter when we are Sheltered by God. 

Isaiah 33:14-17 tells us that only the righteous can live where the fire of God burns.

Isaiah 55:1-2 tells us to purchase with faith what God has promised His people: He bids the thirsty to come and drink, the hungry to feast on the richest of foods, if (vs 3) they will only listen to Him.

Isaiah 61:3 says He gives us in garments of praise in exchange for garments of despair. Revelation 3:5 tells us we are dressed in white, while Revelation 19:8 is even more specific in definition: fine linen, bright and pure, which are the righteous acts of the saints. We can't apply this type of clothing to ourselves. It must be applied by faith in and obedience under our Shelter. 

Romans 13:14 tells us "put on the Lord Jesus Christ". Do you think this is impossible? Only through faith. Galatians 3:27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Ephesians 4:21-32 shows us who we were without the covering of Christ's righteousness, how we should want to behave now that we are covered by Christ's righteousness and how to live a righteous lifestyle by turning our backs on the way we used to live versus the way we ought to live as God's people. 

Ephesians 6:15 is part of the spiritual armor of God that a born-again believer wears: sandaled with the gospel of peace. In other words, always ready to preach the Faithful and True Word of God in Love. Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

Are you this Sheltered? What's preventing you from opening the door of your heart and letting Jesus Christ in to it? 

Revelation 3:20 

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone should hear My voice and open the door, then I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

Today's Word - Wisdom

 1 CORINTHIANS 3:19-20

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness." And again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."

The 'wisdom of this world' died in the flood because they did not believe God. 

The 'wisdom of this world' is restrictive to the soul, the mind and the body; it enchains and entices and kills. 

The 'wisdom of this world' denies the power of God and seeks power for itself. 

The 'wisdom of this world' is unkind, unloving and untruthful. It is hard-hearted, hateful and a liar. 

I would much rather be wise in the ways of the Lord than wise according to the substandards of this world, this age. What does it mean to be wise in the Lord?

Job 28:28

And He said to man, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'"

Psalm 111:10

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding. His praise endures forever!

Proverbs 9:10 

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. 

Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Reverent fear acknowledges the awesome greatness of God, The LORD God. This fear is the beginning of being wise. I want to be wise. Don't you?

Today's Word -- Good

 

LUKE 18:19

“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone."

The word 'good' has different descriptive meanings in the Bible. In this verse Jesus questions how the rich young ruler referred to Him. With his question (vs 18), the young man recognized Jesus' authority (by calling Him Good Teacher) but failed to recognize Him as Lord. 

Jesus' response is classic. Since only God is good, how did the rich young man know that Jesus is good? I don't think he consciously knew. The question is asked for all generations to know the answer: Only God is Good. We know that God is our heavenly  Father, God is The Son, and God is The Holy Spirit. Only God is Good. 

This word 'good' used here means inherently, intrinsically good. According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, this word 'good' means "describes what originates from God and is empowered by Him in their/our/my life, through faith. And not just any faith either. Faith that is given by God to the born again believer when they/we believe. Empowered faith originates in God. We know this because: Only God is Good.