The Bible contains many greetings and blessings, benedictions and prayers, most of which we tend to gloss over as just part of the background. Yet, why not spend some time thumbing through the various books, especially the New Testament epistles, to uncover some gems that you could use in your correspondence. This lesson contains one such promise.
Message by Ward Pimley
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” – III JOHN 2 (NKJV)
“Amado, yo deseo que tú seas prosperado en todas las cosas, y que tengas salud, así como prospera tu alma.” – 3 Juan 2 (RVR1960)
DO YOU EVER FIND YOURSELF looking for the “perfect” card for someone?
You know, something with a message that feels “authentic” and heartfelt, that conveys the love or admiration or respect you have for the card’s recipient, instead of a packaged saccharine sentiment that does not quite match the moment?
Awhile back, a pastor friend sent me a card with a note to check out 3 John 2, a one-chapter letter written by the Apostle John to his friend Gaius. [John’s third letter has only one chapter; sometimes it’s written as 3 John 2, other times as 3 John 1:2.]
The verse is appropriate for scribbling inside a card or even to share on social media or your signature panel. It’s also good for meditation!
Here it is:
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” – 3 JOHN 1:2 (NKJV)
Think about it, how it captures a well-being for both the spirit as well as the body and mind.
What message could be better!
But wait! That’s not all! The Holy Bible is filled with great verses that offer hope, encouragement, love, grace, forgiveness … whatever compassionate feeling you want to express.
So, the next time you select a ready-made card that misses the mark, why not thumb through your Bible and select something uplifting from the Creator?
~Finding Daily Gems~
Better yet, why not look for those gems every day? That way, you’ll find them daily and you’ll know exactly which one you want to include in that card to a loved one.
Peace as you spend time with your Lord in prayer.
While we’re at it, this message assumes the blessing of 3 John 2 is true for you, as well.
Are you in good health, are your basic needs met, and most importantly, is your soul in synch with the Creator? If so, you already know how to share the Bible’s gems with others.
If not, then would you like to take this moment to correct that? If the Lord leads you in prayer, you can pray along with me (or choose your own words) this prayer of salvation, called the “Sinner’s Prayer.”
ALMIGHTY GOD, please hear my prayer. I know I am a sinner in need of Your redemption. I believe Jesus is Your Son, the second Person in the Trinity, and that He lived a perfect life and died a painful, degrading death on Calvary’s Cross for my sin, to atone for me. Lord, forgive my sin, and help me live a transformed life, in Your image, as You planned for me. Lord, I commend my soul to You and Your safekeeping. In Jesus’ name I pray.AMEN
IF YOU JUST PRAYED THAT PRAYER (or one similar to it), and were genuine in your prayer, then welcome to the Kingdom of God and the blessings of peace, joy, and eternal life.
May you prosper in health and prosperity … just as your soul prospers.
~PRAYER~
ALMIGHTY GOD, our gracious and loving Lord, we thank You for Your lovingkindness, Your grace and mercy, and Your willingness to forgive. We know our access to the throne of grace is only through the shed blood of Your Son. Lord, we pray for the health and prosperity of our loved ones, that they may come to know You, the only true God. In Jesus’ name. AMEN
As followers of Jesus Christ, it’s not enough that we proclaim our faith; we also need to live as He lived, to act and talk in a way that glorifies Him. Why? So we can lead more people to place their trust in Him for their salvation. With His help, we can do all that despite our personal failings.
1 John 2:6 (NKJV) “He who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk just as He walked.”
1 Juan 2:6 (RVR1960) «El que dice que permanece en él, debe andar como él anduvo.»
Message By Ward Pimley
You’ve heard that popular saying: “Walk the walk; don’t just talk the talk.”
You know what it means: It means to be “authentic,” to be the “real deal,” to live out your life, your everyday life, in the same manner, according to the same guidelines, that you say you do. 1 John 2:6 NLT says it this way: “Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.”
As followers of Jesus Christ, we proclaim to the world that we believe in Him, that we listen to Him, and so we also ought to live as He lived.
THE BIBLE – Where God’s Answers Meet Man’s Questions
Since that’s an impossibility — we are not perfect as He is — we need to add the caveat that we *try* to live our lives as He showed us how to live, but that in our failings, when we humbly come to Him and repent of our faults, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins. (1 John 1:9)†
CHRISTIANITY’S GIFT TO MANKIND
THAT IS THE REAL GIFT we Christians offer the world.
That’s why we’re different, and it is in that promise, that relationship with Almighty God, that we are given the greatest gift possible — eternal life in Paradise with God (Luke 23:43; 1 John 2:25).
Do you know the Lord? Do you really *know* Him? Do you have a personal relationship with Him? If you do, you will enjoy the promise that God, who cannot lie, has made — eternal life with Him.
If you do not have a personal relationship with Him, there’s another promise that God, who cannot lie, holds out to you — eternal life without Him.
If you choose to live in this world with Him, you will spend eternity with Him. If you choose to live in this world without Him, you will spend eternity without Him,
Which future do *you* want?
~PRAYER~
If you want the peace, the joy, and the abundant life that God promises (John 10:10), then humbly and sincerely recite this prayer (or use your own words expressing the same thought):
FATHER IN HEAVEN, I am a sinner in need of Your forgiving grace. I believe in Your Son, Jesus Christ, and that He lived a sinless life to become a sacrifice for my sinful heart and then suffered and died on the Cross to bear the wrath that I deserve. Lord, this gift of atonement is so wonderful – I want it for myself. Please forgive me, Lord God, and send Your Holy Spirit into my heart. Become my Savior, but even more than my Savior, come into my heart and be my Lord. With a grateful and believing heart, I pray.
AMEN
IF YOU GENUINELY PRAYED THAT PRAYER (OR ONE LIKE IT), WELCOME TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD!
WHAT AN AMAZING ASSURANCE! Jesus is our Advocate in Heaven, speaking on our behalf to the Father.
I John 2:1 (NKJV) “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
1 Juan 2:1 (NTV) “Mis queridos hijos, les escribo estas cosas, para que no pequen; pero si alguno peca, tenemos un abogado que defiende nuestro caso ante el Padre. Es Jesucristo, el que es verdaderamente justo.”
Weekly Message By Ward Pimley
WHAT AN AMAZING ASSURANCE! Jesus is our Advocate in Heaven, speaking on our behalf to the Father. That is so important, because as we read in the Book of Job (Job, Chapters 1-2) and even now is in Heaven accusing us of all manner of sins and disobedience (1 Peter 5:8; Rev. 12:10).
“Did you see that!” Satan points out. “Did you see what John did, what Sally said, what Bob and Heather are doing! Hold their actions, their words, against them!”
Jesus Is Our Advocate Before the Father
Yet Jesus is speaking on behalf of those — don’t miss this point — who trust Him for their salvation. The Bible tells us that those of us who know Jesus as our Savior are the true children of God, and those are the ones for whom Jesus advocates.
That means that if ~you~ have come to Jesus and received Him into your heart, confessing your sin to Him and repenting in sorrow, He will send the Holy Spirit to wash you clean of impurity, to guide you into all righteousness, and to hold you tight as a guarantee of your salvation.
Plus, and this is the bonus part, Jesus will ~advocate~ for you, on your behalf, to the Father and thwart the vicious claims against you levied by the Enemy.
“Yes,” He will tell the Father, “John did this, and Sally said that, and Bob and Heather were wrong, but, Father, ~they are with Me.~ They are mine! I have paid the price for their sin. I am holding them in My hand for all eternity.”
My friends, it doesn’t get any better than that.
LIFE CHANGING MOMENT
IF YOU HAVE NOT TURNED your life over to the Great Promise of Life and Redemption, would you do so now? Here’s what you should do: Pray with me (or use your own words to mean the same thing).
Heavenly Father, I am a sinful man/woman in need of grace. I am sorry for my sin and seek the redemption and cleansing that is possible only through the blood of Jesus Christ, Your Son, which was shed on the Cross for me. Lord, forgive me and have mercy on me. Come into my heart now as my Savior and as my Lord, and transform me to walk as You walk. Lord, I pray this humbly in the name of Jesus. AMEN
IF YOU HAVE PRAYED THAT PRAYER (or one like it) and genuinely mean it, then Welcome to the Kingdom of God! You are now a true child of God, and your soul is forever held in the hands of the Father and the Son, with the Holy Spirit as your down payment, as your guarantee of a future reward. Now, go and tell someone about what God has done for you and how God can do the same thing for him (her).
May God bless you as you go …
PRAYER
ABBA FATHER, Thank You for giving us an advocate, who speaks on our behalf, assuring You that our sin has been washed clean by His blood and that we are now spotless in Your eyes. Lord, that assurance gives us great comfort as we hold dear to Your promises of forgiveness, grace, mercy, and eternal joy with You. Lord, remove all barriers between us so our fellowship with You will be restored and never shattered, that we will hear Your voice, Lord, and You will hear our prayers. Lord, we offer this prayer in the magnificent name of Your Son and our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jesus, in His earthly ministry, did not talk to us about rest. He talked to us about our mission, our ministry, our witnessing—in short, our work.
MESSAGE BY WARD PIMLEY
IF YOU WERE TO ASK ME to describe a perfect week, or even a day, no doubt I would conjure up a restful spot, probably near the ocean with a bright sun and low humidity, and I would be lounging in a comfortable chair sipping a cool drink.
30s-SOMETHING COUPLE RELAXING BY THE LAKE
Oh, sure, there are varieties of that image; for example, a mountainside retreat overlooking a verdant valley, or an early morning with the Bible and a steaming hot cup of coffee, but even those are not much different from the first image.
In all three scenarios, I would be at rest.
Yet, Jesus, in His earthly ministry, did not talk to us about rest. He talked to us about our mission, our ministry, our witnessing—in short, our work.
We are to learn from Him and follow Him:
• Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” — John 5:17 (NLT)
• Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men. — Colossians 3:23 (NKJV)
• Let each person examine his own work, and then he can take pride in himself alone, and not compare himself with someone else. — Galatians 6:4 (CSB)
Henry Blackaby, in his book Experiencing God (Kindle edition, loc. 1767), put it this way:
“In Scripture, you never find God asking people to dream up what they want to do for Him. He never urges His people to set impressive goals and generate grand visions for Him and His kingdom.”
~WILLING SERVANTS~
IN FACT, IN SCRIPTURE, we find God TELLING people what He wants them to do.
Here’s King David looking for men to step up and pledge their allegiance to the Lord:
• 1 Chronicles 29:5b (NKJV): “Who [then] is willing to consecrate himself this day to the LORD?”
God is always on mission, and His mission is to reconcile a broken world of disobedient humans to Himself—-men and women created in His image for His glory, who in misguided pride, prefer to serve their own desires, not the Creator’s.
In the next verse, God gives us the response He expects:
• 1 Chronicles 29:6 (NKJV): “Then the leaders of the households, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s work gave willingly.”
Don’t miss the key words “Gave willingly.” Not only did they give, which was what God wanted them to do, but they gave “willingly” from the heart.
~PRAYER FOR PEACE~
If you want the peace and joy that comes only from giving “willingly” to God’s design for your life, then would you join me in this prayer (or use similar words):
“LORD GOD, I am so lost. I feel an emptiness inside that I know only You can fill. Would You come into my heart and rescue me from myself and the world’s influence on my life. Lord, forgive me for how I’ve rejected You and gone my own way. I am a sinner lost in time, and I claim the promise that is mine when Christ took my sins upon Himself and suffered on the Cross for me. Lord, forgive me and give me new life.” AMEN
If you prayed that prayer (or one similar) and genuinely meant it, then Welcome to the Kingdom of God, your Creator and Sustainer!
From this day on, you are a new creature; the old has been washed away, replaced by the new.
To keep on the straight path, determine to do these things daily:
1) Read Your Bible.
2) Pray To God.
3) Fellowship With Other Believers.
GO TELL SOMEONE WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU!
PRAYER
GOD’S HOLY WORD
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU for the gift of life through the shed blood of Your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We lift up those, Lord, who have come to You in trust for their salvation that they may know of Your unending love, Your unqualified forgiveness, and Your beneficial commands. Lord, we honor You, we praise You, we love You, and we worship You. In Jesus’ name.
THE BIBLE TELLS US that all who call on Jesus’ name and believe He is the Christ will be saved from eternal damnation, but it also tells us to receive Him as our Lord. Many who identify as Christian have received Him as Savior, but is He also their Lord?
MESSAGE BY WARD PIMLEY
THE ‘ALTAR CALL’ — Inviting those in worship to make a confession of faith in Jesus Christ and trust Him for their salvation — is one of the more emotionally fulfilling moments in a Christian worship service.
Image of lighted cross
The process rivals baptism — another public profession of faith — for its seriousness of purpose and determination of one’s eternal destination.
Philippians 2:9-11 (NKJV) “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
The Bible tells us that at the end of history, when God judges the world, all people, small and great, will recognize the Lordship of the Creator, even if they rejected that truth during their earthly lives.
Many people claim the mantel of “Christian.” Self-reporting data show some 2.2 billion individuals in the world declare themselves to be Christian, making it the world’s largest religious group, In addition, surveys show some 65-70 percent of Americans claim the mantel of “Christian.”
Watching new hearts walk down the aisles toward the receiving pastors and kneeling before the Cross to confess their need for Jesus as Savior is riveting and a cause for celebration.
Despite those staggering numbers, does anyone seriously see evidence, in either North America or the world at large, that Christianity is dominant in its influence?
If not, then what’s going on here?
‘NARROW’ PATH v. ‘BROAD’ PATH
ONE POSSIBILITY is that many people who claim to be “Christian” do not understand that it is more than a “cultural” designation, much like one is of English or German or Italian descent (or Nigerian or Japanese or Bolivian), or a host of other nationalities and ethnic groups.
To be a Christian is a conscious decision to receive the Holy Spirit into one’s heart by declaring the sin in their hearts, the truth of Jesus’ divinity and sacrifice on the Cross, and their need for His healing touch.
JESUS SAYS, “CHOOSE THE NARROW PATH.”
That process is called “justification,” or the cancellation of a debt paid in full.
Next, comes the process of “sanctification,” in which the saved individual grows in his or her walk with Jesus. This is the life-changing process by which the person becomes more like the Savior in word and deed.
It may well be, as Jesus points out, that too many people fail to take that second step.
In Matthew 7:13-14, He tells us there are two gates and two pathways in life: one is narrow, that leads to life; the other is broad, that leads to destruction. He warns us that only a few enter the narrow gate and live for Jesus, while most people enter the broad gate and live life on their own terms.
Most likely, our churches are filled with cultural Christians — those who identify as “Christian” because of the culture — and immature Christians — those who have been ‘justified’ but stopped short of “sanctification.”
JESUS IS BOTH LORD AND SAVIOR
JESUS WANTS TO BE both our SAVIOR and LORD.
In Luke 6:46, He laments that we call Him “Lord, Lord,” but fail to obey His commandments. In casual parlance, “we talk the talk, but we don’t walk the walk.”
Can you imagine how dynamic and vital the Christian-claiming world would be if we actually believed what we claim we believe and lived out the Gospel in our daily lives.
Romans 10:9 (GNT) “If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from death, you will be saved.”
Romans 10:10 (ESV) “For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
Even with the modicum of faith that many Christians display, Christian influence has been significant: from the elevation of women’s status to equality with men, to building of hospitals and medical research, to the proliferation of science and systematic knowledge, to moral teachings to be in kind to others and lend help when others are hurting.
That’s with just the modicum of faith most Christians display. What could be earth-shattering if every Christian actually held Jesus not just as their Savior, and so will avoid eternal destruction, but also as Lord, and lived according to His commandments.
The altar call, wherever it is practiced, is a beautiful reminder of God’s promise of what He can do when His creation, who are called by His name, humble themselves, seek His face, pray, and repent of their sin. (2 Chronicles 7:14).
FATHER GOD, We confess we have drifted so far from You we don’t always take our faith walk as seriously as we ought to. Within our midst, O Lord, are fellow Christians who have not turned their lives over to Jesus as Lord but are content with calling Him their Savior. Help us to reach out to them in love with the truth and guide them toward maturity in their faith; and as we do so, O Lord, keep us from falling into the same trap. In Jesus’ name.
There, I said it. I’m not proud of that, but I am owning it.
Through our local church, I am taking a year-long series of courses under the rubric of “Leadership Development,” and one of our tasks is to identify key weaknesses.
Mine is being judgmental.
Another way of describing it is “sarcastic.” Other terms are “condescending” and “arrogant.”
Whoa! You can imagine how *excited* I was to learn that about myself. (Sarcasm)
If you took an assessment of your biggest faults — weaknesses, sins — whatever you call them, could you do it? I recently did an assessment and concluded I am too judgmental; so, with God’s help, I need to change.
Sarcasm could be family curse because I am not the only one in our clan that needs to make an adjustment, but we each travel alone when we make our assessments and seek to change.
I might be traveling alone here.
The Bible clearly condemns judgmentalism, so I can’t hang onto a lifeline of ambiguity in the sacred text or pass it off as so common a trait that “everyone” does it, as if that were an excuse.
No, I’m standing in the harsh light of God’s Word shining down on me, and I need to shake free from this curse if I want to be obedient to my Maker (which I do), let alone be a church leader.
~FREEING MYSELF~
SHAKING FREE of a harmful trait is not easy – in fact; it feels a lot like losing a close friend. If you’ve tried to make reforms in your life, and you probably have, then you know what I mean.
I am encouraging myself through prayer and Bible study, focusing intently on some of the verses that speak directly to me:
Psalms 141:3 (NASB20) Set a guard, LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.
James 3:8 ( NKJV) But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Proverbs 13:3 (ESV) Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
Matthew 12:36 (NIV) “I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.”
Luke 6:45b (NLT) “What you say flows from what is in your heart.”
The last two verses were from the Master, Himself, so they appear in red letters in my Bible and require serious attention.
~POSITIVE SIDE~
THE FLIP SIDE gives me more encouragement. While recognizing a negative trait that I need to curb, I also can focus on the benefits of a new spirit.
Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV) Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Proverbs 8:8 (BSB) All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse.
Proverbs 15:4 (NASB20) A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perversion in it crushes the spirit.
Luke 24:8 (ESV) And they remembered his words.
GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
As I make progress along this journey, God can and will open more doors for me to witness to the change He has brought in my life since I first trusted Him for my salvation.
I’m eager to become an ambassador for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20), and I can do it only if I am obedient to His calling on my life.
He has placed the marker down. Now, it’s my turn to respond.
May I say, as did the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 6:8 (NKJV)):
“Here am I! Send me.”
~PRAYER~
FATHER GOD, You know my strengths and my weaknesses, how You can use me and ways I let You down. From this point on, Abba Father, mold me into the instrument You intended me to be from eternity past that I might become a true soldier of the cross, an ambassador for Christ, one of Your faithful and obedient servants. In the name of Jesus, AMEN
Some religious leaders caution Christians against publicizing political views, fearing discord that could split the flock, while others challenge believers to engage in all areas of public life, including holding office or working as staff. What is clear, and all agree on, is that in matters of our earthly lives—including the political—God’s people are called to seek His guidance and direction and then speak the Word of God boldly. How are you called to witness for the Lord during the political season?
Psalms 146:3-5 (NLT): “Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them. But joyful are those … whose hope is in the Lord their God.”
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV): “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Acts 1:8 (GW): “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes to you. Then you will be my witnesses to testify about me … to the ends of the earth.”
WHERE ARE THE CHRISTIAN VOICES?
THE U.S. POLITICAL FABRIC IS TORN.
The last several decades have seen a wedge form within the body, separating families, friends, neighbors, and communities. On one side are those pushing for more government regulation of our personal lives, while their opponents push against more government, saying less government promotes a vibrant private sector.
In both arenas — the role of government and the cultural war — there is no middle ground. If one is not “right,” then one is “wrong” — not partly right or mostly right, but completely wrong.
Overlapping this battle is the divisive “culture war,” pitting secular voices calling for “progressive” values against Christian voices defending biblical values.
Both major political parties have seen an “ethnic cleansing” of views, where those left-of-center have migrated to one party and those right-of-center have moved to the other party.
The result of this realignment is a political middle nearly extinct, and, with it, any chance for either side to find compromise or common ground.
†††
WHAT SHOULD BE THE CHRISTIAN VOICE?
The Christian is called to observe two truths.
One is to follow biblical teaching; that is, to listen for God’s voice and obey His commands where He has made them clear (Lev. 22:31; Matt. 28:20; John 15:14).
The other is to follow the Lord’s mandate to love God and to love our fellow man. Jesus said we are to forgive our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matt. 5:44).
The Lord was also clear that He created civil government to maintain order and domestic peace, to punish wrongdoers, and to keep us safe from our enemies (1 Pet. 2:13-14; Rom. 13:1). He even calls us to pray for our political leaders (1 Tim. 2:1-3).
In the most famous exchange on secular observance, Jesus told his questioners to “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Mark 12:7).
†††
WE ARE REMINDED IN SCRIPTURE that the Lord Jesus will return to earth — the Second Coming — when He will gather the believers to Him and usher in a lengthy earthly reign, possibly for a thousand years, before providing the Paradise He promised that far exceeds the Garden of Eden (Rev. 21, 22).
Until then, we are called to witness in the way we act and speak that gives the glory to God (1 Peter 2:12).
So, is there a “Christian List of Political Positions” that we could refer to that will tell us the biblical stand on the day’s affairs?
It might be easier to point to Scripture in defense of marriage between one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6) than it is to discern a Christian position on, say, the ideal tax rate (Matt. 17:27).
But looking for “right” positions on earthly concerns doesn’t feel at all biblical, especially in light of the apostle Paul’s statement that “our citizenship is in heaven,” and we are waiting for the Lord’s return (Phil. 3:20).
†††
AFTER JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS for our sins, He rose from the dead to create His church (Matt. 16:18), which He would soon commission his followers to build (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8).
The apostle Paul was clear that the Lord’s church should follow “one Lord” (Eph. 4:3-5), so there’s very little room for discord or fractious debate within the circle of believers. That is not to say there isn’t room for disagreement. That is entirely a different matter, as long as the issue is not a clear biblical mandate.
We’ve seen what happens when God’s people fail to consult with God on all matters of their lives, from Adam and Eve’s decision to eat of the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:6), to Abraham and Sarah’s plan to fulfill God’s promise to give them a son (Gen. 16:1-2), to Korah’s uprising against Moses’ leadership in the wilderness (Num. 16:31-33), and that’s just the tip of the first three books in a 66-book Bible.
The prophet Jeremiah was pretty blunt, wasn’t he, when he put it this way when God’s people stopped asking Him for guidance: “For the shepherds are stupid and do not inquire of the LORD; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered” (Jer. 10:21).
†††
WHAT IS CLEAR is that in all matters of our earthly lives, including the political realm, God’s people are called on to seek God’s guidance and direction.
The apostle James, Jesus’ half-brother, says that if anyone lacks wisdom, he or she “should ask God,” who will give it (James 1:5). He says that the wisdom God gives “is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (3:17).
The psalmist tells us (Psalms 118:8-9 CEV) that it is “better to trust the Lord for protection than to trust anyone else, including strong leaders.”
Lastly, we’re reminded in Acts 4:24-26, that God is sovereign, and He will determine the outcome of any event, whether it be a plea for direction in marriage or which job offer to accept — or what the election outcome should be.
That doesn’t mean we will understand or even like the outcome (Isa. 55:9). It does mean that God is in control.
†††
WHEN THE APOSTLES PETER AND JOHN were released from prison, they reported back to the early believers that the political and religious leaders of the day had ordered them to stop preaching the Good News of salvation.
Immediately, the believing community raised their arms in prayer: “Sovereign Lord, you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.’”
Their amazing prayer continued: “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.”
After they finished, the Bible says (v. 31), “the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”
PRAYER
O Holy and Merciful Father, we come to you in this troubled political season in our country and seek Your guidance. We ask for wisdom on what we, as Your followers, should share with fellow believers and with a fallen world hungry for Light and Truth. In the end, Lord, we know that Your Truth will prevail and that You alone are sovereign. We seek guidance that will help us navigate the coming months in a way that brings glory to You, Lord, and healing to our community. We raise this plea in Jesus’ Name. AMEN
Ward's Words | BY WARD PIMLEY 