DAY 31: Peace July 1, 2015

"Therefore I exhort first of all

that supplications, prayers, intercessions,

and giving of thanks be made for all men,

for kings and all who are in authority,

that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life

in all godliness and reverence."
(1 Timothy 2:1-2, NKJV)

MORNING DEVOTION - "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee..." (Psalm 63:1)

Scripture Reading: Acts 3:1; 4:1-31

The Christians in the early Church knew how essential prayer was to the fulfillment of the great Commission. When Peter and John went up to the temple at the time of prayer (reference Acts 3:1), the Lord had scheduled them a divine appointment with a lame man who needed healing. As we discussed yesterday, the early Christians had little material wealth, but they had an abundant supply of spiritual power through the Holy Spirit, and this treasure they gave the crippled man. "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk" (v.6). Their actions amazed the people as well as caught the attention of the Sanhedrin; the same group that only months earlier had condemned Jesus to die.

The disciples' simple act of service became the springboard which gained for them the audience of the ruling authority. But the leaders, wanting nothing more than to silence the disciple's message, threw Peter and John in jail. Rather than prevent their message from being heard, their arrest only further published it, and five thousand new believers were added to their number. Praise God that His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9)! The next day they were brought before the council and questioned: "By what power or what name did you do this?" (v.4:7b). The Lord placed them exactly where He wanted them to be, so they could proclaim His gospel message to the most powerful men in Israel; and the Holy Spirit enabled them to speak confidently and freely. "On My account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you" (Matthew 10:18-20).

The leaders, trying to intimidate the disciples, commanded them to no longer speak or teach in the name of Jesus. While we may be called to submit to the governing authorities (reference Romans 13:1-4), there is no authority apart from God; and our obedience to man's laws should never be in violation of God's law; particularly when that ruling authority rejects God's authority. "We ought to obey God rather than man" (Acts 5:29b). Jesus had commanded His disciples to be His witnesses to all people, and had given them the Holy Spirit to make their work effectual. With power, Peter and John boldly responded, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen or heard" (Acts 4:19-20). They had been forbidden to speak the name of Jesus Christ, a reality we are experiencing today; but they refused to compromise the truth of God's message or comply with the ruling authority; "Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!" (Isaiah 30:11); and they were eventually released and joined together with the other believers, praising God and praying for further boldness to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ in the hearing of all people (vv. 23-30). The Lord heard their prayers and sent a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit to equip them for further ministry. "After they had prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly" (v. 31). What followed was an increased level of unity among the believers and greater boldness to speak the truth. The early Church carried the message of salvation to all people; this included the governing authorities: "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). May we pray for greater boldness for the pastors in our pulpits and the people in the pews to boldly proclaim the full counsel of the Word of God, and to come out from behind the walls of the church and into the civil arena so the glorious message of the gospel of grace can be proclaimed and bring healing to our communities, our country, and our world!

Heavenly Father,
"Why do the nations rage

and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth take their stand

and the rulers gather together

against the Lord and against His anointed One."

(Psalm 2:1,2)

"Now, Lord, look on their threats,

and grant to Your servants that with all boldness

they may speak Your Word."

(Acts 4:29)

Lord, give Your people courage

to stand firm on Your holy Word and boldness to proclaim

Your truth in the face of increasing persecution towards people of faith

and rising hostility toward religious freedom in our nation today.

Our weakness in prayer is the cause of our weak witness

in the world. Help us to realize the influence we

have in Your presence, and the influence You

have given us upon the earth to secure

the peace of the world when we come boldly

before Your throne of grace on behalf of all men.

Lord, You are God, and we glorify and exalt

Your holy name.

In Jesus' Name. Amen.

The enemy has been relentless in his pursuit to silence God's people since the very beginning of the Church; but as we have just read in the book of Acts, his attempts only made the witness of the Church stronger and more effective. Today, there is a renewed effort aimed at silencing Christians, and a calculated and strategic assault from hostile groups aimed at restraining and limiting religious liberty - "our first freedom upon which all our other freedoms rest." While "there is no authority except that which God has established" (reference Daniel 2:21a; Romans 13:1), their position of power and influence is meant for the benefit of society, and for the general welfare and good of the people. We have seen a great overreach of this power in recent days which has become fuel for the fire for aggressive attacks against people of faith who hold fast to God's definition of marriage. While our nation has set itself on course for destruction, as it moves further away from our spiritual foundation, it is vital for believers to remain steadfast in the face of persecution; and to stand firm and set the example in love, gentleness, patient endurance, and faithful involvement in the public sector; and continue to pray for God's people and God's purposes to be fulfilled. We are told in the Scriptures to not be surprised at the painful trials we face (reference 1 Peter 4:12), or the hostility of non-believers to the gospel message (reference Matthew 10:22), we are to simply be faithful to proclaim the good news with our lives and our lips, understanding that God's "living and active" Word will accomplish what He has purposed (reference Proverbs 19:21; Isaiah 55:11; Jeremiah 1:12); "Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained"

(2 Timothy 2:8-9).

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AFTERNOON DEVOTION - "Evening, and morning, and noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice" (Psalm 55:17, KJV).

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:4b; 1 Timothy 2:1-6

God has ordained the system of human government. "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God" (Romans 13:1). As Christians, we are citizens of heaven (reference Philippians 3:20), but we must submit to our earthly government as well as become active participants (i.e. exercising our right to vote and run for office) to help promote the good of our communities. "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men" (Titus 3:1-2). We are to exemplify the love of Christ to all people, and do so with humility and respect. "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (Proverbs 3:34). We must allow the Lord freedom to work through His people in the spirit of gentleness to break down the prideful walls of those who question and criticize Christianity, so they, like the Sanhedrin, will be unable to hold anything against us and will be brought to the knowledge of the truth. "We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up" (1 Corinthians 8:1b).

As we pray for the ungodly who are in positions of power, we must also pray for believers who currently hold office, and for other believers to boldly step into the civil arena to exercise a godly influence in our communities and nation. "When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan" (Proverbs 29:2). Pray specifically for men and women of integrity to be promoted to higher levels of influence and power. "Well done, my good servant! ...Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities" (Luke 19:17). Pray that these godly men and women will use their positions to advance the cause of freedom and liberty so this nation will be blessed to fulfill our calling of being a beacon of light and hope to the world. "Men must be governed by God or they will be ruled by tyrants" - William Penn.

Heavenly Father,

"O LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is Your name in all the earth!

What is man that You are mindful of him,

the son of man that You care for him?

You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings

and crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him ruler over the works of Your hands;

You put everything under his feet." (Psalm 8:1a, 4-6)

Father, You made us in Your image and likeness

and committed to our hands the rule of Your creation.

Sin separated man from his original role as Your

representative on this earth, but Jesus You

redeemed us so we could be restored to our

rightful position - a position we can only

reclaim through Jesus Christ; and a role we

can only fulfill through prayer.

It would therefore seem, Lord Jesus,

that the blessed maintenance and restoration of the earth

can only be realized through the prayers

of those who have fully surrendered to You;

those whose only concern and interest is for

You and Your kingdom.

Father, give us praying men and women like these who

are fully yielded to You and whose every move is

made only by first inquiring of You.

Place them in the position of power and influence in

our pulpits, in the White House, in the halls of Congress,

in the seats of our courts, on our school boards,

in our state legislatures, in every position of government,

that they would dispense heaven's blessings upon

this nation through their fervent, unceasing prayers.

In Jesus' Name. Amen.

The prophet Daniel provides an example of a man who exercised "civil disobedience", because of his convictions to follow the word of God; and he did so with respect and courtesy, not wanting to bring harm to the guard who oversaw him (reference Daniel 1, 6). He lived a life above reproach, faithfully serving the Lord, and being a loving witness, not just to his own people, but to those in authority whose respect and confidence he gained. Those who wanted to silence him could find no just cause, therefore they had to create a moral dilemma in which to trap him. "They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent" (Daniel 6:4b). In the face of persecution, Daniel remained faithful to God, continuing in unceasing, fervent prayer, and the Lord promoted him to higher levels of influence, appointing him as God's witness to the kings of the land; which resulted in their hearts being transformed and a nation impacted because of his humble approach. If we are finding it difficult to pray for men and women who have overstepped the proper function of their role in government we need only read the account of Nebuchadnezzar to be reminded that the Lord is in control of men and nations (reference Daniel 4). "...your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules...Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed" (vv.26b, 27b). As concerned Christians, may we begin to exercise our greatest power and influence in the public arena by uniting in constant and fervent prayer for God to bring the change our nation so desperately needs - a return to the Judeo-Christian foundation this nation was built upon. "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11). "As for me, far be it for me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you" (1 Samuel 12:23).

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EVENING MEDITATION - "...and on His law he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:2)

Prayer Focus: The Government

The key to good government is good leaders. Our founding fathers were men of faith who understood the importance of the Word of God in transforming the hearts of people and shaping nations. Our nation was birthed on the principals found in the Bible. John Adams said, "Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people." His son, John Quincy Adams went on to say that, "...the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the redeemers mission on earth, then it laid the cornerstone of human government on the first precepts of Christianity." Because we have fallen far from our Christian roots we have leaders in government who are re-writing our country's history and revising our founding documents to suit their own agenda. At the Constitutional Convention, John Francis Mercer declared, "It is a great mistake to suppose that the paper we are to propose will govern the United States. It is the men whom it will bring into the government and interest [they have] in maintaining it that are to govern them. The paper will only mark out the mode and the form. Men are the substance and must do the business." It is no wonder why it is necessary that Christians lead the way in our local, state, and national government; and how vital it is that we, as believers, pray for leaders in every level of our government.

This evening let us begin our time of prayer by praying for our President and his administration, for all members of the executive branch, pray for our elected officials in the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives, and for the appointed members of the U.S. Supreme Court. Pray for leaders in our local and state governments. Pray for repentant hearts, and a consciousness and fear of who God is, and their accountability to Him for their words and actions (Proverbs 9:10). Pray for all leaders in government to be given wisdom, knowledge and understanding in times of uncertainty (James 1:5). Pray that God would raise up God-fearing advisers who would give godly counsel to our leaders (Proverbs 24:6). Pray for our leaders to have honesty, integrity, and humility to serve the people, and not their own agendas (Psalm 26; Proverbs 11:3; Titus 3:1-2). Pray that they would be convicted of their sin and receive God's gift of forgiveness and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:4). Pray for those who are godly and righteous leaders to be strengthened, protected, and emboldened in their faith as they serve in the public arena (Ephesians 3:16-19). Pray for moral and just laws to be established, and for America to turn back to God; motivated not by the desire for our own comfort and prosperity, but with a sincere desire to bless other nations and fulfill our mission to bring the hope, light, and peace of Christ to the world. "...and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end" (Isaiah 9:6, 7a).

Practical things you can do as you pray for your local, state, and national government: Download and print out a copy of your state legislative directory so you can pray for the members of your state government by name. Print out a copy of the Congressional Directory online at www.congress.org, or request a copy of the U.S. Officials Prayer Guide bookmark at www.ifapray.org . Visit your local city website to print out the names of your city manager, council and members to pray for them. Pray on the steps of your county courthouse or join other groups that meet there on a regular basis to pray. Sign up to receive the Family Research Council email newsletter and action alerts to stay informed and pray more specifically for our nation at www.frc.org (sign up to receive their weekly email Prayer Alerts HERE). Contact your State Policy Council and join their mailing list to be informed and become involved with what is going on in your state government (click HERE to find your state FPC). Join with your local Church and other believers to pray for our nation on the annual Call2Fall (www.call2fall.com), and the National Day of Prayer each May (www.ndptf.org). Encourage your pastor to participate in Pulpit Freedom Sunday, and to attend next year's Watchmen on the Wall Pastors Briefing in Washington D.C. or a regional WOtW even in your area (www.watchmenpastors.org). If you haven't already, please register to vote or encourage others to vote, and then vote! Prayerfully consider running for public office and surround yourself with people of prayer! Register now for this year's Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C. (www.valuesvotersummit.org). Join with the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation in unceasing prayer for our nation. Schedule a PrayUSA Sunday for your church and take the PrayUSA pledge by signing the Prayer for America Proclamation at www.prayusa.com.

God give us men! A time like this demands

Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands;

Men whom the lust of office does not kill;

Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy;

Men who possess opinions and a will;

Men who have honor; men who will not lie;

Men who can stand before a demagogue

And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking!

Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog

In public duty, and in private thinking;

For while the rabble, with their thumb-worn creeds

Their large professions and their little deeds.

Mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps,

Wrong rules the land and waiting Justice sleeps.

(a prayer by J.B. Holland)

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"May this territory [Washington, DC] be the residence

of virtue and happiness. In this city, may that piety and virtue,

that wisdom and magnanimity; that constancy and

self-government which adorned the great character

whose name it bears, be forever held in veneration.

Here and throughout our country, may simple manners,

pure morals, and true religion flourish forever."

- John Adams

(First Presidential prayer in Congress)

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