Teach Me , O Lord To Pray For Our Nation's Leaders!!!

For the past days, I’ve been finding it hard to pray for our national leaders. It’s as if I was totally consumed and overwhelmed by anger and indignation over the Maguindanao Massacre. But God works in us and He led me to an article written by Lynn Sheldon.I truly thank her,for the article just came in on time to dissipate the fury in me. And I want to share them with you.


How Do We Pray Leaders that Seem to Defy God
by Lynn Sheldon
11/26/09

People who know me, know I have some strong opinions. Yet, I'm one of those people, if you don't agree, it's no big deal. When it comes to my faith, I believe certain ways. I stand for certain values and I love this nation. And if you don't agree...it's all right. I don't let differences become insurmountable.

Yes, unfortunately, there are those who disagree with me in many areas. I have to say it's their right to disagree and we can remain friends. That's just how I am. I love a good debate and at the end of the day, we shake hands and go on.

So, people knowing this ask me how to pray for leaders when they are corrupt or they don't seem to have our nation's best interest at heart? I tell them "Gee, that's a very difficult question for me to answer."

When I think about their question, I wonder how we are to respond. I know most Christians would say, pray for their salvation. That's fine. But salvation and leadership are two different things.

However, I do believe there are people who do not love our nation, nor do they love our God. They live by man's laws, rather than God's. They desire lawlessness and chaos, rather than peace and liberty. These people would rather see us uncomfortable and worn out, fighting for our freedoms, rather than living our lives to grow and serve the Lord and move this nation toward righteousness.

So, there are leaders like this in our nation. In fact, they exist in every nation. Leaders, for some reason, believe they live above the law and above the rest of us. It's as if they have all the answers and we're supposed to accept them, even though their answers are against everything we stand for as Christians and as Americans. Thus, the only thing we want out of a leader is to be trustworthy and do what's right for America and what we stand for...We're not wanting to make ourselves like China, Russia, Cuba or Venezuela. However, people will disappoint us. And that's why we are not to place our trust in people, but God.

So, how do we pray for people who want to enslave our people and maybe turn on Christians and cause them great harm in the future.

Well, I found this little prayer that David prayed. Now I'm not recommending it, nor would I suggest it. I just thought it was interesting that a man after God's heart would pray this kind of prayer:

Let me give you a little taste of Psalm 109. If you haven't read it lately David writes about some evil and wicked men who were attempting to assassinate his character. They were saying evil and wicked things about him. He reminded the Lord that he, David is a man of prayer, even though they falsely accused him. David appears to have given them the hand of friendship and they bit it off.

David writes in Psalm 109:8, "May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership." David continues, "May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow. May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes. May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children. May his descendants be cut off, their names blotted out from the next generation. May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD; may the sin of his mother never be blotted out. May their sins always remain before the LORD, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth (Psa. 109:9-15).

Well if I can boil it down, David wanted God to strike his enemy dead and have his assets seized. David asked God to go to battle for him. He's asking God to be his avenger.

Maybe there are people who are that evil and we need to pray this way. I certainly could see people praying this way about Hitler, or Stalin or Mao.

So, what can I say? When people ask me the question, I could point them to this Psalm. But then there is my little grandson. We were talking about this nation and what we're about to go through. When he went to bed, he asked me to pray with him. I was ready to pray the kind of prayer David prayed, but that wasn't what my grandson had in mind. He began to pray for our leader's salvation. Suddenly, I felt very small before the Lord and my grandson. Now you see what it's difficult for me to answer the question. My grandson impressed me with his faith, but I just can't get David's prayer out of my mind.

Oh well, I guess I'll have to think a little longer about how God would want me to answer the question, "When leaders are seemingly against everything that is good, how do we pray?

Right now, I am leaning toward David, but thinking about my little grandson's prayer. Out of the mouth of babes....

God Bless,

Lynn

Author: Lynn E. Sheldon

http://godfire.org

Author writes and distributes discipleship material and articles to train believers in the Word.

MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE – A CRY TO HEAVEN!!!

And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him.
Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?"
He said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"
And the LORD said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to Me from the ground." (Genesis 4:8-10)

Barely two weeks when the Filipino people were beaming with honor and pride at the victory of Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao against Miguel Cotto. But the rejoicing was short-lived and replaced by shame and indignation over recent events in Southern Philippines.

On the morning of November 23, 2009, in the town of Ampatuan, Maguindanao province, on the island of Mindanao, Philippines, an inhuman and dastardly act of treachery and cowardice occurred. As of this date, fifty-nine bodies have been confirmed killed and recovered. The victims, mostly women, were about to file a certificate of candidacy for Esmael Mangudadatu, vice mayor of Buluan town. Mangudadatu was challenging Andal S. Ampatuan Jr., in the forthcoming gubernatorial elections. Among those killed were Mangadadatu’s wife, two sisters, lawyers, aides, supporters, mediamen and innocent civilians.

The convoy was on its way to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Maguindanao when a group of heavily armed men waylaid and brutally killed members of the group. The entire Filipino people and the rest of the international community condemn this heinous act in the strongest terms possible. A call for immediate action to bring justice to the victims and to hold the perpetrators accountable are mounting up. The world is watching if the Arroyo government has the political will to carry out a bold and decisive action against the principal suspects, the Ampatuans- a known political ally of the Arroyo administration.

Philippine politics have always been dirty, usually influenced by gold, guns and goons and characterized by violence, massive vote buying and cheating. A shame, we Filipinos, has to bear! The Maguindanao Massacre was a consequence of a lethal combination of greed and power. The callousness of the perpetrators revealed moral and spiritual corruption at its core.

As I write this blog, I cannot help but shed a tear to the victims of this massacre and to my country as well. Violence and senseless killings are no longer new to us. In fact, it’s all over us for decades. But still, I couldn’t believe that such an act of horrific magnitude can be committed in broad daylight. It is indeed appalling! Just, how these animals (a term they fully deserve) were able to commit this barbaric crime is an enigma. They don’t have a heart, much a less a soul and a spirit! And I fear for the kind of judgment God will bestow on them.


What benefit will it be to you
if you gain the whole world
but lose your own soul?
(Mark 8:36)

And because there will be more and more lawlessness, most people's love will grow cold.(Matthew 24:12)





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FOR A NATION’S REVIVAL AND DELIVERANCE: BLOW THE TRUMPET

“Blow the trumpet in the Zion, Sound off the alarm”

My country was severely hit by Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.840 Filipinos died and billions of pesos were lost with the massive flooding and destruction of properties and infrastructures. My countrymen are dying from diseases caused by disasters and climate change. Health statistics, as of this date, revealed more or less 2,000 cases of Leptospirosis and rising incidence of Upper Respiratory tract Infection, Pneumonia, Influenza and Dengue Fever. As if these weren’t enough, the cities of Marikina and Pasig felt earth tremors on Oct.21,2009. And the Philippines is continuously threatened with more typhoons and natural calamities. To top it all, are the nation’s economic, political and national security problems.

Are we suffering the consequences of our sin and follies- greed,corruption,injustice,oppression,stubbornness,rebellion,environmental exploitation, mismanagement,arrogance,pride are but a few? Have we earned God’s wrath?

In the Bible, we find page after page of God’s warnings to ancient Israel of the inevitable negative consequences of national and individual sins. A striking example is the story of David, the great king of Israel. After he committed adultery and murder, his household and his beloved nation suffered terribly.

Are we any different? Or is God simply blowing His trumpet for us today?




Our Savior Jesus Christ Himself described chaotic world conditions to occur in the time of the end. A future time so horrendous and which seemed disturbingly similar to those we are beginning to see all around us. (Matthew 24:3-22). The Bible and God’s prophets and servants are blowing off the alarm. Biblical warnings are getting loud and clear. God’s laws cannot be broken with impunity. There are and there will be negative consequences!

But are we listening?

Leviticus and Deuteronomy 28 call for repentance and spiritual revival, a national and individual conviction to turn away from sin. Same chapters echoed promises of God’s blessings on obedience on His laws and will:

“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 will forgive their sins and heal their land” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Yet despite our claims as the only Christian nation in Southeast Asia, we as a people are no different from ancient Israel and the rest of humanity. We are in spiritual poverty! And it is disheartening that many of us simply shrug our shoulders and laugh it off; while others scoff at, mock and totally reject the words of God.

At this point in our nation’s history and survival, it is wise to heed an ancient biblical saying: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” Proverbs 14:34