Posted on 01/21/2009 6:38:17 AM PST by Penn4God
My Grandma told me a true Christian prays for everyone and let’s God sort out the details.
Jennifer Mesko tells us we shouldn't pray for our enemies or those in authority over us. Jesus tells us we MUST pray for them.
Who are you going to follow? Jennifer Mesko, or Jesus?
First of all, I ask you to pray for everyone. Ask God to help and bless them all, and tell God how thankful you are for each of them. Pray for kings and others in power, so that we may live quiet and peaceful lives as we worship and honor God. This kind of prayer is good, and it pleases God our Savior. God wants everyone to be saved and to know the whole truth, ... 1 Tim. 2:1-4
How can someone call themselves a Christian and even ask such a question? What next, someone suggesting we shouldn't pray for sinners?
(Matthew 5:44 KJV) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; (1 Timothy 2:1-3 KJV)
"You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thy enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you: That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good, and bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust. For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? do not even the publicans this? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? do not also the heathens this? Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect."
Your Grandma listened to the Lord well.
We are instructed to pray for our leaders and I do so regularly and will continue to do so. I pray that Obama will see the light and receive wisdom as he governs. If my prayers are effective, Obama will turn out very different than we expect.
Put those knees on the floor and ask for wisdom for our President.
I also pray for Sarah and her family. for more wisdom for the coming fight.
related prayer:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2168765/posts
Just like the other thread that wishes our president to fail...How unbelievably selfish.
Paul wrote that Christians should pray for the King and all those in authority. He wasn’t saying we were to agree with their evil choices, but to pray that they might make good decisions. The Ceasers were in power at the time...not exactly considered to be pillars of morality and goodness. Paul and Peter died at the hands of Nero who was responsible for the torture and death of many Christians. They apparently felt the need to pray for that type of leader.
Nobody said this would be an easy thing. I struggle with it myself. Then again, Jesus never promised that everything He asked us to do would be easy.
So you want Obama to be successful in implementation of his leftist polices?
"First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,
for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1Timothy 2:1-4)
If the apostle Paul could pray for the butcher Nero, then we can pray for Obama. That said, I will be praying for his salvation and that God, in His mercy would "Deliver us from evil".
I am also reminded of Teveya's prayer:
"May the Lord bless the Tzar, and keep him far away from us!"
1 Timothy 2 1-3
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour...”
Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ruled from 54 to 68 AD. The Great Fire of Rome occurred in 64 AD, and Nero blamed the Christians, starting a time of intense persecution of the Church. We believe that 1 Timothy was written around 62 - 67 AD.
Check the dates. Paul was exhorting the Church to pray “for kings, and for all that are in authority,” INCLUDING NERO at that time. 0bama will have to work to attain to Nero’s level of evil.
I don’t particularly want to pray for 0, but I won’t change the clear meaning of scripture to match my feelings, as the liberals do. A believer cannot say, “No, Lord.” I either say, “Yes, Lord,” or I simply say, “No.” That is my choice.
But I will also pray for the weakest and most vulnerable among us...the unborn, who will now be killed in greater numbers, and with greater approval from the government. And I will pray for the women (and men) who are deceived into believing that it is their right to kill the unborn. And I will pray for all those who are deceived into believing that their brand of fornication is okay in God’s eyes, whether it is homosexuality, adultery, serial marriage, premarital sex, transsexuality, or whatever. All of these people would be encouraged by the government in their sin and deception, to their great detriment, under the stated intended policies of the 0bama administration—even more than in previous administrations.
And I will pray for the Church, that all those who belong to Christ will shake off complacency and the fear of man and begin again to speak boldly of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and of the new life available only in Jesus Christ through faith.
But we are called to pray for ALL people. I am wrestling with this: the exhortation to pray FOR 0bama—although not for his goals and policies—to pray in faith, to pray effectually and fervently for a man who would lead our nation into the abyss. But I will not insult my Lord by pretending that I am not able. His call MAKES me able. It is only my obedience that is in question.
Unless it is a call to prayer to ask God to give Obama a spirit of repentence concerning his choices of supporting the murder of innocents (Abortion) and supporting the abomination of Homosexuality (God’s definition, not mine) then this is really a ill-informed and unwise suggestion.
First make the foundation right, then deal with everything else, otherwise, you are doomed to failure.
I want him to be successful in keeping America the best country in the world, whatever that entails.
Corin is exactly right.
We're not asked to pray that evil schemes of evil leaders be successful.
It means that we're to ask that they be just administers of civil peace. It also implies that we pray for their salvation.
I would suggest we pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. If Obama chooses to disobey the clear directives given in scripture, then he is not making it possible for the will of God to be done through his efforts. I also suggest there is no biblical mandate that we should pray for the success of anyone who wishes to institute infanticide as a policy change. When would God want us to pray FOR the success of murder?
You are mistaken. He has the free will God gave to him, just as Adam had the free will to choose. We can pray only for God’s will to be done, but do not be misled.
You are ONE VOICE who sees the real issue here. I think too many christians have bowed over to this insane hoopla over this man. People are so desperate for hope that they are willing to “exchange the truth of God for a lie”. This kind of thinking is what will lead the antichrist forward when his time comes. Keep your MIND!
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