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Pastor Harold's Sermon Sampler
What About Our County? We are about to celebrate
our country’s independence this coming Friday.
As we observe this national holiday, our thoughts revolve around the
freedoms we have as Americans. I
can honestly say that I thank God that I live in a country where we are free
to speak out, to move about as we choose, to assemble and to worship as our
conscience dictates. We
celebrate those freedoms today. However, as I view our
country and its situation today, I see a country suffering from illness.
If we do not seek to turn our country back to God we are in a whole
lot of trouble. Many of the
great and powerful nations of the past only survived 200 years or so.
We are going to be 232 years old on Friday. As I thought about this
subject in light of the scriptures, my thoughts turned to I Timothy 2:1-4.
“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that
we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is
good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come
to a knowledge of the truth.” As I see it, we are not
involved in the affairs of our nations as once many of our forefathers were
when they were living. In verse
one it instructs us to present “requests, prayers, intercessions and
thanksgiving for everyone.” This
covers just about every type of prayer that is in existence.
A well rounded prayer life is always an essential element of the
Christian life. We are to seek
God’s face and make known our prayers to him on other’s behalf.
Lifting others up before God’s throne is sound advice.
When we are praying for one another there is little time to criticize
or tear down each other. Prayer
soothes the soul and it accomplishes much for other people.
In verse 2 Paul encourages the same
treatment for those in authority over us.
We may or may not agree with the political position of the president
or the governor or even our mayor, but we are to offer prayers for them just
as we would anyone else. These
people as we shall see in a moment in Romans 13 are there for a reason.
They are in office because God has allowed them to be there. We are to pray for these
people for personal reasons.
Look again at the text in verse 2, “for kings and all those in authority,
that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”
When we become concerned for others both in the spiritual and
physical realm we are concerned about the whole person.
Pray for these people that you may lead peaceable lives.
That you may be godly and respectful.
One of the ills our nation is suffering from is in the area of
respect. Children do not respect
their elders. And it is usually
as a result of the adults in their lives who have either hurt them or let
them down in such a way that it has caused them to lack respect. Another version says that
one is to be godly and honest.
Matthew Henry in his commentary on this passage says this, “Here we have our
duty as Christians summed up in two words, godliness, that is, the right
worshipping of God; and honesty, that is good conduct towards all men.
These two must go together; we are not truly honest if we are not
godly, and do not render to God his due; and we are not truly godly if we
are not honest.” Thus, God wants us to know
this is good and acceptable in his sight.
Verse 3-4, “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all
men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
Now turn with me to Romans
13:1-7, “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. Consequently, he who rebels against
the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do
so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those
who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear
of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For
he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he
does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath
to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit
to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because
of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's
servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe
him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then
respect; if honor, then honor.” We are to be subject unto
the higher powers. Those in
authority over us. There really
is no authority except God’s authority.
He has simply allowed those in authority over us to be there.
Rulers are not supposed to be a terror only to those who lack respect
for the law. Do what is good
then and gain his approval. The
ones in authority are God’s servant for your good.
Even our own George W. Bush is there for our good.
This fall we have quite a responsibility before us as we elect a new
president and other people to office.
I urge you to pray now for our country.
Pray for the right person to be elected.
Pray for their soul, their salvation, their direction, their
decision. Pray for you fellow
Americans, too. As we continue on in our
text here in Romans, we discover that the Apostle gets into the controversy
of taxes. Pay taxes to whom it
is due. This government is our
government. If we do not like
the way things are going, let’s mobilize and change the way our government
is going. We have the power to
vote. We need to give back the
government to the people. We
need to elect people who truly want to represent the people.
You have the choice as Americans. Abraham
Lincoln said this in the now famous Gettysburg
Address. “Four
score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new
nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men
are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether
that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.
We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a
portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave
their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper
that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate
-- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men,
living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor
power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what
we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the
living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who
fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here
dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored
dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last
full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead
shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new
birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for
the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
Ours is a government, of the people,
by the people and for the people as Abraham Lincoln said.
We must never forget that fact. Therefore, my message for
us today is to be a people of prayer.
Praying for our country.
What about our country? It is in
trouble. Let us get involved.
Through prayer God can and will change the people we pray for.
God wants to begin that process with us.
Turn now to I Timothy 2:4,
“who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the
truth.” God desires that all people be saved and to come to the knowledge of
the truth. God sends no one to
hell. Men send themselves to
hell. God’s wish above
everything else is for you to be saved today.
He wants to see people all across this land to repent of their sins
and be saved. God’s desire and
it is my prayer for you this morning that you come to Jesus today and be
forgiven, to become a Christian, to stand for that which is right and to be
a man or woman of God and to be a person of prayer. The choice is yours.
What about our country?
We need to pray for it. What
about our fellow citizens? We
need to pray for them. What
about you? We need to pray that
you come to Christ if you have not already done so.
God is calling each and everyone of us to himself.
Are you listening this morning? God bless America this
year for truly America is the home of the brave.
For more
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