National Day of Prayer

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MP4 Video - 720p (73.6 MB)
MP3 Audio (1.28 MB)

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National Day of Prayer

MP4 Video - 720p (73.6 MB)
MP3 Audio (1.28 MB)
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Should we be praying for our nation and leadership?

Transcript

 

[Steve Myers] Today in America the government has designated May 2nd as the National Day of Prayer. Many activities are going on. Many people ignore it. Many people don't even take notice of that. In fact, I think the President didn't even mention Christianity in one of his addresses regarding this. And yet, is that something we should do? Is this something that we should do as far as praying for our country? Well, actually in scripture we're given guidance to do that very thing. We can find that over in 1 Timothy chapter 2. And right at the very beginning of that chapter the Apostle Paul tells us, he says, "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." So we see this intent of what we're supposed to be praying about. And he says, "That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence." And in fact here's what he says in verse 3, "This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior" (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

And so it's a good thing to pray for our countries. It's a good thing to pray for our leadership. In fact it's something he's indicating here, we better be doing this because it helps us to realize where our real hope is. Is our trust only in human leaders, or is our trust in something much bigger than that? There's a passage back in Matthew that Christ talked about. It was a quote from Isaiah that He gave over in Matthew chapter 12, and ultimately as we pray for our leaders, ultimately as we pray for our countries. We know our hope lies in God. And that's what Christ said in that passage in Matthew chapter 12. He says very clearly here that, right there at the very beginning of - oh, I forgot a letter - in verse 21 Christ quotes Isaiah and He points to Himself when He says, "In Him name the nations set their hope" (Matthew 12:21). Some translations say the Gentiles put their trust. But where do we as a people, where do we as a nation put our trust?

This National Day of Prayer should remind us as God's people we put our trust in God. We're looking forward to the time when Jesus Christ will ultimately establish God's government. And so in the meantime we do pray. We pray for our leaders. We pray for our country, and we look to God for the ultimate guide in our lives.

That's BT Daily. We'll see you next time.