day 15 devotional- leadership

The prayer guide for today switches it's focus for the last time. The first week we explored renewing ourselves, the second week we explored renewal in the body of christ, and this week we will explore renewal in our nation and world.

And so the first topic is leadership. Here's what the book says for today:

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Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-3 (NLT) I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior.

Personal Reflection:
God gives us clear instructions in the Word to pray for our leaders and those in authority over us. We never want our leaders to fail because they arn't properly covered in prayer and protection. Often we spend more time complaining about what our leaders have been doing/not doing then we spend in prayer regarding them. In American, we have the right to question to decisions of our leaders, but, as Christians, that should never be done in a disrespectful manner or while neglecting our call to prayer. Everyone in authority over us- in our government, our church, our community and our family- needs our prayers for strength and wisdom so that we might have peace and salvation as a nation.

Going forward I'm committed to _________.

Additional Scripture Support: Rom. 13:1-6. Isaiah 96:7, Prov. 21:1, Jer. 29:7, Matt. 18:19&20, Psalm 20, Prov. 15:34

Praying through scripture:
Proverbs 4:5, 10:9, 24:6, Psalm 46:1-3 (MSG)
Jesus, I thank you for those you've placed in authority over me, my leaders. I ask that you lead them to wisdom and developing good judgment. Help them to not forget your word or deviate an inch from it. I ask that you help them live in honesty and have carefree, confident lives. But if there's anything shifty, I trust you to expose it. I pray that you help them to make the right strategic plans and surround themselves with good counsel. Be a safe place for them and their families, ready to help them when they need it so that they can stand fearless because they know you are fighting for them and protecting them. Amen.

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As everyone knows, I am a criticizer. I critique movies, books, school, actions, pretty much anything I can. And I always have something negative to say.

But with people, it's different. My problem isn't criticizing as much as it is letting things slide- justifying people as people....who make mistakes. But I don't go back and pray. I let things go; I brush them off. And we all watch T.V. and see our Pat Rs and our Rob Bs and our Joel Os and when they say something ridiculous like that Haiti deserved an earthquake because God wants them to all repent we critique or we try to justify why they said something so silly. Or we say they arn't really Christians. But the fact is they ARE LEADERS AND PEOPLE FOLLOW THEM. And because of that, we NEED to put them on our prayer lists and pray for God to come into them and to fill them to say things that help bring people closer to Him and not further away.

Going forward I'm committed to praying over prominant leaders, asking God to allow their leadership to glorify His name.