Tuesday – August 30, 2016
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Please be reminded to pray for the various governments of these United States. Also let’s pray for our friends to the north in Canada. This week I am featuring the Province of Alberta. Pictured above is a map of Canada locating Alberta in the Country of Canada. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) Remember God has given us the format for our prayers for these governments.
1 Timothy 2:1-5 (KJV)
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
A supplication is a petition presented before the Lord, it is not begging as begging does not get it done. A petition states the problem, and the Scriptural (legal) basis for resolving the problem. We talk (prayer) to the Lord about all people, we intercede (stand in the gap) for all peoples, and we give thanks for all people. This includes the leaders, those of authority in our country. The purpose of these prayers is to bring religious freedom to our nation so that the Kingdom of God can be built. It is the will of God for all to be saved so our prayer is for people to come into the Kingdom of God including all in authority. I hear many just say: well God is going to put in there who He wants and that’s that. That is poppycock. Who has authority in the earth? The people in the earth not God. Now, once the people of the earth humble themselves and align with the will of God, the power of God is released to accomplish the plans of God.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Once again notice that huge word “If” once again (2 Timothy 2:21). Apparently His people who are called by His name have not humbled themselves, have not prayed, have not submitted to Him, and have not turned from their wicked ways because the land is not healed but is deteriorating even further. Think about it, how can there be serious conversations and legal actions supported at the highest levels of government by people when “we the people” put wicked people in office. People who support transgender bathrooms, gay marriage, abortion, homosexuals in the military, women in combat, the limiting of religious expression, limiting speech, the trampling on the first, second, and fourth amendments to the United States Constitution crying they are offended, and removing the right to defend oneself. We the people of God have chosen wickedness and so wickedness we have. God is not going to just swoop in saying; “Oh these poor babies let me get you out of this mess;” without repentance and the tearing down of the high places (wicked ideas). Selah
Listen to President and Minister of the gospel, James Garfield.
When giving his centennial address to Congress in 1876, President James Garfield issued the following warning: “Now, more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature…If the next centennial does not find us a great nation…it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces.”
Ephesians 1:3-5 (KJV)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Our obedience empowers our God to flow through us with all spiritual blessings (empowerments). The Godhead decided before the current age was put in place that if and when we needed it He would redeem us by Jesus Christ and adopt us right back into the family. This was His will and He was pleased to do it fully understanding the outrageous cost. There is nothing more costly than the blood of Jesus, He paid an unmeasurable sum to redeem a family. Just what would the cost of eternal life be in dollars? Whatever number you can imagine it is beyond that and is the value of God which is without measure.
1 Peter 1:18-20 (KJV)
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
Looking back at our text in Ephesians there are two parting points that I want to make. First, the word predestination does not mean that certain people were chosen and the others were not. It is not the will of God that any should perish, period. All have opportunity even if we personally do not visit them and all make a choice for or against being redeemed. We are freewill creatures. The second point has to do with the use of the word ‘adoption’. In Jewish law an adopted son has the same rights as the first born son. These are the rights of the double portion and the right of the Fathers blessing. So in closing we were all predestined to be adopted sons of God, some chose to be sons and some chose not to be sons of God. Those that chose to be adopted into the family of God received the right of the double portion and are joint-heirs with Christ Jesus the first born from the dead to life (spiritual). In addition those that chose the light received the blessing of the first born, the blessing given in the garden, the blessing of Abraham, and the blessing of Jesus, the Holy Spirit.
By Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
