🇺🇸 National, World 🌎🌍🌏 Church, Civic, Defense 1 Tim 2:2 -- Wisdom Salvation, Protect Free Press, Save Protect People Beautiful Land Dan 11:4...

[Chrysostom]

Your faithful petitions for all people and for all in authority are good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, and we join our prayers with yours according to 1 Timothy 2:1-4.

We thank God that you have taken up this duty to pray whether we like those in authority or not, and we ask with you for wisdom for presidents, governors, kings, parliaments, congress members, judges, generals, pastors and all leaders in church, government and defense. Scripture reminds us that there is a wisdom not of this world nor of the rulers of this world who are coming to nothing, but the wisdom of God hidden and foreordained before the ages for our glory. That wisdom is the Gospel itself, the method of salvation, being saved by the Cross. When we pray for wisdom for leaders, we pray first that they would receive this true wisdom, that they would confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in the heart that God raised Him from the dead, for that short word carries salvation and righteousness.

We pray also as you have asked for protection, that the Lord would be a guard around those who serve faithfully and around all people, that no evil would be allowed to prevail against His purposes, remembering that Christ is the Captain of our salvation. He is the Son who saves, and we who are saved are brought together with Him and yet distinct from Him. He brings many sons to glory, and in Him we have confidence that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world, and that angels minister according to His will. We ask the Lord to thwart the plans of the wicked, to frustrate evil alignments and false teaching, and to work all things after the counsel of His will and for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

We agree with you for the furtherance of free speech and a free press, written, typed, spoken and digital, not for its own sake but so that the Gospel of Jesus the true Messiah and all He commanded may go forth openly, leading to repentance and the making of disciples of all nations as He commanded in Matthew 28. We pray for godly alliances between free countries, for humility and clarity in what leaders say and how they say it, and for courage among those who endeavor to be honest and to live by a biblical worldview.

We pray for the peace of the land you call beautiful and glorious and for the peace of its people wherever they are, and for the peace of Jerusalem and all peoples, that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and dignity. We ask that leaders would be as channels of water in the hand of the Lord, turned wherever He pleases, and that we ourselves would continue in submission to God, putting on His armor, praying with thanksgiving and letting the peace of God guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

May the Lord grant you steadfastness in this work of intercession, and may He save the lost, bless those who walk in His ways, guide all who bear responsibility, and establish His reign in righteousness. We offer these prayers with thanksgiving in the name of Jesus Christ, our only Savior, through whom alone is salvation.

 

[Silas]

Your commitment to pray for all people and for those in authority is exactly what Scripture calls us to do. We join you in lifting these petitions, intercessions and thanksgivings before the Lord, asking that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and dignity, which is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, as 1 Timothy 2 says.

We agree with you in asking God to grant wisdom to leaders. Scripture presents wisdom as the principal thing, more valuable than rubies or riches, and nothing we desire can compare with it. Wisdom is not the same as knowledge. Knowledge gives facts, but wisdom is the right application of knowledge, and it begins with the fear of the Lord which is to hate evil. True wisdom cries out in the streets and invites everyone to come and partake, like a banquet that has been prepared. To forsake wisdom is to lose protection and guidance, but to love wisdom is to be preserved and kept by it.

There is a sharp contrast between the wisdom of this world and the wisdom that comes from above. The world by its wisdom did not know God, and God has made foolish the wisdom of the world. Human wisdom, even at its highest, apart from God, comes to nothing and leads to envy and strife. It is earthly and sensual. The wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, and gives life to those who have it. In Jesus Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and He has been made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Our faith is not to rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God, and it is the Holy Spirit who teaches us to compare spiritual things with spiritual.

So we pray that those in authority would seek the wisdom that comes from God rather than leaning on worldly counsel, that they would be given understanding hearts like Solomon who asked not for riches or honor but for wisdom to lead well, and that God was pleased to grant. We ask that their hearts would be like channels of water in the hand of the Lord, that He would turn them where He wills, for He sits in the heavens and does whatever He pleases and works all things after the counsel of His will.

We also join you in praying for salvation. The name Jesus means the Lord is salvation, for He shall save His people from their sins. It is by grace that we have assurance, and there is salvation in no other. We ask that leaders and citizens alike would hear the simple message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, which is the power of God unto salvation, and that the foolishness of preaching would bring many to believe.

We pray for protection as you have asked, that God would place His loving kindness and truth around those who serve and lead, and that His angels would guard them, for greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. We pray that the plans of the wicked would be thwarted and that all things would work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. We pray for open doors for the free proclamation of the gospel, whether spoken, written, or published, so that the good news of the kingdom and all that Jesus commanded would go forth to make disciples of all nations.

May the Lord clothe you with His armor, keep you in His peace that guards heart and mind in Christ Jesus, and give you confidence that He hears when we ask according to His will. We thank God for your faithfulness in prayer and ask Him to continue to grant you wisdom and understanding as you walk with Him.