honoring authority

This is a special time for our country as we have a new president. Whether you agree with or like the new leadership, it our place as Christians to be what a follower of Christ should be.

I suggest there are two parts to being a Christian and honoring our leaders. These are simple. Neither calls for you to join a political party. These are things that make all of us stronger and better. They also make this country stronger and better.

Romans 13:1 NLT

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.

First, be a good citizen.

Be responsible by doing what good citizens do. There could be a long list, but a few of them would be these: be kind and help others, vote and share your opinion, obey the laws of the lands, support leaders.

The Bible says much about being a good citizen. Do you remember as I do one of those boxes on our report cards in elementary school? It was about citizenship. I wanted that one to be checked. To have good citizenship was important to me. It often meant that I played well with others.

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. 2 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. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior,

Second, pray for those in authority.

You don’t have to like or agree with the people you pray for. But we should pray for everyone asking God to give wisdom and protection and more. Prayer is the way we connect to God. Prayer is also one of the ways that we help others connect to God.

What is our responsibility to our country? Be a good citizen. Be a person of prayer. Those are the two best qualities for those who choose to follow Jesus and choose to honor our country.

That is a great start. It is a good day to be both!

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you ...

wash feet, sharing hope

John 13:4-5,14 NLT So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow. He served. He valued and gave value to others. That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet. It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives. Jesus said we should do this. See the verse above. Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!

Michael Harrison's e-devotion

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