Praying for God to Remove a World Leader

/in /by

Praying for God to Remove a World Leader

        Ukraine.  Invaded. Confirmation of the biblical view of mankind.  Philosophers, academicians, liberal theologians, and bright people in every walk of life often balk at the biblical view of people.  They see it as demeaning to argue that people are inherently sinful.  However, history continues to confirm it.  If righteous wars must be fought to oppose evil, it is only because lurking in the background is the evil to begin with.

In my church today we were called to pray.  We took time to pray and were encouraged to keep praying as long as it takes.  Godly people all over the world are doing the same.  There are so many aspects of this tragic war that need the prayers of God’s people.

We pray because we believe, for the God who created our world, who can move mountains, who raised his Son from the dead, and brought cleansing for our sin, there is nothing impossible.  That includes God’s ability to depose leaders.  In a prayer of praise Daniel said to God and about God, Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.  He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning (Daniel 2:20-21).

God’s positioning of leaders on the world stage remains a mystery.  We often wonder why a dictator, or president, or prime minister, or king is allowed to rise to prominence when they rule with apparent ignorance or evil intent.  Yet God sees a bigger picture than our finite minds can grasp.  I try to remind myself that our brains, in spite of how wise we see ourselves, are smaller than a speck of dust in the cosmos and pale in comparison to the Divine Mind that created and directs our world.  God knows what he is doing.

So how privileged are we that God allows us to partner with him for change!  When God hears prayers that are off target, he knows our intent is good.  Even so, he is not obligated to bring change because of misguided prayer.  But more significantly, God calls us to pray because he designed a mechanism by which we can effect positive change for his glory.

A stunning picture is painted by John in Revelation of this truth.  An angel is given incense to offer before the throne, along with the prayers of the saints.  John then writes, The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand.  Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake (Rev. 8:4-5).

The picture is profound.  The prayers of the saints go up to God’s throne, and the answers are thrown down to earth with jaw-dropping power.  Our prayers have God-given power to change our world.

So, if God can depose rulers, is it appropriate for us to pray that he do so?  He certainly has a lot of tools at his disposal.  In a democracy he can use elections; in other forms of government, he can use revolution; it can come as the result of war; it come can through stroke and heart attack; it can even come through a leader’s change of heart.  But is it appropriate to pray for a leader by name, along with likeminded successors, to be deposed?

I admit it.  Since the start of this war, I have prayed that very thing.  I am hoping many who haven’t, will consider joining me.  Evil men with evil intentions do evil things to millions of people.  It seems more than appropriate to pray for the God who deposes kings to consider doing so now.

No prayer of this kind should be offered presumptuously.  For something as simple as travel plans James reminds us that we should pray, If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:15). With something as important and consequential as deposing world leaders, the spirit of our prayers must be, If it is the Lord’s will, this will happen.

I am praying for God to depose those leaders who orchestrated this dreadful atrocity.  I will, of course, accept God’s perfect understanding of what I cannot see, as well as his timing and decisions.  But pray I will!

Proud of Everything About God: No Exceptions

/in /by

Proud of Everything About God: No Exceptions

I was privileged a week ago to speak at the Denbigh Christian Church in Newport News, Virginia.  It is a strong church and in many ways like a second home with some of our family members in the church along with friends made over many years.

For three months the church used my book, Letters to Grow On: Instructions for New Christians, as a springboard for Bible sermons and for use in their weekly small group meetings.  I was honored to preach a wrap-up message for this series.  I could pick a topic from any of the last three lessons in the book.  I chose lesson 50, The Kindness and Sternness of God.1

How well do we know God?  Are we proud of part of his nature, like his great love, but embarrassed by other parts, like his anger or justice?  If we truly know God, I mean really know him, we will be proud of every single aspect of his nature and character.

Our reaction to God’s nature is brought into sharp focus by Paul in Romans 11:22.   He contrasts the Old Testament people of God, Israel, with the New Testament people of God, the church.  Both entered covenants with the Lord.  Israel, however, broke the covenant by persistent unfaithfulness and ultimate rejection of the Messiah, Jesus, God’s Son.  There are consequences for behavior.  Paul indicates that Israel was cut off from God’s blessings and the hope of eternal life.

Furthermore, God doesn’t play favorites.  He indicates that Christians can suffer the same fate unless we stay faithful to Christ.  Paul writes, Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you too will be cut off (Romans 11:22 ESV).2

How does that aspect of God’s character make you feel?  Embarrassed or proud?  First, we must understand what Paul means by severity (ESV, NASV, KJV, NKJV, NLT), sternness (NIV), or harshness (NET).  It does not refer to a lack of compassion or to indifference about people: God loves people beyond imagination!  God’s severity refers to an inflexible commitment to the rightness and appropriateness of divine law. Our God stands for what is right! That should make us proud.

The oft quoted response is, “Yes, but how can a good God send people to hell?” That question misses the point.  If anyone ends up in hell it is because they chose a lifestyle that leads there.  That is not on God.  I repeat, that is not on God.  God doesn’t want anyone to be cut off from his promises (2 Peter 3:9).  Rather he took the extreme personal measure of allowing his Son to be crucified to take away the sins leading to judgment (1 Peter 2:24).  This is good for anyone who accepts Christ and lives in harmony with his new covenant (Hebrews 8:6-13).

What the severity of God means is that because he has an inflexible commitment to the rightness of divine law,3 those who want the freedom to rebel against his righteousness will not populate heaven.  If God allows those who want to murder, rape, lie and steal into heaven; if he allows those who refuse the steps to break addiction to drugs, alcohol, or sex into heaven; if he allows people who love retaliation, slander, and gossip into heaven; if he allows those who don’t want to trust and obey him – well, heaven will end up being the same ugly mess we have now.

My heart breaks for people who choose a road that leads to hell.  My entire adult life has been devoted to helping people find Jesus Christ and enjoy the heaven he promises. But I am proud that God will not allow heaven to be ruined by those who would bring sin into it.

When reading what the Bible says about hell or judgment, it is interesting to note that whether sharing the gospel for the first time with people, or instructing the Christian community, the early Christians never register embarrassment about his severity.  The real truth is they knew God well enough to be proud of him for that.  In fact, they understood that his severity is actually the ultimate kindness for we who practice faithfulness to Christ.  God simply will not allow heaven to be spoiled by those who love sin.  For that, I am proud of God!

1Letters to Grow On: Instructions for New Christians, pp. 136-138.  [Go to the resources link for more information].

2ESV = English Standard Version; NASV = New American Standard Version; KJV = King James Version; NKJV = New King James Version; NLT = New Living Translation; NIV = New International Version; NET = New English Translation.

3See Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Vol. VIII.  Edited by Gerhard Friedrich, translated by, Geoffrey W. Bromiley.  Wm. B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1972. Pp. 108-109.