“It is a great privilege, as well as our responsibility, 

to pray for our government leaders.” Billy Graham

  It’s embarrassing to admit this but at one time in my life and ministry, I was too far focused on politics. My first voting experience was voting for President Reagan and I cut my teeth on the Reagan Revolution. I nearly equated conservative political values with biblical ones. I was wrong. 

  When Bill Clinton was elected, like many other Christians, I felt very discouraged. Over the years, the Lord has taught me a lot. A vital lesson is that no matter who is in the White House, Jesus is still on His Throne. While I knew this, I almost acted like politics and government could change souls. They can’t. True change will never be brought about by an election. True change only comes from regeneration. Looking back I wasted too much energy on politics. My political “mission” became a distraction from the Great Commission. 

  While political activism on some level is a good thing, it is not the best thing. It’s not what God has called us to focus on. We have a much higher calling and a more important mission as those who belong to another Kingdom. Oswald Chambers was on point when he said that “the good is the enemy of the best.” Political activism by Christians or anyone else with a biblical worldview isn’t in and of itself wrong, it’s just not the best. 

  Heaven, eternity, God’s grace, and forgiveness are far too important to alienate anyone from being approached or listening to the gospel message for the sake of our personal political affiliation. Individual and collective cultural problems will never be altered through the political process. While I believe as Christians that we must be concerned about the moral decline in our country and must not compromise on biblical truth, the only way to transform our nation has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with offering our world the gospel. 

  As Christians, we cannot divide people into political positions. There are only two kinds of people – those who know Jesus and those who don’t. God sent His Son to the cross for everyone – Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Libertarians, Socialists, Communists and everyone else. 

  Because the real needs are spiritual needs, the greatest changes we will make in our country are not in the voting booth, but in the prayer closet. It’s why every week at Grace we pray for a government leader. It’s why we pray for those we don’t agree with. Scripture is clear that we’re to pray for ALL of our leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Scripture never qualifies who we are to pray for. In fact, Paul commanded us to pray for government leaders when Nero, a “Hitler of his day,” was on the throne of Rome. 

  All of this is why I’m so excited to have Brad Harbaugh from the Capital Commission with us this week. I had the privilege of meeting Brad a number of years ago in D.C. He is truly a kindred spirit. 

  The Capitol Commission’s mission is to reach government leaders for Christ, one person at a time, to disciple them, and to prepare them for a lifetime of ministry, wherever God chooses to place them. They’re committed to sharing God’s love, especially amidst the elected leaders of our three governing branches; legislators, judges, governors, and their staff members. Their mission is not partisanship or influencing legislation. Instead, they’re committed to building moral lawmakers whom we can trust to make and guard moral laws that improve the lives of our fellow citizens. 

  God has commanded us to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). We need government leaders who don’t just do “God talk” to get elected but have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. God has always used such leaders to make a difference for His glory. Read the biblical accounts for yourself about Joseph, Nehemiah, Esther and Daniel. They were godly individuals who used their position and influence to advance God’s cause in pagan governments. We need another generation of godly, committed Christians. 

  Let me share the account of one such individual, William Wilberforce. Like many political decisions, the horror of slavery was driven by economics. It was so entrenched in Western Civilization that only a handful of people thought anything could ever be done about it. That handful included Wilberforce. As a member of Parliament he wrote, “So enormous, so dreadful, so irremediable did the trade’s wickedness appear that my own mind was completely made up for abolition. Let the consequences be what they would: I from this time determined that I would never rest until I had effected its abolition.” 

  When it became clear Wilberforce wasn’t going to let the issue die, pro-slavery forces targeted him. He was vilified; opponents spoke of “the damnable doctrine of Wilberforce and his hypocritical allies.” The opposition became so fierce, one friend feared that one day he’d read about Wilberforce's being “carbonated [broiled] by Indian planters, barbecued by African merchants, and eaten by Guinea captains.” But his antislavery efforts finally bore fruit in 1807. Parliament abolished the slave trade in the British Empire. He then worked to ensure that slave trade laws were enforced and that slavery in the British Empire was abolished. His health prevented him from leading the last charge, though he heard three days before he died that the final passage of the emancipation bill was ensured in committee. Wilberforce was only one person who made a huge difference. 

  God is not asleep. Great moral changes don’t have to be part of the past or history. You and I can make a difference today. Yet, it won’t come through politics or partisanship, it will come on our knees. 

  I wonder what would happen if we spent half as much time talking to the Lord about our elected leaders, as we do complaining about them. Let’s try! I believe it will shock us. Brad Harbaugh is going to challenge us to pray and cry out to God’s throne where our efforts and energy truly make a difference.

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

 

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