Have you have been watching this growing health care issue lately? Have you watched any of the protests with people rising up against the some of the core ideas in it? We all know that as Americans to participate in the process is a right that we share, but I think the how we participate as Americans is the part that we have to watch. We can and should protest against injustice, but some people are taking things too far. What do I mean?

Have you seen the pastor on YouTube, who is from the metro Phoenix area, that has called for the death of our president? Someone in his congregation videotaped him speaking one Sunday and broadcast it onto YouTube. It didn’t take long before the national media picked it up and they went nuts with it. But honestly, can you blame the media?

Now, you may have strong love for or lack of love for the president. You may have voted for him, or for ‘the other guy’. You may be scared right now concerning the direction our country may be going. My concern is not how you voted, who you voted for or even how you feel at the moment. My concern is that when circumstances present themselves to us like we’ve seen in recent days, that we represent Jesus Christ and his desires first and foremost. What do I mean?

1 Timothy 2:1-3 reads, I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God's mercy upon them, and give thanks. Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior. This passage is clear – we are to pray for our President. That is what honors and pleases God. We have to be carefully aware that first we act as Christians, as follower of Jesus, and as card carrying Americans second.

Pray for our leaders. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide and direct their paths, their plans, their steps, and their hearts. Pray for them to be broken in their pride and their rebellion against God. Pray for them to turn from self and to turn to Christ. We don’t need reform in Washington, we don’t need change – we need revival!

Join me in praying for all leaders everywhere that they would come to a life changing encounter with the only one who can really bring the change we need. His name is Jesus Christ!

Pastor Mark