MINISTERS MATTER

A CRAFTED PRAYER FOR CANADA

A DECLARATION OF PRAYER

We invite the God of Scripture, who inspired the words of Psalm 72:8 to be engraved facing east on our Peace Tower, “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea”  to make His words known to the hearts and minds of all Canadians, as we declare His preferred destiny for our nation.

We ask in the Name of Jesus that Canada’s families be strengthened and it’s marriages honoured.

We pray for protection upon our most vulnerable citizens – our children, the poor, the unborn, the disabled and the elderly.

We thank You Lord, on this Thanksgiving Weekend, that You have blessed Canada to be a blessing in the world, in foreign aid, global development, military expertise and peace keeping.

We ask you to protect all those who represent Canada in foreign lands.

PRAYER FOR RULERS

Facing the Peace Tower, Psalm 72:1 reminds us to pray for justice and righteousness in all our governing officials and that they leave a legacy for others to follow.

“Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son!”

We ask God’s blessing on our existing elected officials, and all those who will follow starting with the election of October 14th. May God grant Canada a legacy of just and righteous leaders.

PRAYER FOR VOTERS

We pray that voters will exercise their responsibility as citizens and focus on the issues of central importance to build a just, safe and generous nation for the generations to come.

PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH

We pray for real religious freedom in Canada. That the Church might arise, without restraint, to her calling as a moral compass and prophetic voice to all Canadians.

May the church in Canada be a blessing to all of society and especially to those who have immigrated from the nations of the world.

May the church be found growing people with Jesus and others!

PRAYER FOR VISION

We look now to the west side of the Peace Tower and read these words from Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision the people perish.”

We ask God for a vision of Canada, filled with men and women who seek to understand the times and in their seeking come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

We, the church of Jesus, ask for the greatest ingathering of people this nation has ever seen.

We declare Psalm 33:12 over our nation today!

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, 
the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

WHY WE NEED TO VOTE AS CHRISTIANS

There are at least five good reasons why Christians should vote:

   1. God has granted us authority. All authority belongs to God, but He has put human beings on the earth as caretakers. What is our task? According to Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20, we are to go out and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey God in every area of life. This includes politics. We must disciple people to make godly decisions about government, and promote the efforts of those who are already doing so.

   2. We need to stand against evil. St. Augustine said those who are citizens of God's kingdom are best equipped to be citizens of the kingdom of man. The alternative is unthinkable. In the 20th Century, atheistic and secular humanistic leaders gained control of nations all across Europe, Asia and Africa. What was the result? According to historian R. J. Rummel, almost 170 million men, women and children have been brutally murdered by these governments, all in the name of human progress. These facts led historian John Hallowell to note, "Only through a return to faith in God, as God revealed Himself to man in Jesus Christ, can modern man and his society find redemption from the tyranny of evil."

   3. Christian values contribute positively to society. The Bible's solutions make sense. It is Christian involvement in government through the ages that gave us hospitals, civil liberties, abolition of slavery, modern science, the elevation of women, regard for human life, great works of art and literature, a workable system of justice, education for common people, the free-enterprise system, and much, much more.

      When we see the good that results from applying God's principles, and the horror that results from rejecting them, doesn't it seem cruel and irresponsible to keep Jesus teachings about truth, love and compassion to ourselves? At very least, we should vote to keep OUT of office those who attempt to oppose God's authority.

   4. Obedience to authority demands good citizenship. The Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 13 clearly states that we must obey governmental leaders because all authority comes from God. Here's the catch: in North America, the people are the leaders! Here, at least, we express our obedience to God by exercising our rights and privileges as citizens. That means voting.

   5. Good citizenship sets an example for generations to come. Those who apply God's principles to government pave the way for generations of blessing. In 1768 a Christian minister named John Witherspoon became president of the College of New Jersey, now Princeton. While there he taught biblical principles of government to his students.

      Of the 478 young men who were graduated during his tenure, writes author John Eidsmoe, "114 became ministers; 13 were state governors; 3 were U. S. Supreme Court judges; 20 were U.S. Senators; 33 were U. S. Congressmen; Aaron Burr, Jr. became Vice-President; and James Madison became President." As a Christian, Witherspoon exerted an enormous influence on the direction of American government.

      You and I may not have the gifts of John Witherspoon, but we can still make a big difference if we put our minds to it. Pass this on to friends and family, and encourage them to vote in the every election!

Author: Jeffrey L. Myers, Ph.D. From his book Vital Truth: Christian Citizenship (February 2003). Copyright 2002, LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. All rights reserved. Used by permission of the author.