You want to keep your bulletin handy if you have it. You notice there on page six, I have two passages that we're going to look at side by side, kind of work through them together. I have to say I'm on very unfamiliar, uncomfortable ground this morning. I guess you can tell by some of what we've done. We're going to look at citizenship, Romans 13, the authorities. Of course, in a week and a half or so, we will have elected a new president. I think our vote as a people will tell us a whole lot more than what our political preference is. each. You've probably heard, I don't know how, I don't know when we weren't in a campaign election cycle. It's been so long and I'm sure you've heard this is the most important election that we've ever faced, that you'll ever face in your lifetime. But we heard that in 2008, we heard that in 2004, every election is the most important and in some way that's right. It is important every time. What a privilege we have and a responsibility. What I've done, you've got a couple of articles by Al Mohler in your bulletin. We're going to look at one of them closely. The other one, some of it will be in just sort of my introduction as we get to these passages. Then also Barry and Mark and I were at a pastor's breakfast with MacArthur that weekend he was here and he struck some notes for me. And so I've just kind of put some thoughts together for us to think about. with next Tuesday approaching. So in some sense, the topic is politics, but that's not the point. You know, I'm no longer in the group of undecideds. I've already cast my ballot. I doubt there's many of you here that are in the group of undecideds. So I'm not up here trying to persuade anybody for anything. concerning your political preferences. Not a stump speech. It's not a town hall where I'm going to answer all your softball questions and, you know, and the questions that come from friends and family. Don't take it that way. It's deeper than that. Ultimately or finally, it's how we're going to live. It's about Christian living. About the tension between living in two worlds at the same time. About being people who are our citizenship is in heaven. But yet we're called and actually commanded to live faithfully, respectfully, honorably in this world that is not our home, that we're just passing through, but it's where God has us. What are we going to do to fulfill the high calling of our lives? Again, it's been, I don't know how long, at least a year that this campaign has gone on. Mueller has helped us Think about it in that article in the back. You can read that as you get to it. It says the election of a U.S. president is a worldwide event because who is president in our country affects so many people around the world. It is effective in that sense. Again, this year won't reveal as much about our party affiliation as it does about our worldview. Young people, Corey's been trying to teach you about the importance of a worldview. That's kind of what we're facing this year. Two stark, stark different worldviews and approaches It was in the late 60s. Some of you would remember. Some of you would say, well, yeah, I heard about that from my grandpa. In the late 60s, George Wallace says, there's not a dime difference between the two parties. Well, you'd have to know George Wallace to know that that's halfway true. From his perspective anyway, it was true. In areas of economy, foreign policy, the role of government, there was much, much more agreement between the political parties 40 and 50 years ago than there is today. They held these positions much closer. because they were based upon some shared values that we had as a people. And of course, in the 60s and 70s, we began to break away from some of the shared values of the past and establish some new values. And as those new values got filtered into our system, worldview clash began to become more evident and we began to drift farther and farther to the either right or the left. in view, in our views as a society. And so today we've come to this place of two-party platforms that are going in opposite directions, radically, radically different. Understanding of what reality is, what life is about, what the goal is of what it is that we're living for. And I don't doubt that basically both sides are looking for the same thing. You know, peace and happiness and fulfillment and security. It's just there is some drastic differences in how that is accomplished. Not merely political, but there are ideological differences and moral differences, you know, differing on the basic issues of life. Human dignity. liberty, of course marriage, health care, environment, all of these different issues that we're facing. And I think they pale in comparison to the two, the abortion and the marriage issues. I think probably as Christians we are legitimately at times accused of having one, you know, being one issue voters, one issue people. And I think that's a legitimate charge at times. But when we have such stark differences, we really need to examine them. I got this in the mail Friday, party platforms. Here's one. And you know these, but I thought I would read a couple of them on marriage. On one side, we support marriage equality and support the movement to secure equal treatment under the law for same sex marriages. It's the first time, by the way, in our history that a particular party has called for legalizing same-sex marriage. It's in the platform calling openly for what the federal law prohibits. On the other side, if we reaffirm and support for a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and then down we will enforce and defend in court the Defense of Marriage Act, Calling for a constitutional amendment because it is federal law and it's not been not being defended. And so the Republican platform calls to. Amend the Constitution. Of course on abortion let me just read that couple of. The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to make decisions regarding her pregnancy, including a safe and legal abortion, regardless of the ability to pay. We oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right. On the other side, we assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed upon. There's a worldview clash, it's dramatic. The Republican platform frames it in terms of the unborn child's constitutional right, fundamental right, to life. The other platform, the Democrat platform, is driven by the woman's belief that her unrestrained right to choose is paramount. Any and all, they're going to fight against any and all opportunities or any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that. Both positions are consequences of a worldview, a basic framework of thinking about life. One believes marriage is essential for the fabric and the flourishing of our nation, and if you redefine it, there's going to be great disaster, contrasted with the belief that freeing people in our society from the oppression and the prejudice requires redefining marriage. Again, contradictory assumptions concerning human sexuality, concerning sexual morality, moral authority, the basic goals and aims that we're to aim at in our life. Every human life deserves to be protected. At every point, contrasted with those who would hold that there's a greater right to live, the more developed the person is. One believes that the baby is the most important moral unit, whereas the other is the woman and her right to choose. I read a speech, it was a while back, but one statement caught my thoughts when I had read something else. You might not want to deal with it, this one was saying, but the reality could be that if you're the president and you happen to be black, you can't expect the same level of respect, so race gets thrown into it. And not a response to this, but another one was talking. He said, if the Democrats lose the White House, it won't be because of the president's race, but for his two practices that ruin people forever. Again, like I say, I think we're accused of using one or two litmus tests to evaluate everybody, and I think we ought to be a little bit broader in how we view things. We're not always consistent in evaluating. We spin ourselves, what we hear and what we know, but there are certain core essential values that we have to look for. What we learned about in our class on creating a Christian conscience, that in the issues of human life, The sanctity of life, the sanctity of marriage, the sanctity of labor. And think about all of that falls under that. Life, sanctity of life, sanctity of marriage, the sanctity of labor. Or the sanctity of un-labor, not working. and the issues that fall there. What we learned is all of those are creation ordinances. Those are not just things that Christians have to answer to God about. Those are things that there's a covenant that God has made with mankind in creation. And every person, Christian, Jew, Muslim, atheist, agnostic is going to answer to God for these ordinances of creation. That God has made between himself and his creation and those who are. People who we will answer to him concerning these issues. So we're not looking at minor matter of political differences. We're, as Moeller says, we're staring into the abyss of comprehensive, of a comprehensive moral conflict. Not just cultural differences, but worldview, life view differences. And I didn't catch it. It had to be pointed out to me by this idea of the DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act. The poignant moment was, at the Democratic Convention when Clinton, Bill Clinton, introduced and nominated Barack Obama for the Democratic, whatever it is, he's president, I know, and he wants to be it next, and Clinton nominated him. The interesting thing, Clinton is the one, Bill Clinton and his Republican Congress, hammered together a bipartisan bill that became law called the Defense of Marriage Act. He was the one who signed it in and then he nominated someone who has vowed not to defend the very bill that he brought in. That's how far we've come in just 16 years. Just a sign of the times, I think. And if you think about the platform And you think about the issues. We talk about marriage. We talk about life. We talk about homosexuality. You see and hear those in Romans 1. And in Romans 1, when you see about a sexual revolution and a homosexual revolution and a total immoral revolution, what you see is a platform that is built on principles that God says, I'm turning you over. God gives them over and that's become a platform. For one of the parties. used to differ on economics and foreign policy and those types of things and now it's become these moral issues, the sanctity of life, marriage, labor, all of those things. The ideal situation for the One Platform would be, we don't talk about this much here. You hear about it, I mean, you know, but condoms available to all who participate in sexual immorality. If they fail to take advantage, as I heard just this week, if they fail to take advantage on college campuses, in fact one in particular, you have vending machines to dispense a pill in the morning to undo what happened the night before. Violating the sanctity of life, one that's living in what ought to be the most safe place on the planet, a mother's womb. The irony is that side is the one who prides itself on defending the rights of the weak and helpless. Again. We have to be very careful. When we call that hypocrisy, it is hypocrisy. And yet, are we all that much better ourselves? Marriage to one man and one woman is rejected. You know, on the issue of labor, we want to instead of help people who can work go to work, And then to help those who can't help themselves, we just look to give more and more help to whoever it is that wants it. All that's in Romans 1, that all that's things God says he'll judge, the wrath of God revealed from heaven against those who advocate all of these things. And we don't have to list them again. Those who put their stamp of approval on this illicit behavior. And those things, by the way, in Romans 1 indicate the demise of a nation. So. Well, we read righteousness exalts a nation, sin is a reproach. So it's not really about politics. We can talk about politics if you like. On the side it's not that when you vote you're not voting for a pastor you're not voting for a spiritual leader. If we were voting for a pastor we were voting for a spiritual leader. I'm afraid the pulpit would have to stay empty this year. At least for what we have. I mean right. You do understand what I'm saying. But the Bible does lay out for us the role of government. To punish evil doers, to protect the good. We better have someone. America needs leaders who know right from wrong. How can they protect the good and punish the evil when they're calling evil good and good evil? How can it happen? It can't. But it's not just the leader of one party, it's hypocrisy in both parties, and it's a dire desire of many people. You'll see Tuesday night as you sit there, probably on the edge of your seats, rooting for your God, and be amazed at how many don't look at life the way you look at life. How? The worldview. So worldview clash look the electoral map is going to reveal more than party preferences and what are those who call evil good and good evil and not what Isaiah said. OK. Now you've got. So what do we do. In your bulletin you're on page five I have Romans 13. And first Peter 2. In my notes, what I've done is I've just kind of walked an outline. We're going to jump from Romans to Peter and we're going to jump from top to bottom in these passages. I just have some a few thoughts that I've put together and sort of an outline concerning our our responsibility as faithful citizens. OK. You don't have much room for notes, but if you've got a question or notes, jot it down and you can ask Bruce later and he'll help you with the answers. All right. First thing is we live in two kingdoms. We live in two worlds. We live in two cities, Augustine wrote, the city of God and the city of man. We have one foot in the heavenly kingdom. We saw last week in our Ephesians Bible study with the adult. We're seated in heavenly places in Christ. And that's past tense. The moment you're saved, you're seated in heavenly places. You're living in a heavenly realm, a heavenly kingdom. But I don't know. You know it doesn't look too heavenly right here. Right. You're sitting in the red chairs. You may say this is not a very heavenly seat. They've been around for a long time. I don't know about what you think about the blues. I sit in the red. But but we live in two kingdoms. Our citizenship is from heaven and we wait for a savior the Lord Jesus Christ to return. But. Look what Peter says in verse 11. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners in exile, while we're citizens of heaven, we're living down here in a hostile world. We're living down here in a world that is falling. And we're to live not at home in this world, we live as visitors, but. Paul says to the Corinthians. Not only sojourners and aliens, but ambassadors. We just lost an ambassador in Libya. Right, Libya? What was he doing there? What was that man doing in Libya? He's representing America to people who in that place hated America. But he was there representing you and me. And it cost him his life. Living among people hostile. We're ambassadors for Christ. What the Libyans, at least those who were right around that embassy, knew of America Yes, they got it on the news, but they learned it from our ambassador. What does the world that you live in learn about Christ from you? We're representing Christ in this world that is hostile to the gospel. And I'll say it in a minute, make them hostile to the gospel and not hostile to you. Don't you be the offense. Let the gospel, the gospel offensive enough. Don't be offensive as you live for Christ and represent him. First point, we live in two kingdoms. Keep this in mind. that we're representing Christ in all of heaven. Second thing is we're to submit to the governing authorities. Verse one of chapter Romans 13. Let every person be subject to the governing authority. So present tense. Keep on being that way. But it's a passive. It's be made subject. We put ourselves up under there and the Lord subjects us to himself and to the governing authority. We place ourselves under and into the hands of the governing authorities. Peter says it to 13 be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution. So God has put authorities in our lives for his purposes. And those authorities are given responsibilities as they hold authority over their subjects. We're commanded to be yielded to them. Why? Chapter 13, verse 1 of Romans, there is no authority except from God. The authorities that we have are from God. That's why we're to subject ourselves to them. Keep going. And those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed. Verse 13 of chapter two of Peter, be subject for the Lord's sake, essentially the same thing. Chapter 13, verse six, they are ministers of God, servants of God. The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord, he turns it wherever he wills. We submit to the governing authorities first because we're commanded. Second, because they're from God. Chapter 2, verse 15, this is the will of God. This is God's will that we do this. You want to know God's will, here's one one aspect of it, you have to pray about this. It's clear this is God's will to be subject to the authorities. Why? Back up to 13, verse 2. Those who resist will incur judgment. We do it to avoid God's judgment on us, we submit to the authorities. Or verse 5, therefore one must be in subjection not only to avoid God's wrath, so we submit ourselves to our authority to avoid the wrath of God. But also Romans 3, you will receive his approval. But also chapter five I mean verse five for the sake of conscience. So this is the will of God. So we don't incur judgment. So we don't have to avoid God's wrath to receive his approval and for conscience sake. Not only do we submit ourselves to our authorities to stay out of trouble. We submit ourselves to our authority because it's right because it's given to us by God to do so. For conscience's sake, build your conscience according to the word of God. Submit yourself to the authorities. Every human institution, he says. Every human institution. That's important that Peter says that. OK, now the purpose of government chapter at first, Peter, verse 14. To governors as sent by him By God to punish those who do evil and praise those who do good. Paul says it to the Romans and a little bit more extended passage chapter 3 of 4 13 verse 3. Rulers are not a terror to good conduct but the bad. Would you have no fear of one who is in authority then do what is good and you will see his approval for he is God's servant for your good. So to punish evil, to praise and protect those who are good, that's the purpose. And then at the end of chapter 13 or the end of the section in 13 verse 7, here's some examples of good citizenship. Pay to all what is owed to them. Taxes, revenue, respect and honor. That's rendering to Caesar the things of Caesar. Verse 8, O no one anything except to love each other, for the one who loves another is fulfilled the law. Be in arrears, he says, to no one. Loving each other. Will fulfill the law. I think we closed our responsive reading with John 13. A new commandment I give you that you love one another just as I have loved you. You also love one another. By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. The point of this, living faithfully, is that they might see Christ in us. By this, he says, All people will know that you're my disciples if you have love for one another. That's the goal. They know that we're not just different people with different views. But they see Christ in us when we live out faithful citizenship. Now, there is a time when we speak out. When we can, when we maybe should more than we do, when we speak out against the culture, we speak out even against the leader's decisions. Sanctity of life against sanctity of marriage, labor. All of those, everyone's under them, but look at verse 12 of First Peter. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable. We speak out in an honorable way because we respect the institution, because we're commanded to honor the institution that God has appointed. And so when it comes to these issues that all people are under, marriage, sanctity of life, issues of labor, and God even includes the Sabbath in that. That's an issue of labor in the way that I see the Sabbath. We speak out, we have the right, the privilege, the opportunity to speak out, but in an honorable way. Verse 16 of Peter, live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover up for evil. You know, I got freedom of speech, whatever amendment that is, I'm sure most of you know it, I don't know what number that is. The freedom of speech, I got it. And so since I have freedom of speech, I have a right to speak out. But I don't have a right to speak out as a Christian in an evil, a dishonorable way. But so Peter said, don't use that freedom that as a cloak of unrighteousness. Now, still, I'll never forget, I don't know when I heard him say it, Ravi Zacharias, there's never, ever a reason to be unkind. And so, in my studies, as I wrote that down, I had to stop and say, I have to confess and repent of disrespect for some of my leaders, in particular, our president. I disagree. I have no right to be disrespectful of the office. Bruce and I were talking the other day, LBJ, I read a little bit about LBJ. Some of you know, some of you don't even, what's LBJ? I know it's a lake in Austin somewhere, you know, or something. Lyndon Johnson became president when Kennedy was assassinated. One of the slickest politicians this country has ever known. Quite a rascal at times. He knew how to make the system work. And I don't know, you know, the Vietnam War caused Johnson not to run for re-election. It just wore him out. It just drained all that he had. Eisenhower, when we were deciding, Eisenhower was fighting hard not to get involved in Vietnam. Of course, Johnson was pro. He wasn't president yet. And so we got involved in Vietnam. Johnson did not approve of Eisenhower at all. He didn't approve of many people at all. He didn't approve of Kennedy at all. But he did not approve of Eisenhower. But what Johnson said was, Ike and I fight at home about our issues. But he says, when we go overseas, he's my president. From Johnson, if you know anything about Johnson, he respected the office, even if he disagreed with the man. You know, that bipartisan pundit that you all know, Bill O'Reilly, even if a person does not like a particular president, they should have enough sense to respect the office they hold. Bill O'Reilly said that. If you watch him most of the time, you don't think he believes that, but he said that. He respects the office. I had no idea who this was. Just let me read you a little paragraph. Shortly after the election of O.A. Today, Barack Obama is not merely the president. He's my president, and he's yours. His election is not a travesty. Nor is it an abomination, nor is he the Antichrist." And he quotes the Latin phrase that is, the voice of the people is the voice of God. For those who believe the truth of the Bible, we're reminded that governments rise and fall by the hand of God, and we are to pray for our leaders. He says, keep in mind, Nero was in charge when the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter penned their thoughts. Submit to the authorities. When he told Timothy, pray for the emperor. Yeah. Both soon to have their lives snuffed out by that very emperor. That they were inspired by God to write to us to pray to the people to pray for. Doesn't mean we tolerate abuse. It doesn't mean that our general attitude toward authority Should not be respect. Verse 15 is striking. This is the will of God there and Peter, you see that that by doing so. All of this that we've talked about, disagreeing respectfully. Submitting ourselves, living as ambassadors, sojourners exile. For this is the will of God that by doing so you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Back up to verse 12, keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable so that when they speak against you as evildoers and you know That if you, in society or in culture, stand up and speak what's right, you're going to be thought of as an evildoer just trying to cram your thoughts or your ideas down the throats of other people, right? I mean, is that not what they're going to say? When you stand up and speak the truth, you're just trying to force your morals on somebody else. So he says, when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God in the day of visitation. This is where I think much of Christian activism has gone awry. We're called to stand up and speak against these types of sins. in our culture, in our society, but we're to stand up and speak against them in such a way that they don't see us as a bunch of dissenters. But what does he say? They may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. It's no different than what Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount. Let your light so shine, let your light shine in such a way that they say your good works and glorify your Father who's in heaven. Much of Christian disagreement over the cultural issues of our day, just a bunch of angry looking people. Of course, those are the ones they put on TV. With snide remarks on their signs, and there's nobody seeing the real issue, they're just seeing the people. The people have become the offense, not the message that the people are bringing. When we stand up, the world will speak against us. When we stand up, they need to see good deeds. I think Peter, again, is remembering the Sermon on the Mount. The goal of our speaking up is that they may glorify God when He visits them because they see in us Christian behavior, behavior that is counterintuitive, countercultural, yes, but a sweet reasonableness to our objection. listening to Ravi Zacharias this week talking about a, he had a debate in Syria with a Syrian Shiite cleric. They had an interpreter in the middle. The Muslim would ask him a question about Christianity. He would answer it. He would ask a question of the Muslim about his faith. He would answer it. Three hours they went. And he said, Robby said, at the end of the debate, that Muslim cleric said to him, I think we in the Muslim world need to quit asking, did Jesus die on the cross? And we need to begin to ask, why did Jesus die on the cross? That they may see your good works. That they may see your good deeds. and glorify God in the day of visitation. That doesn't mean that Muslim cleric was saved. But he argued his point so very starkly different in such a way that that Muslim cleric said, we need to figure out why Jesus died. We're wrestling with the wrong issue. That's our goal. That's why we dissent against these things. Not to win an argument. To convince the world that Christ is the only way. And then he gives a general exhortation at the end of Peter, honor everyone. The fixed character of honor, honor everyone. Love the brotherhood, keep loving the brother, keep fearing God. And then. Keep honoring the emperor. Peter can't write it posthumously. But inspired by the Holy Spirit, he would have said, keep honoring the emperor, even though he is crucified me. Okay, a couple of applications. What time is it? My watch is broken. Okay, we're okay. A couple of applications. First mine, and then we're going to look at a prayer that Moeller had to help us know how to pray for this next week and a half. My points. First, embrace the leaders we have and the leaders we will have as given by God. We read Psalm 75 for not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. Some of this is going to overlap with what we looked at in a second, but let me just very bad leaders are given by God for judgment. Good leaders are given by God for our protection. That's my opinion. We'll look at it a little closer in just a second. Don't forget, we live in two kingdoms, citizens of heaven while we're living here on earth. We're living in two kingdoms. There's tension. There's tension in that. Third, know the limitation of government. We looked at the psalm, Psalm 58, I believe it is, the other day. in the devotion time, David prays to sweep away the leaders. They're all evil. Lord, sweep them away. And my question was, well, who's going to fill it? Who's going to take their place? Just more evil leaders? No. We hope it's people, in particular Christian people, but people who will live on principles, we hope that, but we can't be sure of that, know the limitation of government. Christians in our government are limited in bringing Christian principles into play in the government. All leaders are limited. They make promises and then they get the opposite and they say, oh, I can't do that. But there's limitations to the government. But at least it's helpful to have men who are founded on principles of life and who don't make their decisions based on popularity, who don't make their decisions based on which way the wind blows, on expediency, but they make their governing decisions based on principles of their lives. Fourth, that's third, know the limitation. Fourth, the government is not the solution. It's not the solution to the most pressing problems. The government doesn't have the answers, we do. A new administration, if it all gets, house gets cleaned and it's a new administration. They may stem the tide of some sort of an economic free-for-all, but I'm not convinced how well or how fast that'll happen, but the government is not the hope of our country. We are. God's people are the hope of our country. It's up to us to help diagnose the problem and then present Jesus as the solution. The gospel is going to take hold of our nation, if it does, one heart at a time. There's no hope, there's no change without it. MacArthur says, not time for junior church anymore. It's time to put the big boy pants on of church. And to live faithfully as Christians. It's time for God's people to think deeply, act boldly, pray confidently. And then, if there is no prophetic vision, the people cast off restraint. What's happened? We've cast off restraint. There's no prophetic vision. Where's the church? Where are you? Where am I? Cloistered in my safe and secure walls of the office up front. Page 8 in your bulletin. How can we pray? We'll just close with this and then we'll sing a song, a hymn of commitment. This is the prayer, I mean, the article in the back Moeller wrote just now, I think sometime this week. This is Notice Ex Servant from 11-4, just before the election, the last presidential election. And I'm really pretty much going to read this. You might use it as you pray in these next few days and continue. Christians face a responsibility to vote not only as citizens but as Christians who seek to honor and follow Christ in all things. But beyond the vote we bear responsibility to pray for our nation. This number one point is so good. First, we should pray that God will bless America with leaders better than we deserve. Democratic systems inevitably reflect the electorate's decisions, and these decisions reveal underlying world views. And truth be told, all we can expect from democracy is a government we deserve. Right? Other people by the people for the people or something like that. We must pray for a government and for leaders better than we deserve. May God grant us mercy as he reigns and rules over all things including this election. Second. We should pray that Americans will be motivated to fulfill the responsibilities of citizenship yet also that we will be stripped of any unhealthy and idolatrous confidence in the power of the government to save us. God has given us the gift of rulers and governments in order to restrain evil uphold right righteousness and provide for civil order. No human ruler can say no government official or office holder can heal the human heart. solve the sin problem or accomplish final justice. These powers belong to God and God alone. Third, we must pray that Americans will vote by conscience, not merely on the basis of celebrity or emotion. Christian citizens must vote to uphold righteousness and contend for righteous and just laws. But at the same time, we must repent of moralism and the tacit assumption that better laws would produce better people. Remember, you can't legislate morality. That means you can't make people better by passing more laws. Fourth, we must pray that Americans will vote to defend the least among us and especially those who have no vote. This starts but does not end with concern for the unborn and for the recovery of respect for the dignity and sanctity of every single human life at every stage of development from conception until natural death. The concern for my generation as well as the unborn generation. Fifth, we should pray that God will prick the conscience of the nation on issues of morality, righteousness, And respect for marriage is the central institution of human civilization. So much ground appears to have been lost on these issues. We need to pray that much ground can be regained. Six, we should pray that God will protect these candidates and their families. They have been through an arduous ordeal and now face the deadline of the vote. They're physically exhausted and now face the judgment of the people. They are public figures. But they are also flesh and blood human beings who are fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, sons, and daughters. Their families have withstood much. We should pray for their marriages and their children. May God protect them. Seventh, we should pray that the election is conducted with honor, civility, respect, and justice. We must pray that we do not face another round of litigation after an election. This brings democracy into disrepute. There may be a clear winner. May there be a clear winner, not a contested result. Eighth, we must pray that Americans will be prepared to accept the results of the election with respect and kindness. This will be no time for rancor, condemnations, and conspiracy theories. Instead, we must pray that God will settle the hearts of the people May Christians be ready to respond with prayer respect for the office and the general spirit. Others will be watching that they may see your good work and glorify God in the day of visitation. Now we should pray that this election would lead to an even greater to even greater opportunities to preach the gospel and that the freedom of the church will be respected honored and protected. And we must pray for the church praying that the church of the Lord Jesus Christ will be strengthened in the truth grounded in the faith and empowered for witness and ministry. May the church the sign of the coming kingdom be faithful to declare the gospel knowing that this is the only message that will say. May God grant us mercy and peace as we seek to fulfill our responsibilities as citizens and our responsibilities as Christians. This world is not our home, but we do bear responsibilities as followers of Christ as we live here. May God bless America, not because the nation deserves to be blessed, but because he is a God of mercy. Oh God, save us from ourselves. May Christ be glorified and honored in our life. Let's pray. Father, I come this morning and as I said, I have had conversations and times of disrespect. Lord, the difference in views of the world that most of us here have and much of our nation has including many of our leaders, is so vastly different. Help us, Father. Help us to live that life on the razor's edge of honor and respect. Though we disagree mightily, may we disagree honorably. Lord. Cause us not only to pray for ourselves. But for all of these public. Figures. Those who are in positions of authority. Give us opportunities even to speak with them to Remind them, help them to know that God has put them in their position. And to show them that he expects them to protect the good and punish the evil. Lord, may we pray for opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with all who don't know him. And may that light of Christ Indwelling us, your people by your spirit, empower us to live in such a way, to talk in such a way, to carry ourselves in such a way. That the difference they see. Will be known to be the difference of Christ. Father, we pray. that You would save us from ourselves. We pray You would bless our nation with leaders better than we deserve. Father, we pray You would bless our nation, not according to ourselves, but according to Your great mercy. We plead. We pray. In Jesus' name, Amen.