Author: John Page 73 of 172

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”

II Samuel 12:7a “And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man.”

II Samuel 12:13a “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned again the Lord.”

At this year’s State of the Union address, leaders of the military were invited as is typical as a part of the pomp and circumstance of the event.  This year, General Joseph Lengyel, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, was a part of that august entourage.  There was only one problem with this plan; General Lengyel’s uniform was out of regulations – he had put on his impressive ribbon rack upside down for the world to see.

General Lengyel’s response was impressively and admirably humble.  It was reflective and it was instructive.  He tweeted the following as a result of the event:

“Question:  What’s wrong with this picture?  I’ll give you a hint…It’s why they keep putting erasers on pencils.  Answer: The ribbons on my uniform are upside down.  Let this be a lesson and don’t let it happen to you!”

He went on to post these thoughts:

“Well, we’re all human, including me.  And, as I made a final check in the mirror just before I walked out the door, I missed it…Plain and simple.  I hope this is a lesson for everyone who wears the uniform, and really for anyone…They put erasers on pencils for a reason.  When you make a mistake or miss a detail, own it and move on.  One thing is for sure…My ribbons will NEVER be upside down again.”

General Lengyel is right in so many ways.  We are all human.  We all make mistakes and miss details.  When we do, we should learn from our errors.  We should acknowledge our faults.  Ultimately, when we fall short we should own it and move on.

Nathan courageously confronted King David about his series of sins and shortcomings, and David owned it. He fasted, and prayed, and repented, and moved on.  When we fall short, we must do the same.  Covering our errors or wallowing in our mistakes will sap our energy and hinder our testimony.  Instead, we must move on for God.

PLEASE PRAY FOR CHRISTIANS TO LEARN FROM OUR ERRORS AND ACKNOWLEDGE OUR FAULTS.  When we stray from God’s plan, we must own it and move on.

Psalm 105:17-22 “He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:  Whose feet they hurt with fetters:  he was laid in iron:  Until the time that his word came:  the word of the Lord tried him.  The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:  To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.”

Genesis 39:4 “And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him:  and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.”

Joseph had unrivaled influence with the leaders who surrounded him.  He had a reputation of faithfulness and wisdom.  He impacted the people of the land and provided council to leaders at the highest level.  When Joseph spoke, people listened.  When Joseph advised, leaders yielded.

There are faithful and wise Josephs in our land today – those who influence and impact, those who advise and council.  When they speak , people listen.  When they advise, leaders yield.  They are at the local, state, and federal levels.  They are in government and industry.  Maybe you are one of them.  If not, maybe you will be.

Whoever they are and wherever they serve, they need our prayers and our support.  As they teach senators wisdom, they need to be uplifted by us and guided by God.  We must pray that they would find grace in the sight of those in leadership positions; we must pray that they would rise to positions of authority and influence.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICA’S JOSEPHS.  May they have the opportunity to be overseers of houses, rulers of substance, and lords of houses.  May our prayers help them to teach senators wisdom.

Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.  Amen.”

March 4^this a substantial day in the history of our country.  On that day in 1789, our U.S. Government began under the Constitution. It didn’t begin with the Inauguration of a president.  That would take place at the end of April of that year.  It didn’t begin with the convening of the Supreme Court.  That would take place in February of the following year.  It started with the governmental body most responsive to the American citizen – the Congress.  It started with the Constitution’s Article 1, Section 1: “All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.”

All power to legislate in this nation was given to that important body in 1789.  It continues to rest with that body 230 years later. They hold the responsibility for creating the laws that govern this great nation.  Their laws dictate our direction.

All power in heaven and earth has been given elsewhere.  It has been given to the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings for all time.  He holds the responsibility for all things, and has charged us to Go, Teach and Baptize while He has promised us that He will be with us always.

PLEASE PRAY THAT WE WOULD FOLLOW THE CHARGE GIVEN TO US BY OUR SAVIOR.  All power has been given unto Him, and he has told us to Go!

Leviticus 26:20 “And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.”

Job 23:12 “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.”

II Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

Deuteronomy 6:8-9 “And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.  And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.”

President Teddy Roosevelt wisely stated the following:  “The teachings of the Bible are so interwoven and entwined with our whole civic and social life that it would be literally impossible for us to figure to ourselves what that life would be if these teachings were removed.”

Our 26^th president recognized the importance of the Christian faith in the fabric of America. Roosevelt reminds us that it is interwoven and entwined into our whole civic and social life.  It is important and necessary.  It has been orienting and stabilizing.  It has been uplifting and nourishing.  It has been key to our ability to thrive as a land.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO RETAIN THE CENTRALITY OF BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES IN OUR LIVES AND IN OUR LAND.  They must be interwoven and entwined in our lives.  Otherwise, it may be impossible for us to figure to ourselves what that life would be if these teachings were removed.

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

In 1881, Frenchman Louis-Pierre Mouillard wrote The Empire of the Air, a work describing the science of birds in flight.  This work was highly studied and regarded by the Wright Brothers as they designed the built their flying machines.  Mouillard concluded his work with the following thought about the applicability of his studies to manned flight, specifically addressed to those who would follow him:

“I recommend them to act with energy and will, and I know of no better word to say to them than the one with which I began this monograph – daring wins.”

In order for success going forward, there needed to be a level of boldness among the pioneers of flight.

In order for American Christians to be successful today, we need to be bold as well.  We need to be bold in our testimony.  We need to be bold in our witness.  We need to be bold in our moral stance.  We need to be bold in our faith-filled life.  Mainly, we need to be bold in our pursuit of God-ordained power.  It is the basis for a successful Christian life, trusting in His enabling and not in our own self-sufficiency.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO BOLDLY SEEK AND SERVE GOD.  Daring wins!