PLUS

I Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”

Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing: but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

Luke 18:1 “And he spake a parable unto them, to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint”

Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints”

A few weeks ago, I had a unique opportunity to be a part of the International Motor Sports Association race activities at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Thanks to a God-ordained connection, I was able to open the Saturday evening race in prayer, speak at the driver’s meeting on Sunday and open their meeting in prayer, lead a chapel service at the raceway, and then open the main race on Sunday in prayer. It was a series of pinch-myself moments.

After my prayer on Saturday night, I was notified that the Race Director wanted to talk to me. I wondered why. I had just prayed in Jesus’s name, as I always do, and thought that she was going to ask me to not pray in His name during the main race. But, I was pleasantly surprised with what she really wanted me to do differently.

She said that she appreciated my prayer for the race that evening, but there was one problem. “What is that?” I asked. “You need to pray more; you need to pray longer,” she said.

Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever heard that before!

Of course, I asked why. She explained that the timing of the flyby for Sunday’s race was based on a 60 second prayer and a 90 second national anthem. If I were off, it would cause the flyby to be off as well. As someone who had performed an F-15E flyby of a race, I understood completely. I couldn’t pray for 45 seconds like I had done on Saturday, but needed to pray for 60 seconds on Sunday (which provided an interesting constraint on its own). I needed to pray more and l needed to pray longer!

We all do!

PLEASE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT TRUTH THAT WE ALL NEED TO PRAY MORE FOR OUR NATION AND FOR EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES. We must pray longer and we must pray more!

Hebrews 12:1-2 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured he cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

This is a bit of a different post, delayed slightly to align with a big announcement regarding my next steps forward in service to people, our great nation, and our remarkable Lord.

I am convinced that the Lord would have me to run for United States Senate from the great state of Maryland. I announced my candidacy publicly earlier today.

I intend to run this race with patience, mindful of the great cloud of witnesses who will be watching from near and far. I will also do so with the overwhelming intent of keeping my gaze firmly fixed upon Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

The following will make up some of my primary tenants of focus:

• Support and Defend: When I was seventeen years old, I first raised my right hand and took a solemn oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. I took that as a lifelong commitment, and intend to use the rest of my life to wrestle our nation back to where it belongs in accordance with those remarkable principles. We need a widespread revival of those principles to reignite the promise of the shining light of liberty.

• Leadership Not Politics. I am running to lead and intend to help spark a conservative movement in Maryland and beyond. We must break the shackles of inflation and even higher taxes, equip our children with the tools they need to succeed in the real world while putting parents back in charge, take back control of our crime-ridden streets, and reverse impotent leadership on the world stage.

• Collaborative Conservative: I am a strong conversative. I also realize that the real problems we face in our great nation require collaboration that focuses on our shared humanity and mutual interests to find real solutions for Marylanders and the American people.

PLUS will continue as it has for the last ten years, with occasional references to my current journey of faith and service. In order to fully track this journey, please see:

Home

Of course, I would be honored and humbled by your willingness to support me in prayers and through financial contributions.

PLEASE PRAY FOR ME AS I RUN THIS RACE OF FAITH AND SERVICE! Thank you!

• John Teichert

Hebrews 12:1-2 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured he cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

While I normally post PLUS thoughts on Saturday, I am delaying this one slightly until Monday to correspond with a big announcement regarding my next steps forward in service to people, our great nation, and our remarkable Lord.

Luke 13:31-34 “The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!”

Luke 18:31-34 “Then he took unto him the twelve and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.”

Luke 22:41-42 “And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

In the previous two posts of this mini-series, we honored three first-responders whose service caused them to pay the ultimate price on 9/11 – Police Office John Perry, Fire Chief Orio Palmer and EMT Yamel Merino. We also honored three Biblical heroes whose faithfulness caused them to surge forward into danger – David, Peter, and Paul. Their stories reflect bravery and courage, obedience and faithfulness. 

As impressive as they were, there is One whose acts of bravery, courage, obedience, and faithfulness dwarf them all – Jesus Christ!

On the road to Jerusalem, He knew of the sacrificial acts that He would be forced to endure. On the way into Jerusalem, He knew the details of His future mocking and scourging. On the eve of His crucifixion, He knew the weightiness of His responsibility in bearing the sins of the world.

Yet, He moved forward anyways into the danger! He did so out of a profound and powerful love for you and me.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO FULLY CONCEPTUALIZE THE AMAZING ACTS OF JESUS CHRIST. His love for us prompted service that ran towards danger!

Acts 14:19-22 ”And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, Confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”

Acts 5:27-29 “And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straightly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”

I Samuel 17:32-33 “And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; they servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”

In last week’s opener to this 3-part mini-series, we honored those whose service caused them to pay the ultimate price on 9/11 on the behalf of their communities and all of us. In doing so, we described heroes such as Police Officer John Perry, Fire Chief Orio Palmer, and EMT Yamel Merino. Each of them ran towards danger to serve others. Their stories reflect the bravery and courage of the 415 first responders who paid the ultimate sacrifice on that day.

They are not alone. Heroes of the faith have similarly sprinted forward into imminent danger.

Among those was Paul. Though he had been stoned and left for dead by those in Lystra who had been enraged by his preaching, he was undeterred. He returned back to that city the same day, and continued preaching throughout the region. Tribulation did not stop him.

Also among those were Peter and the other disciples. They had been given clear direction from the authorities to “not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” (Acts 4:18). They did so anyways, boldly proclaiming the preeminence of their Ultimate Authority.

Additional among those was David. Though young, he was willing to take a bold stand for the Lord that dwarfed the courage of the most seasoned soldiers in Saul’s army. His heart did not fail because he understood the righteousness of their cause.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO USE THE BRAVE ACTIONS OF OUR FOREFATHERS IN THE FAITH TO MOTIVATE US TO COURAGEOUSLY SERVE TODAY. After all, there is a cause!