Two Big Election Issues

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Intercessors for Canada

Mid-Month Notes - June 2004

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DEAR READERS In ten days time Canadians will elect a new government. The result of the election will be the combined choice of the electorate in picking out representatives  from 308 ridings across the country. One man will then be chosen to be the national leader of the new government. We do not know who that will be, but do we know how to pray for the choice of that man?

TWO BIG ELECTION ISSUES

I feel no special pleading for any party, but that is not because I don't care. I feel passionately about many issues and have often felt that if I had not gone into the 'ministry' I would have inevitably found my way into local politics. I love the sense of polemic in debating an issue, but perhaps I have seen too many elections and hoped for too much. There was a day when I feared that if the wrong government was elected then the sky would fall and we would all be doomed. Similarly I thought that the Kingdom of God would surely come if the party of my choice would sweep in with a convincing majority. The reality is that we cannot expect the politicians to do what we the church should be doing through good news and good works - the preaching of a non-negotiable gospel that changes people's hearts, and the good works that adorn a gospel of grace. Recently I felt a need to investigate God's election from the scriptures.

The King James Version translates the greek word,  'ekloge', 6 times as 'election' and once as 'chosen'. It is the act of picking out or choosing. It is also understood as the act of God's free will by which, before the foundation of the world, he decreed his blessings to certain persons, the decree made from choice by which he determined to bless certain persons through Christ by grace alone. Or to put it another way, God makes choices according to his genius to promote his eternal plan to unite all things in Christ! This puts our upcoming general election in a bigger context that should be of interest to the Christian in prayer. Here are some scriptures - my additions in italics.

  • Acts 9:15 - But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he (Paul) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
  • 1Th 1:4 - Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
  • Rom  9:11 - For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth.
  • Rom  11:7 - What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election  (believing Jews), hath obtained it and the rest were blinded
  • Rom 11:28 - As concerning the gospel, they (unbelieving Jews) are enemies for your sakes but as touching theelection, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.

The two big election (or choice of God) issues are: a)   the move of God to bring about a fulness of believers amongst the gentile nations in the last days and,

b)   more amazingly, a mighty move of God amongst the Jews. It will be so profound it can only be described (Rom 11:26) as : 'and so all Israel shall be saved'! Paul makes it clear that when the Jews rejected Christ it resulted in riches for the nations, and their being cast away resulted in the reconciliation of the world. How much more then that their fulness, or full inclusion back into Christ, will again have a world wide effect, like life from the dead! (Romans 11:12, 15)

On the basis of Canada wanting 'Life from the Dead', we should pray for a Canadian government of God's election, that will result in the purposes of God for Canada; for a Prime Minister who will be God's choice; and a government that will not hinder the Church in carrying out its mission to the nations. We need a government that will have understanding of the Jewish people in Canada and the unique place of the nation of Israel. One day our nation could be even be judged by God in terms of our attitude to the Jewish people (see Matt 25:31-46). We need a Prime Minister with great sensitivity to the Middle East as we the Church pray for Isaiah 19 to be fulfilled. Here Egypt is called 'my people' and Iraq with Syria 'God's handiwork'. I believe we should all vote on Monday 28th, June, having waited to hear from the God who has a very good choice for us to make.

A prayer:

FATHER, WE ASK YOU IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS, TO DISPLAY YOUR SOVEREIGN POWER IN THIS NATION AT THE END OF JUNE. MAY YOUR HAND AND CALLING BE ON THE LIVES OF ALL THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES, AND MAY THEY GO TO OTTAWA TO DO YOUR WILL IN SERVING THE PURPOSES OF GOD. HELP US TO PRAY FOR THEM THAT THEY WILL COME TO KNOW YOU PERSONALLY, AND GOVERN IN WISDOM. LET YOUR ELECTION BE ON THE NEXT PRIME MINISTER. MAY HE HAVE A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH YOU THAT HE WOULD SERVE IN THE FEAR OF GOD. WE ASK FOR A MIGHTY MOVE OF GOD RIGHT ACROSS CANADA RENEWING THE WITNESS OF YOUR CHURCH, AND WE PRAY FOR YOUR LOVE AND MERCY TO BE REVEALED TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE FROM COAST TO COAST. IN JESUS NAME...AMEN  

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