Today's Passage - John 19:6-11

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 19: 6-11   ....."Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."                  When Pilate was questioning Jesus, he thought he had the authority to either crucify or release Jesus, but Jesus said there, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above." In other words, Jesus knows very well the authority on earth comes from above; even the authority of Pilate and those rulers and powers of the world are from God. Jesus clearly knows, so he also respects the authority on earth.                  Similarly, when we live on earth, God teaches we should obey the rulers and powers on earth. Not only to obey them, but also to always pray for them, because of knowing their authorities are from God. We may not agree with the ways of these authorities, but we need to respect these authorities. At the time of President Clinton's scandal, the church prayer team was at the White House to pray for the United States of America. As we stood in the White House, God taught us how to bless President Clinton in prayers. At the time we felt: "How can we bless him?" What he did make us feel so terrible and we also did not vote for him.                  My mind struggled mightily: "Lord, why should we bless him?" Then God reminded us, although Saul did not please God, He called Samuel to faithfully pray for Saul. All of a sudden I got it! God teaches us to pray for the rulers and authorities on earth, regardless of whether we vote for him, if we like him or not, regardless of whether we like his doings, since he is the ruler and authority, his authority is from God, we have to bless him, pray for him in the name of the Lord.                  Similarly, we have to pray for the Taiwan and China regimes, not because we agree with what they are doing, but because they are in the position of authority that is given by God, for this reason we have to bless them, to pray for them in the name of Jesus Christ, ask God to give them real wisdom, so that they fear God, such that they make God-fearing decisions. Ask God to help us that the example of Jesus Christ will become real of our everyday life.                                 Pray with Pastor Tong           Dear Lord, we thank you, because you are our examples. We ask you to teach us to respect the rulers and authorities, and to pray for them, such that your righteousness and virtue will work through them. We thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus. Amen!