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Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; G.C. – Bad Listening

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A scoffer is a bad listener – one that will not open his or her ears to wisdom. An unfortunate condition, you might agree; however, there’s a bit more to it. The original word translates as “one who mocks and scorns the belief of another” and also “acts as an ambassador.” More accurately, a scoffer is a person who disagrees and attempts to sway others to adopt his disagreement.

A wise son hears his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

Proverbs 13:1

In your attempts to bring about God’s best plan for America, remember you will inevitably attract devoted scoffers. Jesus’ disciples had to deal with a loud opposition wherever they worked. Gospel messengers have been thrown out of town and sometimes even into jail since the start.

Jesus said, “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” (John 15:10) Ultimately, every knee will bow and God’s plans will be accomplished on Earth; in the meantime, continue in your prayer and good work for others and for America. Offer a reasonable explanation for the hope you have in Christ and for the nation. And when you encounter scoffers, take a cue from their example…refuse to listen!

Recommended Reading: John 15:9-21

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Charles Spurgeon – The world turned upside down

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“These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also.” Acts 17:6

Suggested Further Reading: Matthew 5:1-12

“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” The merciful are not much respected in this world—at least if they are imprudently merciful; the man who forgives too much, or who is too generous, is not considered to be wise. But Christ declares that he who has been merciful—merciful to supply the wants of the poor, merciful to forgive his enemies and to pass by offences, shall obtain mercy. Here, again, is the world turned upside down. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” The world says, “Blessed is the man who indulges in a carefree life.” If you ask the common run of mankind who is the happy man, they will tell you, “The happy man is he who has abundance of money, and spends it freely, and is freed from restraint—who leads a merry dance of life, who drinks deep of the cup of intoxication—who revels riotously, who, like the wild horse of the prairie, is not restrained by reason, but who dashes across the broad plains of sin, unharnessed, unguided, unrestrained.” This is the man whom the world calls happy: the proud man, the mighty man, the Nimrod, the man who can do just as he wishes, and who spurns to keep the narrow way of holiness. Now, the Scripture says, not so, for “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”

“Blest is the man who shuns the place Where sinners love to meet;

Who fears to tread their wicked ways, And hates the scoffer’s seat….”

The man who cannot touch one thing because that would be lascivious, nor another because that would spoil his communion with his Master; a man who cannot frequent this place of amusement, because he could not pray there, and cannot go to another, because he could not hope to have his Master’s sanction upon an hour so spent—that man is blessed!

For meditation: The world was turned upside down through men who had been turned upside down (Mark 9:34,35; 10:42-44). Do we need to know a lot more of that in our churches and individual lives?

Sermon no. 193

9 May (1858)