1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Studyheadquarters dot com. 3 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: You're listening to daily devotions with Pastor John. I'm John Stangey, 4 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 1: and today's devotion is inspired by Proverbs chapter fourteen, verse 5 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: thirty four, which says, righteousness exalts a nation, but sin 6 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:33,519 Speaker 1: is a reproach to any people. Throughout the course of 7 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:38,520 Speaker 1: human history, nations have risen and fallen. Some have become 8 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:42,200 Speaker 1: so strong that they seemed beyond the ability to fail. 9 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: Others seem so weak that it was surprising they lasted 10 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 1: as long as they did. What makes a nation strong? 11 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: What makes a nation weak? The only hope for the 12 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: nations of the world is Jesus Christ. Through him we 13 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: find salvation and the gift of righteousness. His presence in 14 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: our lives helps us see the world differently, and he 15 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:11,400 Speaker 1: enables us to treat each other more thoughtfully. When an 16 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:16,680 Speaker 1: individual welcomes Jesus into their life, they experience powerful changes 17 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,199 Speaker 1: that begin within them and eventually work their way into 18 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 1: all aspects of daily living well. Nations are made up 19 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,119 Speaker 1: of individuals, and the more individuals come to know Jesus, 20 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 1: the greater the propensity for the nation they live in 21 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: to be influenced to practice righteousness. Where do you live? 22 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:44,360 Speaker 1: Is your nation gravitating toward righteousness or sin? How can 23 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: you be praying for your fellow countrymen? How is Christ 24 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: using you as his ambassador to your nation? Let's pray. Lord, 25 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 1: We thank you for your word, and we think thank 26 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 1: you for this reminder from the Book of Proverbs that 27 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 1: you've given us the opportunity to think about today. And Lord, 28 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: we recognize that we live in the midst of a 29 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: fallen world. All of us deal with sin. We don't 30 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 1: need to be taught how to sin. We automatically know 31 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 1: how to do it. And we're born with a nature 32 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 1: that loves to rebel against you. We idolize ourselves, we 33 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:29,920 Speaker 1: idolize our preferences, and naturally speaking, we try to ignore 34 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: your voice. But then we look at this proverb that 35 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: reminds us that righteousness exalts a nation and sin ultimately 36 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:42,399 Speaker 1: tears a nation down. And Lord, this is a concern 37 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 1: to us. It's certainly a concern to me personally, as 38 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 1: I observe many things taking place in our nation right now. 39 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 1: There are so many examples we can point to of 40 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: people completely ignoring you and doing their own thing and 41 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 1: going about life as if you don't even exist. But Lord, 42 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 1: we're grateful for the gift of righteousness that you give 43 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: us as we come to faith in you. We're grateful 44 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: that you transform our thinking, that you give us new priorities, 45 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 1: that you give us a brand new outlook on life. 46 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: And we're grateful for the impact that has on our 47 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:22,519 Speaker 1: individual lives, on our households, on our communities, and ultimately 48 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: on our nation. It's our desire, Lord, that our nation 49 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 1: collectively give you honor and give you praise. So we 50 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: pray that we would take our role and our responsibilities 51 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: as your ambassadors to our nation seriously, that you would 52 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 1: speak to us and speak through us in such a 53 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: way that others would come to know you as well, 54 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 1: and that righteousness would abound. We need your help with this. 55 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 1: We pray for your favor and for your guidance, and 56 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: we commit ourselves to you now seeking your blessings upon 57 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 1: our nation. Pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.