{"id":12545,"date":"2016-08-17T01:36:25","date_gmt":"2016-08-17T06:36:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/the-wicked-in-power\/"},"modified":"2016-08-17T01:36:25","modified_gmt":"2016-08-17T06:36:25","slug":"the-wicked-in-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/the-wicked-in-power\/","title":{"rendered":"THE WICKED IN POWER"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal'><b>Proverbs 28:15<\/b><b>, 28; 29:12<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal'><i>When the wicked arise, men hide themselves<\/i><\/p>\n<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal'><i>(Prov. 28:28)<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: 18.0pt;line-height:normal'>The character of a leader greatly impacts a nation for the better or the worse. His values will determine his selection of ambassadors, ministers, advisors, and cabinet members. These will in turn greatly influence policies and programs that will affect the entire nation.<\/p>\n<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: 18.0pt;line-height:normal'>Despite what some people may say, character does matter\u2014especially in a leader. A nation cannot go unaffected when its leaders are ungodly and profligate. \u201cThe influence of the ruler\u2019s personal character upon his people involves a fearful responsibility,\u201d Bridges wrote. \u201cA wicked prince makes a wicked people. In his more immediate sphere, if he hearkens to lies, contrary to the laws of God and of charity; he will ever want those about him ready to minister to his folly. \u2018Lies will be told to those that are ready to hearken to them.\u2019 Envy, ambition, malice, self-interest, will always be at hand for prejudice and scandal. The credulous ruler becomes the tool of all manner of wickedness. His corruption pushes away the godly from his presence; and all his servants are wicked. Exceptions there are to this maxim (as Obadiah in the court of Ahab, Ebedmelech in the service of Zedekiah, Daniel in Nebuchadnezzar\u2019s court). But this is the natural tendency, the general result, to his own disgrace and ruin. If he would therefore rule in uprightness and in the fear of God; instead of lending himself to detraction or flattery, he must carefully close his ears against doubtful characters, lest he should countenance wicked servants, and discourage those, that will boldly speak the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: 18.0pt;line-height:normal'>When you vote for leaders, do you take stock of their character? Are they people who will stand by the truth no matter how much political backlash may ensue? Are they people of integrity? Do they honor God and walk according to His ways? Some may think it doesn\u2019t matter if a leader believes in God or not. But if a person\u2019s beliefs determine character (and they do), how can an atheist be trusted to uphold the principles of religion or the moral righteousness that exalts a nation? How can a man or woman who rejects God or who lives in an ungodly manner take seriously the responsibility to govern with justice and to honor God? Only those who serve God will serve a nation honorably and govern in righteousness.<\/p>\n<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;   text-align:center;line-height:normal'><b>CORAM DEO<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;   text-align:center;line-height:normal'>Psalms 19\u201321<\/p>\n<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;   text-align:center;line-height:normal'>Acts 19<\/p>\n<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:   18.0pt;line-height:normal'>If you don\u2019t know the names of your U.S. and state   representatives and senators, find out who they are and write their names on   an index card. Put it in a prominent place in your home to help you remember   to pray for them. Pray today for your president (if you live in another   country, for your leaders) and your congressmen.<\/p>\n<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:   normal'><i>For   further study: 2 Sam 12:1\u201314 \u2022 1 Kings 21:17\u201329 \u2022 Luke 3:1\u201320<\/i><\/p>\n<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal'>friday<\/p>\n<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal'>july<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Proverbs 28:15, 28; 29:12 When the wicked arise, men hide themselves (Prov. 28:28). The character of a leader greatly impacts a nation for the better or the worse. His values will determine his selection of ambassadors, ministers, advisors, and cabinet members. These will in turn greatly influence policies and programs that will affect the entire &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/the-wicked-in-power\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;THE WICKED IN POWER&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12545"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12545\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}