Reaching Politicians with the Gospel

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If you want to learn more about Truth Talk, please visit our website at www.truthtalk.com. So many of you are frustrated with politicians and you want to reach through the TV screen and say, what are you doing? But this man of God is actually ministering to politicians. God has called you to reach them for Christ. You changed the heart.

You changed everything, right? Mark Finley, tell us about your ministry and what God's doing. Well, God placed me in the United States Congress. I have the privilege of walking with men and women around the House of Representatives and the Senate prayer groups in the name of Jesus. You know, we're all called as ambassadors of reconciliation to go out in His name. And I come from Northern Ireland, a place where, you know, we are dealing with reconciliation after a peace process, you know, more than 20 years ago.

A lot of bombing, a lot of violence, terrorism, everything. But, you know, the bottom line is the heart problem. And so, you know, we have to challenge it wherever we are. And often I will just encourage members of Congress, both sides of the aisle. I'll say, Congressman, Congresswoman, who has the Lord put on your heart from the other side of the aisle, from the other party? And one time recently, a member of Congress said to me, nobody. And I said, Congressman, who has the Lord put on your heart from the other side of the aisle? And he said, well, and he named a person. And then he went on to say, but you know, he's crazy. And I said, well, he may be crazy, but the Lord's put him on your heart. Why don't you approach him? Why don't you sit down and have a cup of coffee with him and talk about Jesus? Get together and build a relationship around the name and person of Jesus. Now, what's the name of your ministry and your website?

Leaders and Followers Foundation, and we're leadersandfollowers.org, O-R-G. So, you know, I love the Irish accent. But Mark, you've inspired me because I get upset and I get on the radio and I say, what is this politician thinking? How dare they defy God like that and this and that? And maybe to a point, there's a righteous indignation that's justifiable. But at the same time, we really need to be praying. These are souls that will give an account to God, but that need salvation. And so tell us, tell our listeners how they can think that way.

Like, give us a good, we're not saying to compromise your values. We're not saying that now suddenly you're for abortion and that. But how can our listeners be more mindful of praying for the souls of these politicians who have families, who are also souls, who are also under God's love as well? Well, just earlier on in your Bible studies, too, I will remind you, you said we need to connect before we can correct. We need to disciple before we can discipline.

You have to have a relationship, you know, but here's the bottom line. We are called 1 Timothy 2, 1 to 3. We're called to pray for all our leaders, not for just the ones we vote for, not just the ones we like. You know, yesterday morning in the middle of spending time in the Word, the Lord just put it on my heart to email the Prime Minister, a Muslim leader in another country in the world, and to share with him that I am praying for him. I'm praying for his country because they have more refugees than citizens, which is going to be exacerbated by the problems coming out of Afghanistan. So I'm letting him know that we're following our scriptural leading to pray for our leaders. And I shared with him, well, I have to tell you now, it was the Kingdom of Jordan, and I shared with him how I had a really moving experience of standing on the banks of the River Jordan and reading from Joshua 1, the section where God told Joshua what he was to do and that he would be with him wherever he went and to be strong and courageous. And I told this Prime Minister, in him I see a leader who is strong and courageous that we are praying for. So we need to encourage the Lord when we raise his name up, we'll draw all onto himself.

Amen. Can you speak to Afghanistan real quick? A lot of folks are heartbroken. They feel like the government traded them out. We know Christians are being killed. Women are being treated brutally. There's a lot of anger at our government right now for what they did and how they treated Afghanistan.

Of course we were going to pull out, but just the ridiculous nature with which it was all really just mishandled. How can we pray for the people there? I know you're in touch with a lot of leaders and back channel stuff. You don't have to divulge anything. You can't divulge, but give us an update on how we can be praying right now for the dear people in Afghanistan, our allies for all these years that we've kind of left now.

Well, I mean, I would say that there are things that are happening. Ambassador Sam Brownback and others are trying to bring some coordination out of the Christian world to help and to encourage. But here's the thing that encourages me the most. John 17. Just go and read Jesus' prayer to the Father for us.

And what did he say? He said he was coming out of the world, but he was praying for them who would remain in the world. So I ask you to put square brackets around the world and substitute Afghanistan. Jesus said that his prayer is for them left in Afghanistan. He tells us that we who believe in him are going to do greater things than he has done. The might of America has been unceremoniously withdrawn. Jesus hasn't been withdrawn. And I am praying for those who are left in the country. And Jesus said it in John 17 that his prayer was for those who would believe through them who are left in the world. So we pray for those, our brothers and sisters, we know and believe Jesus is going to do great things in that country. And not just that country.

Consider this wave of that world from Iran through Afghanistan into Pakistan into India. Pray for the brothers and sisters who are there, who are ministering, who are standing up in the name of Jesus, raising his name up. That's all we are called to do. Nothing more. So Mark Finley, who is with leadersandfollowers.org. Say a prayer, will you, for our world, for our politicians and pray for Afghanistan.

If you would close us out, will you? Father, I just give thanks for these men this morning. I give thanks that there are people in the world. You have placed them all over this world who are raising the name of Jesus. We give thanks that you sent your son for us.

You did the work. Our job is simple to go out as ambassadors and raising the name. We thank you for every opportunity in our schoolrooms, in our workplaces, in our family homes, in our communities and in countries all around the world. And we do particularly pray for Afghanistan and we pray for leaders led by God who will rise up in Jesus name. Amen. And everyone pray for Mark Finley as he ministers on Capitol Hill for boldness, for openings, to share the gospel with politicians. If there's ever been a mission field, I think that's a good one.

Right. And also we're actually praying and believing at the moment for something else. We're going to have a home where we're calling it an Acts 28 home where people will come and be with us around the dinner table, spend time with us. You know, it says in Acts 28 that the Gentiles will come and they will listen.

And Paul, in his own home, proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. So our prayer is that this next season we are unhindered. We want to bring those members of Congress, we want to bring leaders from all walks of life together, people who are different from one another around the name and person of Jesus. Praise God. Thank you for what you're doing. Hit the website one more time. leadersandfollowers.org.

Irishman Mark Finley, you'll find him there. And thank you for your witness for Christ, even to the politicians. And may we be ever vigilant praying for their souls to come to Christ. And by the way, that's both parties need Jesus. You can be conservative, have family values, but spend eternity in hell if you don't know the Savior.

We all need the Lord and we need to get off our high horse and get on our knees and seek God on behalf of these friends and even enemies and pray that God will save them. Yeah. You know, Paul writes at the end of his letters, in the name of Jesus, grace and peace. In Irish, it's, Anam íashe grashta agus síochám. Love that.

And we'll end on that note. God bless you. Grace and peace.

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