If you live in America, I hope you voted yesterday. I was disappointed. My dear friend Suzanne Scholte ran for congress in northern Virginia’s 11^th District against incumbent Gerald Conolly and, although she gave him a strong fight, Conolly won.

On the home front, the new Pennsylvania governor lives about fifteen minutes from my home, but I didn’t vote for him. His stance on abortion gave me no choice. I don’t mean to be graphic here, but how is an abortionist different from ISIS terrorists who cut the heads off of innocent people?  Still, I will pray for him now that he is in office.

I wonder if Paul would have written this had he lived in America in 2014:

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.² Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. ³ For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended (Romans 13:1-3 NIV).

The truth is that he wrote those words when the Roman government was oftentimes a terror to Christians and Jews. In fact, the name of the book is ROMANS.  Paul did not live above his culture, he lived in it, he preached in it, and he wrote directly to it.

Paul certainly encouraged Timothy to pray for governing authorities:

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

This morning God met me in Philippians 3.  He kindly showed me

THREE 3’s in Philippians 3:

1. BEWARE of dogs

BEWARE of evil workers

BEWARE of the mutilation! (People who mutilate the body of Christ by demanding that she keeps made up rules and regulations)

2. COUNTED LOSS

COUNT ALL THINGS LOSS

SUFFER LOSS

3.I PRESS ON

REACHING FORWARD

I PRESS TOWARD THE GOAL

So today when we are counting our losses, let’s remember what we’ve gained as well and press on! Let’s reach FORWARD to our upward call.  For our citizenship, our final and lasting citizenship, is in heaven.