"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?

Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."

II Chronicles 7:14 says:

In II Chronicles we find the promise God has made to Abraham’s seed, of whom we are offspring. This promise applies to America, if we will have faith and PRAY! We must seek to have a "heart that knows how to love a nation (and the wayward one) back to life." In Pastor Hayford’s teaching from "Ten Steps Toward Saving America," he said, "You cannot intercede for a person you first do not love" (see Matthew 5:43-48). Our prayers must be motivated by God’s love for blinded, broken people.

Voting is one of the ways we can express the freedom given to us by our country as well as the God-directed righteousness we have felt we are to display by our vote. This is an important duty of every citizen of this country. I Timothy 2:1-3 says, "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior." The footnote following this verse in the Spirit-Filled Life Bible (of which Pastor Hayford served as General Editor) says:

"We must pray for those who are in authority over us if we wish to reap the benefits of good government, which is a prized gift from God for the church’s welfare and advancement of the Gospel."

Romans 13:1 says, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities, for there is not authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." The footnote under this portion of scripture says:

"The authorities that exist are appointed by God: See also Daniel 4:32; Psalm 75:6,7. Paul does not suggest that God approves a corrupt government, ungodly officials, or unjust legislation. Sometimes, however, in punishment for the sins of a people, or for other reasons known to Him, God allows evil rulers to have authority for a time, as the OT prophets frequently testify. Ideally, God grants authority to serve good ends (vss. 3, 4). How that authority is exercised will be the accounting of each to whom it has been given."