Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Who Will Pray?

I have been listening to and watching prayers that have taken place during the Inaugural ceremonies, and I am amazed at what has been said. It seems to be the popular thing today is to refer to God's Word, or scripture as President Obama made mention of in his Inaugural speech. If we are praying to God with the audience listening what are we saying? Here are few quotes from some of the Inaugural prayers.

First was 87-year-old civil rights leader Rev. Joseph Lowery, who raised some eyebrows and brought smiles when he prayed, "Help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back; when brown can stick around; when yellow will be mellow; when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right." (The Pastor's Weekly Briefing 1-22-09)

Who was Mr. Lowery praying to? Or was praying to be heard of men? How about when Gene Robinson prayed to "the God of our understandings." Who was he praying to? Did whoever he was praying to hear his prayer? I am convinced that prayer has lost its true meaning, and when people pray in public they pray to impress people instead of imploring God's favor upon this earth.

What about Rick Warren, I watched his prayer and felt that he was under a lot of scrutiny to say the right thing. Now since I have not been asked to lead prayer in Washington,D.C. I will save my criticisms of what should have been said in that prayer. Let me say one thing and I will move on. I only wish that Rick Warren would have prayed like he was praying to God and not trying to be so inclusive of every religion. God is his judge, and I will reserve that for Him. We need more people who will discharge the privilege of prayer with such power that it will shake the house in which they stand. God, give us people who will not flinch in the face of opposition, and will do the right thing no matter what. I want to finish with an example of one Pastor who prayed as though God was listening. Here it is.

When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:

Heavenly Father,

We come before You today to ask Your Forgiveness and seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, ''Woe to those who call evil good,'' but that's exactly what we have done. We have lost our Spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values. We confess that; we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism; We have worshiped other gods and called it multiculturalism; We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle; We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery; We have neglected the needy and called it self preservation; We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare; We have killed our unborn and called it choice; We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable; We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem; We have abused power and called it political savvy; We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition; We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression; We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of this state and who have been ordained by You, to govern this great state of Kansas. Grant them your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of Your Will.

I ask in in the name of your Son, The Living Savior, Jesus Christ (www.truthorfiction.com)

May his tribe increase.

1 comment:

  1. According to Jesus, when we pray for men to see and hear then our reward is from men. But, when we pray in secret our Heavenly father will reward us openly. I am not sure of the reward Mr. Lowrey received, but men were pleased. I have learned it is better to please God rather than men. Powerful prayer is not in much speaking, or flowerly language, or even theologically accurate address, but in the Heart of a Father who hears the cry of his sons and daughters.

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