A PRAYER FOR OUR COUNTRY

Billy Graham prayed a prayer for our country that, in a very short and concise way, really says it all. Billy Graham is one evangelist that has always had an incredibly clean record. He has never been caught doing something wrong, not even any false charges have been brought against him. He is a man of the highest integrity.

So read his prayer for our nation, and see if it isn't a prayer that you too can join in on.

Heavenly Father,
We come before You today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good" (Isaiah 5:20), but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. 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 have called it building self-esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. 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, oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, "The Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any other he had ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called "One nation under God!"

God Bless,
Roger

The Cost of Faith in Christ

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."
--Jim Elliot (Missionary to South American Indians who lost his life at the hands of those he was reaching out to; from the book "Through Gates of Splednor" by his wife Elisabeth Elliot)

"Whenever Christ calls us, his call leads us to death."
--Dietrich Bonhoeffer (A pastor in Germany who resisted Hitler and the Nazi regime, and was ultimately killed for it, from his book "The Cost of Discipleship")

"Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."
--The Apostle Paul (2 Timothy 3:12)

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me."
-- Jesus Christ (John 12:23-26)

"For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
--The Apostle Paul (written while in chains and held in prison by the Roman government, Philippians 1:21)

May your life be a testimony to the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on our behalf.

Love and Blessings,
Roger

PLEASING GOD, NOT MEN!

One of the most challenging Scriptures in the Epistles is Galatians 1:10 when Paul says, "Am I now trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

Paul is writing in the context of preaching the full Gospel. Parts of the Gospel message were offensive to listeners. And it required great courage for him to preach the whole Gospel and not just the parts that were easy to swallow.

As a servant of Christ, we are called to please one person - Jesus Christ. How easy it is for us (especially those of us who are natural people pleasers) to seek the accolades of people. Let's face it, we all appreciate an encouraging word or a "well done" slap on the back from others. The rub comes when things are not going so well in our ministries. Attendance is down, giving is down, or there is a critical spirit in the church or the leadership.

This is when the temptation arises to try and change things, to make things better. Later we realize we are operating more in the flesh than the spirit. And all our efforts and energy have not generated a lasting change, but merely placated some of the nay sayers.

Thankfully, when we choose to please God and Him alone, we will please those who are seeking the Lord as well. But there will be times when we can't make everyone happy. It's during those times that we need great courage to walk the path of faith, choosing to please the only One who gave up everything for us.

May you be blessed as you seek the Lord,

Roger

Adapted from Jimi Williams, worshiptogether.com