for Prayer

This is a great prayer - in my opinion. It is entitled 'The Prayer of Repentance'. It was given on January 23, 1996 by Pastor Joe Wright to the Kansas House of Representatives in Topeka. I guess it caused quite a stir at the time - but the truth usually does cause some kind of ruckus. Otherwise, Paul wouldn't have listed all he went through while spreading the truth - the Gospel message - in 2 Corinthians: 23 - 27 . This is a prayer we should take to heart.

I grieved when I learned that the measure on our ballot for 'doctor-assisted suicide' was passed. This is just outrageous to me.

This prayer is one that should be said by everyone that calls themselves by Christ's name. It should be in every 'Voter Pamphlet' in the 'Before you decide...' section. No matter your 'religious' background - the truth remains. God is still God. You don't have to believe and you will not be forced to believe. Jesus is still the Christ. You do not have to follow Him - in fact, the Bible says that 'few will find the path' (Matthew 7:14).

Also take to heart the 2 Corinthians 13:5 which tells us:

5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

Read the following prayer - take it back to Scripture. Does how we live today - the things we allow and stand for match up with the Word? I am weary of 'political correctness'. Who truly cares? We certainly shouldn't - if we call ourselves Christians. I don't want to be 'politically correct' if it means that I am going against the Father and my Savior. Ecclesiastes tells us there is nothing new under the sun. So it is. As we read in the Old Testament of the Israelites and how many times they turned their back on God and 'did evil in the eyes of the Lord', so do we today. Individually and corporately. It is time to stop! It is time to truly read the Word and heed the Word. We would do well to remember the admonishment found in James 2:

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

We may say we have 'faith' - but as the old saying goes, the proof is in the pudding. What do our works say of our faith? In WA State, any way, I have to say that our works don't point to faith. The sancitity of a God-ordained institution and God-given life have been taken into the hands of mere men.

Here is the prayer - let me know how you think we meausre up - individually and as a nation.

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've 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 moral pluralism.

We have worshipped 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 esteem.

We have abused power and called it political savvy.

We have coveted our neighbors' 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 Kansas (insert your town, your county, your state, and our nation here), and who have been ordained by you, to govern this great state. Grant them your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of your will.

I ask it in the name of your son, the living savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

...and I say 'Amen and amen!' Thank you, Pastor Wright - wherever you are. May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you.