A vast majority of people, Christian and non Christian alike, champion the idea that "prayer makes a difference." But, statisticians and their surveys tell us people pray very little. "An Ellis Research survey for Facts & Trends finds just 16% of pastors are very satisfied with their personal prayer lives, 47% are somewhat satisfied, 30% somewhat dissatisfied and 7% very dissatisfied. Their median amount of prayer time per day is 30 minutes. During that time, a typical pastor spends 12 minutes with prayer requests, 8 in quiet time, 7 giving thanks, 7 more in praise, and 5 confessing sin. The top 5 things they pray for are individual congregation member’s needs, congregation’s spiritual health, wisdom in leading church, spiritual growth for church, and personal spiritual growth." (Facts & Trends 5/6/05) If these are the statistics for those in positions of spiritual leadership, we might expect the same or less from those sitting under their leadership. In general, people pray very little.
Why are we not praying more? Perhaps we don't know the power of prayer? Perhaps we diminish the genuine value of the opportunity to have a relationship with God? Perhaps we are just lazy? Perhaps we lack faith in God? Whatever the reason for our prayer-less-ness, we must admit our life would benefit greatly if we prayed more. Why don't we find out how much our life might be changed by a stronger prayer life and a closer walk with God! Let's start praying!
Beginning June 1st I am challenging every believer I know to take a challenge called "Watch One Hour." This is a challenge to spend at least one hour in prayer everyday for 30 days. There are 30 days in June so this is an easy time frame to wrap your mind around!
Will you join me in prayer? Your hour in prayer might be all in one sitting, 15 minutes four times each day or 10 minutes six times each day. However you break it down just make sure you are with Christ for at least 60 minutes everyday! Your life will be changed!
James
Benghazi, IRS, AP, the three together spell trouble for our nation. To quote Jeremiah Wright, "America's chickens have come home to roost." I quote Wright in jest but his words are true if applied to the context of our current day. America is now reaping the consequences of the gross secularization of her culture and abandonment of Judeo-Christian morality. Once a nation removes God from the public square it is left to the devices of sinful human nature. The government of the United States is attempting to operate in a secular vacuum void of religious influences; a democracy can never survive such an environment. The success of any Democracy, government by the people and for the people, is completely dependent upon the influence of those who know and follow Christ. Democracy needs the leadership of those who are devoted to Jesus Christ.
One misconception of modern man is the idea people are generally "good" when in fact the exact opposite is the case. Certainly I could give a long list of examples and evidence to back up the claim of this assertion but the actions and attitude of any two year old sufficiently makes the point. People are born with a sin nature; a sin nature which makes them selfish, self seeking and incapable of pleasing God. This gross combination eventually produces very bad things in the life of the individual, family and community at large. Selfish, unrighteous people are incapable of governing in a way which provides for the greater good of the people they govern. Inevitably, irreligious, Godless men and women will lead a people to corruption and judgment as they selfishly seek their own good to the detriment of the greater good.
Character matters! Without leaders who have repented of past sin and committed themselves to a better, more righteous future, our nation is doomed to failure. The lesson of today's scandals is simply this: Government must stay out of the church but the church must interject itself into the state. The government needs the moral leadership of Christ followers.
Does God care if two men "marry" one another? Is it even possible for such a union to "be" a "marriage?" How can the church address the issue of same sex marriage without raising the issue of homosexuality above all other sin? The current debate in our culture over same sex marriage has left the church with several important questions to answer.
To the first question, yes God does care if two men or two women "marry" one another. How can I be sure of His interest? Because God has very clearly set forth what actually constitutes a marriage in Genesis 2. In this passage, God created the institution of marriage when He joined Adam and Eve together as "one flesh." He made them "one" both spiritually, emotionally and physically. The physical part had to do with the design of their bodies but the emotional and spiritual "oneness" was no less by design. God designed men and women to be joined into a "oneness" demonstrated in the institution of marriage. So does God care if two men attempt a similar union? Considering God's original design the answer is a resounding yes! God is opinionated when it comes to the "debate" concerning same sex marriage and His opinion, simply put, is no way!
This begs the question, "Can a "marriage" between two people of the same sex even exist at all?" If God has defined marriage as a relationship between man and woman, can a relationship between two people of the same sex ever be actually defined as a marriage? If man defines "marriage" then we have a very subjective institution which allows each successive generation opportunity to tweak and redefine. But, if God defines what constitutes marriage, we have an objective, eternal standard by which all generations are judged. According to the God of Christianity there is no such thing as a "same sex marriage." Such a union of two individuals might be called many things but marriage isn't one of them.
So how should the church respond to the current debate concerning same sex marriage? In order to find our answer we must reacquaint ourselves with a simple precept by which all moral questions should be addressed: Does the thought, word or deed in question miss God's mark? Sin, as defined in the original Greek language, means to "miss the mark." We must search the Scriptures for God's "targeted behavior" and determine whether the issue in question misses His defined "mark." God's "target" for marriage is one man and one woman in a committed, lifelong, monogamous relationship. So any other attempted union, whether between two people of the same sex or multiple people of both sexes, misses God's intended purpose for marriage. We must be the mouthpiece for God's word on the subject. We must proclaim the truth in love. We must stand for Biblical marriage and against any attempt to redefine this God ordained institution.
An Aside:
Sexual sin is simply sin whether it be homosexual or heterosexual in nature. One type of sin is no uglier than the next. The homosexual who repents of his or her sin is a "sinner saved by God's grace" just as much as any other repentant sinner. The unrepentant adulterer or glutton is no less a sinner than the unrepentant homosexual. Too often the church has made homosexual people feel they are a special class of sinner. We have often been found hateful, unloving, uncaring and obnoxious toward those who struggle with same sex attractions. We must end our prejudice. No sinner and no category of sin is worse than any other.
On the flip side, if you are homosexual and reading this post, we in the Christian community would appreciate it if you would cease being hateful yourself. Calling us names and treating us less than human makes it more of a challenge to love you. We are not going to acquiesce to your demands. We are not going to abandon or deny our faith, so stop demanding that we do so. If we can treat you with love and respect while disagreeing with your choice of lifestyle please attempt to do the same for us.
The bottom line:
I have friends who are gay and we will continue to disagree on the subject of same sex marriage. However, there may be things upon which we can agree and find common cause. I will always fight for the dignity of every human being. I will pray and care for all people regardless of who they may be or their life choices.
Christ's command to love has no preconditions and no qualifiers. As believers in Christ we should consider what this means in reference to those whom so many have chosen to marginalize and despise.
A genuine follower of Christ must always speak the truth in love. So believers in Christ must speak: God defines marriage not man. If the government wishes to allow people of the same sex to enter into a contractual relationship with one another for legal purposes and call it marriage there is little we as Christ followers can do to stop it. However, regardless what the rulers of our day might think or say, God's mark for what constitutes genuine marriage will never change. Genuine marriage will always be what God has said it is: One man and one woman united by God in a monogamous, life long, committed relationship.
