pray

Today is the National Day of Prayer

Today is the National Day of Prayer. We are the only nation to have such a law on the books.

Yes, a law.

The National Day of Prayer is a federal statute, Public Law 82-324,  passed in 1952 at the direct suggestion of Rev. Billy Graham. Its purpose, as explained by Graham, was to help bring “the Lord Jesus Christ” to the nation. “What a thrilling, glorious thing it would be to see the leaders of our country kneeling before almighty God in prayer. What a thrill would sweep this country. What renewed hope and courage would grip the Americans at this hour of peril,” Graham said.

U.S. Sen. Absalom Robertson, father of Rev. Pat Robertson, introduced the bill in the Senate, saying it was a measure against “the corrosive forces of communism which seek simultaneously to destroy our democratic way of life and the faith in an Almighty God on which it is based.”

The Senate report further claimed:

“Prayer has indeed been a vital force in the growth and development of this Nation. It would certainly be appropriate if, pursuant to this resolution, and the proclamation it urges, the people of this country were to unite in a day of prayer each year, each in accordance with his own religious faith, thus reaffirming in a dramatic manner the deep religious conviction which has prevailed throughout the history of the United States.”

The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of our heritage. Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued through our history, including President Lincoln’s proclamation of a day of “humiliation, fasting, and prayer” in 1863. In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual national day of prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every May.

Sign of the Times: Persecuted Friends

Each Saturday I host an online Bible study made up of men from all over the world. Some are pastors, some missionaries, but most are just regular guys working forty to fifty hours a week.  What we share in common is a desire to follow Jesus better, every day.

This past Saturday, I asked two brothers to join us from Eastern Europe. Telli is originally from Iran, Marti is from Afghanistan (for security purposes, not their real names).  Both of these men became Christians in their home countries and were forced to leave, or face certain death. They each have some very specific prayer needs, and I wanted our Saturday guys to meet them, and pray.

I met Telli and Marti at a church in Eastern Europe, where I spoke in November 2022. Their pastor is my good friend, Luci, who is also part of our Saturday fellowship.

Brother Telli is the older of the two. He has a delightful smile, happy eyes, an a gregarious personality. He is Persian and from Iran.

“I was born a Muslim,” he told me, when we first met, “But I was not a believer in anything.  I am an engineer and religion made no sense to me.”

Though Bibles are illegal to distribute in Iran, Telli came across a one, which he curiously perused.  “It was a red letter Bible. The words of Jesus were all in red and it was very easy to understand.”

Telli was amazed.  He thought Christianity was a religion created man and, like the religion he had been surrounded by his entire life,  assumed it was void of love. “I was not reading anything that could have been written by a human.  Jesus, in the red letters, said, ‘Love your enemy.’  I was told Christians were full of hate and evil. This is not what I was reading.”

Telli made a decision to follow Jesus and was filled with a joy he had never before experienced. His engaging personality naturally led him to tell others about his faith, but his outspokenness soon created a target and he became wanted by Iranian religious police.

“I WAS NOT GOING TO BE SILENT”

“You cannot tell others about Jesus in my country, and I was not going to be silent. If I stayed I would have to publicly renounce Jesus or be imprisoned and then killed.”

Sensing imminent danger, Telli quickly gathered his identification documents and cash.  There would be no suitcase, only the clothes on his back and a small backpack.  His sister, who was pregnant, and his brother in law decided to leave Iran with him.

“The sun sets in the west, and that is where Europe is. We could be free there. We followed the sun.” It was a journey of some 2,000 miles, much of which was carried out on foot. “We were often very cold. I was beaten by robbers and my papers and money were  stolen. My nose was smashed and my skull was broken. I felt responsible for my sister. This was not going well.”

In his moment of need, Telli cried out to the Lord. “I accept you, I go with your words. Are you real or not?  Help me. I am in a bad situation. Please help me and I will serve you.”

Marti is a handsome man in his early thirties. He is a bit more reserved than his friend Telli, but his countenance radiates Jesus.

Marti first became curious about Jesus through viewing the animated Christian cartoon series, Veggie Tales, which he came across on the Internet.  The episodes he discovered were in a soundtrack he understood, Arabic.

“I was told Christians were of the devil. But these characters in the cartoon were very nice and full of love,” he explained to me.  “Then I thought of the Christian people who come to Afghanistan to deliver food and clothing. They were always very nice and seemed like they had love in their hearts. They were not evil like I had been taught.”

Marti made a decision that Jesus was indeed Lord.

“YOU MUST LEAVE IMMEDIATELY”

His family soon learned of his interest in Christianity and Jesus. Fearing the ruling authorities they decided to take matters into their own hands, placing Marti under house arrest. For two years they tried to physically beat Jesus out of him. “I was not going to stop believing. It was the Lord who kept me alive,” he said.

Finally, the family’s patience with Marti had grown thin.

“My grandmother talked to me in secret. She said, ‘They are going to kill you. You must leave immediately.’”

Honor killings are quite common in certain sectors of the Middle East and allowed by law, and Marti was on the family’s hit list. He rapidly collected his identification and money, and escaped. Like Telli, he told me, “I followed the sun setting in the west.”

His long journey to a refugee camp along the Turkish border with Europe took over two months, during which time he was beaten by and robbed by thieves. He would later learn that his grandmother had been brutally murdered by the family as a religious traitor.

“HE ANSWERED ALL MY PRAYERS”

During the Bible study, yesterday, we asked these two saints, “Did persecution sharpen your faith in Jesus?”

Both of them resolutely stated, “No.”

Telli elaborated, “The reality of Jesus makes me stronger. I accept whatever he has for me. We do not fear men.”

Marti agreed, adding, “He answered all my prayers.”

“All of them,” Telli underscored.

Now that you know a bit about Telli and Marti, here is what they asked we pray about.

Marti has another court date to get approval to permanently remain in Eastern Europe. Because all of his papers were stolen, he has no proof of identity. Though he is not considered a threat, and currently has a job as an engineer, he has not been able to produce the documents required to become a legal permanent resident. The court has the power to send him back to Afghanistan where the laws of darkness await.

Telli’s identity was proven to the courts, so he is a permanent resident; his prayer request was first and foremost for Marti.  Additionally, he asked us to pray that someday he will be reunited with his wife and daughter.

“BE ON YOUR GUARD,” A WARNING FROM JESUS

2000 years ago, when describing societal conditions in the End Times (prior to His return as Messiah and judge of the earth), Jesus seems to have been speaking of Telli and Marti’s plight,

“But be on your guard; for they will hand you over to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them.  And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.  And when they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you at that time; for you are not the ones speaking, but it is the Holy Spirit. And brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by everyone because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved,” (Mark 13:9-13).

Telli and Marti are examples of the world in which we live. Millions and millions of Christians are being violently persecuted today, in China, the Middle East, and Africa.

As a member of our Saturday group told me yesterday after meeting Telli and Marti, “There story is the real world of Christianity.”

Please pray for Telli and Marti.

Pelosi’s Covid Exception, Death by “Complication,” and Shots Fired

It’s certainly a strange time in American politics.

The COVID pandemic is so horrible that Democrat lawmakers have shut down businesses, ruined lives, kept kids from school, and forced healthy people to wear masks.
 
But Democrats like Nancy Pelosi don’t have to follow these rules. She’s not just essential, she’s special. In September Nancy Pelosi was caught getting a blow out at her San Francisco hair salon.
 
Then yesterday, in her desirous effort to maintain the Speaker’s gavel, Pelosi dragged Rep. Gwen Moore out of quarantine to vote for her as the House leader despite Moore having TESTED POSITIVE for the coronavirus just 6 days ago.
 
Pelosi needed her vote for speakership so Democrats decided to temporarily break the quarantine.
So much for safeguards against the pandemic.
And then there’s this: quite a few prominent Republicans have been dropping dead lately.
On December 29th, congressman-elect Luke Letlow of Louisiana died as a result of “complications” from COVID-19.  Luke was in good shape, 41, and died from “complications” of Covid-19, just days before he was set to be sworn into office.  Letlow, a Republican, was elected to represent Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District in a runoff this month.
On January 1st, the death of Virginia State Senator Ben Chafin Jr. made headlines all over the country. 
The 60-year-old Republican died of COVID-19 “complications.”
On January 2nd, Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus chairman Mike Reese suddenly died from “an apparent brain aneurysm”He was was said to be in great health and an avid outdoorsman. Reese was only 42 years old, and he was one of the most important members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
Also on January 2nd, a former state representative in Connecticut suddenly passed away.
Dick Foley, a former state representative from Oxford who served as chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party and was an adviser to several governors and would-be governors, died Saturday at his home. He was 71.
Of course, a few days ago I reported on the Kelly Loeffler staffer/former David Perdue intern/boyfriend to the Georgia governor’s daughter who was killed in that bizarre car crash which resembled an ISIS car bomb.
And then there’s Jovan Pulitzer, the man who has the ability to determine the validity of millions of ballots in a day. He and members of his team have been shot at! Pulitzer spoke last week in Georgia and offered to review the absentee ballots in Fulton county for free.  He said he could go through the 500,000 or so absentee ballots in the Atlanta based county in a couple hours and determine which ones are valid and which ones are frauds. Last Wednesday, the Georgia Senate passed a motion to have Pulitzer and his team go through the ballots there. One of Pulitzer’s team member’s took five shots through his house in a drive-by, right next to his daughter’s window.

Much of what I’ve described is an illustration of the Devil himself caught in a corner. The Bible makes it clear that often when about to lose, Satan gets vile. Just look what happened when King Herod discovered that a child who would be King (Messiah Jesus) was born in Bethlehem:

Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi (Matthew 2:16).

I’m not sure exactly what happened to those representatives who suddenly died of late, but I do know dirty deeds occur in politics. I see all of this chaos and tragedy as Satan lashing out because he’s about to lose a big battle.
Given that this is such a monumental week, please take a moment to pray with me.
Lord, please protect the men and women who are fighting for justice. Supernaturally place a hedge of protection around them; and of course that includes President Trump. Give wisdom to those who are working hard to see the truth of this election fraud revealed–wisdom beyond their years and ability. And I pray that there are some–perhaps many–who have opposed this process of electoral discovery to suddenly switch sides and acknowledge the truth. Father, may the votes of millions not be stolen. Give the USA another chance to be a light to the nations. 
In the Savior’s Name. Amen.

SCOTUS Turns Down Texas Lawsuit: Why I Remain Encouraged

What we are witnessing in the United States of America is the BIGGEST SCANDAL IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.

Think about it. We are the most significant country on the planet. We have been an exporter of more good than any country in history. For the naysayers, that good includes food, clothing, and billions of dollars in cash. It also include the use of our military and countless American lives to stop many a vicious enemy from killing innocent people, destroying property, and spreading evil upon the earth.

But most importantly, our American benevolence has brought the saving grace of God to all corners of the planet, providing hope: both in this life and eternally! The United States has been the country The Everlasting God (in Hebrew, El Olam) has used to spread the good news of His Son’s sacrificial death on a cross to save many a wretch like me!

So, what does the Bible say about addressing the fraud that has occurred in this election? It’s very clear. When God confronts evil on a national scale He WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL REALIZE HE ALONE SHALL GET ALL THE GLORY.

I was just recalling the account of the Israelites and the parting of the Red Sea. In Exodus chapter 14 we’re told that the Lord instructed Moses to perform a Muhammed Ali type of rope-a-dope. He instructed Moses to move the people in a way that made it look as if they were lost in the desert, so that Pharaoh would think the Israelites were confused and they would be easily caught and destroyed.

“I will harden Pharaoh’s heart,” said God (Exodus 14:4), “and he will pursue them. But I WILL GAIN GLORY FOR MYSELF through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.”

What happened next? Pharaoh’s powerful army foolishly chased Moses and the Israelites into the astonishingly parted Red Sea hoping catch and kill them all with a final knockout punch. But then God caused the waters to crash upon them, drowning them all. And only El Olam was able to receive the glory!

You see, when our opportunity before the Texas lawsuit before the Supreme Court quickly failed the idiot pundits on the left all cackled at us like demons. They now believe they have us against the ropes and they’re preparing for a knockout punch.

Let them laugh, let them be over-confident. The devil always overplays his filthy hand. If we gained victory at the Supreme Court, that court would have received the glory.

BUT GOD HAS SOMETHING MORE AMAZING PLANNED.

My wife and I watched many a sporting event over the years in which our boys were playing. I know it’s only sports, but there were moments when everyone on our side thought it was over–only a miracle could save us. And then in the last possible moment, out of nowhere, there was fumble, a hail Mary, or an impossible three-pointer at the buzzer, and we won! The victories were so out of nowhere that fans would proclaim, “It’ a miracle!” But even still, in those moments we could all pin the win on one or two stars; a few times those accolades went to our boys.

But this is no sporting event.  What I’m talking about for our nation is this: ONLY GOD WILL GET THE GLORY.

Friends, lying, cheating, fraud, and calling out “Soldiers” to intimidate the opposition, are all personalities of the devil himself. God hates this.

Get ready. I’m banking on a victory of Biblical proportions.

Pray. And if you haven’t prayed for years, take a private moment with God right now, repent, and start praying.  We need you. The New Testament book of James encourages us: The prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective (5:16)!

And, as we get closer to the finish line, remember this: Ephesians 6:12 tells us: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

This will be awesome.

We owe it to our founders: this election must not be stolen

Now is the time to pray for America.

Maybe you’re not a praying person, at least not regularly. But I’ll briefly share why now is the time to pray that the landslide re-election of Donald J. Trump, the man God has chosen to lead America for this crucial season of our existence, must not be stolen.

We owe our hope to 102 brave souls who came  before us.

Have you ever been offshore in a small craft when even moderate waves developed? It’s un-settling to say the least. Have you ever taken a cruise on a large ship across the sea and been confronted by a real storm? It’s nerving. The ups and downs of the vessel as it’s tossed by the waves and pelted by rain-driven wind is enough to briefly turn an atheist to God. If such an experience occurs at night, when the surrounding sea is pitch black, the level of fright is abysmal.

I mention the above because that’s exactly what the 102 “Pilgrims” faced off-and-on for over two months as they slowly made their way across the Atlantic in a small shabby ship to what is now New England.

Their goal?

Liberty.

They were fed up with the harsh mandates handed down by the King of England , especially those involving their right to worship the God of the Bible as they saw fit.

The majority of the Pilgrims were what could be deemed “middle-class.” They left comfort, safety, and stability to brave the unexplored. “By exposing themselves to the inevitable hardships of exile,” Alex de Tocqueville explains in his book,  Democracy in America.  “They wanted to assure the triumph of an idea.” These men, women, and children proved to be willing and able to tolerate unnumerable setbacks and trials, as long as they could worship God in their own way and live out their lives in freedom.

Their ship, The Mayflower, was only 100 feet in length and 25 feet at her widest.  It was designed to cross the English Channel, not for the high seas. At night, the passenger area was pitch dark. At most, there was five feet of headroom — and only four where supportive beams stretched across the low deck.  Countless times throughout their journey they thought they would perish.

It was not much better when they finally arrived at Cape Cod in November . This was the middle of what was “The Little Ice Age.” The region was densely forested, with a fresh layer of snow, and already bitterly cold. There were no welfare systems or expansive government-run social safety nets to bail them out. It was only courage supplanted with prayer that strengthened and spared them.

Even so, after that first winter nearly half their number had perished. Nonetheless,  they would preserver and, decades later, eventually prosper and see their goal attained.

And that goal?

Freedom. The opportunity to live one’s life as one sees fit; afloat and limited only by one’s talent, fortitude, and courage.

Pray. This election must not be stolen. The plans of the democratic party are the antithesis of what our Pilgrim founders intended.