Prayer

National Day of Prayer

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Our American national prayer day was established in 1952 and signed into law by President Harry Truman in his final year in office. In the Bible Jesus teaches us to pray, not just for our friends, but even our enemies.  When Paul wrote these words, the king he urged Christians to pray for was Nero, the same king who later executed him. Imagine what God might do if today we prayed for all kinds of people, and not just those we like. Imagine how God could move if we spent more time on our knees than at our television sets, laptops and phones. God changes neighborhoods and nations by transforming hearts and healing lives, one person at a time.

Only by His Wounds

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But I say to you who hear, “Love your enemies, do good for those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. Luke 6:27-28 ESV

Trying to love real enemies, is neither easy nor normal. It’s one of those commands that Jesus gave that we like to put on the back burner. But God loves our enemies, cares about our persecutors. He blesses those who scam us, cheat us and lie about us. Sometimes we secretly wonder, “What is wrong with God? Why would He do that?”

We can squirm, and make excuses for ignoring Jesus’s command as long as we like, but the Bible points us to the cross. There at the cross is the place where Jesus showed God’s love for us – while we were still His enemies! So, this morning in a world filled with violence, terrorism, political power plays and media manipulation of truth, only that kind of loving enemies can still work a miracle. Only radical love, the true love of Christ, turns enemies into brothers and haters to a loving Savior who still changes hearts and nations. And this morningĀ  He reminds us that, it was not only by His power, but by His wounds that we are healed.

Standing For the Truth

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Truth is not negotiable. There is no gray area between arriving in Philadelphia and landing in Miami. It does not matter what my feelings are or what popular opinion is being promoted on social media, the Liberty Bell is still in Philly, and palm trees still grow in Miami. The same is true about our opinions about history and more specifically about the history of Israel. Carol from The Real Christian Woman blog has done such an excellent job of explaining things, that I have reposted her article on my blog today.

Why Should We Care About Israel?