But then I will remember that I'm commissioned in Scripture to preach the Word and to speak the truth in love, not just to say what itching ears want to hear. I remember what one ambassador for Christ said even from a prison cell,
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (Ephesians 6:19-20)
I hope you will pray for me, and for other Christians who have the opportunity to speak up for Christ, that we may be able to proclaim the Word of Christ boldly and clearly.
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DO YOU PRAY FOR A NATION IN TROUBLE?
When your nation is in trouble, God's people need to pray.
God sent Jonah to warn the city of Ninevah of impending doom if they did not repent of their wickedness. Rather than scoff at the threat of judgment, the city in trouble prayed. The King of Ninevah sent out the following decree:
"Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish." (Jonah 3:7b-9)
Their prayers were heard. God did relent and with compassion forgave the city of Ninevah.
AMERICA'S PRAYER OF REPENTANCE
Former Governor of Kentucky, Brereton Jones, asked me to speak at the Governor's Prayer Breakfast during his final year in office in 1995. In my speech I mentioned that our nation has turned away from God. We have lost our spiritual bearings, I said, and we need to repent. I created a prayer we should pray as a nation. We should pray, I suggested, like this:
Oh, God, we know that 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 and New Age spirituality. We have committed adultery and called it an affair. 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 frugality. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn children and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children called it building self-esteem. We have failed to execute justice speedily as your Word commands, and called it due process.