I attended a business dinner today, and a prayer was offered before
the meal. From a reliable source I was told that the prayer was to
be offered without the use of "Lord, God or Jesus."
This is not an isolated incident. There has been a movement to
disallow the use of the phrase "in Jesus name" in prayer by military
chaplains. I was asked by a school official to not pray "in Jesus
name" forty years ago, because it might offend some.
My first reaction to this situation was the same as my reaction to a
similar request given a few years ago. "When I pray, I'm not
speaking to you. If it offends you, don't listen."
My second reaction was to ask the question, "If you can't say Lord,
God or Jesus in a prayer, who are you praying to?"
"And when you pray, ... In this manner, therefore, pray: Our
Father in heaven, hollowed be your name..." (Matthew 6:9)
The question is a simple one: Will we pray as Jesus says, or give in
to the pressures of those who ask us to compromise or give up our
faith?
"But Peter and John answered and said to them, Whether it is
right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you
judge...We ought to obey God rather than men...." (Acts 4:19;
5:29)
"So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of
His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an
inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32)
NKJV
the meal. From a reliable source I was told that the prayer was to
be offered without the use of "Lord, God or Jesus."
This is not an isolated incident. There has been a movement to
disallow the use of the phrase "in Jesus name" in prayer by military
chaplains. I was asked by a school official to not pray "in Jesus
name" forty years ago, because it might offend some.
My first reaction to this situation was the same as my reaction to a
similar request given a few years ago. "When I pray, I'm not
speaking to you. If it offends you, don't listen."
My second reaction was to ask the question, "If you can't say Lord,
God or Jesus in a prayer, who are you praying to?"
"And when you pray, ... In this manner, therefore, pray: Our
Father in heaven, hollowed be your name..." (Matthew 6:9)
The question is a simple one: Will we pray as Jesus says, or give in
to the pressures of those who ask us to compromise or give up our
faith?
"But Peter and John answered and said to them, Whether it is
right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you
judge...We ought to obey God rather than men...." (Acts 4:19;
5:29)
"So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of
His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an
inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32)
NKJV
| Remarks on Righteousness |
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