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TO
OUR CYBERVISITORS:
We recently received another "forwarding E-mail"
that we want to share with you. If you feel so inclined, you can copy
it and E-mail it to your friends and neighbors so that they can continue
forwarding it to others. As you will see after
reading the E-mail, we have a two-fold purpose in putting it up on our
WRAP
AROUND feature
This is a statement that was read over the PA system at the football game
at Roane County High School, Kingston, Tennessee, by school Principal, Jody
McLoud. I thought it was worth sharing with the world and hope you will
forward it to all your friends. It shows clearly just how far this country
has gone in the wrong direction.
It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games,
to say a prayer and play the National Anthem, to honor God and Country.
Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a Prayer
is a violation of Federal Case Law. As I understand the law at this time, I
can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it "an
alternate lifestyle," and if someone is offended, that's OK.
I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity, by dispensing condoms and
calling it, "safe sex." If someone is offended, that's OK.
I can even use this public facility to present the merits of killing an
unborn baby as a "viable means of birth control." If someone is offended, no
problem.
I can designate a school day as "Earth Day" and involve students in
activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess "Mother Earth" and
call it "ecology."
I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depict
people with strong, traditional Christian convictions as "simple minded" and
"ignorant" and call it "enlightenment."
However, if anyone uses this facility to honor God and to ask Him to bless
this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then Federal Case Law is
violated.
This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical.
Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone, except God and
His Commandments.
Nevertheless, as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to
abide by rules with which they do not necessarily agree. For me to do
otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical. I
suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need
to add an intentional transgression.
For this reason, I shall "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's," and
refrain from praying at this time.
"However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank God and ask Him,
in the name of Jesus, to bless this event, please feel free to do so. As far
as I know, that's not against the law----yet."
One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one
another and began to pray.
They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at
the concession stand and they prayed in the Announcer's Box!
The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the United
States of America - the Seat of "Justice" in the "one nation, under God."
Somehow, Kingston, Tennessee remembered what so many have forgotten. We are
given the Freedom OF Religion, not the Freedom FROM Religion. Praise God
that His remnant remains!
Celebrate Jesus in 2003!
DON WROTE:
By now, surely everyone is aware of the problems highlighted in this
E-mail. If not, well, then the words of Principal McLoud has stated
them ever-so-well. However, we would like to note that she not only
highlighted some major problems, but for the time at hand, she also presented an
answer to the problems. This brings me to an observation as well as two points I would like
to make:
First, the observation: The Bible records several public prayers that
were heard of God. I am aware that Jesus scorned those who prayed in public
just to be seen of men; however, even Jesus prayed publicly. Our Lord
also said that if we were ashamed of Him before men, He would be ashamed of
us before His Father in Heaven. Public prayer gives the believer opportunity
to stand with the Lord and be counted.
Now, as to the two points I'd like to make:
- As Christians, it is our duty to our nation, to our family, and to our
faith to speak up when we see the devil's advocates attacking the
foundations of our faith which, by the way, are the very same foundations
on which our nation was built.
- However, just to sound off concerning the many inroads that Satan has
made in our society is not sufficient. We should also present the
answer(s) to those problems.
The answers to the problems in our society are found in the Scriptures,
and the only people on this earth who can apply these answers to the problems of the United States (and the world) are the
individuals who make up the Church (the called-out-ones) of the Lord Jesus.
There are two ways that the believer can apply the answers/power.
Romans 8:26
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray
for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with
groanings which
cannot be uttered.
Jude 1:20
...building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy
Ghost,
So, the prayers that will move God are not prayers of tradition or of
habit or self-serving prayers; but prayers that are initiated by the Holy
Spirit. When we look at the Spirit-led prayers in the light of the
following Scripture, we can understand how that they build a bold faith in
the believer who waits upon the unction of the Lord during his/her prayer
time.
I John 5:
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing
according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have
the petitions that we desired of him.
In other words, if God the Holy Spirit directs our prayer, we know that
both of these conditions are met and that God has heard us, having led us in
our prayer, and that He will answer our prayer -- for that is His promise!.
- The second role that the believer is to play in solving today's
problems is a fulfilling of one of our Lord's prophecies. Jesus
said: "...I will build my church; and the gates
of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys
of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be
bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed
in heaven" (Mt. 16:18b-19). The fulfilling of this
prophecy is bound up in the following Scriptures.
Romans 8
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,
who
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from
the law of sin
and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God
sending
his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in
the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not
after the
flesh, but after the Spirit...
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
So then, those who have received the Lord Jesus as their Lord and Savior
hold the answer to the world's problems; for their bodies have become the
temple of the Holy Ghost (I Cor. 6:19). Please note that I don't say
this to put some burden or guilt trip on those in Christ; for to apply the
answer to the needs of those in the world around us is a simply and as
joyful as obeying the Holy Spirit. Note the following Scriptures.
Acts 1:8
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost
is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and
in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which
heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as
came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift
of the Holy Ghost. I Cor. 6:
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost
which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body,
and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Thessalonians 1:
5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and
in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men
we were among you for your sake.
6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the
word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost. Romans 8:
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the
Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in
you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after
the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the
Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God. Galatians 5
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the
affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. I
Jn. 3:
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward
God.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his
commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of
his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him.
And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath
given us.
These are only a few of the many, many Scriptures dealing with the
believer and the Holy Spirit. It should be an eye opener that well
over 90% of the Scriptures dealing with the Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost are
designed to try to get the believer to understand that the Spirit of Christ
does dwell in the body of the believer and that the believers are the
beloved of God in Christ Jesus. Church, if ever there was a time in
history for the babes-in-Christ to grow up in the Lord and to take their
place in the ranks of the Lord's army, surely it is now. Undoubtedly,
God our Father would have us to be aware of the problems around us-- but we
can also know for sure that He would have us to pray the prayer of faith and
to fulfill our part of the answer by daily asking the Spirit to lead us and
then to do as He instructs. To do so is not overwhelming for it will
be the Power of Christ who will sustain us in our efforts and bring to pass
all the good things that God has purposed. WHAT IS ACTUALLY HARD FOR THE
BELIEVER IS NOT TO WALK THUS IN THE SPIRIT for then he or she must
necessarily endure chastisement because of disobedience, guilt due to
opposition to the quickened conscience, and corruption of the body because
the believer has been walking in the flesh and not the Spirit.
B'ANN
WROTE:
What is prayer??? God would not have us fight over prayer but
rather to pray. Since His model prayer is "done in our closet"
i.e. our hearts; then, we are without excuse for praying. He further
states in the following passage:
Luke 18
1. And he spake a parable
unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and
not to faint.
So, we cannot be hindered from praying in the Spirit because God
carefully made provisions for praying. In fact, He gave the model
prayer for those that are new Christians to use so that they would not pray
amiss. If we do not exercise our privilege of praying this basic Lord's
Prayer; then, probably we will never progress on to deeper "Spirit led"
prayers that will move mountains. Prayers to God are not chant!!!
They are not vain repetitions as were uttered by the Hypocrites of Jesus'
day (Matthew 6:5). They are a powerful, energizing, life changing force.
The prayer that changes men and moves God is done in secret. It can be
"THOUGHT UNTO GOD" in an elevator, walking down a school hallway, in space,
under the ocean, when dying, when giving birth, when in trouble
...everywhere that it is needful. WHO IS PUNY MAN THAT THEY THINK THEY CAN
STOP ANY PART OF THE SOVEREIGN MOVE OF GOD. There can not be any power on
earth any more powerful than the promise in the following Scripture.
The problem is that Christians are not aware of this power. They think
they have to fight for what is given as a birthright in Christ, what can
never be taken away, and what is Omnipresent with the Trinity.
Matthew 6:6
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet,
and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and
thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Church, pray! |
