OUTRAGEOUS PRAYER - #2896

OUTRAGEOUS PRAYER


by Dennis L. Finnan, Commentator


One of the most precious subjects that should be dear to the heart of all people is the act and art of prayer. I don't know of any religion that does not stress this as an important part of human life and need. This is of course proven true as prayer is the delight of not only Christians but even non-Christians, who at times utilize prayer to help meet their needs. So, it's safe to say prayer is a precious thing for all people at some time in their lives. However, an incident that happened recently has changed all that. In fact, it has placed a new meaning on the value and place of prayer in American life. Recently, Kansas State legislature was rocked by an incident that enraged many of its members in its House of Representatives. You see for years they've had a policy of inviting ministers to come and open each session with prayer. This of course is basic to our American history, as our nation was founded by Christians for Christians and geared to promote the Christian way of life that included public prayer.

Well on January 23, 1996 Pastor Joe Wright from the Central Christian Church of Wichita, Kansas, was the guest chaplain to open the House of Representatives session with its customary prayer. However after Joe Wright prayed, the house came down on him for his "outrageous prayer!" Can you imagine a pastor praying an outrageous prayer? Well according to a number of representatives he most surely did. In fact, his prayer literally brought outraged voices and dissent as many stormed out, enraged that such a prayer would be spoken. Now you might ask, "what could this pastor have prayed to bring such an angry response?" Permit me to read his full prayer spoken before man and God that day of January 23. After hearing it -- you be the judge. As the Kansas legislature prepared to open session as usual, Pastor Joe Wright came to the podium and with the loudspeakers fully resonant, he spoke what I would say was the hear t and mind of God to those men and women of the Kansas House of Representatives, as well as the nation itself! Hear now the prayer Joe Wright prayed,

"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know your Word says, "woe to those who call evil good" and that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium. We have inverted our values. We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truths of your Word in the name of moral pluralism. "We have worshipped other gods and called it "multi-culturalism." "We have endorsed perversion and called it "an alternative lifestyle." We have exploited the poor and called it a lottery. We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. "Father, in the name of "choice" we have killed our unborn and then in the name of "right to life" we have killed abortionists. "We have neglected to discipline our children and called it "building esteem." We have abused power and called it "political savvy." We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it "taxes." We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it "freedom of expression." We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it "enlightenment." "Search us, oh God, know our hearts today, try us and show us any wickedness, and then cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been ordained by you to govern this great state. Grant them your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of Your will. I ask it in the name of your Son the living Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen." (1)

Wow!! Can you imagine such a prayer being prayed publicly in our politically correct nation? How could this man, a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ get up and say such things? Well, I can't imagine him saying anything less. You see what was mentioned in that prayer is the very root problem of the infection of sin in the soul of America. The sins of godless: pluralism, multiculturalism, sexual perversion, gambling, child exploitation, government protectionism, abusive taxation, abortion, and New Age religious enlightenment - all are the product of the rotting of the American soul which God condemns in His Word. Poor Pastor Joe Wright, a man I would call a modern day prophet, if God would assign one, he spoke the mind and heart of God to that needy House of Representatives. However, while he was praying that prayer over the loudspeakers, men and women began to stir, snarling voices rose, tempers flared and some literally stormed out of the assembly. (2) Representative Delbert Gross who refused to stand during the prayer called it, "divisive, sanctimonious, self-serving and overbearing!" Following Gross, (3) Sam Muyskens, executive director of Inter-faith Ministries in Wichita said, In this legislature, where there are people with strong convictions on many sides of issues, " the prayer should draw them together and recognize their integrity."

However, as one thinks about such a prayer, one must realize to invite a minister to pray on behalf of the people he is called to petition for, if he is really a man of God he could do no less than he did. God bless men like Joe Wright! Fearless men, who will tell it like it is, and will stand firmly as an intercessor for those who hate and abuse God. Yet the general negative response of the Kansas legislature, shows the true nature of America's fall from grace. We indeed have sinned, we indeed have committed serious disobedience to God , often by renaming our sins and selfishness with terms that seem bland and innocuous. Yet before God they are bare and bold, and His wrath is against us for them.

Just think about it, have we not "ridiculed the absolute truth of [God's] Word and called it pluralism?" What place has God's Word, today, the "Higher law" our founders recognized as supreme over America's past? Why we've banned it from the learning centers of our nation, we've forbidden even a simple Bible from sitting on the desk of school teacher, and we've made mockery of God's laws and Word through Hollywood films and entertainment. Indeed, Joe Wright was "right on, " when he said, " We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism." Look around you today at the promotion of evolution, secular humanism, and now even the glorification of pagan cultures and religions which are nothing short of demon worship and pantheistic idolatry. Everywhere you turn today pagan culture and their false religions are promoted as something worthy of our interest and patronage. Yet, Christianity the heritage of the nation is scorned and forbidden. Joe Wright went on to declare that in America, we have "exploited the poor and called it the lottery." The gambling craze that has infected our state and nation is out of control. Millions of Americans in the greedy interest of personal enrichment at the expense of others, plunk down their hard earned dollars to buy lottery gambling tickets in the vain hopes of winning millions. A recent statistic shows now that (3) "twenty-four states have legalized casino gambling, while 37 have enacted state run lotteries. Between those two options, Americans spent $ 40 BILLION on gambling in 1995 -- up from a 1982 figure of $ 10.4 Billion." Moreover, if true statistics are known, it is the poor and needy families of America who give up the little they have to buy these worthless tickets. Children go without milk, food, clothing as their parents, inflamed with greed, throw their money away on the state promoted and approved lotteries.

God save us from such a blight on our nation. No sensible American should ever gamble especially in any state supported and promoted scheme to rob the poor, and inflame the greed in us all. Yes Joe Wright, you were the voice of God that day in January to the people of Kansas and the nation. God bless you.

But now that we have heard this prayer and we are coming to understand he was not the outrageous one, nor was his prayer, but we who are the people of this nation are the "outrageous ones," before God, we had better understand this mysterious thing called prayer.

In my Bible, I find that "prayer" is the life-breath of all those who are God's children. As we breathe physically and sustain life, so we must breath by exercising prayer to sustain our souls and spirits. The Bible says that God who created us, is not far from any of us, if only we will pray to Him. The writers of Scripture declare,

Psalms 65:2 "O Thou who hearest prayer, to you all men will come."

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

The truth of the Bible is our God and Creator is a "Prayer hearing and answering God." He delights for us to come before Him and speak to Him. Joe Wright spoke on behalf of our nation, he interceded for the sins that are before us. This is also the work and place of prayer. We read in the Bible,

2 Tim. 2:1 NIV "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority…"

Here we see God is vitally interested in us and our nation, and we must come before God if we want to continue to experience His blessings that made our nation great. However, before we can pray aright and be heard by our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, we must learn there are hindrances to answered prayer. Throughout my Bible, I read of many things that make the "heavens as brass" to all who pray. Let's go over some of them as these very things may be in your life, family, church and yes for sure our nation as Joe Wright strongly concluded.

The first great hindrance to prayer the Bible says is (1) the SIN OF COVETEOUSNESS.

Malachi 3:7-9 (NIV) "Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?' 8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me."

In ancient Israel which was a theocracy under God's law, God required them to tithe their income in various percentages to fund the work of God and the nation. Yet when the people became self-centered and disobedient, they stopped giving their share and due. Israel actually robbed God for the sin of covetousness had infected the nation. Why even today God's work languishes in many places because God's people are spending foolishly and frivolously upon themselves, with little to nothing left to return to God for His work on earth. Many Christians, like the godless of the land, live solely for material possessions, and getting rich without the normal means of receiving.

The lottery is a great curse on this nation, and because many are infected with the sin of covetousness, prayers go unanswered. Joe Wright was asking God to open the eyes of the Kansas legislature to see themselves for what they were and had done by approving and promoting the sin and vice of gambling. Why did he confront them? Simply so they could repent and be forgiven and God's window of blessing could then flow again in their lives and the nation. Yes covetousness is a genuine mark of America's sin, and a closure of God's ear to hear our prayers before Him.

Now the second hindrance to God answering prayer is (2) the GROWING INDIFFERENCE AND EVEN ANTAGONISM TOWARD GOD'S WORD THE BIBLE. Our nation has rejected God and now openly refuses God anyplace to speak. We know God speaks through His Word. The Bible says,

Proverbs 28:9 (NKJV) "One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination."

Jesus Himself declared in the Bible,

John 15:7 (NIV) "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you."

Day by day blessings of God, spiritual prosperity and Christian fruit-bearing all depend upon delighting in the Word of God, which many have personally and now nationally refused or neglected. Recent statistics today show that in the evangelical / fundamental churches of our nation, more than 92% have no family devotional and prayer time. Bibles are literally collecting dust in homes, and hearts are becoming parched and dried ground. God says those who reject and even are simply indifferent to His Word, to Him they are "an abomination." Joe Wright declared "we have as a nation ridiculed the absolute truth of God's Word." He was "right on!" Until our nation realizes it has strayed far from God and His word, we shall continue to experience the ruination of our land and its people. All it will take to bring our nation to its knees is a national drought. Perhaps the drought in the southwest our nation is suffering is the foretaste of things to come? It wouldn't be long before our farms and fields can become dust bowls of the nation to our horror and economic destruction.

Lastly, in our view of some hindrance to prayer that Joe Wright was concerned about in his state legislature, was the hindrance of (3) UNCONFESSED, AND UNREPENTED SERIOUS SINS. Wright like a true servant of God pointed out the specific serious sins of our nation, which so many are fearful to speak out on. He said, "we have polluted the air with profanity, and pornography and called it 'freedom of expression.'" He went on to say, " We have endorsed perversion and called it an 'alternative lifestyle'…an in the 'name of choice,' we have killed our unborn and then in the name of 'right to life,' we have killed abortionists."

What a powerful prayer that spoke directly to the issues that should be number one on the political stump for elections coming this year. For all these sins are serious sins - yes homosexuality is not an alternative lifestyle, rather it is sick perversion and moral depravity God says in olden times was worthy of death. Abortion and even personal retaliation are also equally serious sins which if unrepented of, not only hinder prayer, but will bring God's judgment and wrath upon all who practice, promote and tolerate them.

Friend, with this "outrageous prayer," I believe our nation heard the voice God speaking to us. There is therefore only one thing left to do - that is fall upon our faces before God and ask Him to search our hearts to see what part we have had in causing these sins to prosper in our nation. Then we must repent, that is turn from them, and ask God's cleansing from them. Our national leaders who rebelled against this prayer who called it outrageous are the ones who are showing their own depravity of soul and spirit. I believe God has given us a remarkable opportunity to realize that the day of judgment may not be far off as He is sending forth His servants who will begin speaking and pleading for the nation to turn from its sin and rebellion to God.

You know as I've read my Bible, I see a pattern here. In every case before God brought national judgment upon a people and their nations, God first sent in His servants to publicly plead for them to repent, for the nation and peoples to turn back to God. Take note, before the Flood God sent Noah, a "preacher of righteousness," who for 100 years pleaded with people to turn from their sins and ask God's forgiveness. But, their continual refusal finally brought the judgment of the Genesis Flood that "took them all away. " Secondly, when it came time for God to judge Ninevah, God sent Jonah to preach repentance. In this case the result was positive, the whole city turned to God and heeded the voice of the servant of God.

Yet moving on to the New Testament we find that God promises in His prophetic word that there is a future day coming when God will bring His wrath and vengeance upon a Christ-rejecting world. It is called the Tribulation Period. But just before this comes and God promises to rapture out of this world , His people the Church of Jesus Christ. Following that tremendous event, God, I believe, will again speak through His servants, converted Jews who will call the nations and peoples to turn back to God, His Word and truth. If they will not listen they shall perish. The Bible warns,

Psalms 9:17 (NIV) "The wicked return to the grave, all the nations that forget God."

Sadly these things pastor Joe Wright brought to the attention of the Kansas legislators that fateful day in January, are the real issues before us today. Racism, poverty, ignorance, a dwindling economy, growing crime and moral perversion cannot be helped by a political solution. Our nation has fallen deep into sin, our governing leadership is out of control in both spending and its moral direction. Therefore Christians all across the land need to hear the clarion voice of God through His Word that speaks to us, calling America back from its waywardness. We need to pray as Joe did these very things, but for us to do it we must first confess our own sins. Our sin of indifference, selfishness, complacency, our own serious sins that remain unrepented and unconfessed before God and man. Yes, we need a spiritual revival in the land that only Christians can bring when we humble ourselves before God. And, unless we do it now, the Joe Wrights of the land may prove to be God's forerunners, sent to warn that all that awaits us in the years to come is a fearful looking for of judgment.

The Biblical mandate of government according to the Bible in Romans 13 and 1 Timothy 2, is to defend its citizens from peril and restrain evildoers. Joe Wright, the Kansas pastor, who put the House of Representatives on the judgment block of God -- was a faithful man, who loved his country and its people and called for them to do the very thing our nation was founded on. To promote righteousness according to the laws of God, and to restrain evil according to the Word of God.

Yes, we must call sin sin. Abortion, Homosexuality, unlawful abusive taxation, unrestrained godless welfare, and secular Humanism that rejects God and His Word, evolutionism, idolatry and pagan pluralism glorified - all represent the serious sins of today's nation and people. God help us to turn from them, to call those in leadership to uphold the laws of the land and to stand for righteousness according to our nation's heritage. God bless our nation, but only as we turn back to God, confessing our sins and claiming His ever glorious forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Lord. May God open your heart today to see yourself before God and man, and in that revelation of His of grace, turn fully to the light of Christ.

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