"BREAKFAST WITH A SIDE OF PRAYER" - Tony Perkins, Washington Update, February 06, 2020; https://www.frc.org/updatearticle/20200206/breakfast-prayer [AS I SEE IT: Not surprsingly, the mainstream media chose to exclude the statements made by the president at Thursday's National Prayer Breakfast noted below that express humility and his struggle with forgiveness. Not having experienced what he has these many months - as well as what his family has endured behind the scene - it's easy to judge him. But his statements noted here illustrates how he struggles like the rest of us with the hard things of the Christian walk. His remarks later in the day at his celebratory meeting with friends on Captiol Hill unfortunately reverted back to that struggle and should be seen as such. It should lead us to continue to pray for President Trump and for each of us as well as we also struggle with the hard things of seeking to be Christ-like. - Stan]
It was a poignant reminder for everyone, including the two most prominent people on the dais. Hours after the Senate voted to acquit him, Donald Trump sat five seats away from the woman who not only ripped up his State of the Union speech on live television, but plunged the nation into these months of turmoil to begin with. Still, Harvard's Arthur Brooks said, "[The same Jesus] who taught us to love God taught us to love each other." Hoping to use the moment to call for healing, he insisted the biggest crisis facing our nation is the "crisis of contempt and polarization." It's tearing our society apart, he urged. But in this crisis, Brooks encouraged, "resides the greatest opportunity we have ever had as people of faith to lift our nations up and to bring our people together."
As the president admitted later, that wasn't the easiest message to swallow. Behind the bravado, most Americans probably don't realize what a difficult time this has been for him. "As everybody knows, my family, our great country, and your president have been put through a terrible ordeal..." he said when he took to the podium. "They have done everything possible to destroy us and by so doing, very badly hurt our nation. They know what they are doing is wrong, but they put themselves far ahead of our great country. So many people have been hurt," he admitted, "and we can't let that go on."
Looking at Brooks, he acknowledged how hard the message of forgiveness can be. "I'm sorry," the president said with humility. "I apologize. I am trying to learn... It's not easy. When they impeach you for nothing, and you're supposed to like them, it's not easy, folks. I do my best," he said. "I'm working very hard for you, I will tell you," he had started. Then, to laughter, "And sometimes you don't make it easy, and I certainly don't make it easy on you."
But then, the president launched into the reasons that he hasn't just made it easy on Americans -- he's made it possible for Americans to live openly and authentically. "All of us here today reaffirm these timeless truths: Faith keeps us free. Prayer makes us strong. And God alone is the author of life and the giver of grace... In everything we do, we are creating a culture that protects freedom, and that includes religious freedom... So much of the greatness we have achieved, the mysteries we've unlocked, and the wonders we've built, the challenges we've met, and the incredible heights that we've reached has come from the faith of our families and the prayers of our people."
We can talk about the Johnson amendment, he said. "We can talk about Mexico City Policy... But I also recently took executive action to stop taxpayer dollars from going to colleges and universities that spread the poison of anti-Semitism and bad things about Christianity. We are upholding the sanctity of life. And we are doing that like nobody has ever done it before from this position." But, the president insisted, there is "something which wasn't done nearly enough -- I could almost say wasn't done at all" before his administration: "We are standing up for persecuted Christians and religious minorities all around the world."
"Religion in this country and religion all over the world -- certain religions in particular -- are under siege. We won't let that happen. We are going to protect our religions. We are going to protect Christianity. We are going to protect our great ministers and pastors and rabbis and all of the people that we so cherish and that we so respect... Let us ask Father in Heaven to guide our steps."
[italics and colored emphasis mine]
--------------------------------------
PRAYER MATTERS:
"To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against
the disorder of the world. - Karl Barth
the disorder of the world. - Karl Barth
"Prayer is inviting God into a seemingly impossible situation and trusting/resting in His love and grace to accomplish His perfect will in His perfect time and for His greatest glory. Intercession is one of the great privileges AND responsibilities for EVERY believer."- Stan
World-Wide Prayer Requests:
-----------------------------------------------------------
Praying Through the Open Doors World Watch List for persecuted believers:https://www.opendoorsusa.org/take-action/pray/monthly-prayer-calendar/
Secret believers in North Korea Winters can be very difficult in North Korea. Food is often scarce— especially this winter following the recent drought. However, even in the midst of this difficulty, Christians often share a portion of their rice with their neighbors—a practice called “holy rice.” One underground leader says, “It’s a great way to build trust and, after trust has been built, to talk about the gospel.” Right now, Open Doors is helping 60,000 Christians with food relief to strengthen the church and empower believers.
February 6 - Pray for more children (in North Korea) to come to know Christ either through their parents or a secret believer.
*Representative name or photo used to protect identity
*Representative name or photo used to protect identity
What the president said is true - it's not easy to like those who don't like you. And he recognized that he can do better regarding the problem of polarization in the country.
ReplyDeleteIt's true that few of us understand what it's like to feel like half the country hates you. It takes a toll on your family too. What a perfect time for the man in the highest office to exhibit God's grace - to forgive, when it's so hard. That would be a great step forward in bringing the country together in this critical time.
-herb