Upset over Prayer?

UPSET OVER PRAYER?

Conservatives were upset because the President did not join them on the National Day of Prayer. He preferred to pray in private just as Jesus has suggested we do (Matthew 6:6-8). It would also not have been appropriate to side with Christians and not with other faiths. That may become a serious problem for the President when he sides with those that hate Christians. Prayer is only effective when two or three agree in the name of Jesus (Matthew 18:19-20; John 3:13). Access to God is granted only through Christ (John 14:6; Romans 5: 2). Being in Christ may be a problem for all of us. Our deeds do give credence to our confessions that Christ is Lord (Matthew 7:21-23). And that may sever our prayer line with heaven.

The conditions that the Lord gave to Solomon are also applicable to our nation, leaders and people. He proposed, “If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (II Chronicles 7:14).

What are the things God wants us to do before he will answer our prayers. We must stop telling God and ourselves how great we are and how successful we have been. In reality we are poor and destitute too proud to admit our guilt of transgressing not just against God, but also against life, and decency. Our legal system has ousted God and His Laws from our nation. Why then should God help us when we have disowned Him? By becoming politically correct, we no longer need to turn from what God regards as being wicked. In fact the wicked ways have become the legal norms for our society (Matthew 24:12; Romans 1:28-32). We have either mocked and allowed God to be mocked; and now we begin to reap what we have sown (Galatians 6:7-8). As far as our nation is concerned, God is out of the picture (Romans 1:18, 24, 26).

Does this mean that we should stop praying for our nation? Jesus said that his disciples should always pray (Luke 18:1). Prayer did change Nineveh (John 3). But Noah’s pleading for 120 years did not change the people, neither did Abraham’s bargaining with the Lord spare Sodom and Gomorrah (II Peter 2:4-12). Even Jesus’ own warning to Jerusalem did not reverse the condition that would cause her fall (Matthew 23:37-39). It is after we have turned from sinning and begin to do what is right, then our prayers become endowed with power and effectiveness (James 5:13-20). We just cannot continue in our ways and expect God to go with us.