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President Bush Calls the Nation to Prayer
This morning a number of leaders from around the nation met with President Bush at the White House for the National Day of Prayer. Among them was Dr. Joseph B. Fuiten, Chairman of the Board of Faith & Freedom Network and Foundation.
President Bush spoke about the important role that prayer has played in our nation's history and in his personal life. He said, “Prayer is a gift from Almighty God that transforms us, whether we bow our heads in solitude, or offer swift and silent prayers in times of trial. Prayer humbles us by reminding us of our place in creation. Prayer strengthens us by reminding us that God loves and cares for each and every soul in His creation. And prayer blesses us by reminding us that there is a divine plan that stands above all human plans.”
Dr. Fuiten said he was deeply touched by the President's reminder that our ability to communicate directly with our Heavenly Father is a gift from Him, a gift given to us through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Please join our President, those of us at Faith & Freedom, and millions of people of faith across our great land in prayer for our nation and our leaders.
You can read the President's entire remarks at: www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/05/20060504-2.html
_____________
Gary Randall
President
Faith & Freedom
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3 Comments:
Bush reminded us that "...that our ability to communicate directly with our Heavenly Father is a gift from Him, a gift given to us through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ"?
That effectively negates the prayers of all of Israel in the time before Christ, plus those of all the Muslims since Mohammed, plus the prayers of anybody else out there who doesn't subscribe to one specific philosophy.
Jesus' comment in John 14:2 (New King James Version):
2 In My Father’s house are many mansions;[a] if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Note that Jesus says 'a [singular] place' which is one among many. Who would be in the other mansions [also translated as rooms in different versions]? If not Muslims, Jews, etc., who? Klingons?
Hello it is so great that president Bush called us for a National Day of prayer I really respect our president for that
we did celebrate National Day of prayer right at the salem state capitol in salem oregon we prayed for our nation and its leaders we also prayed for our president and for those in Government we had fun fellowship w others in the community praying and singing we also prayed for safety of our troops
check out our blog for photos and more
at
www.capitol3republican.blogspot.com
Text in italics is quoted from above:
Bush reminded us that "...that our ability to communicate directly with our Heavenly Father is a gift from Him, a gift given to us through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ"?
True
That effectively negates the prayers of all of Israel in the time before Christ, plus those of all the Muslims since Mohammed, plus the prayers of anybody else out there who doesn't subscribe to one specific philosophy.
Not true. The difference being that in the days before Christ, it was typically the priests who had direct communion with God, and the people worked through the priests who performed sacrifices and prayers to God on their behalf. Since God gave the world the gift of Christ, we are all able to fellowship with Him directly and come before him boldly because of our confidence in Christ's atonement for our sins. Also, regardless of a person's religion, God may hear and answer any prayer when a person honestly calls out to Him, for he brings Sun and Rain to the crops of both the saved and the unsaved, as He has compasion on them all and wishes they should all believe in His Son be saved, but that doesn't change his criteria by which people will be judged when they pass on from this life, so the fact that he's given us the gift of direct communication with him doesn't negate all prayer from all "non-subscribers"; That's an incorrect and unsubstantiated assumption.
Jesus' comment in John 14:2 (New King James Version):
2 In My Father’s house are many mansions;[a] if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Note that Jesus says 'a [singular] place' which is one among many. Who would be in the other mansions [also translated as rooms in different versions]? If not Muslims, Jews, etc., who? Klingons?
I'm sorry, but once again, this is a poor assumption. Yes, He goes to prepare a "place" for God's family within his "Father's house." This story is told in an allegorical style, where His "Father's House" represents heaven, and the "mansions" represent places for his people to abide in within the heavenly places. By the way, the choice of the word "mansions," while it may in fact be accurate (we'll just have to wait and see), was possibly a poor translation in the English Bible. I believe the actual greek works translates litterally to "abiding place" or "dwelling", or something more to that effect (I forget exactly). So, the basic jist of what this is saying is that Jesus was telling his disciples not to worry about the fact that He has to leave, as He is going away and preparing a place for his followers to come and be with Him in the Father's house. It was intended to give them hope and understanding in the future that, while He was leaving for now, they would be able to be with Him again in a place that He had prepared for them. Given that, I'd like to know why you would assume this means people who believe in something other than Christ. He didn't say "I go now to prepare a place for all people of the world, regardless if they reject my offer of salvation," He said "I go to prepare a place for you," when speaking to his Disciples.
Here are some of the verses around the one you quoted. Perhaps the context of the passage will help in its understanding:
1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also."
As for Klingons, sure, if they're ethinically Klingons, but come to the know Christ as their savior and follow him for life, then they could be saved too. God doesn't discriminate based on ethnicity. He wants you to know His Son, and trust in Him to be saved (which isn't that hard, except for the proud and stubborn), that's His requirements these days, not that any believers be of any certain ethnic background. Heck, even Ferengi could be saved, if they trusted Christ. ;-)
-Chris
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