Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Praying For Our Nation And The World

A US District judge ruled the National Day of Prayer to be unconstitutional in mid-April, much to the consternation of large numbers of Americans. Since enforcement is suspended until the case goes through the appeals process, however, the National Day of Prayer is still officially on for Thursday, May 6th. President Obama signed a statement on Monday proclaiming May 6th the National Day of Prayer, following the tradition of presidents since 1952. Rather than holding a big prayer gathering in the East Room of the White House the way President Bush used to do, Obama has declined to pray in public, saying he will honor the day in private.

Today, Thursday, May 6, there will be a community prayer service at the Myrtle Beach Race track at 7:00 PM. I hope to see you there if you are in the area. No matter where you are, this would be of upmost importance to be in prayer for our nation at this critical time in our history and the time of our world.

USA Today has a very interesting article, in the Religion section, concerning Franklin Graham that you might be interested in reading.
Click here: Franklin Graham wants Obama to step in on Prayer Day slight - USATODAY.com

Another note of interest comes from Christianity Today; A Christian street preacher in Britain will stand trial for telling a passerby -- in earshot of a policewoman -- that God views homosexuality as a sin. Police arrested Dale McAlpine, a 42-year-old Baptist, under Britain's Public Order Act 1986, which forbids "using threatening, abusive or insulting words ... tending to and causing harassment, alarm or distress."

McAlpine told The Daily Telegraph newspaper that he was arrested after a part-time police officer said she heard him reciting a list of "sins" against God, including blasphemy, drunkenness and same-sex relationships.The preacher denied mentioning homosexuality, but he did concede he had told a passing shopper that it was a sin in the eyes of God.

At a magistrates court hearing in Workington, England, on Friday, McAlpine pleaded not guilty to the public order offense charge but was arraigned for trial at an unspecified date."My freedom was taken away on the hearsay evidence of someone who disliked what I said, and I was charged under a law that doesn't apply," he said.

The newspaper report said McAlpine was fingerprinted, given a DNA swab and retina scan, and was locked in a police cell for seven hours on April 20."I am not homophobic," he insisted, "but sometimes I do say that the Bible says homosexuality is a crime against the Creator."McAlpine's arrest comes days after a top British judge was criticized for ruling that Christian beliefs are not entitled to special protection under the laws of the nation.

Are we coming to a time where calling sin, sin will put us behind bars for telling what we as Christians believe. One important sign of the End Times is the freedoms we enjoy being taken away from us. especially our religious freedoms!

Truly, we are living in the most wonderful time that we could ever be in. It certainly would be a "good day to fly." Will you be going with me?

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