I got off to a lousy start this morning. You know what I mean–you’ve been there done that! I didn’t sleep well because of some meds my doctor put me on, I got up, made coffee, and then proceeded to dump the whole cup on my desk. Now you would have to see my desk to realize how bad this was–coffee all over my papers. To make matters much worse, my open brief case was sitting right next to my desk. Yeah, you guessed it–coffee on more important papers.What a day!

But then for the next hour or so I talked with my son who is Iraq, going through a nightmare. Suddenly my day didn’t look so bad. After a while I decided to go get a hair cut. When I got to the barber shop I listened to a man describe just witnessing a man get struck by a car and killed. I had just listened to the story on the radio, but the actual description was horrible. My day was looking better all the time. Next my barber told me that a long time preacher friend of mine had died. I knew that man over 30 years and had no idea he had died. Now my petty problems seemed really small. Hey, I’m having a great day. Although I grieve over the people I’ve just mentioned, I have absolutely nothing to complain about. I have it much better than I deserve. When you are tempted to get all bent out of shape because of your problems you might want to remember that someone has it worse. Can’t think of anyone?–look to Calvary! Think about it and have a great day!

Bush ‘Day of Prayer’ Tradition to End with Obama

With the annual National Day of Prayer just days away, signs indicate that the White House will not hold a formal event to mark the day.

Mon, May. 04, 2009 Posted: 04:53 PM EDT

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With the annual National Day of Prayer just days away, signs indicate that the White House will not hold a formal event to mark the day.

According to Dan Gilgoff of U.S. News & World Report, the White House said it will issue a proclamation to observe the National Day of Prayer on May 7, but will stop short of holding an official White House event.

An official schedule released by The White House for this week shows that President Obama is only scheduled to sign a proclamation on Thursday and then attend meetings.

This marks a departure from the Bush administration, which annually invited National Day of Prayer Task Force chairman Shirley Dobson and her husband, Dr. James Dobson, founder of the conservative ministry Focus on the Family, to the White House to observe the day of prayer.

Notably, however, Obama is returning to the conventional practice of past administrations besides that of George W. Bush’s. Former presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush had only signed a proclamation to mark the National Day of Prayer without holding an event in the White House.

The annual event was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. In 1983, the National Day of Prayer Task Force was founded to express the Judeo-Christian view. Shirley Dobson became chairman of the NDP Task Force in 1991 and has held the position ever since. Vonette Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ with her husband Bill Bright, was the NDP Task Force’s first chairman, and remains the co-chairman.

In recent years, the Task Force has come under attack by atheist groups who argue that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional because it violates the Establishment Clause’s separation of church and state.

Last year, a Wisconsin-based atheist and agnostic group filed a lawsuit against President Bush, the governor of Wisconsin, Shirley and James Dobson, and other officials over the federal law designating a National Day of Prayer.

The Alliance Defense Fund has said it will defend the National Day of Prayer Task Force should the case be accepted by the District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. The legal group argues that public prayer is part of the history and tradition of the country and Americans should be allowed to freely pray without people threatening to silence them.

Millions of Americans are expected to participate in prayer events nationwide for the National Day of Prayer on Thursday. Along with local events, a live webcast of the National Observance in Washington D.C. is scheduled for Thursday morning.

Michelle A. Vu
Christian Post Reporter

In a democratic society the majority decides who will rule over them. That works great for a righteous nation, but it is a disaster for the nation that is unrighteous. Ungodly people elect ungodly people to positions of leadership. I mention this because it is gut wrenching and heart- breaking to see what has happened to our nation.

 

Here is one recent example. “Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) told CNS News.com—-if it were up to him, Americans would be completely free to smoke marijuana and gamble on the internet—but they shouldn’t be allowed ‘ total freedom’ in their financial decisions because those risky decisions might adversely affect others.” I guess he forgot that he played a major role in getting us in this present mess-but that’s another story.

 

Now, if you know anything about Rep. Frank, you know there are some other serious issues that I could mention. At one time I was shocked when such people were elected to office, but now I expect it. The spiritual condition of our nation is such that this is what you get. And, from all indications things are going to get worse. Hang on America,—it’s going to be a bumpy ride!

 

Meanwhile, this should serve as motivation for Christians to reach others for Christ. The only hope for a better society is better people. The only hope for America is for Christians to win enough souls to tip the vote in their favor. We have neglected our duty and now we are paying the price. We need to give up on the idea of “saving America” and focus on fulfilling our God-given mission—that is America’s only hope. We are to be building up the kingdom of God through winning souls. If we do that everything else will take care of itself. Don’t blame Barney and those like him for the demise of America. This is the product of our failure to do what we should. The blame should be laid on our doorstep! So what are we going to do about it?