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Ashamed of Jesus at the National Day of Prayer
Ingrid Schlueter
VCY America Radio Network
The 2008 Honorary Chairman of the National
Day of Prayer, Dr. Ravi Zacharias, is refusing to pray in the name of
Jesus Christ in his prayer posted on the official NDP website. A
receptionist with the National Day of Prayer in Colorado Springs stated
that the Honorary Chairman's prayer does not include the name of Jesus so
as not to offend the Jewish participants in the event, and that others are
free to pray in Jesus name if they desire. Contrast that betrayal of Jesus
Christ with the faithfulness of the first martyr, Stephen, who died in a
hail of stones for his fearless preaching of Christ crucified to the
Jewish religious leaders of his day.
According to the truth of God's Word, the
entire counsel of God, we do not pray in “God's Holy Name” to God the
Father. We pray to God the Father in the name of His only Son, Jesus
Christ, who alone provides us access to the Father. It is appalling that
Dr. Zacharias is willing to capitulate to the un-Scriptural, interfaith
ecumenism and discard the name of Jesus. NDP Chairwoman, Shirley Dobson,
owes a biblical explanation to Christians around the nation as to why the
name of Jesus is absent from the official prayer. We are not here as
Christians to appease those of other world religions. We cannot come to
God except through His Son's righteous merits. To pray as “Christians” in
any other way is both a farce and a mockery. While other believers around
the world are dying for that name, in America, Dr. Zacharias will not even
breathe that name in his official public prayer because it might “offend.”
If evangelical leaders want God's help in
the midst of America's deepening national crisis, we must come to Him on
His stated terms, not ours. Either God's Word is truth, or it is not.
There is no middle ground. There are no special interfaith prayer models
in Scripture for evangelical activists hoping to maintain conservative
political coalitions. Such tacit denial of Jesus Christ will court God's
righteous wrath, not His blessing. Dr. Zacharias owes an apology to those
throughout history who have paid the ultimate price for their fealty to
King Jesus. May God grant repentance to those pragmatic evangelicals who
place cultural concerns before Scriptural truth.
That at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2:10-11)
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2008 Prayer for Our
Nation
Dr. Ravi Zacharias
2008 Honorary Chairman,
National Day of Prayer Task Force
Holy Father,
in a world where so many are hungry,
You have given us food in abundance;
In a world where so many are hurting,
You offer to bind up our wounds;
In a world where so many are lonely,
You offer friendship to every heart;
In a world longing for peace,
You offer hope.
Yet, we are so stubborn and resistant.
Have mercy upon us, Lord.
Our nation is at a crossroads this year;
we look to you to be our strength and shield.
Please give us the guidance to elect one who will honor you and to
respond to the wisdom from above so that our hope may be renewed and
our blessings be treasured.
In God's holy name. |
Volume
5, 2008 |
