SURFING WITH JESUS #47242307
Pastor Gene A. Dasher, Sr.
gene@SurfingwithJesus.com.
With permission I share this writing for the glory of God
DAILY-E-VOTIONAL
BLESSINGS FROM THE HEART
April 18, 2007
Pastor Cecil A. Thompson
"SILENCE OR PRAYER?"
Mark 7:6-8
"He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."
As you know, Monday morning there was a terrible tragedy on the campus of Virginia Tech. It is the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history. Thirty two were killed and many wounded before the gunman turned the gun on himself and took his own life.
A few hours after the carnage, I was watching some of the coverage on television. The station I was watching showed the scene on the campus of Virginia Tech and then shifted to the United States House of Representatives. The speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, stood at the podium and solemnly asked for all members to rise for one minute of silence in tribute to the terrible tragedy.
Shortly following this coverage, the scene shifted to the White House where President Bush called on all Americans to pray for the families of those who had lost loved ones in this terrible attack.
Since viewing those two shots, I have been meditating on the terrible condition of our nation. We have removed God from our schools and our government. The original separation of church and state has been perverted. It had been intended by our founding fathers to prevent the government to force religion on the people. It has now been used as the rallying cry for those who want to outlaw the sincere expression of worship by citizens.
A moment of silence is not the same as a time of prayer. It might look pious and sanctimonious, but it is not prayer! That seems to be the problem of the human heart. We feel that if we go through the motions and appear to be holy, then God will be pleased with us.
Here is what God says through His prophet in Isaiah 64:6; "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."
We need more than a moment of silence, we need hours of prayer. As individuals and as a people, we need to recognize that it is God and God alone who is able to do what we are not able to do. We need to fall on our face before the Lord of the universe and confess our sins as well as the sins of nation or nations.
God has given us a precious promise for those who call upon His name. II Chronicles 7:14; "If My people, who are called by My name, will 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." Thank you Lord! We do not deserve Your favor, but we certainly do need it!
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today, trust Him completely, and be a blessing. - - - Pastor Cecil- - - Subscribe at mailto:PastorCecil@Daily-E-Votional.com?subject=SUBSCRIBE –
1John 1: 9 “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Pastor Gene A. Dasher, Sr., 2355 Parkway Dr SE, Cleveland, TN 37323
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