Emergent Prayer
| Posted On: 08/27/08 10:36:46 AM |
Age 62, MD |
We need to read this prayer with discernment, not just attack it as emergent, which equals for some heresy and anathema. Some may trip over the biblical aspects and not be able to see what things were wrong. I'll mention a few.
Positive things I noticed:
> addressed God as Father, which a Muslim, Buddhist, unitarian, or new ager most certainly would not do
> prayed in the name of Jesus; in this day, that's a BOLD move! Just mentioning the name is definitely not inclusive, diverse, tolerant, or politically correct
> pointed out care of widows and orphans, as Jam. 1:27 says is part of, but not the whole, of true religion (the other part is equally hard and usually ignored: keeping ourselves unstained by the world)
> asked for hands willing to serve, not just eyes to see and ears to hear, as is mentioned in Jam. 2:15-16
HUGE NEGATIVE things:
> "so families can thrive rather than struggle" indicates entitlement; struggle is good for all of us, developing character, making us dependent on God's mercy and provision, making us creative and resourceful, and sometimes causing us to make frugal, moral choices
> "give children an equal opportunity to get a college education" is another entitlement statement; we don't all get to go to Yale or Harvard, do we?
> "restore our moral standing in the world" assumes that we have a moral standing at home in our own nation, while our legal slaughter of unborn children, murder of sick and disabled (Terry Shiavo), and celebration of perversion belies that statement
> "give us favor and forgiveness" is attached to no admittance of wrongs -- what's to forgive? And note the order of the request; God will not grant favor before forgiveness
> "unify us not...in our ideas...and sentiments...but in our actions" assumes that we are already unified in the first two things -- nothing could be further from the truth, as is seen between liberals and conservatives
> "Jesus, who gave his own life against the forces of injustice" shows an ignorance of, or failure to be true to, the Word of God, which tells us Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice for our sins, to save people from eternal destruction in hell, thereby making a relationship with the Father possible and eternal life a given
|
Donald Miller's speech/prayer...
| Posted On: 08/27/08 10:12:01 AM |
Age 47, CA |
And how do you suppose God should "restore our moral standard in the world."? Here's a clue - Repentance, turning away from SIN, turning to the shed blood of Jesus Christ to save us, coming to the realization that we are fallen and depraved people who need a savior first.
Maybe Donald should have stood in the gap like Nehemiah and confessed the sin of his people. Maybe Mr. Miller should have mentioned America and our love and acceptance of homosexuality, pornography and abortion as murder. God save us all!
Well, at least he mentioned Jesus in his prayer...
|
Courage that falls short
| Posted On: 08/27/08 09:58:06 AM |
Age 52, FL |
I'm saddened that Mr. Miller calls leaders to have courage to do things that take little courage; and yet,he neglects those things that do--such as protecting the civil rights of the poorest and most innocent among--children unborn or born after a botched abortion. When we stand on judgement day, I doubt God will ask us why we didn't fund college education for all. I am certain, however, He will require us to account for the helpless that we allowed to be taken to the slaughter without lifting a hand to save them.
|
Awe... how democratically sectarian of him...
| Posted On: 08/27/08 09:39:46 AM |
Age 45, TN |
But I wasn't aware the Christian faith signed on to the Democathartic Party platform. When did they do that? Shouldn't there have been an announcement in the paper or something? Finally I can stop carrying that heavy Bible to church every Sunday... heck! I can just sleep in now and give all my tithe to the government so THEY can do the work of the ministry instead of the Body of Christ! What a relief that would be.
(Sarcasm... it's just a free service I provide... no extra charge.)
|
Jesus gave His life for what?
| Posted On: 08/26/08 04:40:02 PM |
Age 49, CANADA |
Jesus gave His life for what? Really? Is He still dead then?
I make these requests in the name of your son, Jesus, who gave his own life against the forces of injustice. Let Him be our example.
|
Politically correct(?) Maybe not
| Posted On: 08/26/08 04:24:27 PM |
Age 64, GA |
I read the prayer and, after prayerful reflection, I concluded that it was Biblical in nature. For God said, " Ask and ye shall receive" and I read this as an "ask" prayer.
|
|
|
|
|
