• America In Prophecy, Obama Watch, Prayer

    Posted on August 20th, 2010

    Written by B.P.U Contributor

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    Obama, Muslim or Christian: His Spiritual Life

    Obama, Muslim or Christian: His Spiritual Life

    As he flew aboard Air Force One to Chicago on his 49th birthday earlier this month, President Obama dialed three Christian pastors to pray with him. On an airborne conference call, he kidded with the religious leaders about being abandoned by his wife and daughters, who were away on vacation and at camp. As he celebrated his birthday, he was in a reflective mood. He told them he wanted to pray about the year that had passed, what’s really important in life and the challenges ahead.
    “That was simply something that he wanted to do at his initiative because it was important to him,” said Joel Hunter, an evangelical pastor who was on the call and who is part of a small circle of spiritual advisers who frequently talk to Obama by phone. The prayer session, which was not publicized and which neither the White House nor the ministers sought to bring to light, reflects Obama’s decision to keep his public expressions of religious faith to a minimum. Hunter said the president often reaches out to pastors for private spiritual conversation.
    Hunter, who is the pastor of Northland Church in Orlando, also advised Obama’s predecessor. George W. Bush routinely invoked his own Christian faith in public. Hunter said that Obama’s reluctance to do so may help explain the results of a Pew Research Center poll released this week that revealed a sizable increase in the number of people who falsely think that Obama is a Muslim.

  • America In Prophecy, Freedom of Speech and Religion, Prayer

    Posted on August 7th, 2010

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    Judge Rejects Demand To Censor Christian Prayer

    Judge Rejects Demand To Censor Christian Prayer

    A federal judge in New York has rejected a demand from the Americans United for Separation of Church and State that a town board be ordered to change its invocation procedures so that the statements from volunteers on a rotating basis would be more “ecumenical” and “inclusive.” The decision from U.S. District Judge Charles Siragusa said officials in Greece, N.Y., did not violate the Constitution’s Establishment Clause with their tradition of opening meetings with an invocation from local clergy members. Two plaintiffs represented by the Americans United organization had wanted a court order that the town instruct those who deliver prayers to be “inclusive and ecumenical.” “The court finds that the policy requested by plaintiffs would … impose a state-created orthodoxy,” the judge said. “The court has also considered the identities of the prayer-givers and the process that the town employed in inviting clergy to deliver prayers, and finds that these factors did not have the purpose or effect of proselytizing or advancing any one, or disparaging any other, faith or belief, within the meaning of the Establishment Clause.”

  • Jesus Church, Prayer

    Posted on August 1st, 2010

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    Christian Woman Stops Robbery With Faith

    Christian Woman Stops Robbery With Faith

    Held up at gunpoint, a store clerk invoked her faith to turn the desperate thief into a repentant gunman. When a man tried to rob a MetroPCS cell phone store at gunpoint in Pompano Beach, Fla., store manager Nayara Goncalves, 20, calmly talked to the man about Jesus and her faith until he left without taking any money. Goncalves said she doesn’t know why she began to talk to him about Jesus. “I believe it was the Holy Spirit of God that really made me want to tell him about Jesus,” Goncalves told ABCNews.com. “I would never be able to do that myself. I would never think that God could use me the way that he did,” she said. “[God] impressed me.” A store surveillance camera captured the whole exchange between Goncalves and the would-be robber. The man entered the store and made small talk about the rainy weather. He asked to see a phone, and then showed Goncalves a gun and nervously asked for the money in the register. “I really hate to do this,” the gunman told Goncalves. She slowly walked towards the register and started to speak to the man, who told her not to be afraid. “I’m not,” she said. “I’m just going to talk to you about the Jesus I have.”

  • America In Prophecy, Jesus Church, Prayer

    Posted on July 27th, 2010

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    Pastor Seeks 100,000 To ‘Save America’

    Pastor Seeks 100,000 To ‘Save America’

    Dr. Michael Youssef, founding pastor of The Church of The Apostles and president of the ministry Leading the Way in Atlanta, has found 42,450 people so far to join him in daily prayer for the United States since the “God Save America” campaign launched on July 4. “The greatest battle of our time is the battle for the biblical truth,” stated Youssef in an e-mail to The Christian Post on Monday. “Universalism is rampant in evangelical churches and nothing short of a Holy Spirit revival sweeping across the land will save Christ’s Church from total apostasy.” Youssef believes that the daily prayers of the 100,000 Christians who participate in the campaign will save the “Church and thus the country.” A major emphasis of the prayer campaign is to remind American Christians that the United States was founded on dependence upon God. But today, Youssef says, the country’s leaders and citizens try to attain success in their own terms. The “God Save America” prayer campaign was inspired by a New York businessman named Jeremiah Lanphier from the 19th century who led a series of small prayer meetings in New York City. The gatherings of less than 20 people soon grew to thousands and expanded to other states, noted Youssef. Across the country, stores would close during lunch time so workers could attend local prayer meetings.

  • Encouragement, Prayer, Rob Robinson

    Posted on July 6th, 2010

    Written by Rob Robinson

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    What Does It Mean To ‘Pray In Jesus Name?’

    What Does It Mean To ‘Pray In Jesus Name?’

    Jesus said: “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you ask anything in my name, I will do it” John 14:13-14 If we add the phrase “In Jesus name” to the end of a prayer, is the Lord is bound to give us whatever we ask for? This is a very interesting question, even for those who have know Jesus for quite some time. Is the name of Jesus a magical word that if added to a prayer, grants the petitioner their requests? If you carefully examine the New Testament, you will see that none of the prayers in those scriptures have the phrase “In Jesus name” at the end of each prayer. What did Jesus mean when He asked us to use His name when we pray? If you think about it, to come in the name of someone carries with it the idea that we are coming with the authority of that person, if they themselves were a person of some authority. When Peter spoke to the handicapped man in Acts 3:6 he told him “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” Peter understood that he was speaking to this man’s need based on the authority of the one who had sent him, Jesus, not on his own authority.

  • Prayer

    Posted on June 29th, 2010

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    A Boy Prays, A Suspect Surrenders

    A Boy Prays, A Suspect Surrenders

    Oscar Almaguer prayed with his mom Friday at the funeral for his neighbor Maria Hernandez, who was sweeping the end of her north Houston driveway last week when someone ran her over. “God, let the person who did this say ‘I’m sorry’ and tell them to come out,” the 5-year-old boy said. The next day, the woman police say was driving the car that hit Hernandez surrendered. Maria Guadalupe Reyes was arrested a day after her 33rd birthday. She is charged with failure to stop and render aid after her Toyota minivan weaved onto the side of the street and struck Hernandez early on June 20 in the 400 block of Crosstimbers.

  • Jesus v. Religion, Prayer

    Posted on June 1st, 2010

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    Internet Evangelist Challenges Terrorist to Debate

    Internet Evangelist Challenges Terrorist to Debate

    ST PETERSBURG, Fla., June 1 /Christian Newswire/ — Bill Keller who is seen daily on Comcast’s MyTV8 has blanketed the internet with a video message that speaks directly to terror Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki and all of Islam. The message has been submitted to over 50 U.S. video hosting sites, 100 international sites and 30 Islamic sites in a saturation plan to reach Al-Awlaki. Keller says “Al-Awlaki, since you seem to be a fan of video messages, I thought this would be the best way to communicate with you” Following the taunting message Al-Awlaki recently released that was seen by millions of Americans, Bill Keller’s message is as timely as it is controversial.

  • Freedom of Speech and Religion, Prayer

    Posted on May 27th, 2010

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    Amendment to Allow Chaplains To Pray as they Wish

    Amendment to Allow Chaplains To Pray as they Wish

    U.S, Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-Minn.) introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization bill that would allow all U.S. military chaplains, “if called upon to lead a prayer outside of a religious service, would be free to close that prayer according to the dictates of the chaplain’s conscience.” The amendment would apply to the U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, Air Force Academy and Military Academy. The Secular Coalition for America urged members of the House Armed Services Rules Committee to reject the amendment. “Rep. Bachmann’s amendment would force the military to change their regulations and allow chaplains to invoke the religious figures of their choice at official military events,” the coalition said in a statement.

  • Freedom of Speech and Religion, Prayer

    Posted on May 6th, 2010

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    Thoughts on Today’s National Day of Prayer

    Thoughts on Today’s National Day of Prayer

    The National Day of Prayer dates to 1952 when Congress responded to an appeal by the Rev. Billy Graham. During a Washington, D.C., crusade, the evangelist said, “What a thrilling, glorious thing it would be to see the leaders of our country today kneeling before almighty God in prayer.”
    President Truman signed the measure, which instructs presidents to “set aside and proclaim a suitable day each year, other than a Sunday, as a National Day of Prayer, on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals.”
    In 1988, with lobbying by Campus Crusade for Christ co-founder Vonette Bright, Congress fixed the National Day of Prayer as the first Thursday in May. Soon the private National Day of Prayer Task Force became the leading organizer of local events for the occasion.

  • America In Prophecy, Prayer, Salvation

    Posted on March 25th, 2010

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    President Bush Impressed With America’s Prayers

    President Bush Impressed With America’s Prayers

    The thing that most surprised former President George W. Bush was not international crises like the 9/11 terrorist attacks, nor the resilience of the Iraqi insurgency, but rather the impact of prayers from the American people, he said.

    “The biggest surprise of the presidency was the calming effect of prayer by total strangers,” Bush told about 700 college students and business leaders during a private appearance last Friday (March 12) at Southeastern University, an Assemblies of God-affiliated school in
    central Florida.

  • America In Prophecy, Obama Watch, Prayer

    Posted on October 28th, 2009

    Written by Rob Robinson

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    Prayer For our President and Cabinet

    Prayer For our President and Cabinet

    Romans 13:1-7 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.