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Trying to remove God
from American history is
a misrepresentation of our
nation’s history.
week of July 12
His Father’s Son
time the nation found itself opposing the spread of atheistic
communism in the world. The country was engaged in the
so-called Cold War with the Soviet Union. Partly in response
to these events, Congress passed a bill which was signed
into law by President Eisenhower in 1954 to add the words
“under God” to the pledge. President Eisenhower said at the
time: “From this day forward, the millions of our schoolchildren
will daily proclaim in every city and town, every village
and rural schoolhouse, the dedication of our nation and our
people to the Almighty.”
Our fervent dedication
How to pray
So you understand the
importance of praying for
our country’s leaders but
want some tips on how
to do so? We’ve got some
ideas:
• Take a look at today’s
political headlines. Pray
for President Obama to
approach these things
with wisdom.
• Pray for the First Lady,
Michelle Obama, and the
president’s family. Pray
that they will be godly
parents to their children
and teach them to rely on
God’s truth.
• Check out the White
House Web site
(www.whitehouse.gov) or
your state government’s
Web site and get a list
of government officials.
Pick a name and pray
over that leader for a
week. Pray for God’s
wisdom, guidance, and
peace to be a part of his
or her decision-making.
Thank God for seeing the
big picture we can’t see.
Ask Him to remind these
leaders of the things that
are important to Him and
close to His heart.
to God has been memorialized
repeatedly in our
nation’s capital. Take a tour
of Washington D.C. and
reflect in amazement at the
many references to God on
famous buildings and monuments
throughout the city.
Take the Capitol building
for example. In the House
chamber is the inscription,
“In God We Trust.” Above
the gallery door stands a
marble relief of the great
lawgiver Moses. At the east
entrance to the Senate
chamber are the words
Annuit Coeptis. This Latin
phrase, which also appears
on our paper currency,
roughly means that God has
favored our undertakings.
In the chapel, a beautiful
stained glass window
depicts George Washington
in prayer under the inscription
“In God We Trust.”
The Supreme Court building,
dedicated in 1935, has
a number of images of Moses with the Ten Commandments.
These can be found at the center of the sculpture over the
east portico of the Supreme Court building, inside the actual
courtroom, engraved over the chair of the Chief Justice, and
on the bronze doors of the Supreme Court itself.
Our treasure hunt could continue, but hopefully you
have discovered that God is our national treasure. In the
end, Americans should understand that while separation
of church and state is vital to protect our religious
freedom, trying to remove God from American history is a
misrepresentation of our nation’s history. ec
Praying for one nation under God
How much time do you spend praying for politicians? The Apostle Paul
instructed Christians to pray, “ . . . for everyone, for kings and all those
who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life”
(1 Tim. 2:1b-3a). Elected or appointed officials of our nation, whether
at the local, state, or national level, serve the people.
Besides the fact that we have a Christian responsibility to pray for
our leaders, we should desire to pray for those who serve us in the
political arena. We should pray for our president and his family to be
able to enjoy quality time together even though the demands of the
job are enormous. We should pray for him to have wisdom in making
decisions, especially ones that will have a profound impact on people
in our nation as well as individuals around the globe.
We should pray often for our Congressmen and women, our governor,
our mayor, and state legislators as well. Politicians pass laws that
often have a powerful bearing on our quality of life. The prayers we
send to God on their behalf carry significant weight.
© istockphoto / stephen finn
Photos this section © istockphoto /dori o’connell, nick schlax, andrzej burak, matthew hertel, and dmitriy tereschenko
She’s the spitting image of her dad. He’s his father’s son.
When someone looks like his or her dad, we love to pull
out every available cliché to describe the situation.
Sure, those phrases are trite and overused, but there’s a bit of truth
in them. You tend to take on the characteristics and mannerisms of
the important people in your life, dads included. You’re a testimony
to your father because your life and the way you live it say something
about Him.
God hasn’t left us to figure out what He’s like all on our own. He
sent His own testimony of Himself into the world in the form of
Jesus, His Son. Jesus, the Son of God and the second Person of the
Trinity, lived on this earth, facing the same fears, trials, and temptations
we face. And He lived to tell His Father’s story. Most of all, He
lived out His Father’s love.
Jesus is the eternal God. He is His Father’s Son, and therefore,
loves you even when you fail. He is the Messiah, the Son of the living
God, the One who makes an eternal difference. Does He make an
eternal difference in your life? Are you your Father’s child?
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