You might enjoy this interesting prayer given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate. It seems the prayer still upsets some people. - When minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the same generalities, but this is what they heard:
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"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek direction and guidance. We know your word says "Woe to those who call evil good", but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We confess that:
We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word, and called it Pluralism;
We have worshipped other gods, and called it multiculturalism;
We have endorsed perversion, and called it alternative lifestyle;
We have exploited the poor, and called it the lottery;
We have rewarded laziness, and called it Welfare;
We have killed our unborn' and called it choice;
We have shot abortionists, and called it justifiable;
We have neglected to discipline our children, and called it building self esteem;
We have abused power, and called it politics;
We have coveted our neighbors possessions, and called it ambition;
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography, and called it freedom of expression;
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers, and called it enlightenment;
Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent to direct us to the center of Your will to open ask it in the name of Your Son, the Living Savior Jesus Christ. Amen."
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The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In six short weeks the Central Christian Church, where the Rev. Wright is Pastor, logged more than 5000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer, from India, Africa, and Korea.
Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on "The Rest Of The Story" on the radio and received a larger response to this program than to any other he has ever aired.
With the Lord's help may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we can again be called "one nation under God". If possible, please pass this prayer on to your friends. "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."
What God Can Do With 57 Cents.
A sobbing little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it "was too crowded." "I can't go to Sunday School" she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by. Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday School class. The child was so touched that she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.
Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings and the parents called for the kindhearted pastor, who had befriended their daughter, to handle the final arrangements. As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled purse was found which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash dump. Inside was found 57 cents and a note scribbled in childish handwriting which read, "This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday school." For two years she had saved for this offering of love. When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion. He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building.
But the story does not end there! A newspaper learned of the story and published it. It was read by a Realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands. When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered it for 57 cents. Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide. Within five years the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000.00--a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends.
When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300 and Temple University, where hundreds of students are trained. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of Sunday scholars, so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time. In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russell H. Conwell, author of the book, "Acres of Diamonds" --a true story. It just goes to show WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 cents. contributed by Marion @ Custom Hand Bookbinding
If you woke up this morning with more health than
illness...you are more blessed than the million
who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle,
the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture,
or the pangs of starvation ... you are ahead
of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of
harassment, arrest, torture, or death...you are more
blessed than three billion people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on
your back, a roof overhead and a place to
sleep...you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and
spare change in a dish someplace...you are among the
top 8% of the world's wealthy.
If your parents are still alive and still married...
you are very rare, even in the United States.
If you hold up your head with a smile on your face
and are truly thankful...you are blessed because the
majority can, but most do not.
If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even
touch them on the shoulder...you are blessed because
you can offer healing touch.
If you can read this message, you just received a
double blessing in that someone was thinking of you,
and furthermore, you are more blessed than over two
billion people in the world that cannot read at all.
Have a good day, count your blessings, and pass this
along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.