With his permission, here's what a friend of mine in Santa Monica wrote in response to my "Friend or Foe" post in response to Obama:

"Hey Ted, nice post! I'm impressed at your nuanced understanding of current foreign affairs. Props to ya!

Though at the end I'd have preferred you asking folks to pray more for a spirit of co-operation among each other regardless of party, deep scrutiny of all our news sources in the hopes to find unslanted facts (as you've clearly put effort into), and the patience to endure dissent without vilifying our neighbors.

I realize your prayers for deeper Christianity assume that to be the natural result and I do respect your inclusive, generous version of faith. But I think praying for a President to become more deeply religious is less useful to the current national rift than petitioning the faithful to put their faith in the "best intentions" of their brothers on the other side of the issues so this rabid casting of stones declines.

Granted, I'm an atheist, but I believe that when prayer has struck me as most effective, It's been when people pray to understand their brothers point of view. Something the "stereo-typical right-wingers" haven't been doing, which is why...judging from your writing...I'd never put you in that category.

You're an articulate voice in a wild time. I'll look forward to reading more of your postings." 

Wow, David. I'm honored at your feedback and for the kind words. Thank you! I want to think about two things my friend mentioned above:

"I do respect your inclusive, generous version of faith."
I think I might be getting too much credit here. Ha ha. As I was meditating this week on the book of Romans, I read that  "if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:9-10)  So in that respect, yes, I follow an inclusive religion. An analogy would be if I held a big fall harvest festival and invited everyone,  However, I simply required that admission to my party would only be granted by bringing a canned good for the local food bank. No canned good, no entrance. Simple rule. Clear, up front instruction. Those who showed up with money, perishable vegetables, used clothing, etcetera, would be turned away, or, in other words, excluded. The God of the Bible is exclusive in the same way. In John 14:6 Jesus answers, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." His manner of salvation is exclusively through Christ. It's not politically correct to believe this, just biblically correct. While God desires all men (generically used to mean "people") to be saved, inevitably since we have been granted free will, some will not respond to God's invitation. (God desires to be loved. Therefore if we were forced to obey him, would our love then be sincere? Of course not.) So my faith then, is inclusive, in that all are invited, but the Christian faith then becomes exclusive when some try to come via some other way than God's son's payment for our wrongdoing.

"praying for a President to become more deeply religious is less useful to the current national rift than petitioning the faithful to put their faith in the "best intentions" of their brothers"
Ok, so should I quote the Bible or another authority, like Randy Travis? "Mama, the road to hell is paved with good intentions." (That's meant to be funny, sort of). David, giving another the benefit of the doubt is important. I'll save the political side of any further comments for another blog site. PrayTel is dedicated to encouraging prayer. As we seek others to help others pray I am again reminded of Romans 8:26-27 which says "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will." In other words if we pray sincerely in the Spirit, but are wrong in our direction or wording of prayer, the Holy Spirit will grant us a "course correction" or rather will interpret and act upon what really should have been prayed. He, however, does want to see us involved in the humble act of prayer, which in so doing gives glory and proper respect to the God who deserves it.

Screenshot from the Jesus Film

Lately I have been hearing many people ask in prayer that God not give them what they deserve. While I know what they mean when they prayed this, something did not sit well with me. What I assume people are meaning with this statement is, "Lord, we see sin in our own lives and we know that you are holy. Your justice demands punishment. Do not punish us." This sounds humble and contrite, but it is a lie from the enemy to keep us from having confidence as we approach God.

Here is what I mean. Look at the picture above. Who is on the cross? Jesus. What was He doing there? Paying the penalty for our sins. Does he have to go again to the cross? No. I'm sorry for the simple logic, but it is important to get us to know that there is no more judgment left for us. When we placed our lives in Christ, we exchanged our lives for His. All of the negative behaviors, thoughts, and attitudes were placed with Christ on the cross. They are forever taken care of. Therefore, we have no more fear of condemnation or judgment of sins (Romans 8:1). We can now boldly enter the throne room of God with confidence because we are now hidden in Christ (Hebrews 4:16).

AND, all of the blessings that are for Christ are also bestowed on us. We are blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Now then, what do we who are in Christ deserve? We deserve all rights and privileges that are set aside for the sons and daughters of promise. He who has given us His only Son, will He not also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)!!!

How much does this thought change how you approach God? We can come with confidence knowing that we have what we ask.

My wife usually cuts my hair. When we got married fifteen years ago it was a budget necessity that she do so. Now, it's more habit than requirement. Last week I made an exception and visited a local barber, who I graduated with from high school. Not only was I long overdue for a hair cut, I also needed an update on local politics. With one stop and fifteen dollars my barber friend took care of both of these needs. As we discussed the county divide over building a second high school I just couldn't keep my mind from wandering to the weightier global issues that President Obama faces. He faces both domestic and foreign, economic and military concerns, all of which need deep Solomon-like wisdom. I am a regular reader of Strator Global Inteligence's commentary on world events and this is their take on the rising military crises President Obama faces:

Image Source by Scott Olson

Every president is tested in foreign policy, sometimes by design and sometimes by circumstance. Frequently, this happens at the beginning of his term as a result of some problem left by his predecessor, a strategy adopted in the campaign or a deliberate action by an antagonist. How this happens isn’t important. What is important is that Obama’s test is here. Obama at least publicly approached the presidency as if many of the problems the United States faced were due to misunderstandings about or the thoughtlessness of the United States. Whether this was correct is less important than that it left Obama appearing eager to accommodate his adversaries rather than confront them.

No one has a clear idea of Obama’s threshold for action. In Afghanistan, the Taliban takes the view that the British and Russians left, and that the Americans will leave, too. We strongly doubt that the force level proposed by McChrystal will be enough to change their minds. Moreover, U.S forces are limited, with many still engaged in Iraq. In any case, it isn’t clear what force level would suffice to force the Taliban to negotiate or capitulate — and we strongly doubt that there is a level practical to contemplate.

In Iran, Ahmadinejad clearly perceives that challenging Obama is low-risk and high reward. If he can finally demonstrate that the United States is unwilling to take military action regardless of provocations, his own domestic situation improves dramatically, his relationship with the Russians deepens, and most important, his regional influence — and menace — surges. If Obama accepts Iranian nukes without serious sanctions or military actions, the American position in the Islamic world will decline dramatically. The Arab states in the region rely on the United States to protect them from Iran, so U.S. acquiescence in the face of Iranian nuclear weapons would reshape U.S. relations in the region far more than a hundred Cairo speeches.

There are four permutations Obama might choose in response to the dual crisis. He could attack Iran and increase forces in Afghanistan, but he might well wind up stuck in a long-term war in Afghanistan. He could avoid that long-term war by withdrawing from Afghanistan and also ignore Iran’s program, but that would leave many regimes reliant on the United States for defense against Iran in the lurch. He could increase forces in Afghanistan and ignore Iran — probably yielding the worst of all possible outcomes, namely, a long-term Afghan war and an Iran with a nuclear program if not nuclear weapons.

On pure logic, history or politics aside, the best course is to strike Iran and withdraw from Afghanistan. That would demonstrate will in the face of a significant challenge while perhaps reshaping Iran and certainly avoiding a drawn-out war in Afghanistan. Of course, it is easy for those who lack power and responsibility — and the need to govern — to provide logical choices. But the forces closing in on Obama are substantial, and there are many competing considerations in play.

Presidents eventually arrive at the point where something must be done, and where doing nothing is very much doing something. At this point, decisions can no longer be postponed, and each choice involves significant risk. Obama has reached that point, and significantly, in his case, he faces a double choice. And any decision he makes will reverberate.

Where will he get the wisdom needed to make these decisions? Many of us look to friends and past experience for it, but in his case it likely it won't be sufficient to tackle what he faces. He must look beyond. He must look to the ultimate source of wisdom, God himself. James 1:2-8 (NIV) addresses both trials and the need for and source of wisdom:

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

So, let's pray for our president as he, on our behalf, faces these trials. Specifically, let's pray the following:

1. These trials leads him to a true or deeper faith in the one true God, though his son Christ.
2. That he would grow in perseverance and maturity in Christ.
3. That he would regularly ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom on all matters.
4. That he would select only advisors who exhibit true wisdom, and deselect those who don't
5. That he would exhibit personal and political stability in a manner that glorifies God and his son Christ, and would execute accordingly and decisively.

This post is in response to Friday's post: Islam Rally On Capital Hill - Prayer Alert.

Last Friday I wrote a post about the Islam Rally on Capital Hill. While the event was speculating 50,000 people in attendance, 3,000 people came. The event was peaceful and basically came and went without much fuss. The only real attention from the gathering were reporters attention to the "Christian protesters" causing disturbances.

What do we make of the fact that so little came out of the event? Was the prayer alert premature? Was I making too much out of the event?

Personally, I choose to believe that God answered our prayers. Is it possible that I was making too much out of it? Yes. But what would you rather believe as a Christian: that God answers prayers or that there is no need to pray? We are told not to be anxious in anything but in everything by prayer and petition (Philippians 4:6-7). I mention this because the enemy will even use success in prayer to discourage you from further prayer. God's ways are not our own. We must choose to believe Him and allow Him to interpret the events of our lives.

Emily Belz of World Magazine (www.worldmag.com) writes: "The Web site for the prayer event is designed in red, white, and blue, and features an American flag and a call to prayer playing in the background. The slogan, “Our time has come” is on display along with a promise of 50,000 in attendance—a turnout that was not realized. Busloads of people were probably “stuck in traffic,” said Saadiq. Scores of Capitol police officers dotted the west lawn, more than usually appear at rallies. The officers were expecting to be dealing with a larger crowd.

Muslim blogger Sheila Musaji of The American Muslim commented that the event was “not well thought out.” Very little information was provided about the event itself, she said, adding that the terminology like “our time has come” could be “misleading,” and that it was planned too close to the anniversary of 9/11.

Several Christians showed up to protest the prayer—shouting through bullhorns about the evils of Islam. One man stood on a street corner yelling verses from Isaiah. Other quieter demonstrators handed out copies of Romans and John translated into Arabic. “Are you against the Muslims?” asked one man. “No, we’re for Jesus,” replied the man handing out Bibles."

Commentary: So, should we fear the rising Islamic movement in America? I am reminded of the book of Habakuk, a minor prophet in the Old Testament who prophesied to Judah around the year 607 BC. Judah had strayed from God and were now getting ready to get punished by the Babylonians. Both nations were off course. Judah was supposed to, by default as God's chosen people, to follow God faithfully. They didn't. The Babylonians were supposed to follow the one true God too. They didn't either. In God's sovereignty, he would use one (Babylon) to punish the other (Judah), but would also hold the punisher accountable for its moral corruption and violence: Verse 1:5-6 reads “Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.  I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwelling places not their own.

The analogy? America and the West, for centuries, has operated out of a Christian construct, but has continued to accelerate it's drift from God. Perhaps God, in his love, is raising up a people to punish us for this drift.

So, should we fear Islam? No, we should fear God and seek him and by his strength, repent of our personal and moral drift and pursue his holy standards. God is sovereign over all events, even over the groundswell of other religions and nations. Habakuk concludes "The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights."

Associated Press/Photo by Evan Vucci

I felt I should balence the last post with this next one. Please read the last post as the need to pray against the advancement of a false religion. And, the need to respond to its followers with love. I lived in the Middle East and have many friends who are Muslim. My stay in their country was a great experience for me, and it mainly related to the people I was able to interact with. With that said, I will leave you with a movie trailer that is hitting the theaters today. I found this on a post on Michael Hyatt's blog.

The movie is, Lord, Save Us From Your Followers.

Last night my wife and I had the privilege to join a national conference call to pray for America sent out by the National Day of Prayer. The call was motivated by the Muslim Day of Prayer in Washington DC that started today, September 25th.

"They are calling for 50,000 Muslims to gather and pray on the DC Mall. This is the exact word of one of the Sheikhs who is leading this historic gathering, 'Muslims should march on the White House. We are going to the White House so that Islam will be victorious, Allah willing, and the White House will become into a Muslim house.' These are not empty words. They speak of a dark spiritual intent and a coming day of great trouble to America." - From National Day of Prayer Task Force Email

The timing of this Muslim Day of Prayer is significant as it comes at the tail end of Ramadan. As the spiritual power of that month of fasting is directed on prayers for the advancement of Islam in America. These prayers are not just for greater Islamic freedom in our country, but for greater control over it.

Many Christian believers will view this futile exercise of non-believers. Their god does not exist so what effect would their prayers really have? Granted, not as much as prayers to a God who loves His people and desires to listen to their prayers, but prayer also has a great ramifications on the spiritual arena. This is why fasting has such power. It does not make God hear you more, but it battles the spiritual forces in this world. Muslims are welcome to pray on our capital, but as Christians we must not give up ground by our silence in prayer. Call out to God that He may once again reign in the hearts of the people of America.

Earlier this summer the President made a statement while in Turkey (video of statement) that if you counted up all of the Muslim Americans then the United States would be one of the largest Muslim countries. For those followers of Muhammad, this statement would encourage them to try to take more land for the Islamic agenda. Thus the website promoting this event states, "Our time has come!"

The Muslim religion is a praying religion. They pray five times a day and fast for a month each year. We serve a God that is bigger than this, but we need to pray. As you read this, even if it is after the event, please pray for Jesus to reveal Himself to the Muslims within our border. Ask for Him to sent them dreams. Ask that the man that they call 'Isa' would reveal Himself as not only a prophet but God.

One thing I was encouraged about was the number of people on the phone last night and hearts I heard in prayer for God and people. There were a couple times when they opened the lines for all to pray together when I thought of Ted's post earlier about God hearing everyone's prayer at once. Even though we were too much for the phone lines, which just went to static, God had no problem hearing (or wanting to hear) it all. That's the kind of God we serve.