Does the world seem upside-down . . . twisted and perverted? It sure does to me! And I know why. We have come to love the wrong things!
Romans 12:9b (the second part of that verse) says this: Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. (NIV) That is God's strong exhortation to us all, but we have obviously failed to heed what He says. It isn't like this is the only time He tries to teach His people about this. In Psalm 52 David is speaking about one who betrayed him to an enemy when he says, You love evil more than good, and he goes on to describe the judgment that awaits such a person. The prophet Isaiah decried the actions of his people by saying, Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light, and light for darkness . . . Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:20-21)
Oh how we have allowed deception to creep in and blot out the light of truth! The people of our nation (and the world), even many who call themselves Christian, have abandoned what God says is good and taken residence in the slums of evil. Joe Wright, Pastor of the Central Christian Church in Wichita, Kansas, was asked to pray an invocation at the Kansas State House on January 24, 1996. His prayer (actually written by Bob Russell of Louisville) caused quite a stir and even was featured several times by radio commentator Paul Harvey. At the conclusion of the prayer several house members walked out in protest. Here is the prayer:
Heavenly Father, we come before You today to ask Your forgiveness and seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call good evil,' but that's exactly what we have done. We have lost our Spiritual equilibrium and inverted 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 an alternative lifestyle; we have exploited the poor ad called it the lottery; we have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation; 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 political savvy; we have coveted our neighbor's 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, O God, and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of this state and who have been ordained by You to govern this great state of Kansas. Grant them your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of Your will.
How I pray that the people of this nation, this entire world, would one day fall upon our knees and confess our sins, individual and corporate, and beg the God of all creation to forgive and to heal. Then, and only then, will we see things reversed and the Word of God revered for what it truly is. Lord, send a revival, and let it begin in me!
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