Obama and the USA Day of Prayer

As reported at the LCG News page, yesterday, was the “National Day of Prayer” in the U.S.A.:

Obama plans a scaled back National Day of Prayer

Associated Press – May 6, 2009

by RYAN J. FOLEY

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The White House is planning a muted observance of Thursday’s National Day of Prayer, a response that has disappointed both Christian conservatives and an atheist group that wants to end the tradition.

Congress established the day in 1952 and in 1988 set the first Thursday in May as the day for presidents to issue proclamations asking Americans to pray.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said President Barack Obama would issue such a proclamation Thursday but not hold any public events with religious leaders as President George W. Bush did.

Obama’s decision drew a rebuke from the National Day of Prayer Task Force, a private group that promotes prayer events around the country. The task force estimates 2 million Americans attended more than 40,000 events marking the day last year.

“We are disappointed in the lack of participation by the Obama administration,” said task force chairwoman Shirley Dobson, wife of Focus on the Family founder James Dobson. “At this time in our country’s history, we would hope our President would recognize more fully the importance of prayer.”

The debate over the day has landed in federal court in Wisconsin. The Obama administration has asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which claims the day violates the separation of church and state.http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gd8532foDasi_HtAzi9JolkMVlqQD980T9VO3

The reality is that irrespective of what I think of the President’s religion, I have no problem with him only signing a declaration about this as some public displays of faith can be inappropriate (cf. Matthew 6:5-6).

But, as I and LCG have been teaching consistently (LCG: Pray for President Obama), President Obama and the other leaders in the U.S.A. and other governments need our prayers.

Christians need to heed what the Apostle Paul was inspired to write:

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior (1 Tim 2:1-3).

Notice that Christians are to pray for worldly leaders and those that have authority over us so that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life.

We also are to pray:

The will of the Lord be done (Acts 21:14).

Now, while some details of the next several years will be difficult for probably everybody, we need to understand that it is best for everyone that the will of the Lord be done.

Several articles of possibly related interest may include:

Prophecies of Barack Obama? This article gives eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests? This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”. Might Bible prophecy be fulfilled if he is elected president?
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Barack Obama Carries Hindu Monkey God Although there are some strange and false stories about Barack Obama, this one seems to be true.
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End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? There is a Mayan calendar prediction for change in 2012. 2012 changes were also centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradaumus prophecies have any value here? How might world leaders be involved? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Does the Dresden codex show destruction of the earth by flood? Can the great tribulation start before 2012?