Are you praying?

I ask each board member tonight, even though you already know how you are going to vote in a few minutes …

Are YOU praying?

God, specifically asks us to pray …

This is from Pslams, a book of praises and prayers written by a king, dedicated to The One True King, the God of Israel …

Psalm 18:3 …

"I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies."

This is from the book of Romans, a book written to the hardest of those to convert and the ones that were caught up in rules, regulations, and rituals.

Romans 10:13

"Everyone who calls upon the Lord will be saved."

Notice these passages don't say whisper. When I call someone on the phone, I'm not silent expecting them to know the purpose of my call.

Jesus didn't command the disciples at the Lord's Supper,

"Now say this inside your head."

At the sermon on the mount, Jesus didn't whisper to thousands gathered.

Romans 14:10 ...

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God."

One of my favorite stories as a child was about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the book of Daniel Chapters 1–3.

The three are not just biblically recorded, but historically recorded and their story known for their exclusive devotion AND PRAYER to God.

In particular, they are known for being saved by divine intervention from the Babylonian execution of being burned alive in a fiery furnace.

When faced with execution, the three said …

Daniel 3:16

"O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

Nebuchadnezzar demanded that the execution furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. Soldiers of the King’s army were ordered to firmly bind the fully clothed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and cast them in the blazing furnace.

When Nebuchadnezzar saw what appeared to be four men in the furnace, unbound and walking about, he called to them to come out.

After this, King Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged the power of God, even going as far as to make a decree, whereby any nation who says anything against the God of the Jews is an act of war.

School board, we are showing you that your troops believe the decree of Nebuchadnezzar.

Where is your decree that anyone who says anything against the God of Israel is an act of war?

Are you praying?

Philip Smith

Liberty, SC