The Kansas State Senate Prayer
In a time where The Ten Commandments are being broken at even the
top of our government, now more than ever we need a revival. The
following prayer was given in the new Session of the Kansas Senate. That we would
have more men willing to stand up and be counted for the Lord. May we as
parents and voters of this nation stand up and be counted in future
elections. May we raise up future leaders that will be willing to stand and be
counted for the Lord.
-----Original Message-----
Subject: A Prayer
When Pastor Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the
Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual politically correct
generalities. But on January 23, 1996, what they heard instead was a stirring
prayer, passionately calling our country to repentance and righteousness.
The response was immediate - with a number of legislators walking
out during the prayer. In six short weeks Central Christian Church
logged more than 5,000 phone calls, with only 47 of those calls responding
negatively. Commentator Paul Harvey aired Pastor Joe Wright's prayer on the
radio and received a larger response to this program than any other
program Paul Harvey has ever aired. In addition, Central Christian Church is
now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from
India, Africa, and Korea.
The prayer is reprinted below as an encouragement and challenge for
each of us to stand for the truth of the Gospel wherever the Lord
gives us opportunity.
Heavenly Father, we come before You today to ask Your forgiveness
and seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, "Woe on
those who call evil good," 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
multi-culturalism;
We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle;
We have exploited the poor and 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
Kansas, and who have been ordained by You, to govern this great
state. Grant them Your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the
center of Your will. I ask it in the name of Your Son, the Living Savior,
Jesus Christ. Amen.
Reprinted by permission of Senior Pastor Joe Wright of Central
Christian Church, Wichita, Kansas.