Pastor calls on his flock to curse 'enemies of God'
Rev. Wiley Drake, pastor of the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park (Orange County) urged his supporters to use Psalm 109 to focus prayers directed at the "enemies of God" - including the leaders of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Drake was urging the use of imprecatory prayer - prayers for another's misfortune or for vengeance against God's enemies. Now such prayer is the talk of blogs and letters to the editor.
Drake told his supporters that he attempted to talk to Americans United for the Separation of Church and State about the issue. He cited a verse from the Gospel of Matthew that says, "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you." Drake said his efforts were rebuffed. "Now that all efforts have been exhausted, we must begin our Imprecatory Prayer, at the key points of the parliamentary role in the earth where we...
From the article: "The controversy flared Aug. 14, the day the Washington, D.C.-based group asked the Internal Revenue Service to probe the tax-exempt status of Drake's congregation.
Churches, as tax-exempt, are prohibited from campaigning for candidates. Drake earlier had issued a statement on a church letterhead endorsing former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Republican presidential candidate."
. Drake's frustration is understandable --- this looming threat of the "Internal Revenue Service" inhibiting the FREE SPEACH OF PASTORS ***IS NOT*** WHAT "Our" FOUNDING FATHERS ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED !!!
This idea of threatening Churches with the IRS (*BIG BAD BROTHER*) was concocted by none other than L.B.J. back in the 1950's ------- "We The People" SHOULD SPEAK UP TO SEE THAT this Communistic threat to FREE SPEACH IS **RESCINDED** !!!
There are many things THAT SHOULD BE RESCINDED -- another is: "Our" self-serving "Servants " in DC SHOULD HAVE their little boys club pay plan RESCENDED -- IT'S TIME TO PONY UP !!!
AB'-BAH, FATHER, MOVE THE HEARTS OF men TO STAND AND TAKE BACK THAT WHICH has been lost !!!
IT IS "Our" RIGHT AND "Our" DUTY TO STAND WITH ***ONE VOICE*** FOR CHANGE --- "We" HAVE HAD __ E N O U G H __ !!!
Whey ye pray go into your closet! Let our prayers be between the Almighty God our Father and ourselves however and whatever it is that we pray, let it be from the heart, that the name of Jesus be glorified. Therein lies true prayer.
If this pastor knows his bible, he also knows that he that lives by the sword dies by the sword. Let him that think he standeth take heed, lest he fall. It's a dangerous place to be - calling fire down on one's adversaries.
Drake's error started when he went to the "Americans United for Separation of Church and State" as if they were brothers. Doesn't he realize that this verse is only talking about issues of sin between real, born-again Believers who are members of a local Assembly (church), and not between a Believer and a lost person? Obviously he does not. Just because there may be some religious people in that group doesn't give them automatic standing as God's children.
God's children do have the Biblical right to pray for God's vengeance against their enemies, but I believe this pastor is misguided and needs to step back, spend a season in prayer about the matter first, then go soul-winning ten times more often than he prays for vengeance. We need to win our enemies to Christ if possible. I think his public "crusade" is, as Darlene has noted, nothing more than a tool to get public attention, and I believe he has more important things to do. I think it was Spurgeon who said to pray quickly in public services, and long in private.
Someone should tell him there is a new testament also, "Matthew 5 44 But *I* say unto you, Love your enemies, [bless those who curse you,] do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who [insult you and] persecute you,"
There is nothing wrong with imrecatory praying. It is Biblical. What is NOT Biblical is to showboat your ministry into the mainline media in an attempt to gain notoriety for yourself and advance your political agenda. I have personally prayed for God to "break the teeth" of those spitefully abusing me for the Gospel's sake or even in an attempt to "make merchandise" of me. However, I did not call the editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, nor endorse a political candidate as if I was suggesting to the Almighty that He needs this or that politician to achieve His Soverign will. Pastor Drake needs to understand that in the eyes of God, the list of names God plans to curse, may very well contain his own name!
Imprecatory prayers is an interesting point. I notice most of the "expert"(?) advice suggested it is not the Christian thing to do.
But the words are recorded in the Scriptures and are therefore part of the Word of God, and that is unavoidable.
Yes Jesus taught "love our enemies" but that still leaves the curse prayers, in the Bible whether we like it or not.
So what do we do with them, and what they teach?
Simple - We pray all prayers to God. Any action taken can only come from Him then. If we are "attacked" by the world, satan or principalities of darkness, it may be that the Lord has allowed this to test faith. That being so His answer may not be the solution we hope for, but that is up to God, not man.
The Lord will still receive and grant prayer of His servants, according to His will.
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" in DC SHOULD HAVE their little boys club pay plan RESCENDED -- IT'S TIME TO PONY UP !!!
