Conference yukon::christian_v7

    Lord,
    
     Please bless the president, his wife, family and staff. Make them all
    see their need for You. Please surround Bill Clinton with an angelic
    guard and godly counsellors who will direct him in Your wisdom.
    
    Amen. 

    God, when we pray, teach us not to tell you what is moral and what not. 
    Teach us not to judge our fellow believers.  Ask that thy will be done.
    
    Charles
    

Be careful what you pray for Charles....

    Yes, I will...
    

           Dear Lord,
           
           Bless our President and leaders.  Give them Godly wisdom in
           ALL they do.  And close the doors on all programs they want to
           accomplish, if they refuse to follow Your Word in the many
           moral issues before them (ie- life, no "special" rights,
           unjust taxes, unconstitutional separation of state and
           church).  And Lord, change Bill Clinton's, Al Gore's and their
           wives' hearts.
           
           In Jesus Name, AMEN.
           
           Steve

    A Romanian brother, Petru (Peter) Dugulescu, who visited us last week
    was invited to the national prayer breakfast last month.  It was
    interesting, because he shared that he had a bias against Bill Clinton
    because of his views on abortion, etc.  (The Romanians presented Bill
    Clinton with a 300-year old Romanian Bible, with a reminder of its
    importance in our lives.)  Yet at the breakfast, Peter said that the
    real need of supporting our President in prayer was impressed upon him. 
    Peter also mentioned that there is a group of Congressmen who meet for
    prayer every Thursday.  They leave their political parties and labels
    at the door, and join together to pray for our government and country.
    
    Mark L.

    Last week listening to "Focus on  the Family", Jim Dobson was speaking
    with  Gary Bauer, President of the Family Research Council, based in
    Washington, D.C. and I learned that we don't always put aside partisian
    politics at Presidential Prayer Breakfasts.  Gary was scheduled to
    speak on Handling Family Stress at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy during
    a presidential prayer breakfast.  The breakfast was cancelled because
    of Gary's position on homosexuals, which would be in opposition to
    Slick Willie's.  
    
    While I pray for our government and the President, I am very aware that
    it I must use extra care and be aware that by his display of actions
    the President needs to understand and support the Biblical Principles
    and of course I need added understanding.
    
    In His Love,
    
    Daryl

    News report from down under...
    
    We have a federal election here in Australia this Saturday.  Voting is
    compulsory by federal law.  School and church halls get hired for the
    event to collect votes.  [We aren't using the ATM's yet; pity! ;-) ]
    
    We get to re-elect geographical area representatives (members of
    parliament), and a set of senators that are not tied to such small
    areas.
    
    I can't go into much more detail because nobody really knows enough
    detail for me to be able to repeat it, but in brief; two main political
    parties exist, with some minor ones after that (in current votes).
    
    The two main parties are so close together, philosophically, that
    they've had to settle on a null issue in order to divide the
    population.  The null issue is the means to take tax.  The party in
    power wants to leave it as it is, and the party in opposition wants to
    introduce a general sales tax so as to move taxation from income to
    expenditure.  Of course they all say that net taxation will be
    unchanged or reduced...
    
    The next lower party aims for reduced "party-line" behaviour, so as to
    enhance representative "democratic" government.
    
    There is even a Christian-oriented party.
    
    The media is all but ignoring the parties below the top two.
    
    I get the opportunity in my electoral area to not vote for the former
    opposition party leader... ;-)

    
    RE: Note 40.8 by AUSSIE::CAMERON
    
    > Voting is compulsory by federal law.
    
     Question: What happens if you are opposed to voting? Is there a
    federal punishment or fine? Here in the U.S. voting is not compulsory
    but I have heard of countries that require voting, buying political
    cards etc.; some with some strict punishments for refusal.
    
      robin

Voting is compulsory in Federal, State, & local elections. Failure to vote 
warrants a fine. (I can't recall how much)

Absentee voting (when you won't be in your electorate at polling day) is quite 
common, as is postal voting (for those out of the country etc)

"Donkey" votes are pretty common too.

    Re: Note 40.10 by GIDDAY::BURT
    
>Failure to vote warrants a fine. (I can't recall how much)
    
    $10 (=US$5?)
    
>"Donkey" votes are pretty common too.
    
    If you don't want to vote, you just turn up but don't vote - put the
    bit of paper into the locked box without writing on it.
    
    Better than some countries that use ultraviolet ink to mark people on
    polling day as having voted.  But the cost of maintaining the electoral
    role must be considerable.
    
    James

    I pray that the "Hyde" (sp?) is not repealed!  Those of us who abhore
    abortion should not be forced to pay for them.  The present
    administration needs constant prayer for conversion of their hearts,
    minds and souls.  
    
    We ask all of this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.  
    
    

    I say "amen" to the above.  Incidentally, Henry Hyde is from a district
    right next to where I live (I wish I could vote for him!)  I generally
    would like to see the terms of Congressmen limited.  The likes of Henry
    Hyde, however, gives me pause.
    
    Mark L.

    Father God,
    
    Bless your Holy Name.  You are so Great and I am so confused.  Help me
    to see more clearly how to understand the events of this terrible
    Clinton Administration.  Never have I seen a President so reviled by
    those he is supposed to represent.  He has brought dishonor on the
    office by his appearence at the Memorial Day Program for our Veterans,
    he acts only to further his cause, which is not my cause.  Help open
    his eyes to the awesome responsibility and authority he so easily seems
    to ignore.  Help me to have more understanding for him.  Sooth the
    wonderful men of courage that have served our country so faithfully and
    bring courage to the coward.  Help him to be honest and straightforward
    and to forget about being politically correct.  Help me to do what you
    would have me do in this regard.  This I ask in Jesus' Name.
    
    Amen.

 Might I request that we limit this topic to prayer, as per the base note?





 Jim co-mod.

.28 seconded from another co-mod, feeling that it needed a little 
accompanying movement.

Replies 40.14 - .27 inclusive, but excepting .24 have been moved to their 
own discussion note, 164.*.

Some of these included prayers, but as they were essential to the flow of
the discussion, they were moved.  Also on the basis that prayer is
appropriate anywhere, but the discussion wasn't... 

							Andrew 
							co-mod

 I'm finding myself more and more concerned about the direction in which
 this country (USA) is going.  I was particularly perturbed this morning
 when I heard a sound bite from Mr (I have trouble calling him the P word)
 Clinton talked about Ms Clinton's medical plan covering a woman's "constitu-
 tional right" to abortion.  It also generated a rather heated discussion 
 between my 17 year old son and I on the subject as I was driving him to
 school, but that's another story.




 Jim

    IF they decide Abortion should be "legal" (I don't agree).. DON'T make
    the tax-payers pay for the procedure!!!
    
    I pray this portion of the "healthcare bill" is shot down! I pray there
    is provisions to discard (sorry, may be poor choice of words) the
    abortion piece of this plan... For the most part, the rest of the plan
    sounds rather interesting!
    
    I pray everyday, for our President (there, I'll say it for you). He
    (and she {^)) are not the only ones molding this plan.. They certainly
    won't be the only ones voting on the plan... This plan is going to take
    team work to finalize.. They'll need all the prayer we can send their
    way.!!!!!
    
    Pray, with me, they do what is truly right for the nation.., and not
    just what is "politically correct!"
    
    God, be with our nations leaders as they plan the health package of the
    future. Be with them as they decide what may be best for all people. I
    pray their decisions are in keeping with your great plan. In Christ's
    name, Amen..
    
    Bob
    

    The U.S. Catholic Bishops have written a letter to the President
    telling him of their opposition to having abortions paid for in
    the health package. 

    Other religious leaders have done the same.

    Clinton will ignore them, because this is Hillary's package, not his.

    Jim

    Note 40.33 has been set hidden, pending contact with the author.
    
    Mark L.
    co-mod

Perhaps not at all, though I hate to think so.  But Jeremiah was told three
times not to pray for Judah any more. (7:16, 11:14, 14:11)  The context bears
striking similarities:

Logos Bible Software
Jer 7:1-29

Jeremiah 7
1   This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 
2   "Stand at the gate of the LORD's house and there proclaim this message:  
    "`Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these 
    gates to worship the LORD. 
3   This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways 
    and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. 
4   Do not trust in deceptive words and say, "This is the temple of the LORD, 
    the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!" 
5   If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other 
    justly, 
6   if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed
    innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your 
    own harm, 
7   then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers 
    for ever and ever. 
8   But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. 
9.  "`Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to 
    Baal and follow other gods you have not known, 
10  and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and 
    say, "We are safe" -- safe to do all these detestable things? 
11  Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I 
    have been watching! declares the LORD. 
12  "`Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, 
    and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. 
13  While you were doing all these things, declares the LORD, I spoke to you 
    again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not 
    answer. 
14  Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my 
    Name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your fathers. 
15  I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your brothers, the 
    people of Ephraim.' 
16. "So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them; do 
    not plead with me, for I will not listen to you. 
17  Do you not see what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets 
    of Jerusalem? 
18  The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead 
    the dough and make cakes of bread for the Queen of Heaven. They pour out 
    drink offerings to other gods to provoke me to anger. 
19  But am I the one they are provoking? declares the LORD. Are they not rather 
    harming themselves, to their own shame? 
20. "`Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: My anger and my wrath will
    be poured out on this place, on man and beast, on the trees of the field and
    on the fruit of the ground, and it will burn and not be quenched. 
21. "`This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add 
    your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves! 
22  For when I brought your forefathers out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did 
    not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices, 
23  but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will 
    be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with 
    you. 
24  But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the 
    stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not 
    forward. 
25  From the time your forefathers left Egypt until now, day after day, again 
    and again I sent you my servants the prophets. 
26  But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and 
    did more evil than their forefathers.' 
27  "When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you; when you call to 
    them, they will not answer. 
28  Therefore say to them, `This is the nation that has not obeyed the LORD its 
    God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from 
    their lips. 
29  Cut off your hair and throw it away; take up a lament on the barren heights,
    for the LORD has rejected and abandoned this generation that is under his 
    wrath. 

NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. All rights reserved

    Re: Note 40.30 by CSLALL::HENDERSON
    
>I'm finding myself more and more concerned about the direction in which
>this country (USA) is going.  
    
    So am I.  Our country buys your country's television programs, and it
    affects our society very rapidly.
    
    James

 I just sat and watched the CBS news..one half hour and it was one bad news 
story after another..The possibility of National Guard troops in Washington
DC, the capitol of the USA, because the crime rate is skyrocketing.  The
trouble in Haiti, the danger to the elderly in the Bill and Hillary Medical
Plan, the rise in murders at places of employment and how to protect yourself..
one thing after another and there was NOT ONE thing in there that folks, there
is hope for this old world that is rapidly falling apart.


Praise be to God that there is hope, that we can look to that day when He will
say "come up hither"..and there is a lot of work to do until that day.



Jim who is glad that TV is off.

    I received the new Congressional scorecard from the Christian Coalition
    last week.  Anyone interested in seeing their state's results?
    
    Mike

    Yes Mike, how about New Mexico?
    
    Robert

 New Hampshire, please

    California????

�    Anyone interested in seeing their state's results?

Hey, Mike, looks like I oughtn't to miss out on this one ... ?

							Andrew

    Sure Andrew, what state are you currently in?

    
    
    Mike,
    
    
    I'd like to see Marylands's please.
    
    
    
    Thanks,
    
    
    Mike

�    Sure Andrew, what state are you currently in?

				State of undergoing sanctification...