Power confuses and concerns me.

Here is the paradox:

• It is hard to do good without it.
• The more power a man attains, the more evil he commits.

In politics we often think: “If only we could get more power we could do more good.” But is this the case?

Three Stories -> One Questions

Can you fix a broken system by taking power from bad men and giving it to good men?

Here are three stories to explore this question.

Lelouch Vi Britannia

Lelouch saw his mother killed and his sister blinded and crippled. He dedicated his life to making the world a just and kind place. He denied himself earthly pleasures and refused to drink the perks of leadership. He received the power to bend others to his will. He went out to destroy evil.

But evil is not a person you can kill. It is an infection that infects even its attackers. Despite his selfless motives, his desire to do good brought a harvest of evil.

The more Lelush fought evil the more evil he became. His goal of justice allowed him to justify unjust acts. The more power he attained the more destruction came to those around him. He is redeemed only through his death.

What can save such a man?

Boromir son of Denethor

Boromir grew up fighting evil. He could see it out his window. He could hear it in his sleep. He was a powerful man, but not strong enough to save his people. He knew they would die unless someone acted.

If not him then who?
If not now then when?

Then he had the opportunity for true power. The One Ring was within his grasp.

The ring used his good intentions to do evil. He lost his relationships with those close to him. As he reached for ultimate power, it destroyed him.

His redemption came only through death.

Absalom son of David

Absalom had everything it took to be a good leader. He had favor, good looks and brilliance. When someone tried to bow to him he would pick them up and give them a hug. But unlike his father, he did not know God.

His father David walked a path of brokenness and suffering that instilled godly character. Absalom walked the easy path of a wealthy prince. He lacked the character needed to temper his ambition.

His lust for power destroyed his relationships and everyone around him. Ultimately he lost his life unredeemed.

The fruit of ambition.

In each of these three stories ambition led to betrayal.

Here is the progression:

1. Longing to do good for others leads to ambition.
2. Ambition leads to a lust for power.
3. Lust for power leads to a love of power.
4. Love for power grows to surpass love for others.
5. Others are betrayed to gain more power.
6. Betrayal breaks relationships.
7. Death

Ambition hurts those closest to you. Can you name a powerful man who’s family is healthy? The difficulty of finding such a man breaks my heart.

The cost of avoiding power.

So should we forsake ambition? What happens when just men avoid power? According to Socrates, they are punished. They are ruled by men lest just than themselves.

Or put another way, evil flourishes when good men avoid power.

The villains of history wanted to make the world a better place.

• Oliver Cromwell wanted to make the world more peaceful & holy by removing Catholicism from Ireland.
  • Millions died through starvation and war.
• Margarete Sanger wanted to create a world where every child was healthy and wanted.
  • Millions died through abortion.
• Adolph Hitler wanted to remove war and disease by eliminating “imperfect” races.
  • Millions died through holocaust and war.
• Joseph Stalin wanted a Utopian paradise by eliminating the class and wealth.
  • Millions died frozen to death in Siberia.
• Pol Pot wanted to create an agrarian paradise where everyone worked the collective land in peace.
  • Millions died from starvation and murder.

A Paradox

• Peace is the justification for war.
• Saving life is the justification to take life.
• Pleasure is the justification for rape.
• Safety is the justification of slavery.
• Equality is the justification of theft.

America has killed perhaps more foreign civilians than any other nation. Our excuse? Saving lives. Why is it right when we do it but wrong when Japan does it?

Does good justify evil before God? Does He judge our actions or our intentions?

Power does not corrupt.

In the book Whist by David Umstattd, Whist asks his mentor Skylock if power corrupts. “Heavens no” Skylock responds “Power only reveals your inner corruption.”

Perhaps Skylock has it right. What if power only magnifies corruption. One of the oldest sayings in the world says, “From evil people come evil deeds.”

Power x Corruption = Evil Committed

An evil man with no power often does less evil than a good man with power.

The only cure for evil.

When God rebooted the world after the flood he only changed one thing: how long people lived. God limited man’s life to 120 years to limit the amount of wickedness man could perform. This heavenly term limit kept the world from going bad as quickly the second time.

We are born innocent, with only the seeds of evil in our hearts. As we grow older these seeds bring forth greater wickedness. Our knowledge, experience and reputation give us power to do evil which makes us evil.

Few ever see this process reverse. Old age may take away our ability to do bad, but who becomes more just? History shows us that even Christian leaders fail to finish well. Is the same is true for us? Do we just lack the spotlight of power to reveal our inner corruption? There will come a day when the light will shine on the strong and weak alike.

I am convinced that this is why people die. Only death can purge us from sin.

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

One Last Story

In the movie Blind Side, Leigh Anne Tuohy has power to bend people to her will. But something is different about her, instead of doing evil, she does good.

The difference?

• Motivation: Her motivation is love.
• Safe Power: Her power is inferential. Instead of forcing people to comply she convinces them to choose themselves. I think this is an important difference.

Instead of trying to get more power she does what she can with what she has.

What do you think?

• Do you agree with my analysis?
• Do you think that power corrupts or reveals corruption?
• What should our response be to the problem of power?

Related posts:

1. The Benefits of Praying Aloud: Power (Part 2) We live in a world spoken into existence. The power...
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Praying aloud can be scary particularly in a group setting where others can agree or disagree.

Fear in Prayer

Praying out loud can hit the root of our insecurities. We fear man. We fear our own pride. But it is as we pray anyway that we begin to find true healing. What better way to find freedom from the fear of man than in prayer to God.

Remember, if you have turned from your sins and put your trust in Jesus Christ you have become a child of God (Romans 8:16, 1 John 3:1-3). This makes talking to God aloud no more strange than talking to a human father. Praying aloud forces us to view God as our Father for how else could we even approach Him?

Viewing God as our Father by no way diminishes his grandeur. Jesus knew the perfect balance when he prayed in this way “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Mathew 6:9b-10

Pride in Prayer

Sometimes people refrain from praying out loud because they don’t want others to think they are proud. This is a poisonous blend of pride and fear. The antidote for this toxin is faith and action.

We don’t want to be the pharisee who prays on the street corner just to be heard by men. But the solution is not to hide in fear. That is the Devil’s solution. The Kingdom path is the path of faith and action.

You won’t overcome this challenge until you start praying out loud. Ask God for humility. Fear God. Focus on Jesus. This takes a mental discipline that you only learn through practice.

What do you think?

• Are you afraid to pray out loud? Why do you think that is?
• For those of you who overcame this fear how did you do it?

Related posts:

1. The Benefits of Praying Aloud: Agreement (Part 1) Someone once asked me. “Why should we bother to voice...
2. The Benefits of Praying Aloud: Power (Part 2) We live in a world spoken into existence. The power...
3. The Benefits of Praying Aloud: Authority (Part 3) If you can write company checks in the boss’ name...

Election day is here! Every cycle I am surprised how many people don’t know they can legally vote twice on election day.

3 Steps to Become a Voting Ninja

Step #1 – Vote in the Primary Election

Democrat or Republican. You can vote early or on Election Day. But you must vote in the primary to be eligible to attend your precinct convention. This is your opportunity to support pro-life candidates!

Step #2 – Attend your Precinct Convention

Your precinct convention is usually at your neighborhood polling place. You can pass pro-life resolutions and get yourself elected as a delegate to your party’s county/district convention.

Step #3 – Vote on resolutions and delegates.

It’s fun!

Wait… What?

What is a Precinct Convention?

It’s a small meeting of voters from your neighborhood. If you voted in either party’s Primary, you can attend.

Voters at the convention will do two things:

1. Choose delegates to go to your party’s county/district convention on Saturday, March 20. This is extremely important; that’s where county platforms are passed and delegates are elected to the state conventions in June.
2. Pass “resolutions” stating what your party (Democrat or Republican) should stand for.

When & Where is it held?

The Precinct Convention will be held on March 2 at 8:00 p.m. (usually) at your neighborhood polling location. For the precise place and time, look for a sign when you vote or ask the election judge.

Who comes to precinct conventions?

Regular people just like you who want to make a difference. You don’t have to be experienced to attend.

Why attend a precinct convention?

It is the only way we keep the Republican Party pro-life.

Every two years the parties re-decide where they stand on the issues. If you ever want to see change it starts in your life and in your neighborhood.

Precinct Convention resources:

• Texas Alliance for Life Precinct Convention Guide (resourced for this post)
• Texas Home School Coalition Precinct Convention Guide
• Overview of the process from the Dallas Morning News
• Video of a sample precinct convention.

Recommended Resolutions

These are good resolutions to present if you are just getting started. You can also modify them for an issue you are passionate about. Make sure to bring 5 copies.

• Parental Rights Act (Pro-Homeschooling)
• Daytime Curfew (Pro-Homeschooling)
• Cut tax funding from Planned Parenthood (Pro-Life)
• Texas Sovereignty (Pro-Liberty)
• Ending Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying (Pro-Liberty)

If you don’t know who to vote for feel free to check out my voter’s guide.

Related posts:

1. March 2010 Voter’s Guide For those of you who live outside Texas please forgive...
2. Why vote for Debra Medina? For those of you who follow this blog you know...
3. The Problem with the Constitution Party From the archive… The Problem with the Constitution Party I...

As you may know, I teach on technology a lot. Several of you have asked when my next classes are. So here you go here is a list of some of my upcoming talks. I would love to see you there!

How Everything Has Changed & Nothing is New

What the changes in Social Media mean for your business.

• Date: March 2 (8-9:30am)
• Cost: Free (registration required)
• City: Austin, TX
• Register Now
  

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For those of you who live outside Texas please forgive this post. We are having an important election and I feel it is important we vote in the right folks.

Five Voting Tips

Here are some general principles use:

1. Don’t vote because you recognize the name. If you recognize their name, they were probably a hooligan caught in some scandal. Or they are the richest candidate. Or the press likes them the most. All bad reasons.
   • If you don’t know anything about either candidate don’t vote for either one.
   • Don’t water down the votes of the informed voters.
2. Print out a sample ballot before you go to the polls. You don’t want to be surprised by a race you don’t recognize. To find your sample ballot just google “YourCountyName County Sample Ballot.” Here are two you may find helpful:
   • Travis County Sample Ballot
   • Williamson County Sample Ballot
3. Vote early. Chances are something will happen on election day and you won’t get around to voting. Make sure you vote by voting early.
4. The challenger is generally safer than the incumbent. Elected officials tend to compromise the longer they stay in office. The challenger who has yet to compromise and is often the safer bet.
5. Bring someone with you to the polls. Most Christians only vote once every two years for president. They don’t realize that was the least important election of the year. Your friends probably don’t know about the election. Bring a friend and double your vote.

My Voting Philosophy

I vote pro-life first, if the race effects life and most do.

Then, I tend to pick:

• Candidates with integrity (when I can tell which is hard).
• Candidates who want to promote liberty and personal responsibility.
• Challengers over incumbents.
• Tea Party folks over Old Guard Republicans.
• Candidates who see the Church as the answer instead of the government.

Statewide Races

Here are my picks:

• Governor: Rick Perry & Debra Medina (I will be personally voting for Debra Medina)
• Supreme Court Place 3: Rick Green
• Supreme Court Place 9: Eva Guzman
• Railroad Commissioner: Victor Carrillo
• Full Voters Guide

Full Voter’s Guide

I put together a one page voters guide you can take with you into the voting booth. It has local races as well as state wide races. If it doesn’t have all your candidates see the resources below.

• Download the Thomas Umstattd Voters Guide (PDF)
• You are welcome to share this guide with your friends.
• It is legal to take this Voters Guide into the voting booth with you.

Helpful Voting Resources

These are some of the resources I used to put together my voting guide.

• Texas Early Voting Locations (March 2010)
• Texas Alliance for Life Voter’s Guide (March 2010)
• Free Market Foundation Voter’s Guide (March 2010)
• Texas Right to Life Voter’s Guide (March 2010)
• Texas Homeschool Coalition Endorsements (March 2010)
• Christian Voter’s Guide

What Do You Think?

• Do you agree with my picks?
• Why?
• Have you voted yet?

Related posts:

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2. Why March? Someone recently asked me what the point was to all...
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For those of you who follow this blog you know that I endorsed Rick Perry back in September. So why would I now vote for Medina?

Enough people have asked me this question that I have decided to answer it here.

The strategic reason to back Medina.

In the political world there are two types of people: pragmatists and idealists.

Idealists are true believers.

Idealists have a political philosophy and their first loyalty is to that philosophy. They don’t compromise often and you can find them on the far ends of the isle. Public opinion does not sway them. Writing them does little good for their minds are made up.

Pragmatists want to get things done.

Pragmatists are drawn to power like a fat man to a Chinese buffet. They generally pick whatever party has the majority. If the party in power switches look for them to change parties as well.

You can get a pragmatist to make good policy but you generally have to pressure him first. He has to know enacting good policy will increase his power.

Right now Kay Bailey Hutchinson is one of the last of the Pro-Roe v Wade Republicans. Her existence makes pragmatic republicans feel safe waffling on abortion just like Kay does. The dance is always the same: Talk pro-life in the primary… avoid the issue after that.

If Medina gets more votes than Hutchinson it marks the end of Pro-Roe republicans in Texas. Kay Bailey Hutchinson is one of the best known Texas politicians ever. Medina is a no name from a small Texas town no one has heard of. A big reason Kay is falling behind is because she is Pro-Roe.

This has happened before.

When William Wilberforce’s bill to abolish the slave trade finally passed, it was by a 283 to 16 landslide. Why after 20 years of failure would the bill pass by so much? Wilberforce, the idealists finally got enough weight on his side. The pragmatist politicians realized they would get more power by voting for abolition. They all flopped over to his side all at once.

What will happen if Medina makes the run off? The pragmatists will see they can get more power when they are pro-life. They will flop over to the life side of the teeter totter. This may give us the weight we need to see real change.

We are talking state and nation wide implications here.

What I like about Medina.

I like how:

• Medina is a true believer in life, liberty & property.
• Medina has breathed new life into the Republican Party.
• Medina answered the questions in the debates.
• Medina is well studied. People criticize her lack of experience but never her lack of knowledge. She knows her stuff.
• Medina is an idealist.

I still like Perry.

While the cronyism and forcing STD vaccinations on 12 year old girls makes me squeamish, I generally like Rick Perry.

Every year however cold or empty he always speaks at the Texas Rally for Life. Perry is a true believer in life, regardless of his other shortcomings. Rick is also a family friend and a great guy. I fully intend to vote for him in November, assuming he wins the primary which I expect he will.

What do you think?

• Who do you plan to vote for?
• Why?
• Do you think a Medina/Perry run off will tip the balance of power pro-life?

Related posts:

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2. The future of the Tea Party If there is one thing we learn from History it...
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If there is one thing we learn from History it is that there is nothing new under the sun.

Lets break with tradition shall we? Lets look back through history and see what we can learn about what is about to happen in the future.

As King Solomon said,

“History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.”

The Whig Party

America has always been a two party country. The system favors two parties so this may persist. However, the two parties we started with are not the two parties we have now. Back in the day the two major parties where the Federalist Party (Whig Party) and the Anti Federalist Party.

The Whig Party failed when it started compromising on fundamental issues. Those issues revolved around slavery specifically Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Missouri Compromise. The Whigs were over confident about their power and alienated their base.

Compromise led to division. Division led to greater compromise.

The Whigs were an anti slavery party or at least they talked like they were. But thier records failed to match their rhetoric. Northern Whigs got more and more disenchanted until finally they broke off and started their own party. They called themselves Republicans.

Within 15 years of supporting the Kansas-Nabraska Act, the Whigs were nothing but a memory. The Republicans completely replaced them. That moment for the Republicans may have been when they passed the Prescription Drug Benefit Program in 2006. History will tell us if that was the beginning of the end for the GOP.

Conclusion: The Republicans started as a Pro-Abolition coalition of Whigs.

Popular & Inexperienced Candidates

One former Whig gained favor with the people despite coming from an empty state on the frontier. He lacked experience and had generally failed at politics. But he had one thing for him: he was uncompromising Pro-Abolition. The people flocked to him and voted him into office.

His name was Abraham Lincoln and though a lifelong Whig he was elected as the first Republican president.

The transition from Whig to Republican was not overnight. It took between 10 and 15 years. All that is needed for history to repeat itself is for a handful of popular elected officials to switch from the old party to the new party.

The Tea Party is not going anywhere.

In just two years Ron Paul’s 4% has turned into Debora Medina‘s 24%. Win or loose in March the Tea Party is not through. If Scott Brown showed us anything, it is that you can’t take anything for granted.

Most of the passionate political activists right now are Tea Baggers. Other movements have passion but not like the Tea Party. Passion tends to spread and if it does it is only a matter of time before something will have to budge.

We will either see a change in GOP leadership or some new party.

Abortion is the kicker

The Republican Party was founded on one issue: Ending slavery. It slowly developed a more complete platform.

The Tea Party has one primary issue right now: less government.

We may see this shift. If pro-lifers like Debora Medina, Sarah Palin and Ron Paul keep leading we may see a big shift towards a more complete life affirming platform.

If the Republican Party keeps putting forth pro-choice candidates like Kay Baily Hutchinson and dead weights like John McCain then the shift may be faster than anyone expects.

The correct GOP response:

If the Republican Party wants to avoid the path of the Whig Party then it must do the following things:

• Share information and funding with TP activists. Keep them in the tent.
• Stop protecting compromised incumbents
• Be patient with folks new to the process
• Support term limits

Predicted GOP Response

• Withhold info and funding from TP activists. Exclude them from the tent.
• Protect compromised incumbents.
• Be mean to folks new to the system (treat them like they treated the Ron Paul People)
• Resist term limits

The democratic party has proved itself to be good at absorbing new movements. We will see if the republicans are able to do the same.

What do you think?

• Am I off my rocker?
• Do you think Tea Party candidates like Deborah Medina have a chance in the cycle?
• What do you think about the Tea Party?
• Is the tea party bad for America?

Related posts:

1. The Problem with the Constitution Party From the archive… The Problem with the Constitution Party I...
2. Why vote for Debra Medina? For those of you who follow this blog you know...
3. There is No Such Thing as Slavery Recently, I watched Gandhi. In that movie, Ganhi said that...

Authority to Pray in Jesus Name

Have you ever been in a group of people trying to make a decision and one person persuaded the group? What probably happened was that person spoke with authority. This is how Jesus spoke and it caused even his enemies to marvel (Mark 1:22).

If you can write company checks in the boss’ name it means you have his authority to spend company money.

In that same way Jesus allows us to act in his name.

As a follower of Christ you can pray in Jesus’ name. That means you have the ability to use heavenly power.

“And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” Mark 16:17-18

This is both exciting and troubling. Remember, you must give an account for how you use Christ’s authority just as you must account for your use of company money.

Authority Over Darkness

Jesus has also given his followers the authority over the forces of darkness.

“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” Luke 10:19

We can get into trouble when we don’t walk in Jesus’ authority. I find I get beat up by spiritual bullies when I don’t walk in the authority. Being a Christian and not walking in authority is like having a concealed handgun license but leaving your gun at home.

When we pray we must take authority over our flesh as well as demonic influences who try to disrupt our time with the King. A great way to do this is to pray aloud. Our authority comes from Jesus and what He did on the cross. When we put our faith in Him we may approach the throne in boldness knowing our prayers will be heard.

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” 1 John 5:13-15

What Authority Sounds Like

How do people with authority speak?

Do they mumble and mutter to themselves? Of course not! They speak loudly and with confidence.

How can we pray in authority if we wont even pray aloud?

We also pray with confidence for we know God will answer. Remember we pray in His Son’s name. He promises to answer.

Shouting in Prayer

I can think of several times when it is even appropriate and indeed needed to shout in prayer. The first is when we are praising God, rejoicing over a spiritual triumph or expressing joy.

“We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests.” Psalm 20:5

Another time when it is appropriate to shout is when interacting with unclean spirits. Shouting can help convince them that you are convinced of the power you have in Christ Jesus. Christ already won the victory on the cross and so we can shout in victory!

“Moab is my washbasin, upon Edom I toss my sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.” Psalm 60:8

Moab, Edom and Philistia were the primary enemies of Israel. As Christians our primary enemies are the world the flesh and the devil. Through Jesus we can shout for triumph and take authority over them. Our entire body engages when we shout and it is any easy way to engage in spiritual warfare.

Must we shout?

Do you need to shout to take authority? No, but it doesn’t hurt.

The more convinced of your authority you become the more a mere whisper can move mountains.

This is not a mumble but an intense whisper. I don’t know many people able to pray with this sort of authority but those who do can move mountains. Praying aloud will help develop your confidence and help you pray with authority.

What do you think?

• Do you ever shout when you pray? Why or why not?
• When you shout does it help?
• Are you timid when you pray? Why or why not?

Related posts:

1. The Benefits of Praying Aloud: Power (Part 2) We live in a world spoken into existence. The power...
2. The Benefits of Praying Aloud: Agreement (Part 1) Someone once asked me. “Why should we bother to voice...
3. Spoken Prayer and Our Insecurities (Praying Aloud Part 4) Praying aloud can be scary particularly in a group setting...

Power of the Tongue

We live in a world spoken into existence. The power of God’s tongue created the world.

He made us in His image and our tongues have power as well. In fact, of all of the faculties imparted to mankind the tongue may be the most powerful.

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
- King Solomon

“The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”
- King Solomon

The Sword of the Spirit

The Bible often compares the tongue to a sword Psalm 57:4, Psalm 64:3, Proverbs 12:18. Swords were the primary weapon in the ancient world and the tongue is our primary weapon in the spiritual war.

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” Hebrews 4:12.

Praying aloud allows you to brandish the sword of the Spirit. The unspoken word of God is about as deadly as a sword still in it’s scabbard. As you put His words in your mouth you will see the world change around you. When you pray in your mind only God hears you. But, when you pray aloud the unseen spiritual hears you, and trembles.

A Dangerous Weapon

Like a rudder on a ship the tongue can change the course of history. It can build up and tare down. Of the many uses of our tongue, prayer is the least likely to do harm and the most likely to do good.

But still we must be careful for as Saint James asks, “Who can tame the tongue?”

Jesus has given His followers the authority to influence the unseen spiritual realm in His name. We must be careful not to take his name in vain by doing something he wouldn’t do. If I have the authority to sign company checks I must buy only what my boss would buy.

If you are unaccustomed to praying aloud, praying the scriptures is a great place to start. Start by praying the Psalms. Then move into other books. For example, after you read about Jesus exhorting his disciples to preach the Gospel, pray aloud that God would give you boldness to obey.

A great book I would recommend on prayer is From Duty to Delight: Finding Greater Joy in Daily Prayer.

Walking in Victory

God has given you a mighty weapon. Will you achieve victory without using it?

Are you

• Struggling in your spiritual walk?
• Going through a tough season?
• Feeling defeated?

If so, brandish your tongue and pray out loud in boldness. You will see the world around you change. You will see yourself change. You may move the heart of God.

What do you think?

• Do you think that prayer effects the unseen world?
• When you fight spiritual warfare does it help to pray out loud?
• What keeps you from paying out loud?

Related posts:

1. The Benefits of Praying Aloud: Agreement (Part 1) Someone once asked me. “Why should we bother to voice...
2. Spoken Prayer and Our Insecurities (Praying Aloud Part 4) Praying aloud can be scary particularly in a group setting...
3. The Benefits of Praying Aloud: Authority (Part 3) If you can write company checks in the boss’ name...

Someone recently asked me what the point was to all these pro-life marches. We have marched a lot in recent weeks so the question is valid. I would like to submit the following 5 reasons why we should march and rumble for life.

Marching Encourages our Leaders

One of the challenges of leadership is that the higher you rise the more out of touch you become. Leaders rely on the media to clue them in on what the people think. The media makes it look like no one cares about life but a handful of cooks.

When we march we remind our leaders we stand behind them when they stand for life. We give them the courage to push for change.

Marching Changes Hearts

You should have seen the faces of those who watch pro-life marches and rumbles. 40 Days for Life has seen hearts changed and lives saved all over the world through marches and vigils.

Marching Inspires Prayer

There is something powerful that happens to your heart when you put life tape on. Somehow it makes prayer easier and it breaks your heart. I am a big advocate for praying out loud but sometimes silent prayer is powerful too.

The more we march, the more we will pray.

Marching Inspires Action

Inviting friends to a march is a great way to move them from apathy to action. From doing nothing to to doing something. Without a march it would be harder to get people to care enough about life to do something other than harden their hearts.

Marching Earns Attention

The media loves to cover events like marches and rumbles. The more we focus the attention of the nation on this atrocity the more they will be forced to take action. Martin Luther King Jr. knew this.

We must march if we want to see a change. You can’t change the world from your couch.

What do you think?

• Do you come to Pro-life marches? Why or why not?
• What would need to happen to get you to show up?
• Are you afraid to take a stand for life?
• What have the pro-life events that you have attended been like? Would they encourage you to come again?

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