Specsta, your quotation marks around key words (e.g., "religious," "worldly," "saint") show you can spot fakes. If you look further, you'll find some genuine Christians--folks who actually follow the Messiah. You'll also find godly preachers who don't hate sinners but lovingly warn them to repent in time to avoid the eternal consequences of dying lost. Some of these preachers, far from being greedy, serve virtually for free while they support themselves with full-time jobs.

Scripture tells us what kind of religion God accepts. "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world" (James 1:27 ESV).

I hope you noticed that Gil Ward, in his fine LTE, hasn't made fun of Jeff Miller but has explained how Mr. Miller's LTE doesn't prove that prayer fails. There was nothing mean-spirited from Mr. Ward, only a loving, compassionate warning that America needs to repent. As long as we're still alive, we have the opportunity to trust in Christ and be saved.

Here we go again....:)

"Each person must work out their own salvation. Period"

Wrong specsta, salvation is a free gift. There is no working it out, you leave the work to God and just be an open vessel.

You are correct, there are some religious zealots who are way out there and the unsaved look at them and point their finger but what you fail to understand that most times these religious zealots are not practicing Christ-like behavior because they are governed by the Father of Lies, Satan himself, and what better way to decieve and try to destroy the work of God, than to use desception. He is a crafty fellow, isn't he.

So which one teaches the truth? Is it the First Our Way or the Highway Church, the Second Our Way or the Highway Church, the Third Our Way or the Highway Church, or the Our way or the Highway Church (Reformed)? Why not call churches what they really are:money making enitities that claim if you don't follow their beliefs you'll rot in hell (or the whatever that church's equivalent might be). In other words, protection rackets. This prayer didn't work because those folks don't follow the correct OWotHC (Our Way or the Highway Church), or they follow the correct OWotHC but just didn't have enough faith, or they don't follow the OWotHC, they follow the Church of We're the Only Ones Who Are Right and they're a false religion, or we all follow the correct OWotHC but our prayer failed because of someone else. Prayer works, Yay!, ours is the only true and real faith and our prayers are answered (throwing out the possibilty of things such as random chance). Prayer not answered, pass the buck and blame others. Just let them say whatever silly thing they want to say and tax them at the full corporate rate allowing deductions only for what they can prove actually went to charity (and no, prosthelytizing isn't a charitable cause). After all, no matter what they claim, they're only in it for the money.

As someone who has not gone to a formal church in a good number of years but still believes in the Christian way of life, I started back and now enjoy the fellowship and the religious programs. I was at a very large church and quit going because I got tired of the constant pressure to give more and more each week to build gums, daycare buildings, trips and all other things that are not the part of religion.

Specsta is trying to refer to ....
Phillipians 2: 12 "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling."

What Paul is talking about is NOT earning our own salvation, but the process of sanctification....where we are being prepared to become more "Christ-like". (Christian means little-christ). The fear and trembling is reference to the many struggles we will encounter in this process...the burning away of the dross.

Anyone who is walking with Christ as their Savior, daily, not on a "need -him" basis, knows exactly what I am talking about. We will be challenged constantly until we learn something and we are ALL slow learners.

One great thing about America's current situation is that we will be talking a lot about God and our need for Him.

Isn't this just a great letter, today?!

How can any intelligent person answer your question without knowing in what context the statement was made?

Tech, like Spec, your problem is...you worry way too much about someone else's behavior.

At first I think "it is amazing" how little some know about God and how hostile they are to His word , but I then remember what God's Word says about these lost people. 1 Corinthians 1: 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Ephesians 4:18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools. I will pray that God will open your eyes so you can see the truth but if He does not you will remain in darkness. John 6:44 No man can come to me [Jesus], except the Father which hath sent me draw him.

Excellent comment RMSHEFF.

Only the prayers of a righteous man or prayers that are according to the will of God. God does not answer prayers outside of His perfect will. The will of God may be that He will "allow" this country , that has denied Him, turned away from Him and followed their own wisdom, to reap what we have sewn.
Romans 1:24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—

Gosh, I had forgotten about Romans 1:24. Silly me! I will go back and brush up on my New Testament....

We must pray in accordance with the will of God.