Free Republic

Heavenly Father, high and might Ruler of the universe we praise and worship your holy Name. We thank You for the dawning of this new day and the privilege to come before You in fervent prayer for our nation and the world.

We praise you Father for the capture, without further loss of life, of the two fugitives sought in connection with the Beltway Sniper. Guide those involved in the continuing investigation, and bring all those implicated in these horrendous crimes to justice.

Give President Bush the wisdom and courage he needs to deal with the innumerable critical situations and decisions which he faces daily. Your faithfulness has sustained him this far, and will see him through the dark days ahead. Keep our president and all the members of his family safe from harm.

Lord we pray that you would give discernment to the American people as crucial elections hang in the balance. Father, may those who prevail in these elections be men and women of integrity, who honor You and who will faithfully fulfill the responsibilities of their office, upholding the Constitution and moral values which made our nation great.

We humbly ask these things in the Name above all names, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Thanks, ohioWfan. I've been lurking for over a year and enjoyed your posts and many others, especially during the election turmoil. The daily dose isn't hard to take either.

I'll be jumping in now and again when I think someone is taking an unfair beating. The libertarians here are fierce.

ALRIGHT, PLEASE HUMOR ME BY CITING THE "SOUND MORAL BASIS" FOR A GOVERNMENT-SCHOOLER PARENT TO TELL HIS HOME-SCHOOLING NEIGHBOR, "YOU SHOULD BE COMPELLED BY FORCE TO GIVE ME YOUR CHILD'S EDUCATION-MONEY TO SUBSIDIZE MY GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS; IT IS MORALLY GOOD THAT I SHOULD TAKE YOUR MONEY BY FORCE SO THAT I WILL HAVE MORE MONEY WITH WHICH TO EDUCATE MY CHILDREN AND YOU WILL HAVE LESS." (Sorry for caps, I don't know how to use italics.)

A person who sends a child to public school does not "compel homeschooling neighbors" to do anything. Taxes are required by your state and local governments to support public schools, and whether you like it or not, that's not going to change. There is a price to citizenship and we all have to pay it. Instead of being judgmental of others who are trying to do something positive in the public schools, you should try doing something positive - like stop mindless criticism.

GIVE ME JUST ONE CHAPTER AND VERSE FOR THIS ALLEGED "SOUND MORAL BASIS". JUST ONE. I'LL BE WAITING.

"Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." Matt. 22:21

If Jesus was willing to meet His civil obligations - like paying taxes - to a corrupt and Godless country are you prepared to follow His example? If not, then you really aren't an Orthodox Presbyterian.

Some people like to argue just for the sake of argument and I think you're one of them. I'm not; I only intend to participate if I have something to contribute.

Have a nice day!

I cannot claim to be an impartial observer because I have deeply held Christian convictions. Having said that, I would like to share a few objective thoughts on the debate of public school vs. homeschool/private school attendance. Both sides make valid points, but judging another's decision which has been prayerfully made, is presumptuous to say the least.

First, all schools are not equal. Public schools are not alone in their deficiencies. I am aware of private Christian schools which are not only lacking scholastically, but worse, spiritually ambiguous. My point: There are good and bad in either case.

A thoughtful and informed Christian parent would certainly weigh the overall merits and advisability of a particular school before enrolling their children.

A Christian parent who is well grounded in the Word and has instilled their values and beliefs in their children, and who has discerned moral character and strong Christian convictions in their children, has a sound basis upon which to consider public school as the Lord leads them. All children are not in the same place in their Christian walk during their school years, so public school is probably a poor choice for many.

I admire and respect those selfless parents who feel led to dedicate years of their lives teaching and training their children in the way they should go. It is a tremendous undertaking and, I am sure, very rewarding. We are seeing the results of their efforts all the time when homeschooled children are being recognized for their scholarly achievements.

Those who have been fitted with the whole armor of God in their youth and are prepared to do battle for the Lord in publics schools are being a very effective witness. Their courage is commendable and they should be applauded also. Question: Should these opportunities for witnessing be ignored?

Some of the posts on this thread remind me of Job's friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar; making self righteous judgments of another's position on this issue. We may not always understand or agree with the way another is led by the Lord, but there's nothing in scripture that says we have to, is there?

Your 100% right, Pappy. This has nothing to do with glorifying Christ, but everything to do with glorifying a deviant lifestyle.

I usually don't post, but I have to tell you, one of the things I most enjoy about FR is the creative humor MOST FReepers display on these threads. Except for reply #2, which was totally uncalled for, this has started my dreary work day with a broad smile on my face. Keep up the good work.

In our post Christian era, we are confronted with a culture which believes that "doing that which is right in your own eyes" is acceptable, or worse, desirable. Our nation was founded upon and sustained by Judeo Christian principles. Until the culture once again recognizes the absolute authority of God's Word, which calls homosexuality an abomination, society will continue down the slippery slope leading to the destruction of the family unit. Like frogs happily splashing around in a pot of tepid water, the American people are indifferent to the implications of the homosexual agenda. When things get to the boiling point it will be too late and we will have no one to blame but ourselves.

Dear heavenly Father, we thank you for the grace and mercy you shower upon America each new day. You are our Great Protector, Savior and Comforter. Open, I pray, the eyes of the people of this country to the truth of Your Word and give them a longing in their hearts for Your salvation. Continue to bless and protect President Bush as he seeks to honor and glorify You in the high office, to which You have called him. Give him the wisdom of Solomon, the courage of David and the heart of Jesus, who always put Your will before His own. Bless all those in authority who seek to faithfully and honorably perform the duties of their office. Guide those who are advising the president. Give them clarity of mind, putting politics aside, to bring about a fair and just resolution to the situation in the Middle East. Confound the wise, once more Father, with those who they think are foolish. Finally, I pray that the citizens of our land will stand firm in their resolve to support the war on terrorism and in support of Israel. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen