By Waylon Bailey Over the last few weeks, I’ve had a real burden for Chicago and the inner cities across America. I’m sure much of that has to do with the publicity concerning the 700 people murdered in Chicago in 2016 with several thousand others shot and wounded. Part of that concern also comes to my living close to a large city (New Orleans) which suffers greatly in the inner city with crime, drugs, and fatal violence. I often hear people say that the city is safe except for certain parts of the city. They also counsel staying out of those sections. Of course, we do attempt to say stay out of unsafe areas, but that’s a tragedy People have to live in those areas. The people who live in those areas desire to be safe and keep their family safe just as I do. What should we do about our inner cities? I’m sure there are many political answers that could and should be given to that question, but what should you and I do? I am committed to pray for Chicago and for New Orleans. I want to encourage you to do the same. Let us commit to pray for revival nationwide, for a turning of America to Christ. Would anything change our country and our cities as much as a genuine awakening? Let us pray that God would … [Read more...]

By Tony Perkins At the start of the weekend, President Trump was busy doing what President Trump does -- making things happen. In an executive order on Friday, Trump limited travel to the U.S. by citizens of seven countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Making good on a promise to increase national security and prevent future terrorist attacks within our borders, the president suspended the issuance of visas for these nationals for the next 90 days because of the prominence of jihadi violence within their borders. Along with a variety of other measures, the order also brought scrutiny on the process for immigrants and visitors from any nation by creating a temporary hold on any refugee travel to the U.S. Trump's order also prioritizes the admission of persecuted religious minorities in the previous countries after the temporary ban is up, whether those refugees be Yazidi, Christian, or Muslim. Trump has also ordered the Pentagon and the U.S. State Department to prepare a plan to create safe zones in Syria and the surrounding area within 90 days. Predictably, the media and liberal politicians went crazy. Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) took to Twitter, vowing to fight the order … [Read more...]

By Waylon Bailey Prayer is central to our faith. In fact, prayer seems to be a common practice of all peoples. Prayer is important because it’s essential to getting in touch with God. Even many atheists admit to praying in difficult times. If prayer is so necessary and important, are there ways we harm our times of prayer? Are there ways we should not pray? Let me give you three ways you should consider changing about how you pray. First, don’t pray negatively. In itself, prayer is a positive practice. It is a way of getting in touch with God and letting Him have control over our lives. This is, of course, a positive event. How do we make it negative? We do so by emphasizing what we don’t want to do rather than what we want to do. For example, let’s suppose you need to be more patient. You might pray, “Lord, help me not to be impatient and frustrated today.” That’s a negative prayer. A positive prayer might be like this, “Lord, help me today as I struggle with the difficulties of life. Help me to show the fruit of the Spirit in my life. Let me live in patience, gentleness, kindness, and self-control.” A positive prayer emphasizes what we want to do rather than what we don’t want to do. Second, … [Read more...]

By Jeff Iorg Ashley Judd, entertainer and activist, did us all a good service with her passionate speech at the recent Women’s March in Washington, D.C. The diatribe, most of it quoting a poem written by another woman and shared with her permission, was filled with vitriol toward men, personal attacks on President Trump, and vulgar references to female genitalia and feminine hygiene. Ms. Judd’s hateful spewing of leftist dogma served us by clarifying – making crystal clear – the state of American feminism. Women have legitimate needs which should be represented to governing authorities and addressed by legal means. It’s doubtful Ms. Judd has much awareness of those needs – not as a celebrity living a privileged life. My mother was an independent, hard-working, self-sufficient woman who held our family together. My wife is cut from the same cloth. I have a daughter and three grand-daughters, so women’s issues matter to me. Women deserve every opportunity for success but Ms. Judd’s version of their concerns doesn’t resonate with reality. Men and women would both enthusiastically promote women’s causes if American feminist leaders would focus on real issues oppressing women today. Toward that end, here are three ways women … [Read more...]

By Waylon Bailey Today at 12:00 EST Donald J. Trump will be inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States of America. This is always history making. It is especially so this year. America is the envy of the world for a reason. Let us be a people who pray for our country and its leaders. How should we pray today for President Trump and for America? First, we should pray for the blessings of God on all who lead. “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved ad to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Second, we should pray for revival and righteousness in America and in our lives. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people” (Proverbs 14:34). “If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people, and my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear … [Read more...]

By Steve Horn, pastor, First Baptist Lafayette I am sure that since today is Inauguration Day, more articles will come your way than you can possibly read. Well, here is one more. I will try to keep it short. Back in December, I had the privilege of praying as the Louisiana Electoral College formally cast their votes. I want to share with you the content of my prayer that day in hopes that you might join me in praying along these lines as President Trump takes office today. Heavenly Father, As the Psalmist declared, “Some trust in chariots and some trust in horses, but we will trust in the name of the Lord, our God.” (Psalm 20:7) We give You thanks today as we should do in all things. We give You thanks for grace upon our nation. We give You thanks for the opportunity to participate in an election. We give You thanks for the election of Donald Trump. And now, oh God, we pray in the spirit of the prophet of old, Zechariah. We pray for favor and union. We pray for unity in our nation and we pray for the favor of God to rest on our nation. (Zechariah 11:7) We pray for God’s wisdom to rest both on President Trump and Vice-President Pence. We pray in the spirit of 1 Timothy 2 that they might lead us in such a way … [Read more...]