In The Name Of Jesus

Yesterday on the morning  news I heard that  a pastor in North Carolina who was asked to be honorary chaplain of the state House of Representatives was "fired". The reason, he prayed in the name of Jesus. He was told that he could not say the name of Jesus because it would offend some people.

A Navy chaplain was terminated from his duties for praying in the name of Jesus.

Rev. Franklin Graham was told he could not pray at the National Day of Prayer, this year. Certain groups of people might be offended by the pastor who never backs down from his belief that there is only one way to God and that is through His Son, Jesus Christ.

We are no longer allowed to say "Merry Christmas" because Christmas has Christ in it. Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ---and well, to some that is offensive.

Most people aren't so offended by the word God. Most religions of the world have a god. A superior being. A supernatural deity. "The Man Upstairs". Though it saddens me that these descriptions do not adequately describe the God of Abraham and Issac and Jacob, the Great I AM, the Alpha and Omega, the Holy One. Still, people "plug in" their god to whatever their religion might be.

BUT.....if one says the name of Jesus than that is an entirely different story! Jesus as God's Son, the Sacrificial Lamb, the Perfect and Holy One.....whew, people can't handle that.  It's offensive to say that Jesus is the ONLY way to God, it's offensive to say that He is God's Son, it's offensive to believe that only He can save you, it's offensive to say that He came to earth as a Jewish man and yet He was God. (not a god, but THE God)  How dare anyone pray in His name! People cry, I AM OFFENDED!!!

As a Christian, I am offended. I am offended that I am a citizen of country that was founded on Judeo-Christian principles and yet now the government is so worried about offending that they bend over backward for other religions of the world. They do this rather than to uphold that which is dear to so many. Our very founding principles!  I am offended by the "political correctness" of society. The news media, the government, the military, the stores, even some CHURCHES, are so scared to offend. Why are they scared?

I am offended that as a Christian I would not be allowed to pray in the name of Jesus in public for fear it might offend some people. Well, what about me? What about other Christians? How did it happen that it now okay to offend us? Not mentioning Jesus Christ cheapens our faith. HE is the reason that we ARE Christians. It is BECAUSE of Jesus Christ and his sacrificial death and resurrection that we have eternal life. Jesus IS the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE. Without HIM we are lost. As Christians, how could we not mention His name? How could we ignore Him in public? Or private? He is the cornerstone of our faith.

"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Philippians 2:13