Strength for Today

With nearly one in four Americans now believing President Obama to be a Muslim (a Time poll says 24%), a reporter asked White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton if the president was a Christian. Burton replied, "Obviously the president is a Christian. He prays every day." It is good to pray every day. Muslims actually pray six times a day. Jews pray. Hindus pray. Buddhists pray. I suppose even atheists pray in a pinch. But praying does not make one a Christian. To what God do we pray? And in whose name? A Christian is one who has given his life to Christ. He believes that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:16). He accepts the claim of Christ: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes unto the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). He believes that the blood of Christ atones for the sins of the world. He has turned from his sins (repentance) and has been baptized for the forgiveness of his sins. He lives a new life, empowered by the Holy Spirit of God. A Christian is a follower of Christ. He or she tries to live according to the teachings of Christ and is not ashamed of the name of Jesus, nor of His words, no matter how out of step they seem to be with modern thinking and living. A Christian will faithfully assemble with other Christians on the first day of the week, share with others in financial needs, will abstain from the very appearance of evil, will have the mind of Christ, will reflect the spirit of Christ in word, thought, and deed. Prayer is a vital part of a Christian's life, but praying every day does not make one a Christian. Saul of Tarsus had been praying for three days and was told by his religious advisor, "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name" (Acts 22:16).