The Prophetic Prayer We Can Pray for Hope After Obama

Rush Limbaugh, America’s most listened-to talk show host for almost 30 years, welcomed the Obama presidency with four words: “I hope he fails.”

Having been asked by a major publication to state his perspective on Obama’s inauguration in 400 words, Rush emphasized he did not want America to fail but rather the ideology Barack Obama espouses.

Almost eight years ago, scores of Americans were jubilant that we actually put a black American in the White House. Multitudes celebrated. History was made.

While I relished the thought of an African-American as president or vice president (Ben Carson or Condoleezza Rice?), I never voted for Obama and had very strong reservations about him. I remember once standing outside his Senate office in Washington, D.C., and pondering, “Who is this man?”

His study of Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals (dedicated to Lucifer); his association with unrepentant terrorists Bill Ayres and Bernadine Dohrn; his Islamic upbringing; his long-term involvement in Jeremiah Wright’s controversial, liberal church; and his meteoric ascendancy in a political party no longer resembling that of my parents and John F. Kennedy, all concerned me greatly.

On his inauguration day, I recall coming home from a speaking engagement and sitting down to watch the ceremony with my wife. I also remember my dearest friend of decades excusing himself, saying sadly, “I’m sorry. I can’t bear to watch this.”

Newly elected President Barack Obama heralded the beginning of what he called “the transformation of America.” Now, almost eight years later, we need to face the reality of his work.

‘Are You Better off Than You Were Four Years Ago?’

In the presidential debate between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter in 1980, Mr. Reagan posed the above question to the American people. We reflected and admitted with deep regret our almost “unpardonable sin” of putting Carter in the Oval Office.

In Carter’s own words, we were in a “crisis of confidence.” Inflation had skyrocketed to 12 percent. Interest rates were at an unbelievable 22 percent. Iran held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days and Carter’s rescue attempt failed miserably. We faced serious gas shortages and the “Misery Index” hit an all-time high of almost 22 percent!

When people finally cut through the fog of Washington “spin” after being jolted by Reagan’s challenge, we finally awoke to what was happening to our nation. Citizens went to the polls and elected Ronald Reagan in an electoral landslide of 489-49!  

Now let’s ask ourselves, blowing aside the smoke and mirrors, spin and subterfuge (which is even more sophisticated today), are we really better off than we were eight years ago?

I believe I could present a convincing case listing at least 10 major areas where President Obama has taken our nation seriously, and quite possibly irretrievably, off track. Let’s examine two.

2 Disasters We Would Have Avoided if Obama Hadn’t Been Elected

1. Constitutional Collapse

Abraham Lincoln told us, “America will never be destroyed from outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”

In 1787 when our Founding Fathers left Independence Hall in Philadelphia with the foundational document that multitudes believe is the divinely inspired U.S. Constitution, 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin was asked by a certain Mrs. Powell, “Well, doctor, what have we got? A republic or a monarchy?”

Franklin’s documented response: “A republic, madam—if you can keep it.”

I believe President Obama’s leadership—characterized by lawlessness, deceitfulness and disrespect for the Constitution—has fostered an environment promoting tyranny and ongoing loss of religious freedom, especially through the courts. The future of the republic is truly in grave danger.

Gathering with over 1,000 conservative leaders in New York recently for a conversation with one of the presidential candidates, Dr. James Dobson said the most serious issue facing us today in America is tyranny reflected in ongoing erosion of religious freedom.

Increasingly, the Supreme Court and other courts are becoming merely a rubberstamp, echo chamber for the president in the executive branch. Defiance of and reinterpretation of our United States Constitution is an alarming development.

This week’s SCOTUS ruling that struck down a Texas law protecting the health of women and babies in abortion clinics, is “today’s” example. Get ready for safety and health standards to now come down nationwide! “Yesterday’s” was the one homosexual judge striking down the will of over 13 1/2 million who voted in California’s Prop 8 referendum to uphold traditional marriage. It happens all the time!

Thomas Jefferson warned us to guard against tyranny like the British monarchy. Ted Cruz campaigned vigorously regarding our need to protect our Constitution and not succumb to rogue judicial activism.

Here’s the deal: This is a real and present danger exploding under Obama’s presidency and through his example. This fundamental “transformation” can destroy the United States of America as we’ve known it, and the next president may appoint two or three Supreme Court judges to either advance or block this trend.

Currently 7th Circuit Judge Richard Posner tells us, “I see absolutely no value to a judge of spending decades, yes, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes or seconds studying the Constitution, the history of its amendments, and its implications.” He goes on to state “The original Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the post-Civil War amendments (including the 14th) do not speak to us today.”

I believe if Barack Obama had not been elected, this precarious situation would have been averted.

2. Moral Collapse

George Washington warned us that America could only survive by maintaining “religion and morality as our indispensable supports.”

Ronald Reagan said, “If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”

Under President Barack Obama, the Judeo-Christian foundation and moral fiber of this nation have disintegrated in an unprecedented way. Although he calls himself a “Christian,” his conduct has been consistently contrary to biblical standards, especially in the areas of morality, purity, integrity and decency.

• Regarding gay marriage, candidate Obama assured Americans of his conviction on the sanctity of marriage as only between a man and a woman. Once elected, he became an aggressive advocate for the LGBTQ agenda, even lighting up the White House in rainbow colors celebrating America as the first nation to ever institutionalize homosexual marriage.

• Regarding abortion and the sanctity of human life in the womb, candidate Obama demurred when asked by Pastor Rick Warren about life in the womb. He said it was “above his pay grade.” Once elected he revealed himself as a staunch proponent and defender of both abortion (up to the moment of birth) and America’s No. 1 abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, even pronouncing, “God bless you!” over their convention!

• Fulfilling the “wish list” of LGBTQ advocates, he issued a directive for public schools to allow transgender students access to any bathrooms and showers they wish or risk loss of federal funding; “transformed” the military to align with the LGBTQ agenda; appointed the first openly homosexual secretary of the United States Army in U.S. history; and lifted the ban on transgender troops on July 1. Need more be said?

• Throughout his presidency, Obama has communicated a narrative equating civil rights and gay rights as one and the same.  He recently designated the first national gay rights monument at Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, New York. “From Selma to Stonewall” is the favorite revisionist mantra he’s often used.

The significant difference is that Selma and the civil rights movement was led by God-fearing ministers and characterized by prayer, nonviolent peaceful demonstrations, respect for law enforcement and pledges signed by many participants to study Scripture daily and act in a Christlike manner at all times.

I spent four days in Birmingham, Alabama, with my wife not long ago, studying the history and visiting the civil rights museum and nearby sites. I’ve done the same numerous times in Atlanta where we lived, so I know of what I speak.

I’ve also been to Greenwich Village, where I delivered a financial gift to a man dying of AIDS and have studied carefully the accurate account of what happened at Stonewall. I encourage you (after completing this commentary!) to watch on YouTube “From Selma to Stonewall” to learn the truth, not the sanitized, glamorized, inaccurate narrative presented.

The Stonewall Inn was a Mafia-run bar patronized by homosexuals, drag queens, prostitutes and many underage drinkers. One night, patrons decided to defy the usual police card check, and mayhem resulted for five days of rioting, arson, violence, property destruction and fighting with law enforcement trying to bring order amid the chaos.

I’ve watched the pro-gay documentary, “Stonewall Uprising” where they state clearly those doing the rioting were the angry, gay street kids, barflies and prostitutes. These were not peaceful, civil rights advocates singing, “We Shall Overcome,” seeking the right to vote and equality in buses, schools, restaurants, theaters and bathrooms.

Again I submit, if Barack Obama had not been elected, a significant portion of our moral free-fall would’ve been minimized or avoided.

Elections Have Consequences

For almost eight years, I have prayed for our president by name every day. While I respect the office he holds, I do not respect or trust him. One day he will give an account to God for what he’s done. Personally, I continue praying for him and encourage others to do likewise, but I’ll be glad to see him go.

Remembering that elections have consequences, I believe all of us should pray daily for our nation and elected officials, study candidates’ character and positions, and vote in elections. After all these years, if we will heed the conditions and promises of 2 Chronicles 7:14, God can extend mercy, restrain His wrath and revive us for His sovereign purpose in this critical hour.

Here’s a prophetic prayer we can pray to give us hope: “O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of these years make them known; in wrath remember mercy” (Hab. 3:2).