Tuesday, May 4, 2004

1:39 PM Dan Brown’s bestselling book, “The Da Vinci Code,” has sold millions of copies. Though a work of fiction, the book claims that Christianity is based on a lie. Erwin Lutzer has written an excellent answer called The Da Vinci Deception. Chapter titles include “The Da Vinci Code at a Glance,” “Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and the Search for the Holy Grail,” and “Banned from the Bible: Why?” The book would be an excellent gift for someone who has read “The Da Vinci Code” and wants to know the truth. Pastor Lutzer closes the book with a powerful appeal for readers to truth the Christ of the Bible. Highly recommended. 10:59 AM Coming up on Thursday: The National Day of Prayer. Check out the website for President Bush’s official proclamation. Oliver North is the 2004 Honorary Chairman. This year’s theme is “Let Freedom Ring,” and the theme verse is Leviticus 25:10, “Proclaim liberty throughout this land and to all its inhabitants.” Here are 10 Ways to Pray on the National Day of Prayer: 1. Pray for our nation: that we will turn to the Lord in repentance and know God’s protecting, freeing power. 2. Pray for Iraq and the military personnel serving there. 3. Pray for Afghanistan and our troops serving there. 4. Pray for the families of our military personnel, especially those who have lost loved ones during the war on terrorism. 5. Pray for President Bush and all of our nation’s leaders. 6. Pray for the election process this year, that God will be honored, and that moral, godly men and women will be elected to local, state, and national positions of leadership. 7. Pray for the Church in our city and across the nation, that we will experience genuine revival and spiritual unity in Jesus’ name. 8. Pray that you and your family will become bold intercessors, praying God’s blessings for your neighbors and friends. 9. Pray for wisdom and maturity as we face spiritual warfare, so that we can live free of the bondage of evil. 10. Pray for a spiritual awakening in America as individuals become aware of their desperate need of Jesus Christ, and the freedom He alone can bring. (Hat tip to Phil Miglioratti of the National Pastors’ Prayer Network.) I’m speaking Thursday morning for a NDP breakfast at Arlington Heights Evangelical Free Church. 8:01 AM Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” is now 7th on the All Time Movie Box Office List, with a total gross of $365 million in just over two months. It just passed “Jurassic Park” and “Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.” (Hat tip to ChristWeb). 7:57 AM Ken Ham says there were no poodles on Noah’s Ark. 7:55 AM Dennis Prager explains why same-sex marriage is bad for children.