For those that aren’t aware, Duck Dynasty is an American reality television series that portrays the lives of the Robertson family, who became wealthy from their family-operated business.  The West Monroe, Louisiana business makes products for duck hunting and they are a Christian family whose men are known for their long beards and their religious views.   Recently the family patriarch has been under tremendous criticism because of perceived anti-gay statements made by paraphrasing Scripture.  In the January issue of GQ he said,

Everything is blurred on what’s right and what’s wrong… Sin becomes fine. Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there.  Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men. Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.

I am amazed by The Duck Dynasty media flap where so many pundits, even on Fox News (a reputably conservative network), criticized Robertson for his so called “hate speech.”  What wondrously escaped the uneducated, biblically ignorant political ruling class was Phil quoted Scripture – so the most offensive comments were not his but God’s Word.  We have lived long enough to reach a season where God’s Word is hated!  It seems some politicians and media groups want to criminalize speaking the Word of God.  Canada already has similar laws, and if America follows suit, speaking the Word could become a jailhouse offense.

How should we pray when “God-Haters” begin to occupy a seeming majority?  The early church faced the same dilemma and they agreed together upon a royal Psalm.  They joined together and prayed Psalm 2.  Acts 4:23-31 says,

And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.  So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things’ The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’ “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together  to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.  Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

May the same God who empowered the early church empower us with the same Spirit gaining the same results!