Governor Abbott, First Lady Address Texas National Day Of Prayer Breakfast

Governor Abbott's Prayer Breakfast Remarks:

**Gov. Abbott often deviates from prepared remarks.

The First Lady and I are honored to join you this morning. My very being here this morning is proof that prayers work. I prayed to God that my alarm clock would wake me in time to get here.

Let me begin today with Romans 8:28. In all things God works for the good of those who love Him -- who have been called according to His purpose.

That applies to my two dear friends here today -- Chuck and Gina Norris. I was with them on Saturday for a gala for their Kick Start Kids program. Chuck Norris is a world famous movie star and everyone's favorite Texas Ranger. He has over a billion fans around the world. He could take it easy. He could live a Hollywood-style, ego-filled life. Instead, Chuck and Gina have devoted their lives to improving the lives of others. Their Kick Start Kids program has helped 80,000 kids in Texas, most from middle school and from troubled circumstances. It teaches them discipline, hard work, respect and character. If all of our kids were products of these programs, there would be far fewer laws needed in Texas. Chuck and Gina are -- indeed -- showing that God uses all of us for His good.

As we gather for this Day of Prayer, it's worthwhile remembering Luke 18:1. People should always pray and not lose heart.

Have you ever noticed how prayers increase during times of great need? I have no doubt prayers will increase as we near the end of session.

In America today, we're in a time of great need. There is an urgent need to pray now more than ever -- especially the need to pray to preserve religious liberty.

Governor Bobby Jindal said it well -- America did not create religious liberty. Religious liberty created America.

That religious liberty is being tested as some try to silence the faithful and purge God from the public square. We see this with Catholic Nuns being forced to choose between a law imposed by the government or following the law of their Lord. We saw this in Houston when Pastors' sermons were subpoenaed by their own Mayor. We saw this in Kountze, Texas when the Freedom From Religion Foundation tried to stop cheerleaders from displaying Bible verses on banners. We see this in the never-ending battle to defend the unborn. And we see this in the legal assault on marriage as defined by God. But we know that God's law cannot be undone by man.

Against each of these challenges, Texans have fought to defend religious liberty through prayer and legal action.

But we need not fear these threats to our religious liberty. Because as 2 Corinthians says, "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." Our religious liberty will be safeguarded as long as we hold-fast to the Spirit of the Lord.

In fact, God has already given us the roadmap to answer our prayers about religious liberty. In Proverbs 29:2, it says, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked rule, the people will suffer." God told us long ago that we need righteous leaders. So as we pray today and every day, we should pray that God's guidance in Proverbs be fulfilled and that we be blessed with righteous leaders.

We must also recognize that sometimes our prayers are answered in ways different from what we ask. That's how I felt when I had my life-changing accident. I prayed deeply hoping and praying for the best.

I asked God for strength and God responded by giving me challenges to make me strong. It turns out that faith doesn't mean trusting God to stop the storm. It means trusting Him to strengthen us as we pass through the storm.

In hindsight, I'm thankful that God didn't grant my every request. Because He knew better than I the right path. If you'd seen all I've seen -- going through all I've gone through -- you would never again question the Lord. You would never fear the valley of the shadow of death because you knew that God was with you. You would pray with gratefulness for the connection you have with God. As Matthew reminded us, with God, all things are possible. Without Him, nothing is possible.

Let me close with words written 50 years ago by a Pastor in the small town of Electra, Texas. "This is not an easy world in which to live with honor…to keep one's heart high, do one's work well, face the rebuffs of fate and the blows of sorrow and at last fall asleep unashamed. Only through the inspiration that comes through the worship of God can one receive the power and strength needed for life's testing problems." Those words were written by Pastor A. G. Abbott -- my grandfather. They remain as true today as they did half a century ago.

Through the example of his life I know there is no force as formidable, as indomitable, as a prayer to Almighty God. So I pray that God will bless you and keep you and may God forever bless the great State of Texas.

Thank you.

Source