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Thursday, May 3, 2018
"Pray"
Message summary: Today is the National Day Of Prayer here in the USA.
Listen
to our
message on your
audio player."I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" (1 Timothy 2:1,2). "If my people, who are called by my Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Today is the National Day Of Prayer here in the USA. Our country is in desperate need of divine intervention! It seems practically daily a brief scanning of the news reveals this. Our local newspaper had an article yesterday about a deadly drug du jour called K2.
Prior to reading the article I had never heard of this apart from K2 being the unusual name for the second highest mountain in the world. Incredibly people will be "treated" for a K2 overdose and immediately after release from the hospital go right out and take the drug again. Some are admitted for an overdose multiple times on the same day.
Our encouragement messages go out to believers in many different countries so we try to write for the spiritual edification of all true believers regardless of where they live. We are unaware of other countries that might have official national days of prayer as we have here in America. However we genuinely believe this is a very important day here in our country where God has providentially ordained that we should live out our lives here on this earth.
Wherever you reside you should pray for your country and every point we make today will apply regardless of your location. This instruction from Paul is always appropriate, "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" (1 Timothy 2:1,2).
We have often considered the second daily verse and we both committed it to memory many years ago, probably while in Bible College. It will surely be quoted in many prayer services today. It is initially expressed as a condition and promise to Solomon during a time of great personal and national consecration as the temple was being dedicated approximately 3,000 years ago. I believe there is an element to this promise that is unique to Israel as a nation, who as a national people were called by God's Name.
The phrase "My people" in the daily verse in its initial application applied to these people and their specific land. Thus I feel there is interpretive error when we view our specific country (wherever we live) as God's land in the same sense as that spoken of in the initial promise. True believers foundationally hold heavenly citizenship (far superior to our national citizenship).
That said, I believe there is still great application in the condition and promise today. There is surely a sense that "My people" today refers to the people of God who live throughout the world.
God requires these conditions of His people:
* Humble themselves
* Pray
* Seek My face
* Turn from their wicked ways
God promises these blessings for His people:
* Then will I hear from heaven
* And will forgive their sin
* And will heal their land
As God's people we are indeed called to humble ourselves, to pray, to seek His face and to turn from our wicked ways. Wherever we may live let us who love God apply these conditions! The eternal, unchanging God is still speaking from heaven; forgiving sin, and extending His healing touch to all who look to Him. Regardless of what happens to America or the land where you live, His promise to the individual who earnestly seeks Him is always bright, good and full of hope.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father,
we ask You to be merciful to our land because You are a loving,
forgiving God. You have called on us, Your children, to be a people of
prayer, devotion, with denial of self. We pray for our land to repent of
neglect and defiance of Your holy commands. In the name of Jesus we
come against the powers of darkness that seek to engulf the light of
Your salvation that brings help, hope, and forgiveness to sin sick
souls and secures their eternal dwelling in heaven. Help us not to grow
weary in our intercession, for we want to be faithful in prayer so
that, at a future date, we will witness the harvest of souls. We pray
for Your will to be accomplished in the name of Jesus. Amen.America is in deep trouble and is in need of a revival which will include genuine repentance. Although there is an active remnant of true believers, the vast majority of our population gives little to no attention to God. Our government and court systems increasingly pass laws and policies that will surely lead to persecution for the believers, and for some that is already happening.
Our arts and entertainment industry is a cesspool of immorality. Broken marriages and troubled households abound and in recent years marriage itself has been drastically redefined from the God ordained institution established by God in Genesis 2. Violence fills the land.
Our educational system has been very successful at breaking down the moral constraints. Brooksyne and I see this brokenness first hand in our ministry to the workplace, but it's evident to anyone who turns on the news or reads a newspaper or raises a family in our society. I believe one of the greatest evidences of this escalating trouble is spiritual blindness.
Today's
Suggested Music and
Supplemental Resources
"Pray" Video Sanctus Real (This is the official song for this year)
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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