PRAYER REQUESTS FOR UNITED STATES

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NOVEMBER 3, 2024

IF A HOUSE IS DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF IT CANNOT STAND  (Mark 3:25)

Jesus said that.   And Abraham Lincoln quoted it:

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.” I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved—I do not expect the house to fall—but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, or all the other.”

Today the issue isn’t whether we will accept slavery, but what future we will pursue as a country.  A Democratic Republic based on Christian principles (e.g. the 10 commandments) or an Atheistic, socialistic, Marxist version of democracy, not unlike what they have in China or Venezuela, where there is the veneer of a democratic vote but it is really a Communist dictatorship.

On one side is a Vice President raised by a Marxist father, who has embraced a Marxist philosophy, with a voting record in the Senate further left than Bernie Sanders, who suddenly said three months ago   that she was a capitalist, and on the other hand a former President wealthy business man who says he believes in the Constitution which proclaims a democratic republic but whose behavior is a bit like a controlling CEO.   But at least he has a track record of his former administration whereby we can gauge what he might do, and with the other, all we have are plans, advisors we don’t know anything about, and a partnership  in her administration with the current President which has pursued the most far left politics of any administration in U.S. history.

And both sides are amassing teams of attorneys to dispute the election votes with lawfare (sounds like warfare) no matter how clear the election vote might be.  And they will seek to have courts determine the outcome, a function that the judicial branch of government was never intended to do by the founding fathers.

The spiritual forces of wickedness from Ephesians 6:12 must be excited that they might be able to finally snuff out this remailing candle of the proclaiming the gospel in the Western World.

But they forget “Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees.” And as the pop Christian song says, “When we fight, we fight on our knees.”.

So what should be our prayer this election weekend?

  1. That Those candidates elected and propositions passed will uphold Christian values that honor God. And, as farfetched as it may seem that if they don’t now uphold those Godly principles that they will adopt those values after elected.  In other words we pray for a National Holy Spirit revival that will move the hearts of leaders and the nation to return to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. II Chronicles 7:14
  1. That there will be clear winners, and that the nation will accept the results and move forward and not further divide the nation, or seek to slur or demolish the winning candidates, but to pray for them, and work with them for the good of the nation.  Pray that God will thwart attempts by those in power & media who want division and chaos, that they will be blocked.

You would think, this is what everyone would want a peaceful cooperative society after an election with both sides coming together.  But hard as it is to believe there are those in the body politic who have no interest in the United States, its history, its constitution, democracy, and forming a government for all the people.  They want to tear the country down and rebuild a secular, godless country and they don’t care what they have to do to get it:  lie, steal, cheat, abuse authority.  They will say what people want to hear (democracy, fair play), and when they get in power, do the opposite and pursue godless, radical, destructive agendas, by abusing their authority.

Right after Trump won the 2016 election, there was a a group of progressive legislators and financiers who had gathered in Washington, D.C. and were plotting schemes to derail everything the new President was promising to do to improve the country.  There was no thought of working together.  There wasn’t much news of it at the time but over the next few years their plans became evident as they unfolded.  There were unending attacks my media on the President.  Some university studies found there were 90% negative articles from the mainstream media against the new President.  All the late night comedians relentlessly attacked the President and rarely ever joked about the other side.  There were three disproved impeachment attempts which failed (more than any other administration).  There were constant flimsy attacks on all supreme court nominees.  The far left Democratic leadership sought to block all his initiatives and not work across the aisle.  All the complaints from conservatives side were labeled “misinformation”. The social media was co-opted and positive stories or tweets were shadow banned.  This was not just the normal flow of conversation in a democracy but a well coordinated attack spearheaded by these well financed radical progressives.

And this could happen again even the former President is reelected.  The extremists don’t believe in democracy. They have an agenda, they want total control not bipartisan politics, though they may say otherwise.  An election result not to their liking is just a roadblock to them that they must tear down to get what they want.

We need to pray God will protect us from them, expose those who only seek to destroy, and remove them and their funding from positions of power.  And that in the aftermath of this election, that no matter who wins that both sides will work together for the good of the country.  But these attacks on God’s people are nothing new.   Lying, cheating, destructive – people like this were around even in the days of the godly King David seeking to destroy the King and God’s people.  Here is just a small sample and how David and the psalmists prayed about their critics and liars, and enemies without and within and how the righteous are to pray and respond.  See if it sounds familiar today.  Maybe incorporate these prayers into your own to protect us against the secularists who would pervert God’s principles and seek to undermine God’s people.

“Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man!  With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.”  (Psalm 108:12, 13)

“Let them curse, but you will bless!  They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad!  May my accusers be clothes with dishonor; may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!”  Psalm 109:28,29

“For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.  He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.  His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.”  (Psalm 112:6-8)

“For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.  I will work before the LORD in the land of the living, I believed when I spoke: I am greatly afflicted; I said in my alarm “All mankind are liars.” (Psalm 116:8-11)

“Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free.  The LORD is on my side; I will not fear, what can man do to me.”  (Psalm 118:5, 6)

“In my distress I called to the LORD and he answered me.  Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.”  (Psalm 120:1,2)

 “My help comes from the LORD who made heaven and earth… The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.”  (Psalm 121:2,7)

 “It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever; and he rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever.”  (Psalm 136:23, 24)

“For though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.”  Psalm 138:7

“Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men who have planned to trip up my feet…As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them.” Psalm140:4, 9

 “Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers!  Let the wicked fall into their own nets while I pass by safely”  Psalm 141:9-10

 “And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul for I am your servant.”  Psalm 143:12

 “Who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.  Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and show right hand is the right hand of falsehood.”  Psalm 144:10-11

 It is no surprise when Satan is the father of lies, that those He influences to lie constantly and pervert the facts and the truth to gain a similar agenda to steal, kill, and destroy.  (John 10:10)

So what to do?  Pray those elected will uphold godly principles and not those of secular atheism.  Pray that there will be a clear winner, not endless months of lawfare, and the nation will accept the outcome.  Pray that God will thwart the plans of evil men as He did in King David’s day to attack God’s children and destroy the country.  Pray that our nation would humble itself repent of its many sins, have a Holy Spirit Revival and that the Lord, and have God forgive our sins and heal our land.  (II Chronicles 7:14)

PRAYER REQUESTS

Lord Jesus, You have been so gracious to this nation and blessed us immeasurably.  Yet we as Nehemiah said of ancient Israel have acted corruptly, against You, not kept your commandments.  Though we are not your one chosen nation like Israel, you have many people in this nation and you tell us to pray for our leaders that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness (I Tim. 2:2).  Please keep those who desire a nation that rejects your commands from office.  Please remove those in media who constantly promote godless behavior.  Please allow laws that reflect your holy commandments to prevail.  Please keep us from the evil men and attorneys and media outlets that would destroy the nation to gain their own absolute power.  Please allow a clear winner in the race this election, and a nation over the next weeks and months to accept the results, and not endless lawfare.  And even still with good leaders in power, the nation as a whole has strayed from you. External laws alone will not redeem us.  Please send your Holy Spirit to revive the hearts of all in this nation from the inside as you have done in the many great awakenings in the past that we may serve you from the heart.  In Jesus name, amen.

 

OCTOBER 6, 2024

PRAY AND VOTE!  IF YOU DON’T USE YOUR GOD GIVEN RIGHT YOU MAY LOSE IT ONE DAY.

The shocking statistic is that with all the unbiblical laws and executive actions being passed these days, that Christians don’t even vote.  In fact after all our soldiers have sacrificed to ensure our freedom, less than 50% of all US Citizens vote.  They can’t take a few minutes to cast a ballot at a local polling place.  In the Apostle Paul’s day all he could do in the face of Roman Tyranny was to pray;

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  I Timothy 2:1,2

In Paul’s day couldn’t choose who would rule Rome.  But in the United States we have the unspeakable privilege that many in the world and throughout history is to have so say in who our leader will be.

Of course, you never get a perfect choice.  Jesus isn’t on the ballot.  And so you hear excuses like this:

  • I’m too busy
  • I don’t like either candidate
  • I don’t think either candidate is a Christian
  • Both political parties are the same.
  • My one vote won’t make a difference.
  • I’m afraid my friends, relatives, and neighbors will shun me if I don’t vote the way they do.
  • God’s in control anyway. So, I’ll just pray.
  • It’s hard to know what to believe with all the misinformation on the news and from candidates.
  • The system is rigged anyway so my vote won’t be counted.
  • I don’t want to violate separation of church and state
  • I don’t want to be a “Christian Nationalist” like the Nazi’s. (the Nazi church was never Christian)
  • I don’t want to be disappointed that I have wasted my time.
  • I’ll feel depressed if my side doesn’t win.

Politicians don’t want you to vote.  The political machines ensure no change as long as they control their safe districts and demographics.   In many countries like in N. Korea, Venezuela, Russia, Red China, they will have elections to give the illusion that the people are being heard, but they carefully want to control the outcome so they always stay in power.  In Red China they have elections but less than 7% of the population has the right to vote.  And those 7% are carefully vetted to vote the right way

But in the United States we still have the right to vote.  And, that election manipulation couldn’t happen in the U.S. could it?  It could have, it has. The mass media in the US is heavily weighted one way with most networks and newspapers leaning left and giving biased reporting and opinions to influence the vote. Though the U.S. population is almost evenly divided, Republican and Democrat (50-50).  Most in the media (90-95%) are Democrat and that bias shows through in all their “reporting”.   Foreign countries like Russia and China and Iran seek to use false information on social media, like TikTok to affect the vote.   There have been studies that Google manipulates search results to give those searching to only find information that Google wants you to find.  And in the last election it may have decided the vote.

And then there is direct of election interference: phony ballot harvesting, last minute changes on voting rules by state administrations that are illegal, non-citizens voting, possible interference in transmission of voting results by foreign powers, possible rigged voting machines.  There are large cries from the voting machine companies that their results are secure.  And, they threaten multimillion dollar lawsuits against anyone who questions them.   Yet, university study after university study by computer experts has shown that it is very possible to rig voting machines, and these are largely ignored.   Has it happened?  We’ll never know because there hasn’t been any certified independent investigation.  But it has happened with voting machines in third world countries.

However it is estimated that even with all this possible rigging, if all evangelical Christians turned out in force to vote their conscience for the values they believed in, that the vote would overwhelmingly go in their favor.  But for some reasons Christians don’t vote.    Is that a sin. It might be.  The Bible tells us to fight against injustice and under the list of injustices mentioned in https://prayforunitedstates.com/the-national-problem/ on this site, there are many which Christians should be praying and voting against.

It has been said that a people gets the government they deserve.  And if we don’t even bother to vote, and encourage our Christian friends and neighbors to vote, then we don’t get the government we need, we get a defective government that deserve for our slackness.  And our options in the future will be like the Apostle Paul against Roman tyranny.  We can only pray for God’s hand against injustice, but we no longer have a chance to do anything about it.

So who do I choose if I don’t like either candidate.  You vote for the candidate that mostly closely has demonstrated to support the values you believe in and vote against the values you oppose.  Look at the values that one side supports.  Only one party in this upcoming election:

  • Has pressured social media to shut down freedom of speech and religious speech
  • Has used the law and policing powers to prosecute political opponents
  • Has denied only two genders & has allowed men in women’s restrooms and sports
  • Has taken away parental rights from parents of even elementary school children
  • Has supported abortion for any reasons, anytime
  • Has refused to enforce their duties of required border and other laws they disagree with.
  • Has created unlegislated regulations to hamstring business and personal freedoms
  • Has allowed drug cartels to have free access over borders with human and drug trafficking
  • Has allowed crime to skyrocket in large cities, and sought to undercut the local police.
  • Has control over 90% of all media to spread misinformation
  • Has an underlying atheistic, communist agenda they don’t admit to publicly
  • Has an agenda to undermine The God-given nuclear family to gain political control
  • Has allowed the current world situation to deteriorate to the edge of WWIII.
  • Has demonstrated complete incompetence in executive duties (Afghan withdrawal, Helene)

Both sides have added trillions of dollars to our National debt.

And to be sure the other side has a leader who is rude, and abrasive and acted in unChristian ways at times.  He is claimed to have started a revolt to overthrow the government on January 6, 2021.  However, he requested 10,000 National guard to maintain the peace on Jan. 6 but was refused by the House Speaker and the Washington D.C. Mayor, the very ones who claim he’s the one who wanted an insurrection.  And he told protestors to protest peacefully, though a number did not.  And when Jan 22, 2021 arrived, he left office peaceably.  This is hardly anything like what started the Civil Way 150 years ago, although the “gaslighting” media claims it was.

There is so much “gaslighting” on both sides, it is hard to know who to believe, but each side has a four year track record.  Compare the two.   Under which were Christians and Christian values better off?  And as the Bible says, if you lack wisdom, pray and God will give it.   (James 1:5)

But whatever you do, don’t avoid voting.  That option is not open to you.  It’s better to make an honest mistake than not to vote.  It is your God given duty and to encourage other Christian citizens to do the same.  And God will hold you accountable

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Jesus, We have seen our religious freedoms and rights erode away over the last four years, and many things that go contrary to what we believe.  Lord, please protect us from enemies foreign and domestic, even from those within our government.  And please give us wisdom and motivate ourselves and all Christians to vote.  Please allow us as Paul has said that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  Please give us a government that allows us to pursue the Bible commands to pursue justice and oppose political power plays. And we know that even if we elect a side that supports our values, that if the nation itself is still in rebellion in their hearts, and the root issue is not solved.  So, we pray for a national Holy Spirit revival like You have done in the past to cause our people to repent of their sins and seek your face, and may we have the blessings that you have showered upon this country in the past.  (II Chronicles 7:14)   In Jesus name, Amen.”

 

JULY 28, 2024

 THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION IN OUR LIFETIME

Voting in some states starts in little over a month.  Many of us cannot believe how our nation has changed with extreme views creeping into the mainstream.

– Men in women’s bathrooms and competing in women’s sports

– Drag queen story hour for children in elementary school, sexualization of children.

– little or no enforcement of our borders or our nations laws, promoting lawlessness.

– 75 year old Christian woman put in jail for singing a hymn outside an abortion clinic.

– Abandonment of Israel – of whom God says “I will curse those who curse you”

– Protestors hating the US, desecrating the flag, and calling for abolition of the U.S.

– The FBI investigating parents who complain about secular policies at school board meetings

– Teachers criminalized if they even tell parents their children are thinking of changing their gender.

– major news outlets completely hiding or rewriting the truth for political power reasons

– abortion even up to the very moment of birth.

Many have said another four years with those pushing secular policies could eventually turn the tide in the United States and the nearly post Christian nation of the U.S. could permanently turn the United States post Christian.

Now no candidate is perfect, or do they even always behaves like Christians.  But some candidates espouse more Christian values than others.  If you don’t like the candidate, vote for the values they predominantly espouse.  And pray for the nation that we all would do the same.  The Woke movement seeks to do away with Christian values and replace them with primarily secular, atheistic, values like the ones above.

Communist nations have been attempting to undermine American’s morals and strength from even before 1963 when US representative Herlong wrote that these are the goals of the Communist Party to pervert America.  He read them in as a record to the Florida House of Representatives.   Here are a few of them.  See how many they have already accomplished over the last 60 years.

– Develop the illusion that total disarmament by the US. Would demonstrate moral strength

– Permit free trade regardless of Communist nations whether items could be used for war

– Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

– Demand the U.N. be set up as a one world government with it’s own armed forces

– Do away with all loyalty oaths

– Capture both political parties of the U.S.

– Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions, saying they violate civil rights.

– Get control of the schools to transmit socialism and communist propaganda. Control teachers associations.

– Gain control of all student newspapers

– Use student riots to foment public protests against Communist organization under attack

– Infiltrate the press, control book reviews, editorial writing, policymaking

– Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures

– Discredit American culture, degrade all forms of artistic expression

– Control art critics, art museum directors.  Promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art

– Eliminate laws governing obscenity, and call it censorship and violation of free speech

– Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography in books, magazine, radio, TV, movies.

– Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as normal, natural, and healthy

– Infiltrate churches, replace revealed religion with “social” religion, discredit the Bible as a religious crutch.

– Eliminate prayer or any religious expression in schools as violation of separation of church and state

– Discredit the American constitution calling it inadequate, old-fashion, not in step with modern nations

– Discredit the founding fathers as selfish aristocrats with no concern for the common man.

– Belittle all forms of American culture and history, emphasize Russian communist History

– Support socialist movements giving centralized control to culture, education, social, welfare, mental programs

– Discredit and dismantle the FBI

– Gain control of Unions

– Infiltrate Big Business

– Transfer power from the police to social agencies and crime as merely psychiatric disorders

– Dominate psychiatric profession – use mental heath to gain control over those opposing communism

– Discredit the family as an institution – encourage promiscuity and divorce

– Raise children away form the negative influence of parents

– Create the impression violence and insurrection are legitimate American tradition

– Internationalize the Panama Canal

– Allow for a  World Court to over see the U.S.

https://cdn.subsplash.com/documents/W8FD27/_source/5b8c9068-5344-4a33-b77a-31d54f98a52e/document.pdf

Communism and Socialism, are based on atheism and worship of the state and not God, which means you are supporting utilitarian atheistic, humanism, where mankind or government leaders are now our God.  To set the state up as God they have to eliminate The Bible and Christianity by chipping away at Christian morals and eliminating Christianity, so they can start from scratch and the progressive laws can replace them.  One presidential candidate buys into all of these immoral laws, and the other candidate stands against most of them.  The same applies to senate candidates and state representatives.  So whom should you choose?

And look at all the other goals they almost already have gained.  We may be one election away from the point of no return.  Tearing down the family, taking away parental rights over children, control of schools and colleges, prohibiting prayer in schools, infiltrating churches, replacing Jesus Gospel with a government social gospel, promoting homosexuality and obscenity and pornography, censoring all views communism disagrees with.  And the biggest social media outlet is Tic Tok, a Chinese corporation that reports directly to the Chinese Communist government and collects data on all who use it.

The forces against the Christian faith are strong, but not as strong as our Lord Jesus.

 If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

Remember the old saying:

Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees. 

 This election season pray, pray, pray.  Tell your friends to pray.  Pray without ceasing.  Perhaps God will be gracious to the compromising nation and bring us back to himself, like He did to ancient Israel and many times in the past centuries through the great Holy Spirit revivals.   And vote, and tell your friends to vote for truth, for morality, for God’s forgiveness and to restore this nation to righteousness.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, please forgive us for straying from you as a nation.  For not speaking out against sin and against those who would keep us from unrighteousness.   Please let repentance start with us for not living as we should and as Christians for not speaking up about the gospel for you.  Please convict those in politics, the media, law, business, education, and religion of their acceptance of an atheistic communist philosophy that leaves no room for you and your Word.  Bring the to repent to you and change their ways.   If not please remove them from office and replace them with men and women who honor your Word and love You and promote your values so you can bless this nation.  Please bring a Holy Spirit revival to sweep across this nation and bring many back to you as you have many times in the past.   We pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

 

 

MAY 9, 2024

TO TELL THE TRUTH

There was an old TV show called “To Tell the Truth”.  Two people were not telling the truth about who they were, and one person told the truth.  The contestants had to figure out who was telling the truth.  It feels that’s what is happening in our elections today.   There’s an old joke, “How can you tell when a politician is lying?…  When his lips are moving.”  We know that politicians lie a lot.  And so do the media who reports on them.  OR the term used today is “misinform.”  But in today’s age it seems they actually do lie almost all the time.   They even seem to lie when they don’t need to.  It is like some greater spiritual source is compelling them.  Ephesians 6:12

And the danger is that we as voters are too sluggish to test what they say.   We are too dazzled by what they promise us.  Their political machines are too powerful using peer and family pressure and our past voting habits to get us to vote against our own, our country’s, and God’s best interests.  And unfortunately, as the Paul Simon song says, “A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.

God commands us to advance his Kingdom of truth, and “shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.” Philippians 2:15,16.  And to do that we need to pray that God will raise up honest politicians who will stand for the values the Bible commands.  Then we need to pray for the honest ones, support them with donations, campaigning for them, and voting for them.

The Bible warns us against leaders who lie and how it will destroy us and our country.

If a ruler pays attention to falsehood, All his ministers become wicked.  Proverbs 29:12

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who]substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who]substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  Isaiah 5:20

A false witness will not go unpunished, And one who declares lies will not escape.  Proverbs 19:5

Scoundrels, villains, are they who deal in crooked talk…. Therefore their doom comes suddenly; in an instant they are crushed beyond cure.  Proverbs 6:12, 15

A truthful witness saves lives, But one who declares lies is deceitful.  Proverbs 14:25

We are so fortunate that we live in a county where we can elect our leaders.  The Christians in the Roman Empire, and in fact is most countries throughout history didn’t have that option.  And even in many countries that pretend to have democracy, like Russia and China, they only have sham elections.  Only 6% of the Red Chinese are allowed to vote.  Only 1,500 in Hong Kong a city of millions are allowed to vote.   And when we casually just sit back during election season and don’t pray and campaign for what we believe, we will lose this privilege.  And meanwhile the secularists, will donate, campaign, and cheat for what they believe and force their misinformation and secular and anti-Christian  rules upon us.

They have an advantage that they can tell brazen faced lies, and cheat at the voting booth.  The Bible says of their ultimate leader, Lucifer

You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.  John 8:44

So why should we be surprised they lie constantly.  And rationalize and make evil sound good.  E.g. “Gender affirming care” when they get preteens to pretend to change their sex and get non-reversible operations that mutilate their bodies.

When Satan lies he doesn’t tell us it is a lie.  We can only know that something is a lie when it contradicts the teaching of the Bible.  Sometimes Satan even combines the lie with a bit of truth, a half lie.  But it’s still a lie.  Or Satan makes us feel guilty by saying that we shouldn’t try to force Christian morals on the general population.  At they same time they are trying to force their degenerate amorality  on the general population.   Without abortion They say you are taking away an adult woman’s. “reproductive right”.  Abortion would be  better described as taking away the preborn’s right to life, because it inconveniences us.   Or being concerned about the preborn’s right to life limits us from having a sexually impure lifestyle so we don’t have to worry about an unwanted pregnancy”.  They never talk about the rights of the defenseless preborn female in the womb, just the grown woman who has the right to vote.  A society is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable and unable to defend themselves.  And one day God will judge our nation.

Evaluate politician’s positions by what the Bible says, not by twisted words they use to rationalize their position.   When in doubt, pray for God’s guidance, or ask a mature, truly committed Christian for advice.  We are in a spiritual battle for the soul of our nation.  Ironically, those who want a secular nation, say the same thing, but soul they want is a perverted one.  They know how to use good sounding words to support despicable lies and positions.   Look at how Satan tried to use his lies and rationalizations to even tempt Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11)

We need to pray that the lies of politicians this election year don’t fool us, but also that they don’t fool the general public, both Christians and unbelievers.  We need to pray that God opens the eyes of our nation to see the truth and elect righteous men and women to lead us.  May God give us wisdom and protect us from evil leaders who could destroy our religious freedoms.  The goal of Satan has always been to enslave us to follow His tyrannical rule.  But we have a response to that:  prayer.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and [h]without reproach, and it will be given to him.   James 1:5

First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made in behalf of all people, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  I Timothy 2:1-4

But what if the only choice we have is between two candidates whose personal lives are not righteous?  Then we must choose the one whose values by which he/she will rule are mostly closely align with the moral positions that God would approve.  Do their positions support evil or seek to lessen it.

Do they support abortion?

Do they support censoring Christians who share the Gospel, peacefully disagree with immoral policies?

Do they use they teach children gender confusion, hate, racism?

Do they oppose the nuclear family strip parents of their parenting roles?

Do they not enforce the laws of the nation to get votes?

Do they constantly lie to rationalize their failed policies?

Do they promote communist and socialist atheism?

Do they spend money recklessly and lead our country into unsustainable debt, runaway inflation?

Do they not stop the flow of mind altering drugs and the cartels that promote them?

Do the judges and attorney generals use the law to harass political opponents?

When God made Solomon King, Solomon asked for discernment in judging.   Today Americans need discernment in choosing our leaders more than ever before.  The ability to mislead voters has increased by cleverly worded campaign commercials, and a barrage of social media now aided by artificial intelligence which preys on voter’s vulnerabilities.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Jesus, please give us wisdom to know who will best rule our country for the next few years.  Please give us wisdom to discern who is telling the truth and who is just giving us a sales pitch to get in office that they have no intention to follow through on.  Please open the eyes of all voters to be able to discern between truth and error.  And may the lies be called out publicly and those who tell them politicians or media be put to shame.  When ancient Israel had a bad ruler it plunged the country into chaos and God’s judgment upon it.  Please give us good, moral, honest mayors, governors, D.A.’s, administrations, congressmen, senators, and a President.  Be merciful to this country that you have used for many decades to evangelize the world.  How will your Word go out if we have rulers who censor us limit us from practicing our faith?  We pray I Timothy 2:1-4 for all in authority over us and especially during this season when we choose them.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

 

FEBRUARY 25, 2024

LAWFARE –LAW AS A WEAPON – IS THE RULE OF LAW DEAD?

Lawfare, sounds like warfare.   Surprisingly even in dictatorships, dictators don’t want to take the personal responsibility for imprisonments and executions, they would rather claim they were just following “the law” (Their perversion of true justice).  They don’t want to take the blame themselves, so they blame it on “the law” so they can pretend to righteous.  And increasingly even in Western countries where we claim we abide by the “rule of law” and no one is above the law, attorneys have found ways to twist the law to their own ends; and if judges, politicians, and law enforcement have found they can decide not to enforce laws they disagree with politically, who is left to enforce them?  Homeland security chiefs can decide not to enforce the border or their oath of office.  And media has found it can convict try people in the press that they disagree with to such an extent that courts can’t function independently.

And then there are rich or powerful people who can buy their way out of crimes, or imprison or sue into bankruptcy those who oppose them.  It’s the best justice money can buy.   And then there are enforcement officers who have to take illegal instructions from their bosses or they will be fired.  And other agencies who find it a lot easier to give criminal investigations a rush to judgment just to clear the books even if it means innocent people are punished.   And as a result more and more people are not willing to rely on lady justice to be blind and keep balanced scales.  And once public trust in the law is gone, you have anarchy, or military dictatorship like Russia, China, North Korea, Venezuela and the like.  Is that what we are heading toward in the U.S.?

We grew up with a trust that the law would be executed fairly and impartially.   But the longer one lives we see case after case of unfair trials where people are “let go” on a technicality or convicted on a technicality.  Is it “legal”? Yes (according to a perverted view of the law).  Is it moral?  “No”.  Attorneys have figured out how to game the system, stack juries, find technicalities.  Instead of looking for crimes to prosecute, they look for people to prosecute and find some barely tangential crime to go after them with, like dictatorships do.  A book came out in 2011 called “Three Felonies a Day:  How the Feds target the Innocent” by Harvey Silvergate and Alan M. Dershowitz that show how prosecutors can attach out of context federal crimes on any one of us, even for the most seemingly innocuous behavior.  And since the law can be very complicated, the average person cannot investigate the all details, and prosecutors and judges can force a conviction or exoneration through without public protest.

In Venezuela, the president eliminated his main opponent in an upcoming election by a stroke of the pen, barring him from the ballot.  In Russia, Putin came up with a phony law to eliminate his political opponent, and to be sure his followers would not continue to protest, sent him to a remote prison in Siberia.  Then the opponent, a healthy 47 year old man mysteriously died while taking a walk in the prison yard before the election happened.

But that can’t happen in the U.S. you say.   Take a recent example, Donald Trump.  Whether you like or hate him, or don’t want him to be near the presidency, hopefully all would agree that he should not be prosecuted for crimes that don’t apply.  And suddenly right before an election four major lawsuits backed by big money, led by hell-bent prosecutors and judges are seeking to throw him in jail to stop his presidential bid.  Why wasn’t this done years ago when the crimes were supposedly done?  Would they have done this if he weren’t running for President?  And If so, why did they wait till right before the election cycle to bring the lawsuits.  And the laws being used to prosecute him were written for entirely different contexts than what he is being charged for.    Even 91 counts of indictments mean nothing if not one of them is valid.  Many times prosecutors overload charges to give the impression that someone is guilty when they aren’t.  And there is a saying in the law “that you can even indict a ham sandwich” (as some lawyers don’t like ham).  Though an indictment is not the same as a conviction, if a biased media doesn’t like the person they the indictment as proof of guilt.  Usually if a court venue is very biased against a defendant the venue is moved.  But Trump is being tried in Washington D.C. where 95% or people voted against him the last election.

But prosecutors today have big government and political power behind them. Perhaps he is guilty of some of the things he is charged with, but that cannot be determined till all the trials and appeals are played out.  A citizen is presumed innocent till proven guilty in a court of law.  But that’s not the way the mass media sees it.  To them he is convicted already.

So what does that mean to you and me?  Maybe you don’t like Trump.  Fine, lock him up.   The problem is, if he can be railroaded through the justice system and falsely convicted, so can you and me, who don’t have the financial resources and power he has to fight the system.  The law is the thing that should rule the country and not biased prosecutors, judges, and enforcement agencies (e.g. CIA, FBI), because then we are not far from a dictatorship.  What makes American unique among many countries in the world is that the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the rule of law is what protects the average citizen who doesn’t have the money or position to stop the powerful players from attacking them or covering for their own misdeeds.  When the “law” merely becomes a political football that can be manipulated to the will of the powerful, then we are on the road to serfdom again and the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are just quaint old pieces of paper in a museum.

Right now a court in Colorado, and also the Secretary of State in Maine unilaterally struck Trump from the Maine ballot without authority with no crime that has never been adjudicated against him.   This also recalls Barrack Obama, early in his career, he didn’t have the popular support to be elected in his run for congress in Illinois, so he found technicalities where he could have his opponents taken off the ballot and so he won by default.  It almost looks like that is what is being attempted opponents of Trump today.  Lawfare, not democracy or the rule of law is deciding elections, not the people.

This is not unlike ancient Israel which had the Law of Moses over any king or priest in Israel.  BUT the Pharisees and Sadducees had added tradition and rules and regulations beyond the law of Moses that Jesus said they had perverted it to their own will.  Jesus said, to them “Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” (Mark 7:8)  And these were the final judges and jury of Jesus’ day.  He couldn’t heal on the Sabbath, because their tradition disallowed it.  God’s law allowed healing on the Sabbath, didn’t but their “law” didn’t.  Jesus was later sentenced to death on false charges because the chief priest perverted the “law”.

Again, all this is not to say that Trump is the best candidate, or even should be elected, but the law should not be weaponized against him or any individual.  And, in this his case they don’t just want to take him off the ballot, but imprison him for life. But you say, it won’t happen to me.  Or will it?  During Covid pastors were threatened with jail if they continued to meet to worship because new interpretations of laws.  Many states now are passing laws to disallow pastors from counseling individuals against a homosexual lifestyle and if the pastors refuse, they are threatened with jail.  Parents are threatened with crimes if they stop their children from seeking to change their sex or complain about school curriculum.  Teachers are threatened with losing their job if they tell parents of their children’s intentions to change sex.  When the law is weaponized, no one is safe.

On the other hand District Attorneys, and Judges, and politicians refuse to punish some criminal because of their politics.   A few days ago several immigrants who were in the United States illegally brutally beat up two New York policemen and it was recorded on surveillance camera, and the judge just let them walk out of court with no bail required and they were supposed to return to the court for their hearing later.  On the way out of court one raised his middle finger to the news cameras.  They have no respect for the law and will likely never return for their hearing.  They were let go because the District Attorney’s and judge’s views on bail and laws on illegal immigration, and so they refused to execute the law as they were required to by their oath of office.

But what can an average layman do?  The Bible tells us to “to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.”  (Micah 6:8).  We are to seek justice in spite of what the world around us is doing.  And “greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”  (I John 4:4).  One of us plus Jesus is a majority.  Don’t underestimate the power of prayer.   We may not see answers immediately, but the wheels of God’s justice may churn slow but they churn fine (they don’t miss anything).

The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.  James 5:16-18

So use your privilege to call on God to execute justice, to exonerate the innocent, and punish the unjust.  There is a movie on Netflix called “American Nightmare” about a couple who was falsely accused of instigating a hoax against law enforcement and the media where they claimed the woman was kidnapped.  But eventually they were proved to be truthful and the law and the media were refuted.   Justice was done.  But the law enforcement and media were never punished for violating the law.

On the other hand, This website personally knows of someone who is innocent, who was railroaded through the system, but has been in prison for over ten years.  DNA was not tested, surveillance footage was not pulled.  His incompetent attorney was later disbarred.  But his appeals were denied.  Pray that he gets his proper day in court.  We need to pray for justice and removal of powerful people who are abusing their position Not only with regard to Trump, but all weaponization of the law in this country and an end to lawfare.  And we need to pray that DA’s and judges follow their oath of office to keep the public safe and not let those who are clearly guilty walk away just because of the officials politics.  Otherwise there is no rule of law, just a rule of lawyers and politicians who practice Lawfare, against the innocent, and against their political opponents.  And if these officials refuse to follow the law and their their oath of office that they be voted out or removed from office.

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!  For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.   Psalm 37:1

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, please oppose the powerful and the corrupt from using one of your greatest gifts to mankind, the law, from being used as a weapon to go after innocent people who the powerful oppose, and who let go the guilty because it suits their politics.  Lord please punish those who would pervert the law and thus blaspheme your name, and remove them from offices of power.   Protect the innocent, and even for those who may not be innocent, please allow them to have a fair trial according to a proper process of the law.  And again, please bring a Holy Spirit revival to this nation, and cause all people to walk according to the dictates of your eternal law and not merely the statutes or traditions of man. In Jesus name, amen.”

JANUARY 1, 2024

ELECTIONS MATTER

Three years ago Joe Biden was elected as a moderate Democrat but with a hard left cabinet has governed to the hard left, making major changes in our country:  turning the United States from an energy independent country into an energy dependent country, adding massive spending resulting in significant inflation that has hurt the working men and women, many of who voted for him, opening the border to millions of illegal immigrants overwhelming our cities and social services and allowing in many on terrorist watch lists in our country, stifling freedom of speech by having the FBI coordinate with social media platforms to censor free speech, using the FBI to harass parents who object to school boards that foist sexualized content on their children, undermining freedom of religion by using government agencies to sue Christian colleges and try to put them out of business or conform to secular mandates, using the justice department to bring lawsuits again political opponents but to not go after real criminals and hence bringing a huge spike in national crimes, ballooning the federal debt to almost $34 Trillion over a National GDP of $27 Trillion 125% debt to GDP).

However, perhaps the most devastating thing this administration has done is to undermine free elections.  The U.S. has had those who sought to undermine free and fair elections in years past in the deep South when certain ethnic races were denied the right to vote or had many obstacles put in their way.  So, no matter which candidate you support, we all should support free and fair elections.  And when district and federal attorneys and abuse their positions to weaponize the law to eliminate potential candidates that they fear could beat them, we have moved from a democratic republic to a to a fascist controlled government like Russia or China, where elections are controlled so the outcome is predetermined.  In Russia, Putin’s chief election opponent is in jail in a far distant part of the country.

As our country has moved to a post-Christian morality, those in power see no obligation to follow the law to win elections. The ends justify the means.   They take statutes out of the context in which they were written to attack political opponents.  And in some cases like the recent Colorado Supreme Court decision and the Maine Secretary of State decision to strike people off the ballot, they just distort the law, exceed the authority of their office, rationalize some false premise, and know it would be hard to stop them.  Other lawsuits or administrative orders are seeking to do the same thing.

In the next few months, these abuses of power, possibly from both sides will become even worse, as control of power is a strong motivation. As individual citizens, there is not much we can do to stop these abuses… or is there….

We can pray.   God is still in control.

For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.  But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.   Psalm 75:6-7

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  James 5:17

As believers we need to pray more than ever.  Pray for God to remove those in authority who are abusing that authority not only in administering laws but also those who are seeking to undermine free elections and replace them with Godly men and women who will administer free and fair elections. We need to pray that God will protect and free and fair election process.

We need to pray that believers will go to the polls to vote in force for the best men and women for the job, those with a sound Judeo-Christian morality.  We need to pray that those putting out misinformation and disinformation would be exposed.   And we need to pray for a spirit of wisdom to fall upon all who vote to see the deceptions being promoted and vote for the best most moral candidate for each position.

And so as crucial primaries are coming up this Winter and Spring. We need to pray for these primary races that the best candidates win.  Not just presidential, senate, and congressional elections, but state races, local races, school board elections.   Iowa January 15; New Hampshire January 23, Nevada and Virgin Islands Feb. 6 and 8,  South Carolina February 24, Michigan Feb 27, Super Tuesday March 5 : Main, Alabama, Arkansas, N. Carolina, Alaska, American Samoa, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, California, Iowa (Dem)

Do not fear the forces trying to destroy this country or those that want to cancel our rights as Christians.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.  I John 4:4

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, our nation, our states, and our cities are in your hands.   In these upcoming elections we pray that you would replace those who pursue a secular ungodly agenda with Godly men and women who will rule our nation with truth and righteousness.   We particularly pray for these upcoming dates (Jan. 15 & 23, Feb 6, 8, 24, 27 and March 5 – for Presidential and other primaries, and future primaries throughout the next year that your Spirit would move upon those who vote to give us the best leaders. May your Spirit also move upon our nation and give us free and fair elections, and remove all those who would seek to manipulate our elections in the government and the media.  Lord we pray for Christians to vote in force, and a majority of Godly men and Women to be elected in all levels of government.  We pray for the rest of the voters that your Spirit would move them to vote for the best candidates for our country.  And we pray that you restrain misinformation and disinformation by those who would seek to manipulate the elections.   We pray for those in government for you tell us to pray “ For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” (I Tim. 2:2)  And last we pray for a national Holy Spirit revival that those who have voted for these secular leaders who are undermining our country would have their hearts changed to instead vote for those who would bring back a Biblical morality to the united States.  In Jesus name Amen.”

 

DECEMBER 10, 2023

FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN, A SON IS GIVEN, … AND HE WILL BE CALLED… PRINCE OF PEACE

If there was ever a time where we needed peace in this war-torn world it is now.  A war in Israel, a war in Ukraine, a brewing war in the pacific with China and its neighbors, hundreds of smaller national skirmishes, hundreds of thousands of hate-filled demonstrators in the streets and on college campuses, divisions between political parties and co-workers, crime rising and law enforcement falling, families further apart than they have ever been.  In some ways things haven’t changed much from 2000 years ago when the Prince of Peace was born into this fallen world of people who had rebelled against their Creator.

Everyone thinks it is because of the wrong political system, when every political system has had part in this never ending bloodbath.  War in the world won’t stop till we settle the war that is raging in our own hearts.  That’s where war really starts.   King David said it best as he prayed to God:

Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, & in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.  Psalm 51:6-13

Only when there is peace in our hearts will there be peace in the world The Prince of Peace has come at this time of year to bring that peace if we only let Him and if we only share his peace with others.

 “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent?  Romans 10:13-15

So what are we to do.

Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:37

We must pray.  That is what this website is all about.  Our puny human efforts cannot overcome the domain of darkness and the billions of those who oppose the Prince of Peace and the message He brings.  First we must pray for His saving message to go forth and bring a Holy Spirit revival not only to the United States but worldwide, and to the European nations that have become post-Christian, to the Emerging African, South American, an Asian nations that don’t know Jesus and are caught up into all sorts of alternate religions, and to the Islamic nations that have been deceived by a message of a fallen angel to Mohammed which will never bring eternal life.

The entrenched spiritual opposition of the evil one is far to strong for us to overcome in our own flesh.  But though prayer many times in world history have things turned around as thousands of Christians joined in prevailing prayer for God’s Holy Spirit to bring revival.  See

https://prayforunitedstates.com/history-of-revivals-god-answering-prayer-for-nations-coming-soon/

And last, we need to be willing to fulfill our prayer as God calls us.  Immediately after Jesus told the disciples to pray for workers to go out to harvest souls, Jesus sent his own disciples out to spread the word of the Kingdom of God.

Commit this Christian season to pray every day for

  • More prayer warriors to pray for God’s peace
  • You praying each day for the lost worldwide and for a Holy Spirit revival
  • You and your church sharing the gospel regularly this season

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, you know this website is all about raising up an army of Christians to pray for worldwide revival and bringing people to Jesus, so that all these world problems we pray for could be solved.  So we pray earnestly that you raise up millions, even billions of prayer warriors for a Holy Spirit revival and your Kingdom.  And so we also pray for all these problems individually as well, for the domain of darkness to be bound, and for godly men and women to be raised to positions of authority so proper administration of governments could proceed, and for destructive, anti-Christian men and women be removed from positions of power.  Lord in this glorious season where you the Prince of Peace came to earth, we pray that you would show mercy to this fallen world, soften men and women’s hearts, bring families together, bring former friendships together, bring cities together, bring nations together, and remove those people and leaders who cause war.  We pray for this coming year, that a new spirit of peace could blanket the globe and for godly men and women to be elected and raised up to positions of power, and for mighty godly preachers and evangelists be raised up to strengthen the church to do its duty for you so that “the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14  Amen.”

NOVEMBER 5, 2023

SO MUCH HATE – UNIVERSITIES INDOCTRINATING NOT EDUCATING

The Streets of the nation and the world have been filled with “protestors” calling for the Israel to be wiped off the map and Jewish people to be attacked everywhere.  Where did all these hate-filled people come from.   Weren’t the Nazis who perpetrated the Holocaust, the Klu Klux Klan who attacked Jewish people, and the White Supremacists no longer a large vocal part of our society.

Apparently these protestors are a new breed of “Nazis”, “KKK”, and “ethnic haters” that has arisen and  that is more acceptable to the public sentiment to express their hatred not only of Jewish People but Christians as well.  It is the radical extremism of some parts of Islam and radical secularism that has gained a foothold in our universities and public schools under the guise of support for Palestine, but really support for Hamas, a bloodthirsty terrorist group, or support for a radical secularism that accepts no absolutes.

University Professors, public school educators with extreme radical, hateful views have been indoctrinating an entire generation of young people with lies, misinformation, and hatred toward the Jewish people, and by extension, Christians as well and essentially condoning terrorism.   But should this should not surprise us that Satan would go after the educational system to promote his lies or that He would find terrorism acceptable.  From the time God chose Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (also named Israel), and eventually Moses as his representative for a nation to proclaim His name to the world, Satan’s job one was to destroy the nation of Israel and undermine God’s plan for the ages.

A university PhD or professorship, maybe a rubber stamp credential for someone to teach in universities or public schools, but it is no indication of Godly wisdom.  One only has to look at very “smart” people who throughout history have rejected God, and consequently rejected God’s chosen nation, Israel and have perished.  But these professors have a tremendous amount of power in shaping the next generation.  And the result is what we have seen on the streets calling for the elimination of Israel and the Jewish People.

But do not be fooled.  As loud as they shout, they are not in control.

Why are the nations in an uproar, And the peoples devising a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. 5 Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying, 6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”  Psalm 2:1-6)

For thus says the Lord of hosts, “After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye. 9 For behold, I will wave My hand over them so that they will be plunder for their slaves. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me.  (Zechariah 2:8-9)

We must not fear these haters but pity them for God in heaven will punish them and punish them severely for they have touched Israel, the “apple of His eye”, and they will pay the price. And they have rejected the anointed one, Jesus Christ, who is the culmination of the Jewish and Christian faith.  Even though these instigators, teachers, and protestors, are Israel’s enemy, enemies of Christians, and by extension enemies of the United States as Hamas and others want the death of the United States also, as Christians we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.  And so, we need first to pray that God would touch their hearts and turn them from their hated and perverted sense of truth and justice and bring them to a place of eternal salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.

But if they refuse God’s grace, we need to pray that God removes all these hateful professors and teachers from our universities and schools, saving some by the gospel and removing others and replacing them with Godly mature men and women who will teach truth from the Bible and train our next generation in the truth and not lies, or half-logic.  We also need to pray for an educational system that has come off the rails espousing all sorts of other ungodly agendas as well:  rejecting God as Creator, elevating science and central government to the level of a religion, rejecting gender distinctions where man was created male and female in the image of God, promoting all sorts of sexual perversion and sexualization of young children, teaching racial and ethnic hatred, undermining the authority of parents over their children, and other demonic agendas.

Early in the United States history people immigrated here to have religious freedom and the first thing they did was set up schools and universities to train young men and women in truth based on the Bible.  All the early Ivy League Schools were founded by Christians who wanted to train up godly men and women to lead our nation.  Sadly over the decades and centuries, Satan has infiltrated compromisers and you get what you have today, and educational system that hates the Bible.  There are still some very fine Christian colleges and universities that remain, but even they are under constant attack to conform to the doctrines of this wicked and perverse age.

We need to not only pray for removal of bad teachers and installation of godly ones, but a total reformation of the school and university system.  Instead of defunding the police, perhaps we should defund the universities.  Much of our tax payer money goes to promote these hateful university and public school faculties and administrations.  If they are failing our students and nation they should no longer get government funding.  Or perhaps universities should abolish “tenure” which allows a radical professor who survives two years at a university to gain permanent employment with no threat of ever being removed.  Presumably this was begun to allow professors to have freedom to explore many different views, but over the years it has become a way to discriminate against Jewish and Christian professors, and permanently enthrone those who hate people of faith in charge.  Or perhaps new rules for the election of college board of directors and Presidents needs to be passed.  Right now politically agenda driven Presidents retain their power by only allowing only like minded people to be nominated to the board of directors of universities.

The future of our nation depends on those who are filling our students minds with either truth or error. We need to pray for a national revival to change this bankrupt system.  But there is hope.  In the early 1800s the university system had fallen so far that not one student at Yale professed to be a Christian.  Soon after a national Holy Spirit revival turned Yale and many other colleges around.  Of course since then the schools have relapsed.  We need a new movement of God’s Spirit on our nation, or the tribulation and a return of Jesus Christ where He finally judges evil men for their actions.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, you know our requests before we even ask them.  You see the evil that has permeated our school systems and even parts of our congress where they are not longer restrained in calling for terrorism against your Israel or Christians who support them.  You tell us not to avenge ourselves but to give way to your wrath for you say “Vengeance is mine, says the Lord”.   When you discipline many who reject Israel in the Prophets you say, “That they will know I am God.”  We pray that you will discipline the hateful protestors, teachers, professors, administrators, congress members who call for the elimination of your people, Israel, and the Jewish People, that they may know You are God.”  We pray for a Holy Spirit revival and sweeping change across all our university and public school system that those who oppose Israel, Christians, and the United States may first have God touch their hearts and bring them to salvation.  But if they do not respond, we pray that these hateful ungodly students, teachers, professors, administrators and boards of directors would be replaced with godly men and women.  And we pray for a cut off of funding and for a systemic change to the entire university and school system so it would have ongoing accountability so that people like this could never again ensconce themselves in positions of power again with no liability and pollute our next generation with lies and misinformation.  Lord you say many times you care for our children and say that it would be better for one who leads them astray to be drowned in the ocean with a millstone around his neck.  Lord, we pray that you make good on Your word and protect our children against these evil teachers.  And We pray you would wipe the terrorists, like Hamas and Hezbollah, who instigate all these things from the face of the earth as you in ancient Israel you completely destroyed those nations who had become so demonically corrupt in opposing Israel.   And again, we pray for those adults who are just going along with the crowd and protesting with hate towards Israel and Christians we pray you would touch their hearts to see the truth and repent. We pray this in Jesus name.  Amen.”

OCTOBER 10, 2023

OCT. 7, 2023 WAS ISRAEL’S 9 – 11.  WHEN IS OUR NEXT 9 – 11?

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem”  Psalm 122:6  (and by extension all Israel)

“I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse.”  Genesis 12:3 (God to Abraham)

Why have the Jewish people been so persecuted through all history?  Because God has made eternal promises to them.  And if the domain of darkness can wipe out Israel, it can undermine God’s promises.  And by extension, since the Christian church represents a branch off of True Israel (the remnant that held true to God’s commission to them) the church is also persecuted.  The Domain of darkness cannot attack God directly and not be incinerated, but it can attack God’s representatives.

And so an attack on Israel is an attack on Christians as well, who are representatives of God and Jesus Christ, His Son.  And so it is at times like these we clearly see those who are aligned with the kingdom of darkness and aligned with the kingdom of God.  Take note of those who are rooting for the slaughter of innocent Israeli women and children and babies.  These are the enemies of God.  They have shown who they truly are.  And by extension they are the ones who oppose all things Christian as well.  Their hatred is irrational.  It stems from an irrational hatred of the Lord God.  It is driven by the kingdom of darkness.   And if the United States represents perhaps the largest free nation that still has a strong Christian influence and witness, these are those who want to destroy it.

In the last prayer requests we pointed out those who want to destroy the United States and then rebuild it according to a hateful secular image.  And now those people are becoming exposed even more clearly, because they also want to support those (Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran) who want to destroy Israel (e.g. 30 student groups at Harvard wrote a letter in support of Hamas).  And they want to destroy United States because it supports Israel.  And these Harvard students could future U.S. politicians, business leaders, university professors, newscasters, movie producers.   We need to pray for them to find Jesus.

Nations throughout all history have sought to eliminate Israel or all the Jewish people and as they Bible says, they have been cursed.   Just read in all of Israel prophets and how their enemies are condemned and all those prophecies about Israel enemies’ destruction were fulfilled to the letter.

The most recent widespread attempt was Nazi Germany.  And we saw how that turned out.  And instead of eliminating the Jewish race for the first time in 2000 years the Jewish people were regathered (as prophecy predicted) to their own homeland again.  And instead the German Nazi State was eliminated.  It’s astonishing after the horrors of the Nazi holocaust that worldwide antisemitism has so quickly rebounded in less than 80 years.

In this most recent attack, October 7, 2023 over 1000 Jewish people were ruthlessly slaughtered so far by Hamas terrorists and others taken captive as hostages.  About 5000 explosive rockets were fired into all areas of Israel by Hamas from Gaza.  There is a possibility that Hezbollah, the anti-Israeli terrorist group to the North of Israel, will join the war and also attack in force.  They have already fired some rockets into Israel. The state of Israel has declared war against Hamas and is seeking to go house to house in Gaza to root out all the Hamas terrorists in the Gaza strip.  This will be an almost impossible task without God’s help.

And Hamas will do what they always do, use their own Gaza civilians and Israeli hostages as human shields, and when one citizen dies as collateral damage they will publish it all over the internet to inflame the fires of hatred among Arab nations and gain donations from the radical EU members to continue to fund their terrorism.  As one ex-military person said, “The only product Gaza exports is Palestinian dead bodies to gain financial support from anti-semitics in the European Union.”  Hamas provokes Israel to defend itself, and when one of the human shields dies, they exploit it.  They deliberately force citizens to live right where their bomb & rocket factories are so that when Israel takes out the bombs, citizens are also killed.  We need to pray for all those who were brutally killed by these terrorist attacks and their families who are grieving.  And pray for those who are being held hostage and their families that love them.

And it hits closer to home in the U.S. because the Jewish people and Jewish sympathizers in the United States may come under attack from those closet terrorists in our own country who take their cue from Hamas.  And with a wide open Southern border and many slipping by the border guards it is estimated that many anti-U.S. terrorists have already entered our country in the last three years and remain dormant.  Like the 9-11 hijackers did. When will they plan another 9-11 attack?

Also a spirit of lawlessness has already pervaded the U.S. in it’s major cities where crime is no longer actively prosecuted, stores are robbed regularly, companies are moving out of lawless cities, political groups have burned buildings with no recompense. In fact many in politics, the news, and entertainment have applauded and financially supported these lawless groups.  Terrorism overseas could light another spark in our own country for more riots and persecution of Jewish people.  We need to pray not only for the peace of Israel, but the peace of the U.S.  Undoubtedly this conflict will escalate.  Pray as it does that it soon will be over as the Prince of Peace brings peace to the region.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Jesus, we pray for your patience to love and not hate those who wish to destroy your people, Israel, and those of us who support Israel and follow you.  We pray for those families who have lost loved ones in these brutal terrorist attacks.  And we pray for those being held hostage, that you would protect them and comfort their families back home.  We pray for wisdom for the leaders of Israel to respond appropriately to deal with these terrorists and cause minimal collateral human damage to innocents who are not involved.  We pray for wisdom for our own leaders to respond appropriately to this crisis in assisting Israel.  And we pray for the safely of those soldiers and helpers on the ground that they could carry out their duties with minimal causalities.  And we pray particularly for the safely of Jewish people in the United States.  And for those Jewish people who have not yet accepted Jesus as their Messiah, savior, and Lord, that this may draw them closer to their true protector.  And we pray for safety of all soldiers in the U.S. forces that may have to be involved. And we pray that this conflict in Israel may not spread to a wider regional middle-East conflict or even wider than that.  And we pray for the safety of all U.S. citizens that this would not spark terrorism or lawlessness in our own country or persecutions of Christians who support Israel.  Last, we pray that you Lord would protect the U.S. from another 9-11 type of attack.  We thank you for protecting us for so many years since 2001.   And we pray for a Holy Spirit revival to cause those who are filled with hatred to Jewish People, to Christians and to You Jesus and Your Father God, not only in the United States but worldwide so that they may come to know you as savior and Lord and the domain of darkness would lose all it’s foothold of ethnic, racial,  religious, and personal hatred.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

 

OCTOBER 1, 2023

LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU

As hard as it is to believe there are those in our government who want to destroy the United States because they believe it is totally flawed and it has to be destroyed first and then built from the ground up.  These are not people who want to reform the errors of the current system but to destroy it first.  To destroy the constitution, to destroy the democratic republic, to destroy the Bill of Rights, and to gradually undercut all freedom of religion, except in name only.  They want to destroy it gradually by a thousand cuts, slowly so there is not national push back.

How else can you explain destroying the borders of our country.  Encouraging children to get sex change operations without the knowledge of their parents.  Undermining the nuclear family where parents have no say over their children’s education.   Allowing crime to run out of control and not prosecuting criminals.  Constant blatant lying by politicians and news reporters about the state of the economy, the border, deficit spending.   Financing political candidates with the most radical political agendas.  Using manufactured crises to allow the government to take more and more of our freedoms away. CEO’s pushing a one world global agenda of global control reminiscent of the Antichrist in the book of Revelation and world depopulation to supposedly save the planet and humanity.  These are hardly the acts of rational people who want to preserve the country and its people.

It’s hard to say this, but people like this are our “enemies”, even if they are CEO’s, government congressmen and senators, presidential cabinet officials, media anchor people, university professors, movie producers, and medical doctors.  Some of these are just normal folks swept along by peer pressure and the tidal wave of public opinion, but those pushing these agendas from the top are surely not our friends but our country’s enemies.

But the question now is, how do we as Christians react.   The fight or flight reactions are to seek to destroy them in return, or just cover our eyes and pretend nothing is happening.  Certainly we should take legal and political steps to oppose them, but that is not the ultimate answer.  Jesus tells us the answer.  “Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you.”  How do we do that.

Jesus also says, “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. “ (Matthew 19:19)

The most powerful force on earth is not politics but it is prayer.  And there is only one way to release it, faith in Jesus Christ to answer.  Jesus could have brought down fire from heaven to wipe out Herod and destroy the Pharisees, and obliterate Rome.   But He spent untold nights in prayer and put his faith in the Father.  Now He is risen we need to put our faith in Him our Lord and Savior.

By faith Noah, his family and the animals onboard the ark survived a flood that killed all else.  By Faith the Israelites walked right out of the most powerful nation on earth, Egypt, and across through the roaring waters of the Red Sea.  By faith Jesus and the disciples performed countless miracles despite the opposition from the most powerful nation on earth as the time, Rome, and spread a worldwide religion that have over 2 Billion professing followers today.

Are a few ungodly politicians, CEO’s, wealthy donors, college professors, newscasters, and entertainers any challenge to the Lord of the universe?

People like: George & Andrew Soros and Tom Steyer, who supports criminal activity through open borders and getting District Attorneys elected that won’t prosecute Crime.  Of CEO’s like Robert Eiger of Disney who support putting sexualized content in elementary school curriculums and in their family movies/tv, and CEO’s  who support Woke agendas like James Quincy of Coca Cola; Brian Moynihan of Bank of America.

CEO’s of some of the largest funds under management in the world, like Blackrock (Larry Fink), State Street (Ronald O’Hanley), Vanguard (Mortimer J. Buckley) who restrict lending funds to businesses that don’t support global and radical agendas.  Members of the President’s cabinet like:    Alejandro Mayorkas, Head of  Homeland Security who leave our border wide open and lies and say it is not;  Merrick Garland, Director of the Department of Justice and Christopher Wray who heads up the FBI and abuse their position and authority for political ends.  White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, who spins, misinforms, avoids important subject, and sometimes even lies.  And perhaps even the President himself.

And Governors like Gavin Newsom (California) and Kathy Hochul, (N.Y.)  who promote every radical destructive WOKE progressive agenda.  Pray for these people and others you know by name.  Pray that God would touch their hearts, transform their minds, show them the way, bless them with things they don’t deserve to soften their hearts.  It is very easy to get very angry with people like this that we trusted for many years who seem to be turning on us.  But the answer is prayer.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”  Matthew 5:43-45

God is gracious to all men, even the ones we see as evil or misguided.   We were once as the Bible says “sons of wrath” and we should be merciful and not judgmental toward them.  We have nothing to fear, God is still in control and will limit them.  Our job is to pray for and witness to them.

For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Colossians 3:6-8

God will take care of their judgment one day. In the meantime we need to pray for them, that they may come to the knowledge of the truth and stop trying to destroy us and our country.  We as believers were once as they were.   Remember their names and the ones you hear on the news and pray for them

It’s hard to return love for those who hate us and our country but that’s the Christian way,

“Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.”  Romans 12:21

“Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons, but they are helpless against our prayer.” Sidlow Baxter

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus we pray for all these people by name and others you bring to our mind.  They are men and women who you created In your own image but who have gone astray.  And their commitment to non-Biblical causes means they will suffer eternally.  We pray your mercy upon them to truly wake up to the truth before it is too late for them: George & Andrew  Soros, Tom Steyer, Robert Eiger, James Quincy; Brian Moynihan, Larry Fink, Ronald O’Hanley, Mortimer J. Buckley, Alejandro Mayorkas, Merrick Garland, Christopher Wray, Karine Jean-Pierre, the President himself, Gavin Newsom, Kathy Hochul.  Lord Jesus we pray for these by name and others you bring to our mind, to touch their hearts, transform their minds, show them the way, bless them, and help them see the truth of your Word.   And we pray for the people who have elected them or put them in positions of power that you would cause a national Holy Spirit revival to motivate our citizens to put people with your eternal values in positions of power.  Please deliver our country from the radical non-Biblical agendas that these people represent.   In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

SEPTEMBER 10, 2023

PRAY FOR THE MASS MEDIA

We may not have freedom of the press anymore.  It used to be that objective reporting was the gold standard.   But today pushing an agenda, a narrative to get a political goal, or as they say advocacy journalism or activist journalism (which is propaganda and not journalism) is what rules newsrooms today, on the left and even to a lesser extent on the right.  When 95% of a newsroom votes one way, and opposing journalists are fired or sidelined, or when only one set of facts are presented and all others are ignored or censored – is this really objective journalism?  And when government forces social media to take down opposing points of view or censors some who post, is this not like a communist dictatorship.

Jesus said

“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!”  (Matthew 6:22-23)

If you only look at lies or sinful things, your whole body will suffer.   And if the media is like the eye of the nation and only reports lies, or biased agendas, the whole nation will suffer because it cannot not get the light of truth.

To get their agenda reporters or press secretaries often feel that in telling lies, in doing the wrong thing that the ends justify the means.  The ends are so important that they cannot tell the truth.  But this is not what the Word of God says,

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  (Isaiah 5:20)

We not only need a revival in our nation but it may need to start in the press corps or in our pulpits calling out the press corps for their lies.

Pray that in this election year, that lies will be called out.  Pray reporters, editors, executives who run media outlets and corporations (Comcast (NBC/Universal, MSNBC), Disney (ABC), Paramount (CBS), Warners (CNN), Fox, New York Times, Amazon (Washington Post), will report honestly or objectively or be fired or humiliated and leave the profession.  And pray that those journalism professors who teach advocacy and activist journalism will be replaced by honest men and women professors who value objectivity and truth over agendas.

Pray that those who run social media outlets would not censor or delete honest, objective political posts because of an agenda, or that God would discipline those outlets.

Jesus said that Satan is the father of lies and those who tell his lies are his children.  (John 8:44).  And so to get his message out he would go first after the press and political spokespersons.  Pray that those in journalism who tell lies or censor or shade the truth would be rescued from Satan’s domain of darkness and become followers of Jesus and that they would honestly tell the truth, even if it doesn’t match their political agenda.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Jesus, we pray for objectivity and truth in media so our nation can know the truth and not just some predigested agenda.  We pray for a Holy Spirit revival in the press corps and the organizations that own them.  Please help this nation get the truth so our democracy can function as it should and people can vote on what is true, and guide our nation to vote on Biblical values and not just political agendas.  Please humiliate or remove those who tell lies to our nation as you removed the false prophets and priests in ancient Israel who told lies to the people.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

AUGUST 13, 2023

PRAY FOR UPCOMING DEBATES AND SELECTING BEST CANDIDATES

We are fortunate enough to live in a democracy where we get to see the candidates tell us their agenda an have it critiqued and have time to respond.   The first Republican debate is August 23, 2023.  So far a date for a Democrat debate has not been set.

Unfortunately political machines, spin artists, and mass and social media muddy the waters with all sorts of deceptive lies that usually aren’t revealed till after the debate and even after the election.   To some politicians winning at all costs justifies the means.   When after the election in 2012 Harry Reid was caught out on a lie he told about Mitt Romey, his response was, “Well, we won didn’t we?”

A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who tells lies will not escape.  Proverbs 19:5

But our God is bigger than the spin artists, political machines, and lies or spin that politicians, the debate moderators, or mass media, or “fact checkers” may tell at the time of the debates.  Let us pray that the truth will out during the debate and these deceivers will not win the day.  Let us pray that God will send a spirit of wisdom to the population as they watch to discern what is true and what is not; what issues are most important for the next four years, and what are not, and who is the righteous candidate that will be best for the country, and to listen fairly to all sides.

The first to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and examines him.  Proverbs 18:17

 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and [h]without reproach, and it will be given to him.  James 1:5

Let us pray that God will anoint the best candidates for our country during the debate and lies that are told will be called out and we will have the wisdom to discern the truth.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, we know how important it is for both parties to select the best candidate for our country.  Lord we pray that you will anoint the best candidates and have them do well during the debate, and lies that are told during the debates and during and afterwards by the media, and spin doctors will be revealed and rejected.  We pray your hand would be on the debate moderators to ask tough but fair questions and control the debaters to follow the rules.  We pray that you would anoint the viewing public with wisdom and that the choice would be clear to them.  We pray that the issues that burden your heart most Lord would be clearly covered during the debates.  And we pray that the public would reject the candidates and answers to issues that do not honor you.  And Lord we pray that issues that burden your heart that have been ignored would be emphasized and would inspire the public.  We pray all this in Jesus name. Amen.”

JULY 30, 2023

PRAY TO STOP THE LAWLESSNESS SWEEPING OUR NATION

Major cities have become hazardous to live in.  Boys and Girls raised without fathers and without a church background, don’t learn to obey God and have no concerns about crime.   District Attorneys to gain campaign donations from Woke liberal donors have stopped prosecuting crimes.  Even to the highest offices in the land politicians violate their oaths of office and commit major crimes, and have high priced lawyers, and say, “try to stop me.  I can beat you in courts.”

And even worse it is becoming more and more evident that the highest law enforcement agencies in the country, the Attorney General, the department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, and the CIA are corrupted as well.  They persecute those who have done no wrong because of a political agenda.   They do not enforce the law because of a political agenda.  They break the law because they have the power to do so, and no one stops them.   And even the President may have committed “high crimes and misdemeanors” and may constantly lie and deny what he did, confident that no one can stop him.

And the mass media eager to maintain their own political agenda and power constantly lie to cover those lawless ones (more on this later).   Our system of checks and balances is in great danger of completely breaking down.  And when the public loses confidence in the government to police itself, society will degenerate into chaos, anarchy, revolution, or a dictatorship.  Just look at the revolutions and coups in many third world countries where the people have lost faith in the rule of law, and equal justice under the law.

The Bible roundly condemns all lawlessness.

“Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.”  I John 3:4)  And “The wages of sin is death”  (Romans 6:23).  This doesn’t just apply to common criminals or the average man who is a sinner, but also all the way to the lawless in the highest offices in the land.

These people may fool the courts, but they do not fool the Judge over all mankind that all men will face.  So as Christians who follow God and the law we can rest assured that God is still in control.

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”  (Galatians 6:7)

“For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”  (Ephesians 5:5,6)

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ “  (Matthew 7:21-23)

Let us pray that God will convict the hearts of those all the way from the shoplifters to the highest offices who practice lawlessness of their sin.  God can either convict or discipline or break even the most hardened heart.   Or he can remove that person from their freedom and position of power.

And God promises punishment to those who don’t learn, not only in the next life but this life as well, even if the corrupt D.A.’s, politicians, and law enforcement agencies don’t enforce it.

“He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished”  Exodus 34:7

Let us pray that God will take His place as judge if the human judges do not.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, please give us peace that no matter how bad crime and lawlessness get that you are in control and will bring all wrongdoing into judgment and will remove the wrongdoers and see they are punished for their deeds.   But in the meantime, we pray that you convict those same people of their sins and give them no peace or freedom from fear of their coming judgment.  Give them no sound sleep, until they not only confess their sins but repent of them and turn to you.  We pray for those in power to  not abuse their duty to protect us and instead to obey their oath of office or to be removed.  Please during this election year, raise up righteous men and women to rule over us.   And Lord, let us examine our own lives that we have not allowed lawlessness or sin to creep into our own Christian testimony but to confess and repent of it.  Please bring a Holy Spirit revival on our whole nation.  Amen”

JULY 15, 2023

PRAY FOR PROTECTION FOR OUR CHILDREN FROM THE SECULAR WOKE AGENDA

Our children are under attack like never before by the secularists:

– abortion on demand for ANY reason killing them before they are even born

– giving parents’ rights over their children to “progressive” educational organizations

– removing God from all educational curriculum

– teaching racism and hate in the schools via the CRT curriculum.

– sexualizing our children in elementary school with drag queen shows

– forcing children even six month old to get covid vaccines which may damage them for life.

– confusing children that they can choose their gender.

– telling children to get gender change operations without even contacting parents.

– children being sex trafficked because no border enforcement, big city lawlessness

– Even parents and relatives and clergy sexually abusing children.

– mainstream an pop media reeducating children to deny God and sin.

– children are taught mind altering drugs, & a gateway to harder drugs & the Occult are OK

– border smuggled fentanyl in all drugs and killing off mostly teens.

– children in war zones or lawless cities being treated as cannon fodder.

Human nature is sinful, but usually at least in the past governments restrained the worst impulses by laws, but “progressives” and big progressive donors like George Soros and son, believe the best way to get rid of Christianity (which they see as holding back atheistic humanism, communism, secular socialism) is to tear down the entire political structure first, to destroy “America”, so they can rebuild it as a totally secularist, utilitarian society. To do this they need to start with the next generation and brainwash them.

Jesus is very concerned about our children and that Parents raise them up in God’s ways.

“Jesus called for the little ones, saying, “Allow the children to come to Me, and do not forbid them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Luke 18:16

 “See to it that you don’t despise one of these little ones, because I tell you that in heaven their angels continually view the face of my Father in heaven.”  Matthew 18:10

 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.  And you shall repeat them diligently to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the road, when you lie down, and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6:6,7

And He severely warns those who would lead them astray.

but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depths of the sea.  Matthew 18:6

Many children today are being raised without fathers or mothers or by those who despise the Word of God and its truth.   Woke politicians, school boards, educators, special interest groups, negligent parents, pop media, peer groups are leading our next generation astray.  And the Mexican drug cartels are at the border treating children as chattel and selling many as sex slaves or work slaves. World leaders like Putin are destroying children and family to satisfy their own ego and lust for power.

God has a soft spot for children whose hearts have not been totally hardened against Him.  We need to petition God REPEATEDLY to arouse Himself, and protect the children, provide good mentors, and VICIOUSLY punish (as He promised) those who would hurt and lead our children astray.  We need to pray that God would smash the woke agenda and those who promote it and protect our children.

Isn’t God the one who said,

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh,” Galatians 6:7,8a

 “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.” Romans 12:19

Pray as you feel led for God to stop one or more of the groups mentioned above from abusing and misleading our children, to remove them from positions of influence and replace them with Godly men and women, teaching the truth of God’s Word.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Lord Jesus, You have said you have a great heart for children.  We ask that You arouse yourself from allowing the abominable events against our children that are happening in our society and the world to continue, and that you stop them, and that You cause those who promote them to come under your immediate judgment.  You have seen the list above.  We ask you remove all those who would abuse and lead our children astray.  We pray you would protect the children and give them a chance to come to you and be saved.  We pray you would raise up concerned parents and relatives and mentors to defend and educate our children.  And we pray for a Holy Spirit revival so they entire nation and world would have new hearts and fight these evil woke forces that are destroying our children.  We pray this in Jesus name. Amen”

 

JULY 2, 2023

INDEPENDENCE DAY – PRAY WE COULD REMAIN FREE TO SPEAK & TO WORSHIP.

Ronald Regan said

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

It seemed like a distant problem in the 1980’s with Reagan but if the pandemic and the last election taught us anything it is how quickly our freedoms can be taken away with the excuse of a crisis or a news or twitter mob mentality.  Freedom of speech, freedom or religion, freedom of the press.  We can no longer take these freedoms fore granted.   It is clear that there enemies among politicians, big political donor, CEO’s, powerful news and social media corporations, judges, DA’s, embedded bureaucrats.  Who needs democracy when selected “experts” can tell us what to do?  No freedom of speech or freedom of religion is necessary.

So on this July 4th, let’s not just bar-b-que burgers and hot dogs and watch the fireworks but take time to thank God for the many freedoms this country has that many others don’t.  In China, they vote. but only 7% of the population is allowed to vote.  In Hong Kong with 7 million people, only 1,500 are allowed to vote. And at the very foundation of  communism is materialistic atheism, which is in direct contradiction to fundamental Christianity and the religious freedom to worship Jesus.

Our school system has bashed the United States for years and has not taught the truth about our freedoms.   We have raised a generation that sneers at 4th of July parades and considers the Constitution has to be abolished and rebuilt.  About 1/3 of Millennials think Communism is a good thing   Justin Trudeau, Canadian Prime Minister wished he had the authority that President Xi of China has.

Top influencers meet in Davos Switzerland once a year, and use to do it secretly, but now with full press and a Globalist Agenda, which will undermine our freedoms including our freedom of speech and religion.  All will eventually be regulated by a central authority in Europe: finance, speech, religion.

Take a few minutes this July 4th to thank God for the freedoms we have, and to pray that He would move in the hearts of our fellow country men and women to value, and be grateful and to fight for those freedoms in this next election year.  Hundreds of thousands of our soldiers have given their lives to provide us those freedoms.  Let us honor that this July 4th.  The least WE can do is spend a few minutes praying to our Heavenly Father to allow us to continue to have those freedoms by having godly men and women making the decisions for our government.

First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.  I Timothy 2:1-4

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Jesus, forgive us for taking fore granted the advantages that you have given this country which are unique in all of history.  We thank you, and beg you that they be allowed to continue.  Please provide leaders who will see themselves as public servants, not public dictators who only seek to gain more and more power and money for themselves and their friends.  In our schools and media and businesses, please keep us from the error of centralizing all government because you have shown us because man is a sinner that from the tower of Babel throughout all of history that totally centralized world government leads to tyranny and the loss of our freedoms, especially the freedom t worship you openly.  In Jesus name we pray, amen.”

 

June 18, 2023  PRAY FOR GODLY CANDIDATES THIS PRIMARY SEASON.

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”  Proverbs 14:34

In the next few months our nation will be choosing candidates for the Presidency and many other national, state, and local offices.  As believers we need to pray that GOD will choose these candidates and not merely the whims of men and interest groups with their own agenda.

On the Democratic side there are:  Joe Biden, Williamson, Kennedy

On the Republican side:  Trump, DeSantis, Haley, Scott, Pence, Christie, Hutchinson, Ramaswamy, Elder, and Burgum.

Please pray for each of them, That God will reveal by what they say in the upcoming debates and press interviews, if they are indeed the right people for the job.  And also use this time of debate to inform the American public of what is the best path forward for our nation.  Also that God would speak to the American people to discern who would be best to bring righteousness back to our straying nation.  And as candidates try to hid their true agenda, that God would expose that.  (Ephesians 5:5)

Please also pray as we have mentioned in https://prayforunitedstates.com/the-national-problem/ that God would raise up an army of prayer warriors to bring this nation back to him from its three years of straying and bring a national Holy Spirit revival to our nation.   If you want more specific prayer requests just look at the many ways our nation has strayed in that article.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Lord Jesus, please raise up righteous men and women to lead our nation at all levels of government.  Please use the debates and interviews to reveal who are the best leaders, and please guide out people to see who is telling the truth and who is deceiving and to choose the best candidates.   Please also continue to raise up people who would pray ever day for our nation to return to you and to block the forces of darkness that have plagued us the last three years.  (Ephesians 6:10-20).  In Jesus name, Amen.”

MAY 28, 2023

REBIRTH OF THE WEBSITE – NEW REVIVED COMMITMENT TO PRAY

As has been said under “The National Problem”, this website was started in 2020 in the middle of a pandemic with a national election looming that could further drive the country in a direction of its own destruction.  And it is time for a rebirth of this site.

As one has said, “elections have consequences” and boy did we see that over the last three years.  The spiritual forces of evil, (yes evil, not merely error) have embedded themselves into all aspects of our lives: political, legal, academic, corporate, media, religious, law enforcement, military, family.  Our country, though never perfect, is now headed on a hell-bent, anti-Biblical freight train towards oblivion, when at the same time the leaders think they are creating a great new utopian world reset, which would abolish all the freedoms we have in the constitution.

Our country and even our churches are hardly recognizable anymore, leading many of us to despair that there is any hope for redemption of our country.  And many of us have fallen away from following Jesus as we should, serving ourselves rather than the King of Kings.  Perhaps God will have to do what He did to ancient Israel when they went too far off the tracks, to destroy their cities and society, to bring them into bondage to other nations before they repented.

THE TEMPTATION IS TO FIGHT BACK AND ATTACK THOSE WHO ATTACK US…but the Bible says:

“Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.  “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:19-21

We are to allow God to execute justice on those who attack us. In the meantime we are to love them, to pray for them.  And in order to stop any evil behavior that they foist upon us we are to pray for God to discipline and stop them.  But first we are also to make sure our own house is in order before the Lord.  Because God’s judgment begins with the house of God.  I Peter 4:17.

And, there were times then and in history since when God has responded to the prayers of his people and did not bring severe chastisement, which we deserved, but instead revival and national renewal.  To be sure, the United States is not the same as the Kingdom of God.  But God’s people operate within the laws of the nation, and if the nation goes bad, then we are not able to effectively carry out all God has commissioned us to do to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in this present age.  (Titus 2:11-12, I Timothy 2:1-4)

To rework an old sports saying “When the going gets tough, the tough get praying”  Jesus told us to “pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the harvest”.  We are to start with prayer.  Or as a popular worship song says, “When we fight, we fight on our knees with our hands lifted high.”

After years and years of overspending, overborrowing, selfish indulgence, the chickens may finally be coming home to roost in the form of a recession that could rival the great depression.  We may see even more radical secularists elected to office leading us further towards God’s chastisement.  And we may see world leaders seeking more and more tyrannical power and edging us ever closer to a third world war.

If you are upset with what you see happening in our society.  THERE IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO.  PRAY.  Join with us daily.  Pray for national revival.  Because merely changing leaders does not solve the problem if the people are still in their sins.  Pray for leader to repent or be removed from positions of power.  Take all that emotional passion you have to change things and direct it to passionate prayer before Jesus to deliver us.

  “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore, we will not fear though the earth give way, and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, and the waters roar and foam, and the mountains quake with their surging.”  Psalm 46:1-3

So, will you commit to join with us or any other evangelical Christian group to pray, every single day for at least one minute a day through February 2025 for a true great spiritual Godly reset and revival, not only in the U.S. but throughout the world.  Pray for at least one minute a day, any time during the day, or if you want at the time Christians from this group will be praying a the same time across all the country’s time zones for united prayer (see this website’s side bar or “The Strategy”.  https://prayforunitedstates.com/the-strategy/)  And pray that God will raise up prayer warriors across this nation and around the world.  Because the tyrannical leaders and forces of evil have no power over true Christians in prayer.

The founding religious groups spoke of the “sin of prayerlessness”.  We hardly hear of that sin anymore.  And yet it is perhaps the greatest sin that leads God to inflict discipline on a peoples and a nation that has strayed from him.  It was their prayers that gave us the freedoms we have.  And it will be our lack of humility before God and prayerlessness that causes us to lose them.  Please join us, pray with us.   We will put up new requests on this site regularly, each week or every other week.  Check in as your can.  We will not ask for your email or contact information.  Please encourage others to join us.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, we pray that you would raise up an army of prayer warriors who would humble themselves and trust in you to bring about national Holy Spirit revival as you have many times in the past and save our nation from the evil path it is headed down. We pray that our nation would elect Godly leaders and remove the secularist ungodly ones in this next election.   We pray you would cause us to seek out other prayer warriors to join with us.  We pray you would hear our prayers, forgive our sins as a nation, and bring about a new beginning for us.  We pray to God the Father, in Jesus Name, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

 

DECEMBER 11, 2022 – You can skip directly to prayer requests

PEACE ON EARTH ?

Every year there are new armed conflicts where 1,000 or more people have died die in the world.  Currently there are 22 and some have been ongoing since 1948.

In 1969 at a peace rally there was a flyer that gave this information:

Where does War Begin?

With all this talk about war today we sometimes get the idea that it was invented by our parents.  But History tells a different story.

– Since 3,600 B.C. there have been 14,540 wars.

– That’s an average of 2 ½ wars per year for each of the 5,570 years of recorded history.

– During that time there have only been 292 years of peace

– Since 1900 we have had more that 125 separate conflicts.

– 70 of them have been since 1940

– the value of the destruction in all the wars would pay for a belt of gold 33 feet thick and 100 miles wide around the world

Yet in the face of this horror and death , there are still some who insist that man is getting better every day..  that somehow we are on the verge of a “golden age of world peace.”

Can we kid ourselves that war is the production of the wrong kind of society when every type of government – whether communistic, capitalistic, socialistic, or fascist – has had its part in this never ending blood bath?  We may finally have to face the truth that war really starts within man himself.  As long as he does not experience inner peace the peace in the world is an utter impossibility.

Two thousand years ago Jesus of Nazareth offered a plan for peace that starts where the problem does… in the human heart.  Care to discuss it?

Jesus says“My peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.  Not as the world gives, give I unto you.”  Jesus of Nazareth 33 AD

May you find the peace that He offers.

A Famous seasonal anthem started out

“Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.”

To find peace in your own heart go to Godlife.com for a short video and presentation:  .https://godlife.com/en/look_to_jesus/jesus-has-saved-me

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Lord Jesus.  Help us to find the peace and righteousness you offer at this season, and may our national and our leaders find it as well.  Help us to life the type of life you created us to live, and find the salvation Jesus offers to each of us.  Amen”

NOVEMBER 20, 2022 – You can skip directly to prayer requests

HOPE BUT MAYBE A COMING JUDGMENT

We can be thankful after the election that at least there may be some balance in political arena that has been a one-party rule recklessly running away with a secular political agenda for the last two years, lawlessness, promotion of gender confusion, sexualization of children, promotion of racism, abolition of free speech and freedom of religion, pathological lying and abuse of authority at the highest levels of government, and on and on.

How long, O Lord, will I call for help, And You will not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save. Why do You make me see iniquity, And cause me to look on wickedness?  Yes, destruction and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises. Therefore the law is ignored And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out perverted.

This could have been spoken in a sermon today but instead it was in 600 BC from the prophet Habakkuk 1:2-4 about 600 B.C.  Though the election gives us some hope, yet, beneath the surface over half the country continued to elect the secularists promoting a radical agenda.  And the younger generation overwhelmingly signed on for the current political secular schema.  Abortion continued to get major support.   A continued one-party secular rule almost continued.  Only a vote or two in the house keeps us from a moral slide downwards.  And many political leaders in the Republican party seem perfectly content to continue business as usual rather than righting the ship.

We have been praying for a national Holy Spirit revival, because even legislative majority will not change the hearts of a nation.  Only God can do that.  But the alternative to a Holy Spirit revival is what happened in Habakkuk’s day.  God sent judgment on the nation Israel by the Chaldeans, a nation as Habakkuk says were even more evil that Israel.  In the book of Judges when the nation Israel strayed from God, God allowed evil neighbors to pillage them, or sent plagues, or natural catastrophes on Israel till they repented.

As our nation possibly approaches a potential catastrophic recession in 2023 and maybe other major conflicts and disasters as God’s judgment on our nation for its continuing sins, let us pray as believers that our nation would repent of it’s arrogance and turn back to God, and that God would have mercy on believers as He did when he struck Egypt with plagues but protected his own people in the land of Goshen.

Though it seems like the situation is hopeless and those who repeatedly mock God are getting away with it, remember

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.  Galatians 6:7-10

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for restoring some balance to our nation’s politics in this last election.  But we see that our nation is a far way from confessing the sins that ravage us.  As believers we know, as Nehemiah did, as a nation we have failed you and the last two years has shown how far most of our population has strayed from you.  We confess the sins of our people, and we pray that if possible, you would allow a spiritual revival to sweep the nation.  But if not and your judgment is in order, that you would be merciful in how you administer it.  Please give our current leaders courage to correct that errors of the last few years, and to learn from any discipline that you administer to the nation as the leaders of Israel did in the time of the Judges, and in Habakkuk’s day. In Jesus name, Amen.”

NOVEMBER 7, 2022  – You can skip directly to prayer requests below.

PRAY FOR A FAIR ELECTION

Pray for the votes to be counted honestly and accurately so that both sides will agree the results will be counted quickly and are accurate and fair.  And all the request from October 30.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, please have mercy on our country and that this election will not create more divisiveness, but no matter the results that all votes will be counted honestly and fairly, and that any dishonesty or cheating will be revealed and prosecuted.  Also, we pray, Lord, that news reporting will be honest and fair and not create greater divisiveness.   In Jesus name, Amen.”

OCTOBER 30, 2022  – You can skip directly to prayer requests below

A WEEK TO GO THAT CAN CHANGE OUR NATION

We need to pray more than ever that God would raise up righteous men and women to run our country and remove those from power who are violating God’s laws and bringing our nation under judgment.

A few weeks ago, Dr. John MacArthur, pastor at Grace Community Church, Panorama City, CA wrote this open letter to Gavin Newsom, Governor of California.  I think it can apply to many politicians in our nation.   We need to pray for the salvation of Governor Newsom and many other governors, senators, and congress people this election.  You can see how far our country has drifted.  We need to pray more than ever for God to give us righteous men and women in government, and either convert the unrighteous or remove them from office.  I believe this letter reflects many of the issues not just of California but our nation.

The following is an open letter from Pastor John MacArthur to Governor Gavin Newsom, in response to billboard advertisements placed across the country by Newsom’s campaign shamelessly misquoting Mark 12:31 in support of abortion. View a PDF version of the letter.

September 29, 2022

Governor Gavin Newsom
1021 O Street, Suite 9000
Sacramento, CA 95814

Sir,

Almighty God says in His Word, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). Scripture also teaches that it is the chief duty of any civic leader to reward those who do well and to punish evildoers (Romans 13:1–7). You have not only failed in that responsibility; you routinely turn it on its head, rewarding evildoers and punishing the righteous.

The Word of God pronounces judgment on those who call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20), and yet many of your policies reflect this unholy, upside-down view of honor and morality. The diabolical effects of your worldview are evident in the statistics of California’s epidemics of crime, homelessness, sexual perversions (like homosexuality and transgenderism), and other malignant expressions of human misery that stem directly from corrupt public policy. I don’t need to itemize or elaborate on the many immoral decisions you have perpetrated against God and the people of our state, which have only exacerbated these problems. Nevertheless, my goal in writing is not to contend with your politics, but rather to plead with you to hear and heed what the Word of God says to men in your position.

“Let all kings bow down before Him, all nations serve Him” (Psalm 72:11).

“He who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God, is as the light of the morning when the sun rises” (2 Samuel 23:3–4).

“It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts, for a throne is established on righteousness” (Proverbs 16:12).

What God said to Cyrus is a truth you should take to heart: “I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me; that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:5–6).

In mid-September, you revealed to the entire nation how thoroughly rebellious against God you are when you sponsored billboards across America promoting the slaughter of children, whom He creates in the womb (Psalm 139:13–16; Isaiah 45:9–12). You further compounded the wickedness of that murderous campaign with a reprehensible act of gross blasphemy, quoting the very words of Jesus from Mark 12:31 as if you could somehow twist His meaning and arrogate His name in favor of butchering unborn infants. You used the name and the words of Christ to promote the credo of Molech (Leviticus 20:1–5). It would be hard to imagine a greater sacrilege.

Furthermore, you chose words from the lips of Jesus without admitting that in the same moment He gave the greatest commandment: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). You cannot love God as He commands while aiding in the murder of His image-bearers.

Psalm 50:16–19 speaks to people who pervert the Word of God for their own sinful ends:

But to the wicked God says,
“What right have you to recount My statutes
And to take My covenant in your mouth?
For you hate discipline,
And you cast My words behind you.
When you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
And you associate with adulterers.
You let your mouth loose in evil
And you harness your tongue for deceit.”

My concern, Governor Newsom, is that your own soul lies in grave, eternal peril. “Each one of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). One day, not very long from now, you will face that reality. Nothing is more certain. “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). You will stand in the presence of the Holy God who created you, who is your Judge, and He will demand that you give an account for how you have flouted His authority in your governing, and how you have twisted His own Holy Word to rationalize it. As you look over the precipice of eternity, what will your answer be? When you look ahead of you and see that nothing awaits you but eternal misery—the just punishment for your sins—what will all the clever rationalizations and political talking points avail for you then? And by then it will be too late for any remedy or redemption. “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).

My plea to you, Sir, is that you would not let it come to that—that you would not go to that day of judgment apart from receiving forgiveness and righteousness through faith in Christ alone. In Psalm 50, after rebuking the wicked for uttering God’s words in a profane way, Scripture makes this promise: “Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver. He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies Me; and he who orders his way, I shall show the salvation of God” (Psalm 50:22–23).

So there is salvation for those who repent. Christ purchased full redemption for all who will turn from wickedness, forsake their evil thoughts and actions, and trust fully in Him as Lord and Savior.

Our church, and countless Christians nationwide, are praying for your full repentance. Please respond to the gospel, forsake the path of wickedness you have pursued all your life, turn to Christ, ask for forgiveness, and use your office to advance the cause of righteousness (as is your duty) instead of undermining it (as has been your pattern).

Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:6–7)

Governor Newsom, “now is the acceptable time, behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

For the Master,

John MacArthur
Pastor-Teacher

PRAYER REQUESTS FOR “PRAY FOR UNITED STATES BLOG”

“Dear Jesus, please have mercy on our nation.  We have strayed in many ways.   Unrighteous leaders have led us down a wrong path in many areas, and we have not stood up against them in your name as much as we should.  Please rouse your people to vote to remove the unrighteous from positions of power, and in their place put righteous men and women who will promote righteous laws and enforcement.  And more than that we know that merely having a law on the books does not change a nation and so we pray for a Holy Spirit revival across our nation to change the hearts of all men and women to serve you with the law written in their hearts.   In Jesus name we pray. Amen”.

OCTOBER 2, 2022  – You can skip directly to prayer requests below

THE HOME STRETCH

in Five Weeks the nation will decide on it’s course for the future.

Just two short years ago an election was held and some radical politicians gained control of the government and began quickly implementing their policies without any consultation of other parties.  Since then we have seen:  race riots, defunding of the police, illegal immigration out of control, the destruction of the energy industry resulting in crushing inflation, foreign governments like Russia, China, and Iran taking advantage of weak American leadership, Russia starting a war in Ukraine and plunging the world into economic chaos.

Also they brought promotion of gender confusion and sexualization in our schools, teaching of racism in education pitting all races against each other, boys and men in women’s bathrooms and sports, the increase of anti-god secularism “nones” (no religious affiliation) in society, the forcing of people to take a potentially deadly vaccine or lose their jobs, closing of churches and opening of strip bars during the pandemic, a looming major recession on the horizon due to government overspending and poor monetary policy, an administration run by a president in declining mental capacity with an administration giving out conflicting signals.

They have promoted skyrocketing crime as the laws of the land not enforced, major media and social media networks censoring or cancelling the right to freedom of speech, undermining the freedom of religion, the President enacting laws without the prior approval of congress, a department of justice and FBI abusing their authority and pursing political instead of criminal opponents, families and friends and neighbors more divided than ever despite an administration pledge to unite the county.  And on and on.

The United States was never a perfect country, but it seems like it is descending into a third world chaotic where the constitution, the bill of rights, democracy, and the rule of law are only focus group phrases politicians use but do not practice.  Another two years of this and who knows what this country will look like.  We desperately need godly men and women to take positions of authority in our government and replace the “woke religion” radicals.

What is the solution?

PRAY!

Pray for God’s Spirit to move upon our nation and voters to deliver the best result.

Despite what it seems at times, IT IS GOD who raises up one leader and puts down another.

“It is He who changes the times and the epochs;  He removes kings and establishes kings;
He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.  Daniel 2:21

Also, donate to campaigns of Godly Men and Women running for office.  These last two years have spurred some very spiritually and administratively qualified people to run for office.  Of course the other side is in full attack mode spuriously slandering them.

And of course vote on November 8.

And possibly even man voting day accountability organizations that make sure the vote is counted correctly and accurately and makes sure no fraud takes place.

If the same immoral people are returned to office with a ruling majority, what will this country look like two years from now?   Will we be beyond the point of no return to being a vibrant and moral nation?

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Lord Jesus, please have compassion on our nation.  We have seen in the last two years what happens when godless men or nominally religious men and women take positions of power and force immoral agendas on our nation.   Please do not allow this to continue. Have mercy upon us.  Give us Godly men and women to lead us.  Remove those with immoral agendas from positions of power.  Restore our nation. Cause Your Holy Spirit to begin a revival in the land so that not only are good laws put on the books and enforced but good laws are written in the hearts of our people.  Bring us together as a nation again.  Help us to lead the world in peace and prosperity and out of the approaching gloom and war that confronts us.  We know that Satan would like nothing better than to destroy the United States, which despite its many flaws has been a beacon of light on a hill proclaiming the Gospel to the world.  Please crush him in his agenda.  For your name’s sake and your Word, please deliver us from this scourge of the last two years.   In Jesus name, Amen.”

 

AUGUST 14, 2022  You can skip directly to prayer requests below.

THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION OF OUR LIFETIME

That can possibly be said about every election.   At any point in time we could be one election or news cycle away from tyranny by a few highly motivated politicians, who may initially think they are doing good and are not by centralizing all control under their rule. But particularly in this case we may not have another two or four years before we reach the point of no return.

Our country is becoming more and more a country ruled by secularism, and not just the absence of a religious consensus like a commitment to the Ten Commandments, but an actual religion of secularism that is being forced upon the whole society, and “establishment of a religion of secularism.”  People with a faith in God are not allowed to speak up because that would violate a separation of Church and State.  But people who reject a faith in the God of the Bible are allowed to speak all they want.

As believers we know that we cannot force anyone to be a believer in Jesus Christ, nor do we want a theocracy, but we want a society where we can share our faith and champion ethical rules (like the right to life), and the basic dictates of the ten commandments that have been the basis of the true rule of law in every successful civilized society in human history.

However there is an growing number of “nones” (no religious affiliation) in our society or those with a nominal lip service to a religion they grew up with, but in reality do not practice it at all.  And they are highly motivated to push their secular agenda (abortion, gender dysphoria, teaching reverse racism,  sexualizing elementary students in public schools, promoting lawlessness, seeking to break up the nuclear family, etc.) upon all society by fascist means of abuse of policing authority and intimidation by legal means and social media.

In the last two years we have seen how this “woke” religion has infected all aspects of our society and even our liberal churches and is gradually tearing apart the fabric of our nation which was built on the sacrifice of many who sought to give us freedom.   Also how other atheistic nations like Communist China and Putin’s Russia are waiting for us to continue to squander the many blessings of freedom we have enjoyed to take over and subjugate us to their rule.

While there is no perfect politician or political party, it is becoming more and more clear that the leadership of the Democratic party (though likely not most Democrats) has thrown in totally with the “woke” religion, that flies in the face of true Christianity has captivated our educational systems, our universities, our media, our legal system, and even our many of our corporations.  They are seeking to stack the deck so no opposing views are even allowed, and those what do speak up are intimated by FBI surveillance and raids.

Generally as Christians we don’t want to totally oppose one political party but to have an open discussion on various political issues.  But the Democratic party is dead set to not allow any discussion but to use any means necessary to distort discussion and silence the other side.

We are losing the rights we are promised in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  In this election we as believers need to pray with our whole heart that only men and women of integrity be elected to office who fairly consider true moral values and not force a “woke” religion on all our nation and silence other views.   Also to stop the blindness that Satan has brought over many in our population not to see what has been happening.

Despite the generally good injunction of separation of church and state, there are many times in our past that pastors, and Christians have taken political sides and spoken up boldly and voted and acted to save our nation:  during the Revolutionary War, during the civil war, before both WWI and WWII as secularism was sweeping the nation, during the civil rights movement, and during the cold war.

So it is without apology that this prayer website encourages all who read it to pray for God’s mercy upon our nation to see Godly Men and Women elected to office who will oppose this religion of “wokeness” and “secularism” that is destroying our nation and return to the founding principles of basic Judeo-Christian morality, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.  The founding fathers never spoke of a separation of morality and the state, but opposed the establishing of one church that would rule the state.  And yet that is exactly what the religion of “wokeness” and secularism is seeking to do, unless we as believers boldly stand up without apology and oppose it by our prayers, but our voices, and our vote.

Ultimately even if the election does bring in representatives that stop this runaway freight train of secularism, the task is not done.  We need an change in the hearts of people who reject God and His moral standards for society.  That can only happen by a nationwide Holy Spirit revival.  And that has happened many times in the past when this nation was on the ropes:  see

https://prayforunitedstates.com/history-of-revivals-god-answering-prayer-for-nations-coming-soon/

But in the meantime we need to pray and act now.  Particularly to PRAY.  We believe that we are suffering this attack of secularism on our nation because believers are not praying.  There is a cost to prayerlessness as we have trusted in our own efforts and not in God to bring change:

Thus says the Lord, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the Lord.   (Jeremiah 17:5)

“Yet you have not called on Me, O Jacob; But you have become weary of Me, O Israel.”   (Isaiah 43:22)

“…Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you…” (I Samuel 12:24)

So Christian brothers, pray, speak, and vote.  But first pray, at least one minute a day.  And join each of us a 9 PM Eastern Time every day for one minute.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Lord Jesus.   We are shocked to see how lawlessness has swept our land.  How our nation has been deceived where right is declared wrong, and wrong is declared right.  How our politicians propose even more and more radical immoral laws, how our children are being indoctrinated, and how this has even crept into the church. Jesus give us the passion to pray each day.  Lord you say in Psalm 145:19 “He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him, He will also hear their cry and save them.”  Lord, hear our cry.  Save our nation.   Please allow men and women of God to be elected and stop this hell bent momentum to destroy the morality of our nation.  Lord our country has not been a perfect nation, nor have we lived up to all the blessings that you have richly bestowed upon us.  But Lord, please do not abandon us now.  Please turn this train around.  You said you would save Sodom for ten righteous men.  Surely there is more than that here.   You say, “For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.” (Hebrews 6:10)  And this nation has been involved in preaching the gospel worldwide and discipling many believers.   Please do not forget us.  Please enter into time and space and revive this nation.   Please not only overwhelmingly stop the wrong track we are on,  but bring a national Holy Spirit revival and create a new heart within us to honor and serve you.  We pray this in Jesus name on whose authority we were commissioned. Amen.”

MAY 29, 2022  You can skip directly to prayer requests below.

FREEDOM ISN’T FREE

The Declaration of Independence says we have inalienable rights given to us by God: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.   There are forces around the world and even in this country that want to deny life to individuals and also to the preborn.  There are conferences in Davos Switzerland who believe that only the elite should have liberty.  There are forces in congress that say they want “equity” or in China that say they want “common prosperity”.   But the result of such a philosophy as Winston Churchill has said, “The inherent virtue of Socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.”

Liberty might be an inalienable right, but it isn’t free.   This Memorial day millions of American soldiers have died so that we may have liberty.   Fighting for liberty on a war field – the sides are clear.   But when fighting against deceitful politicians who seek to steal our liberty by laws and regulations, and lawsuits the sides are less clear.   They use carefully focus grouped words like” America, democracy, the right thing to do, when in reality they mean the exact opposite.

A cloud of deception has fallen over the United States by carefully war-gamed public relations and advertising campaigns, by one-sided news media coverage, by social media cancel culture.  At times the lies seem overwhelming and the mass majority of citizens have been swept up into the lie and there is nothing that those of us with our eyes wide open can do to stop the onslaught.   And we will lose our liberty incrementally bit by bit that so many of our fellow citizens/soldiers have fought so hard for us to experience.

But as we have said before, Neither DC politicians, nor globalists in Davos, nor mass media campaigns can overcome the Lord God Creator of the Universe who gave us those rights, if we will only pray in a unified front of Christians to stop these forces of evil.  As our fellow citizens and soldiers have fought so hard and died to secure our freedoms, let us on this Memorial Day weekend fight even harder on our knees for God to deliver us from the forces of fascism that seek to steal our freedoms.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Lord Jesus, we thank you again and again for the freedoms you have given us in this country that many throughout all of history have not had.   Help us not to regard lightly the freedoms we have but to fight at the ballot box and on our knees for you to allow us to keep our freedoms, and for you to completely block those who seek to steal them from us.   We thank you for the promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and the individual bill of rights in the Constitution.  We pray that you would remove those from positions of power who seek to steal those rights from us, and expose their lies and clever words to deceive us.  Lord, you have richly blessed this country and in many ways this country has served you.  We pray you would remember and protect us and our freedoms.   And we pray for those in this country who have turned from you.  We pray you bring a Holy Spirit revival upon the United States and bring her back to you.  In Jesus name, Amen.

MAY 3, 2022  You can skip directly to prayer requests below.

RIGHT TO LIFE OR RIGHT TO CHOOSE

After 50 years it may be that the supreme court of the United States is seriously considering overturning Roe v. Wade which made abortion legal in the United States. Since that decision over 62 million preborn babies in the United States have been aborted.

In the Bible and in the U.S. Declaration of Independence there is nothing more precious than human life.  Genesis 9:6 says that to take a life is not merely stealing a person’s most precious position, their life, but is a direct attack on the image of God because men and women were made in God’s image.  So abortion is outright blasphemy against God.  That’s why a murderer is obligated to sacrifice their own life in repayment.   In the U.S. Declaration of Independence the first enumerated inalienable right is the “right to life”.

Any biologist will tell you that life begins at conception.  And the Bible clearly says that God considers a baby a person of infinite value in His eyes from conception.

“For you formed my inward parts; you covered me in my mother’s womb…your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.  And in Your book they all were written the days fashioned for me when as yet there were none of them.” Psalm 139:13-16

“Behold I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me” Psalm 51:5

“From the matrix of my mother He has made mention of my name…. and now the Lord says, who formed me from the womb to be His servant”  Isaiah 49:1,5

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you.  Jeremiah 1:5

And many other passages like those concerning the pregnancy of John the Baptist and Jesus who are considered persons in God’s eyes in the womb (Luke 1:41-44)  Jacob and Esau are considered persons in God’s eyes in the their mother’s womb.  (Romans 9:11)

However certain anti-God elements in society have taken the most precious relationship in humanity, that of a mother and a child and driven a wedge between it so that mothers are encouraged to abort their preborn children because it is their body and their right.

But it is not their body alone.  It is also the dependent body of the preborn child, a human soul in God’s image, in the womb.  Supposedly this infringes on the “choice” of the mother.  But abortion advocates give no thought to the “choice” of the preborn baby girl.  Her choice is irrelevant.  So the “choice” argument is merely a rationalization of evil intentions.  Deliberately, intentionally taking a life is murder no matter what the size or age of the person involved.

Some may say it is unfair that a grown woman should bear that burden of carrying a baby to term because of her sexual lifestyle habits or unwanted pregnancies.  But is it any more fair to take the life of an innocent child in the womb who had no responsibility for being there.  There are difficult cases where rape or incest is involved, but again, why should the preborn child suffer because of another’s crime.  In the case of the mother’s life at stake in childbirth, the Roman Catholic teaching was to seek to save the life of both but to give preference to saving the life of the mother.  However, throughout history many mothers by choice sacrificially gave up their own life to save the life of their baby child.

Obviously hardened abortion advocates will never be convinced by logic or the Word of God.  Throughout most of human history, except in the most barbaric of times, abortion was considered evil in any civilized society  Only in our generation has abortion been become more acceptable.  And God will judge our generation for that.

It appears the Supreme Court may be ready to overturn this flawed ruling by the Warren Burger supreme court in 1973.   The Dred Scott decision of the Court said slaves were not citizens (essentially not humans with rights) in 1857 and that was overturned.  So supreme court decisions can wrong and mere products of their culture and can and should be re-evaluated and overturned. It took a civil war to overturn the Dred Scott decision. And a cultural civil war is brewing.

The early advocate of Eugenics (the abortion of the day), and the forerunner of Planned Parenthood was Margaret Sanger, an avowed racist.  And today though black women only make up 7% of the U.S. Population, they make up 40% of the abortions.   So Margaret Sanger’s racist goal of eliminating the black population has been achieved by her followers and today’s abortion activists.  It is curious that the left who claims to be on the side of the black population is regularly on the side of dehumanizing them.

Needless to say abortion activists today will oppose overturning of this Roe v. Wade decision tooth and nail because of their own selfish worldview, and in the process declare themselves to be more moral than those who oppose abortion.

And even those who support overturning Roe v. Wade only on the basis that states should decide if abortion is legal by a democratic vote, also miss the point.  Murder on any level is immoral and the dissolution of any nation.   Life is valued above all in the Declaration of Independence and in the Bible for all men and women made in the image of God from the oldest to the very youngest.  Just because people vote to legalize abortion is that right?  Suppose they voted by majority to legalize rape, or murder, or theft.  Does a democratic vote make something moral?  Pure 51% democracy can be equally as immoral, it must be constrained by a few key absolute rules of law like the Ten Commandments. Is it any surprise that the liberal left rejects the ten commandments also rejects the sanctity of life.

It is a sad state of affairs that our nation has taken 50 years to deal with this evil.  Is it even sadder that so many today arrogantly attack any effort to right this wrong.  So many over the last 50 years have been indoctrinated with a false morality and seek to demonize anyone who disagrees with them even to the point of leaking a supreme court draft decision (never done before) to intimidate justices to change their minds, and to create mob pressure to overturn the constitutional process in the way the court acts.

What we are seeing is bigger than even this court decision; it is a rejection of the constitution and the rule of law by some like a petulant child must get their way regardless of due process.  And all the while they sinisterly claim they are doing it to support democracy.  This is utter evil in our midst.

There will likely be attempts to overturn the court’s decision in any way possible, even illegally, from packing the court to violent protests.   As believers we need to pray for peace.   We need to pray against the demonic spirit of the age that will use this national divide to create hatred and violence.  We need to pray for God’s truth to prevail.

We need to pray for the supreme court justices to have wisdom how to deal with these attacks and the violation of the privacy of the court during deliberations.  Also for the punishment and public denouncement of the leaker.    We need to pray that God will turn the hearts of the people to His view on the sanctity of life, or if they are unwilling, to judge those who are the most virulent and violent advocates against this ruling.  We need to pray for how we should pray as these scurrilous attacks by the most extreme of the abortion activists will likely continue for months.

And last we need to pray for God’s people to have the courage to stand for God’s truth and value of life in the face of attacks and criticisms of us who will not go along with the abortion mob.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, we know it must have broken your heart for half a century that a country you blessed so richly has allow 62 million innocent babies to be killed, a modern holocaust for our convenience.  We have prayed this evil might be overturned for decades and if this is the time we pray You will make way for this transition to happen peacefully and for wisdom to be given to the court and our leaders so that could happen.  And we know that peace can only come unless the hearts of the people are turned back to their God and so we pray for a national Holy Spirit revival convicting our nation of our sins and bringing them back to a relationship with you.  And at the same time we pray you will turn the hearts of those people who have supported abortion to confess their sins and repent.  And for those that don’t we pray that you remove them from positions of influence in all aspects of life in the upcoming elections and in all other leadership positions in media, politics, education, and commerce.   And we pray that you replace them this year during elections with Godly men and women who will uphold your truths, moral principles, and the rule of law.    We sense that in the process you may judge our nation economically and in other ways for its sins to our bring people to repentance.   We pray for your mercy in the midst of this judgment. In Jesus name, Amen.

APRIL 18, 2022  – You can skip directly to prayer requests below.

HOPE FOR NEW LIFE

Easter and Spring itself promises the hope for a new life from the dead of winter and the evils that beset us.

A culture and world that has rejected God and engages in lawlessness and perversion.

A war in Europe with Russia that threatens total destruction and could spread to a nuclear war.

Politicians who refuse to enforce the law and do their constitutional duty.

Reckless spending bureaucrats who threaten to bankrupt the country & start recession.

Religious leaders who compromise God’s truth with PC convenience.

Educators embracing secular humanism and teaching racism and sexual perversion.

Business leaders who cancel our freedom to speak truth

Media leaders who teach the next generation lawlessness and perversion.

No one of us individually can stop this wave of evil sweeping over our land and world, only God can reverse these things.  And God has done this in the past.  The first great awakening, the second great awakening, the third great awakening, the fourth great awakening, The Jesus Movement.

We need to asking him for a fifth great awakening, convicting our nation and ourselves of our sins and cause each of us to repent and call on Him to:

Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You. Psalm 51:7-13

God can renew our lives and our nation.  We can’t do it by brute force it has to be His Holy Spirit falling on us and convicting hearts and turning the hearts of the people back to our God.

And He (the Holy Spirit), when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. John 16:8-11

Easter Sunday and Spring brings the promise of hope of renewal, new life.

Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.  Isaiah 40:31

As Jesus rose from the dead, so can our lives our nation.  God can renew our lives and renew our country and our world, but we must fast and pray, as all revivals in the past have started with God’s people praying.   See  https://prayforunitedstates.com/history-of-revivals-god-answering-prayer-for-nations-coming-soon/

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, we worship You, we thank your for taking the penalty for our sins by Your death on the cross.   Thank you for rising from the dead, the forerunner of a new generation of men and women who will also rise from the dead one day and will follow you.  In the meantime, Lord Jesus, please convict our nation, our people, it’s leaders of their sins and cause them to repent and turn back to you and forgive our sins.  Create in us, clean hearts oh, God and renew steadfast spirits within us.  May a Holy Spirit revival sweep our land and cause us to return to you as our Lord and not our own selves serving and honoring ourselves.  Lord, please lay a burden on all believers to pray for this every single day.  In Jesus name we pray, Amen.”

APRIL 10, 2022   – You can skip directly to prayer requests below

VIOLATION OF GOD’S IMAGE

“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”  Genesis 1:27 

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.” Exodus 20:7

The concept of gender is not some political or academic debate, or some sign of a lack of creativity, or a choice we make, or an attack on the rights of some community that wants the freedom to live counter to the way they were born.

It is blasphemy against the very nature and name of God

The Walt Disney Corporation, and other major corporations and even the White House this week, thumbed their nose at their clients and voters and said they would continue to promote sexual and gender perversion and force schools and media and the health industry to sexualize even preschool students and promote gender dysphoria.  And would threaten lawsuits and criminal prosecution to those who opposed them.

In Romans 1 the apostle Paul said, “

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper…haters of God… insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil… without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”  Romans 8:28-32

We cannot expect such people to listen to reason or be fair in speaking with those who disagree.  Their heart is rebellious and it is not just a different choice, but an attack on God, His name, His nature and they want to force as many other people as possible to do just as they say and to weaponize a whole generation of children to follow them into a judgment that will fall on them from God.

We are at war with a whole section of society and generation that is at war with God.  BUT

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,  and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.  II Corinthians 10:3-6

We do not take up weapons, or lies, or threats.  We do two things:

  1. We proclaim the truth in love and oppose these attacks. We do not argue with human logic but using the Word of God, we simply proclaim Jesus Lordship and their need to submit to Him or face His judgment
  2. We pray, because only God can change any heart.

The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.  Proverbs 21:1

And as one worship song says,

So when I fight, I’ll fight on my knees
With my hands lifted high
Oh God, the battle belongs to You
And every fear I lay at Your feet
I’ll sing through the night
Oh God, the battle belongs to You  (Phil Wickham, “Battle Belongs”)

We saw what happened in Loudoun Country, Virginia when Christians and parents stood up to the supposed impregnable political party machine.

The Walt Disney corporation is no match for the Omnipotent Creator of the universe.  Nor are the CEO’s of major corporations, nor is even the Presidential branch of government that think they cannot be stopped.  The most powerful ruler of the world at that time, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was sent by God to the beasts of the field to live as an animal for seven years to humble him.  And when it was over, Nebuchadnezzar said this:

“But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation. “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’  Daniel 4:34-35

To the rulers of this world bold pronouncements the Psalmist says:

“He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury,”  Psalm 2:4,5

We merely have to trust that God is in control and will act in His timing and in the meantime proclaim the truth in love in our community and society, and pray.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, we pray as many other believers before us have prayed for you to take notice of the attacks on Your person and Your people to try to force us to accept what is blasphemy to Your name and Your person.  We know that this may mean as other believers before us have seen persecution and as you warned us that we have to take up our cross daily, bear your reproach, and even suffer for your name. But we know that the result will be that You will fight for your name and for us, and YOU WILL WIN.  As You humbled Nebuchadnezzar or removed other leaders in the past like Herod that you will prevail and we need to stand firm in the meantime and proclaim Your truth and pray for Your victory as soon as possible. Give us the faith to believe in You and Your supreme power in spite of the illusion of the great power of earthly institutions (CEO’s, corporations, websites, teacher associations, politicians, media people, etc).  Please humble these arrogant men and women who attack Your name, and if they will not be humbled remove them from positions of power. Please protect our children from the lies society seeks to push on them, and remember Your promise regarding our children that “whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18:6.  We pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.”

MARCH 20, 2022  – You can skip directly to prayer requests below

UKRAINE and THE U.S.

There is an old saying that “People are like tea bags, you don’t know what they are made of till you put them in hot water.”

The world has been awed how this smaller country has stood up to one of the most formidable armies in the world to defend their freedom.  So many others when threatened by the Russia just folded.

It reminds us of Isaiah 36 and 37 when Hezekiah was outnumbered by 185,000 in the Assyrian army against the small forces of Jerusalem.  And how the king of Assyria warned Hezekiah to surrender.  But instead Hezekiah prayed and how the next morning the angel of the Lord stuck all 185,000 Assyrians dead and the king returned to Assyria with his tail between his legs.

Of course, Ukraine is not depending on the Lord but their own army and weapons from the west. But their unwillingness to surrender in the face of greater forces is inspiring.  We must pray for their safety and freedom in the face of Putin’s barbaric brutality in indiscriminately attacking not only soldiers but women and children.

Now look at the U.S.  They did a survey to see if the U.S. was attacked and less than 50% of the young people would stand and fight against tyranny.  We have grown to comfortable with freedom being free.  In Ukraine’s case the attack is external.  But in our case the attack against our freedoms are internal.

In the former Disneyland exhibit Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, “At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it? Shall we expect some trans-Atlantic military giant to step the ocean and crush us at a blow? Never! All the armies of Europe, Asia, and Africa combined could not, by force, take a drink from the Ohio or make a track on the Blue Ridge in a trial of a thousand years. At what point, then, is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, [that] if it ever reach us, it must spring [from] amongst us; it cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we [ourselves must] be [the] author[s] and finisher[s]. As a nation of free men, we must live through all time[s], or die by suicide.”

And that is exactly what we are seeing today. Self-interested politicians and special interest groups and powerful forces in our society are tearing our country apart from within, promoting immorality, lies, and theft for their own personal advantage.   Those of us who cling to the Bible as our plum line for truth are being attacked as Jesus said we would.  We feel totally outnumbered and marginalized as Hezekiah was in the face of vastly more powerful forces.

However, like Hezekiah we have God on our side.  We may suffer for our faith, but we will never ultimately lose, if we like Hezekiah do not surrender but cast ourselves on God’s mercy and provision for us.  But Hezekiah did not just offer up a casual prayer, but utterly humbled himself spread eagle before the Lord and implored God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength to deliver Israel from the King of Assyria.  And God answered.  By the next morning 185,000 Assyrian soldiers were dead.

We in the U.S. are fighting an even more devilish foe than Ukraine or Hezekiah did, in that the foe is in our midst, teaching our children lies about gender, electing officials who refuse to enforce the law, restricting worship, censoring speech that disagrees with the secular narrative and so on.   We need to pray as Hezekiah did, humbly, earnestly, persistently for God to deliver us and in this next election put representatives in positions of power who are righteous men and women and follow the Judeo-Christian ethic.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, we pray for the people of Ukraine to protect them from the evil that is being thrust upon them by the brutal ambitions of Vladimir Putin.  Especially provide for the non-combatants who are fleeing Ukraine, and those who are trapped without food or water.  We pray in this time of trial that many would find faith in Jesus.  We also pray for our own country which is undergoing a much more subtle attack from within by those who follow a secular religion of humanism.  Lord, please remove from positions of power those who are attacking Biblical principles and the Judeo-Christian ethic for their own personal convenience, gain and power.  In this upcoming election please give us righteous men and women from either political party who will return this country to a godly base.  And we know that mere political power can never bring spiritual restoration to a country, but it has to start within our hearts.  And so we pray for a nationwide Holy Spirit revival among all our people, with our nation returning to You as our God.  We pray all these things in Jesus name.  Amen.”

FEBRUARY 20, 2022 – You can skip directly to prayer requests below.

CAN ONE CONFERENCE MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Certainly not everyone who politically calls themselves a Republican or a Conservative is a Christian but in general it seems the GOP stands more for traditional Judeo-Christian values than the other parties.  A few years ago the DNC argued whether to even include the name of “God” in their platform.

This week those who call themselves conservatives are meeting in Orlando for a conference called CPAC  (Conservative Political Action Committee), a powerful political force in our country.  It is dangerous to identify the Republican Party or Conservatives as God’s only party.   However, I once heard that when Abraham Lincoln was asked “Do you believe God is on our side?”  Lincoln replied “I’m more concerned that we are on God’s side.”

Politicians and speakers will be jockeying for political position, financing, influence, and self-interest.  And, they will be seeking endorsements from evangelical Christians and God to be on their side.  Perhaps we should pray for the Conservatives that are meeting in Orlando, FL this week that the majority would seek to be on God’s side.   Too often politics and self interest tends to cloud politicians’ judgment and all they seek is a rubber stamp from God or Christians to get elected and gain political power.

As you know this website has prayed for years that God would send a national Holy Spirit Revival.  There have been times in our nations past when things even looked bleaker than they do today, and God sent revival, and change of the nations people from within their hearts, not from an external force foisted on them (as seems to be going on today).  See  https://prayforunitedstates.com/history-of-revivals-god-answering-prayer-for-nations-coming-soon/

In 1806, five Williams College students were impressed by God to pray for worldwide missions.  But a summer rainstorm threatened to cancel their meeting.  So they sought refuge in the only open place, a haystack.  The Holy Spirit fell upon them and their prayer was fervent and from this humble beginning sprung the American Foreign Mission movement.

Perhaps a group of Christians praying at CPAC, in conjunction with all of you praying will open up the blessings of heaven and national revival in our country.  Pray for divine appointments, people who are supposed to meet and work together.  Financial support for men and women of God running for office.   And that officials running for office would stand for laws that represent God’s standards like the Ten Commandments.

And pray for wisdom on how to present this to a skeptical, secular nation in the coming midterms.  Certainly no political power should ever try to force people to become Christians, but no nation can remain strong and free that does not honor the Judeo-Christian principles set forth in God’s Word.  Our founding fathers recognized that.  Some complain that you can’t legislate morality, but every law on the books is legislated morality, favoring one moral principle over another – either springing from a secular, utilitarian atheistic base, or springing from the wisdom in God’s Word.   There is no neutral worldview.

Again, the prayer is not for blessing on Republicans or Conservatives, but for the blessing to be on the principles from God’s Word that they may be recognized by CPAC as the solution to our nation’s problems.  And we pray for the Holy Spirit to fall upon the convention the way the Spirit did with the Haystack prayer meeting at Williams College, and this may be the beginning a restoration of our land to a Godly nation.

PRAYER REQUEST

“Dear Jesus, you have moved many times in the past in the hearts of kings and rulers, and even  politicians in our country that was founded by Your grace on a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. We don’t want to equate your church with one party or the other, but we do pray that Your Spirit would work in the minds and hearts of those politicians in whichever party to elect godly men and women to positions of power that “that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” (I Tim. 2:2).  And so we pray for CPAC this Wednesday through Sunday that Your Spirit would move mightily upon the participants there to raise up these godly leaders for our country and for a strategy for them to be elected and return this country to some of the Biblical roots it was founded on.  We recognize as a nation we have failed You in our founding with slavery and many other things since then, but there are many other good Biblical principles in our nation that we have strayed from and we ask that you enable us to return to those.  Please bring a Holy Spirit revival to our nation.  In Jesus Name, Amen.”

JANUARY 27, 2022  – You can skip directly to prayer requests below.

CAN ONE MINUTE OF NATIONAL PRAYER A DAY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

After two years a virus still rages across the world.  There are threats of war between Russia and Ukraine that could draw other countries in.  There is a threat of war between China and Taiwan that could draw in the U.S.   N. Korea has shot off more missiles (many of which could reach the U.S.) in the last few weeks than they did in all 2022.   With seven percent inflation the Federal Reserve has to raise interest rates and the stock market has dropped 10% in weeks (some stocks 30-50%) with the potential for a crash coming soon, crime is on the rise in major cities with D.A. refusing to prosecute crimes, a border crisis grows daily which the administration refuses to deal with, we are entering an election year when the rhetoric will get more strident and further divide an already divided nation, and on and on.

What can an ordinary citizen do except watch the world fall apart?   Pray.   In England during World War II the entire county would stop for one minute each night to prayer in unison for God to bring and end to war and for peace.  It took the bombings of London for over 50 nights for the nation to get serious, but they did.  God answered, not immediately, but He did.

https://curiousrambler.com/big-ben-silent-minute-chimes-and-prayers-for-peace/

Do we have to wait for a crisis to erupt to get serious.  We do believe on this site, that if Christians all across the U.S. spent ONE MINUTE, just one minute, in prayer, repentance for sins, and thanksgiving, that God would hear and heal out nation and our world.

“If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send a plague among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”  II Chronicles 7:13, 14

We are a nation that has strayed far from God.  We need humility before God, repentance, seeking God’s face and turning from wrong ways.  When nations have done this God has heard and healed their land.  See. https://prayforunitedstates.com/history-of-revivals-god-answering-prayer-for-nations-coming-soon/

Will you join us.  Pray as God leads.  Pray for peace in the world, in our nation, in our cities, in our families.  Pray for the upcoming election that godly men and women will be elected and those with secular destructive agendas will be removed.

In England, Big Ben, the clock at Parliament chimed at exactly 9 PM each night and people prayed for a minute.   Since the U.S. covers at least five times zones, we suggest on “The Strategy Page” https://prayforunitedstates.com/the-strategy/  that Everyone pray 9PM East coast time, 8PM Central time, 7PM Mountain time, 6 PM Pacific Time, and 2 PM Hawaiian Time, so there will be unison chorus of prayer nationwide.  But if you can’t at that time, at least take one minute each day to pray for our country and our world and nationwide revival, and encourage others of like faith to pray as well.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Lord Jesus please raise up an army of prayer warriors to pray at least one minute every day for our country and our world.  For peace.  For truth in media, in politics, and in our lives, and for godly men and women to be elected to run our country according to Judeo-Christian principles that we were founded on, and no on atheistic, secular ones.   We pray for a national Holy Spirit conviction revival where our nation truly turns back to You from our selfish ways.  May Your kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven.  May many people be rescued from a life of sin to follow and serve you.  You tell us first to “Pray the Lord of the Harvest to send forth laborers into the harvest.”  Lord we want to start with prayer.  Please lay on the heart of every Christian to pray every day for a least one minute in prayer for these things, and to encourage our neighbors to do so too.  Amen.”

JANUARY 17, 2022 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below.

A NEW ELECTION YEAR

When the snow falls a fresh white sheet covers all the imperfections of the landscape.  A fresh start is always inspiring, wiping away the errors and difficulties of the past.  This past year was not what was promised by the present administration: not a moderate administration, but a radical one; not following the constitution that they swore to uphold, but seeking to destroy it and replace it with atheistic socialism; not uniting, but dividing our country; not healing but more racism; not respect for authority, but lawlessness; not less covid but more; not helping the poor, but the heavy inflation;   not a secure border but no border; not leaving anyone behind, but leaving hundreds behind in Afghanistan; not clarity but a confusion of limitless genders; not freedom but endless mandates;  not freedom of speech but a centralized cancel culture; not a parent teachers association, but no parents involved in their children’s education; not improving the voting system, but a dictatorial push for a federalized control of all vote counts, and on and on.

To many of us it has seemed like a nightmare we cannot wake up from. But this year is a fresh start. We get to vote in November.  In many nations around the world the centralized political control completely ignores the will of the majority of the people.   Yes there are phony elections just like there are phony judicial courts that give what appears to be a “fair” stamp of approval to dictatorial actions.   But in our country, we at least have a right to vote if we think things are going the wrong way.

Of course politicians and marketers and media have learned how to fix elections, distort media messages, attack all who disagree.  But they don’t have all the power.  God is still in control.  And if we pray we can pray that righteousness will rule, the godly, selfless men and women will be put in positions of authority, that the election vote will be done fairly and accurately, and that politicians will get different marching orders from the ones they ignored this year.

As campaign plans are being drawn up this Spring for primaries, and then elections, let us pray that the right people win the primaries, and the right people are elected, and those who have ungodly agendas will be replaced or sidelined.   Let us pray that distorted, biased media messages will fail.  Let us pray that elections be carried out fairly and that everyone who has a right to vote will be given the opportunity.  Let us pray that vote counts will be done fairly and all cheating will be fully exposed.  Let us pray that all foreign or domestic interference in elections by social media or voting machines will be stopped.   Let us pray that God will be guiding the populace to elect the leaders who will lead our country to a new age of truth, justice, and godliness.  And let us pray for a national Holy Spirit revival among all our people.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord we pray for You to raise up the best, godly leaders in the house and senate, and all state and local elections who will follow our constitution and the principles of Your Word, and replace all those with a secular agenda.  We pray that cancel culture or misleading mass media messages would be frustrated and refuted and rejected by the public.  We pray for fairness in both the voting process and the tabulation process and any who seek to distort it will be exposed, discredited, and removed.  We pray for protection from interference in our voting machines by domestic or foreign hacking.  We pray You would cause a revival in the hearts of our nation’s people to see the ungodly errors of this past year and to elect godly men and women who will rule our country by the ethics presented in Your Word.  And we do pray for a Holy Spirit revival where you will turn the hearts of our people back to their God and to awaken a desire in the 30% of our nation who call themselves “nones” (i.e. no religion) to see the emptiness of their philosophy and turn back to you.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

DECEMBER 19, 2021 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below.

A JUMBLED MEDIA MESSAGE AT CHRISTMAS

Satan is an expert at lying with half-truths.  He tells Eve if she eats she will not die, and she would be like God.  Well, she wouldn’t die physically right away but she would die spiritually.  And she would never be like God.  And so as the “Prince of the Power of the air”, and I might add of the “airwaves”, he continues to push out half-truths.  Mass media today pushes out five things that may be true and one thing that is an outright lie.

Jesus tells us what fills out sight and mind will affect our whole being:

The eye is the lamp of the body; so then, if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! Matthew 6:22, 23

If you are constantly watching news or information that is clouding your vision of God’s truth your mind and being will soon become filled with darkness.   A few verses earlier Jesus tells us to tear out our eyes if they causing us to stumble.   This is a hyperbolic statement to emphasize the danger of your eye consuming the wrong things.  You want to tear away those things from your eye that would cause you moral confusion and lead you to sin.

However, in a world where we are being pummeled 24-7 with half truths from the media, social media, and society, it is impossible to avoid all false information.  And for the unbelieving world they have even less protection from being indoctrinated by Satan’s lies. What can we do?

First, as believers, we need to recognize we are in a war, a war of information and we need to evaluate everything that comes our way in light of God’s Word.

for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,  II. Cor. 10:4,5

Every year at Christmas or Easter TIME magazine comes out with a cover page picture of Jesus because it sells more magazines, and people buy it because they think they will learn more about Jesus.  The article usually has some praiseworthy things to say about Jesus, but then goes on to explain how we got mostly all out information about Jesus wrong.  What is recorded in the Bible is not really what Jesus said.  All the European and Harvard scholars tell us that he was much different than we think and then tear down the Biblical view of Jesus with pseudo scholarly studies that in the modern world today now tell us so.

We no longer have objective journalism, the notion of Advocacy Journalism, Activist Journalism, Agenda Journalism is what is revered in Journalism Schools today and no one wants to just report what happened but to shape public opinion and there is a groupthink narrative that the mainstream media has accepted and all else is considered evil and should be censored.  The news pages and opinion pages are no longer separate. All is Opinionated-News.   Advocacy Journalism like that used to be called propaganda and was used extensively in Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia, and is still used in Communist China and many other Communist countries.

Politicians and experts tell us that we need to accept there are six different genders, abortion is moral and a human right, a gay lifestyle is what God intended, Jesus is not Lord, and the Bible is only a book of suggestions, censorship is fine if it is not PC, and if we disagree, we are the problem.

We need to evaluate and reject Satan’s lies, and speak out against them.  In our society there is the temptation to go along to get along, and if everyone else accepts it, why shouldn’t we.  We don’t need to be rude or arrogant but we need to speak up.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” (sometimes attributed to Edmund Burke, but true even if it is not his).   Jesus tells us:

Therefore, everyone who confesses Me before people, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.But whoever denies Me before people, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 12:32-33

And He was saying to them all, if anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me.  Luke 9:23

(Paul writing) and pray in my behalf, that speech may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,  Ephesians 6:19

A study of the Bible quickly teaches us that God does not generally use the powerful to promote his program.  He chose Abraham, not the Mighty Pharaoh of Egypt to create his nation.  He chose Israel a small Mideastern nation, not mighty Babylon to proclaim His Word.  He chose Jesus from a backwater section of  Galilee and twelve ordinary disciples to preach the gospel not Rome’s or Greece’s best and brightest.

For consider your calling, brothers and sisters, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, I Cor. 1:26, 27

And even when he used Paul, a very bright scholar, Paul did not depend on his brilliance.

For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I also was with you in weakness and fear, and in great trembling,and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, I Cor. 2:2-4

We all wish every major news anchor would be a courageous born-again Christian, and every congressman would be a bold advocate of God’s truth.  But instead, God has left it up to us, pawns in the bigger game, to proclaim the astounding Good News of Jesus coming at Christmas and sacrifice for us at Easter.

So, speak up to your friends and neighbors this Christmas.  Send them Christmas cards with a brief Gospel message enclosed.  Write those media people and politicians and professors and business tycoons and tell them you are praying for them and encourage them to follow God’s word and not the wisdom of men.  And yes, pray for their salvation.  Pray for a national revival that all men and women everywhere in America may turn back to God.

Pray that God will turn the hearts of these media people to at least be objective in reporting the news and present both sides.  And for those who are the worst offenders that He will remove them from positions of power and replace them with true journalists, even of they are not believers.  Already Chris Cuomo has lost his job and Jeff Zucker (head of CNN may soon lose his).  Pray for the corporate CEOs over these networks like AT&T (over CNN), Disney(over ABC), Comcast (over Universal, NBC, MSNBC), and Viacom (over Paramount and CBS) to root out the worst offenders and return the networks to responsible objective reporting.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, we feel so inadequate to fight the corporate media and big tech social media that is shaping the moral message today and canceling all other views.  Lord help us to be bold in speaking truth with grace regardless of any persecution we face, because it is to us that you have given that task.   Help us to be bold to share the joyous message of your coming this Christmas with all people You lead us to.  And help us to pray for those who are Satan’s tools in telling half-truths and leading the nation astray in so many things that they might be saved and be objective, and speak the full truth.   Lord, please discredit or remove those who are the worst offenders in lying about policies just to enhance their own power or in pursuit of some false ideology. Please be merciful to our nation which has fallen short in so many areas.  And please strengthen those believing politicians and media people to be bold in speaking your truth to all.  Please cause a national Holy Spirit revival to fall upon us and turn the hearts of this once great nation back to you.  Protect us from enemies without and enemies within.  Please in 2022 be raising up a collection of Godly men and women in politics to run for office and in November win, and in media to return news to objective reporting.   You tell us in II Thessalonians that “he who restrains” is still restraining evil until the Man of Sin, the Antichrist comes, and so we pray you would restrain for us this evil that is wanting to come upon us and protect our nation, and elect your people.  In Jesus name, Amen”

NOVEMBER 28, 2021 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below.

GIVING THANKS… IN SPITE OF…

They say if you hold up a white sheet of paper with a black dot in the center of it and ask people what they see, almost all will say, “a black dot”  They consider the much larger white sheet of paper to be taken foregranted.

As we look at our society today we tend to see only the black dot.  Even in the worst of societies there is much to be thankful for that God has given us, yet we are like the healed lepers.

As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed. Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they? Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?”  Luke 17:12-18

Shakespeare in King Lear says, “ “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child.”  We wonder how often we appear to God like that.   God wants to ask Him for things, but how often do we thank Him for all he has given us rather than griping about what we don’t have yet.  God delivered the Israelites from 400 years of slavery, parted the Red Sea to deliver them, and yet when problems arose they grumbled.

Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.   I Cor. 10:10

Where your fathers tried Me by testing Me, And saw My works for forty years. “Therefore I was angry with this generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they did not know My ways’; Hebrews 3:9, 10

Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God  Philippians 2:14, 15

God encourages us to mix our requests with praise and thanks for all He has done and is doing so we maintain perspective and faith in Him:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6,7

Despite the many things that weigh on our hearts with the way our country is going and our impatience for God to step in an set things straight and bring revival – let us not forget this week and this whole holiday season to be thankful for all He has done and is doing for us and to remind us of how faithful He is.  Almost always when David brought up issues he petitioned God for, he also brought up praise and affirmed his faith in God.  For example in Psalm 3:

O Lord, how my adversaries have increased!  Many are rising up against me.  Many are saying of my soul, “There is no deliverance for him in God.” Selah. But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.  I was crying to the Lord with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah.  I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me round about.  Psalm 3:1-6

PRAISE REQUESTS

(Here are a few things to praise God for).

“ Bless the Lord, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name.  Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;  Who pardons all your iniquities,  Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle. The Lord performs righteous deeds And judgments for all who are oppressed…
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust…
the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, To those who keep His covenant And remember His precepts to do them.  The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all…  Bless the Lord, all you works of His…”  (Psalm 103)  In Jesus name, Amen.

NOVEMBER 21, 2021  – you can skip directly to prayer requests below.

TRIAL BY MEDIA

Whether we think Kyle Rittenhouse is guilty or not guilty, we should be shocked by the way our judicial process was attacked in the media, and by various commentators, politicians, celebrities, this week and over the last year.  What we witnessed was mob justice and vigilante journalism.  If the outcome of a trial is not as the politically correct or the way the “woke” crowd wants it we can throw judicial process under the bus. This is dangerous for all of us no matter what our political views.

Jesus spoke about this type of mob, group think judgment as they evaluated Him, the perfect Son of God because he didn’t dance to the “in crowds” demands of the day.

“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”  Matthew 11:16-19

Logic, facts, evidence, due process under the law is all tossed aside if it doesn’t match the preordained narrative of the media elite.  Our Jury system is far from perfect but it is the best in the entire history of the world.  Twelve peers of the accused must all unanimously agree after a full trial and hearing all the evidence that the subject is either guilty or not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  And the accused is to be considered not guilty unless proved guilty.   Lynching mobs need not apply.  And yet that’s what we saw on the major networks this last week.   Prejudice means “pre – judging”.  Our jury system mirrors elder rule in churches where all the elders must unanimously come to a course of action before it is taken.

A media narrative was developed over a year ago that met with the paradigm of political correctness.  Slanders were made about character and some of the actions of Rittenhouse that were proved false in court, and yet the media continues to this day to tout those slanders.  May God judge those who continue to lie.

Our court system prevailed in this case but the elite media continues to hammer against our judicial system if it does not match their narrative.  Maybe one day they will break it.  One only needs to look at the history of mob rule and tyrannical government rule to see how this undermines objective, impartial justice.    The Mafia has often threatened and corrupted jurors and justice.  In Australia the media’s continual and vicious attacks on a mother who was accused of killing her child while on holiday was based on partial evidence and it corrupted a nation and a jury at her trail.  Years later she was found to be innocent when a key piece of evidence turned up at that time.  https://www.famous-trials.com/dingo/457-home.  No apology from the media elite.

In Communist countries they have trials, but the outcome is always as the government demands, not as blind justice would dictate.   And there were many unjust trials and preordained verdicts during the French Revolution under Robespierre’s mob rule.  It seems that this type of justice may be just around the corner for our country as well.  If the media plays the flute the jury and judge must dance.  If they play a dirge the judge and jury must mourn.

Now the Woke crowd wants to corrupt the jury system here also to get the outcome they want regardless of the facts, evidence, logic, and fair process.   Again the process doesn’t always get it right.  But that is no reason to give into mob justice which almost never gets it right.

We need to pray for our jury system, for the safety of jurors, and courage of jurors to do conduct impartial, objective justice to the best of their ability.  We need to pray that those in the media, the politicians, the celebrities would be chastised that they seek to corrupt the system for their own ends.  Having been on several juries myself in a liberal state, I initially thought that people would merely vote their advanced prejudices but I was pleasantly surprised how seriously and objectively jurors took their duties to examine the evidence and to presume innocence till proven guilty.  Let us pray juries continue like this.

Also the Rittenhouse trial revealed many times how the prosecutors cut corners, by not giving evidence to the defense team, by bullying the defendants, by stating information they knew was factually wrong, by twisting logic, and by violating court rules.  Although government prosecutors are tasked more importantly with seeking the truth than winning, this prosecution  team was under so much pressure to win by the press and politicians that they neglected their duty to justice.   This also can be said of defending attorneys many times in other trials.  Our justice system is set up as an adversarial one to get all arguments heard.  But there are limits to that.   It assumes that the people who are conducting justice are moral people not merely those who winning is everything, or that winning equals justice. Justice can be denied when the people executing it throw away morality and only seek to win.

John Adams, 2nd US President, and one of the writers of the Constitution said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”   The false notion in the justice system is that attorneys don’t need to concern themselves with what is just but only with winning and “the system” will sort it out.  But “the system” is not some external algorithm that makes decisions.   WE ARE THE SYSTEM.  And if prosecuting and defense attorneys don’t also seek justice within limits of the adversarial system then all justice collapses.  When an attorney says that “It’s not my responsibility to seek justice but just to present the best case for my side and only to win” they are in violation of the justice system which is only valid for “a moral and religious people.” who are driven by truth.  Sadly this false philosophy is taught universally in our law schools today. Many morally unanchored Prosecuting and Defense attorneys today are the result.

 

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord thank you for the justice and jury system you have given us, so much better than all that have gone before, and we pray that your hand would be on judge and jury to dispassionately, objectively examine all the evidence and not be swayed by media, or either prosecutors or defending attorneys who cut corners and distort the truth.  Lord we pray for You to work in the lives of prosecuting and defending attorneys to not merely be driven to win, but to seek truth and justice. And we pray Lord that you would elevate those media outlets, politicians, celebrities who promote and rightfully use facts, evidence, logic and due process and to demote those outlets and those who distort facts, evidence, logic, and due process to merely get their will.  And we pray for the public not to be taken in by the lies of those in media who distort truth to push an agenda.  And Lord we pray you raise up professors for our law schools to go back to teaching the correct perspective on the roles of prosecuting and defense attorneys to seek justice, not merely to win.  In Jesus name we pray, Amen.”

NOVEMBER NOV. 7, 2021  – You can skip directly prayer requests below if you want.

MOVING MOUNTAINS

A popular Christian worship song by Elevation Worship says:

“I’ve seen You move, You move the mountains, And I believe I’ll see You do it again
You made a way, where there was no way. And I believe I’ll see You do it again”

The tidal wave of secularism, humanism, socialism, communism, censorship, fascism, tyrannical government control over all aspects of our lives seems overwhelming and that we are beyond the point of no return.  The new knowledge from science, evolution, government experts, and information from the New Age philosophy and even the possibility that superior knowledge from interplanetary visitors could discredit our faith.   It feels like elections today are rigged.  The younger generation are abandoning the Christian faith en masse under the tutelage of college professors who force them to write papers denying it.

But the Christian faith and its values have been pronounced dead many times.  God has moved immovable mountains that opposed Christians in the past.  See:   HISTORY OF REVIVALS    God has always been in control.  No empire, no ruler can come to power or stay in power longer than He wills.

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;  wisdom and power are his.  He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.”  Daniel 2:20-21

“For not from the east, nor from the west, Nor from the [d]desert comes exaltation; But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another.”   Psalm 75:6, 7

Why are the nations restless And the peoples plotting in vain?  The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers conspire together Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let’s tear their shackles apart And throw their ropes away from us!” He who [c]sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury,  Psalm 2:1-5

Nero wanted to wipe Christianity off the face of the earth and sent believers to the lions, and burned them as human torches in the streets of Rome, but Christianity spread faster and by the fourth Century Christianity was the official religion of the Roman empire.

The leading prominent philosopher, Voltaire said the Bible would be a relic of history in 100 years.   One hundred years later Bible societies were flourishing and printing more Bibles than ever.

God has moved mountains in the past.   The gospel spread very slowly in China, and then the Communist government came to China and it seemed like the end of Christianity there.  Today there are more believers in China that there are in the United States in an underground church.  The gates of Hades can never prevail against God’s church.  Matthew 16:18

GOD CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS in His timing and for His purposes.   We must not lose hope but call upon Him to do it again.   Rulers may appear to have ultimate power but it is illusory.  We must put our trust in the true power and not fear the powers of man.

The election for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General in Virginia is proof of that this last week against a seemingly unstoppable secular political machine that promoted racism and gender confusion.

PRAYER REQUESTS

(Instead of specific request this week, list the mountains you have seen God move in your own life or in your knowledge of Church history – and call on God to do it again.)  Dear Lord Jesus, we thank you for removing these mountains in the past.  Please forgive us for our lack of faith in your faithfulness.   Please remove these mountains of humanism and secularism, and new age again.  In Jesus name.”

 

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below

TRUE JUSTICE

It seems like our society is becoming more and more unjust, people in authority are lying regularly and not being called on it.  Our news media is no longer reporting news but propaganda.  There is a fear that our elections are now rigged.  We feel helpless to do anything about it but to “rage against the machine”.  We feel we can do nothing to stop it.  And it seems God is not listening to our predicament.

This is nothing new for followers of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the disciples of Jesus.  Hear the advice the Word of God gives.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. Galatians 6:7

Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”  Genesis 18:25

Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing. For evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land. Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more;
And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there. But the humble will inherit the land And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.  The wicked plots against the righteous And gnashes at him with his teeth.  The Lord laughs at him, For He sees his day is coming.  The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow To cast down the afflicted and the needy, To slay those who are upright in conduct.  Their sword will enter their own heart, And their bows will be broken. Better is the little of the righteous Than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked will be broken, But the Lord sustains the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the blameless,  And their inheritance will be forever.  They will not be ashamed in the time of evil,  And in the days of famine they will have abundance. But the wicked will perish; And the enemies of the Lord will be like the glory of the pastures, They vanish—like smoke they vanish away.     Psalm 37:7-20

Rest assured, justice will be done to those who abuse the law, whether they be politicians, attorneys, religious leaders, educators, judges, business leaders, those in media.   We just need to pray for God to judge righteously and be patient in His true justice system.

And to pray for righteous men to replace those in authority who are not righteous.   Perhaps one of the clearest examples is the Governor’s election in Virginia.  Terry McAuliffe who supports (though he lies and says he denies it) racism, gender confusion, and parents having no influence over what is being taught in public schools and Glenn Youngkin who opposes those things.  Pray for this election tomorrow Tuesday Nov. 2.

But be patient and pray.  We are frustrated that God delays in executing true justice but the Word of God says He will act at the appropriate time.

How great are Your works, O Lord!  Your thoughts are very deep.  A senseless man has no knowledge, Nor does a stupid man understand this: That when the wicked sprouted up like grass And all who did iniquity flourished, It was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.  Psalm 92:5-7

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus enable us to be patient and see your perspective about how you are dealing with the wicked in our current fallen world, and to know that eventually justice will be done.  Keep us from the sin of fretting and anxiety and anger and instead praise your wisdom about how you are giving the wrongdoers and change to repent and if not to use it as a basis for their judgment.  Please give us wisdom as what we can do in the meantime to pray, to voice opposition, to present your truth, to pray for their salvation, but to leave the judgment to you.  Even You while on earth did not come to judge but to present the gospel.  Your very words will be what judge them in the last day.  (John 3:17; 12:48) Help us not to be judgmental but to present your words (your gospel) to a “crooked and perverse generation” (Phil. 2:15).  We pray this in Jesus name.”

OCTOBER 10, 2021  – you can skip directly to prayer requests below

SIN IS LAWLESSNESS – LAWLESSNESS IS SIN

What happens when the people in authority are lawless.  When the life of the preborn is protected by a law in Texas and when the U.S. Department of Justice seek to stop a humane law and allow the preborn to be murdered. When border agents seek to enforce border law and the Presidential administration seeks to stop them.  When people have the right to refuse medication or shots and the federal government seeks to force everyone to get shots.  When lawyers no longer feel obligated to pursue justice but just winning their case.  When doctors who have taken an oath to defend the country lie to congress about research in viruses that could be disastrous to the country. When news media covers up illegal activity in news to suit a political agenda.  When mayors and governors refuse to enforce the law on rioters.

The wheels are coming off the car in our country.  Our natural reaction is to commit lawless actions and return the damage, but this is not the Christian way.

Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.“But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:19-21

In everything, therefore, [i]treat people the same way you want [j]them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.   Matthew 7:12

We need to speak out against injustice and do what is legitimate to oppose it, but not to take revenge into our own hands.  We leave that to God in his timing.  It is painful to allow evil to continue and not seeking to step in and take justice into own hands but we need to allow that to God and instead to

love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Matthew 7:44-45

This takes God’s supernatural power through the Holy Spirit in us.  We need to reach out to them in love (not hate speech) to correct them and warn them of the coming judgment to the lawless ones.  It is not the law because they are in authority and they decree it, it is the rule of law because God has dictated it in His Word.   Human laws that violate God’s law are lawlessness.

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  II Tim. 3;16

 speaking the truth in love  Ephesians 4:15

Most often this is thought of training for Christians but it is also reaching out to unbelievers so they can understand the value of the Gospel and God’s forgiveness.  But it must be in love, being approached with correction the same way we would want to be approached if we needed correction.  Too often believers speak the truth in hate and this has the opposite effect.

And next we need to pray for our enemies.   As the saying goes “When the going gets tough, the tough get praying.”  There is a story of Corrie Ten Boom and her sister in the concentration camp during World War I and the sister says to Corrie she prays for some people across the courtyard and wants to share the gospel with them and see them come to Jesus.  Corrie initially thought the sister was referring just to the Jewish inmates in the concentration camp, but then she realized her sister was also talking about the Nazi concentration camp guards.  This is a supernatural love for our enemies that we can’t gin up, but that only God can give us.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Lord Jesus we are appalled as you must be about the increase in lawlessness in our country. We have prayed that you remove the lawless ones from authority, but you have not done that yet.  So for now we need to love and pray for our enemies.   We confess we are unable to do that from the heart in our own strength and we pray your Holy Spirit would stir true love in our hearts to prayer for them regularly, for their conviction of their sins, for their salvation, for them to start to do true justice.  We pray as we write to them to reprove them and correct them, that we do it in love and not a hateful attitude.  That we reach out to them as those who are lost sheep, as prodigal sons, and not forget that even as fallen beings that they are made in Your image, and we must respect that. We know that if they do not repent they will perish and face eternal damnation.  And even if they are enemies we do wish they would turn and find life.  Let us not hope to rejoice as Jonah did that the Ninevites would be destroyed, but that they would rather turn and find true life, and remember that there but for the grace of God would go us as well.  We pray all this in Jesus name. Amen.”

SEPTEMBER 19, 2021 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below.

WHEN GOD SAYS “NO” OR “WAIT”

As you know this last week Gavin Newsom, California governor, who supports the entire progressive agenda (abortion for any reason up till birth, gay rights that limit others rights, closing down churches during covid, any sort of progressive gender agenda, wearing masks and shutting down businesses even when the science doesn’t support it, mandatory vaccines without consent, and on and on), was NOT recalled.  The vote was 2 to 1, which hints there may have been some election tampering, since he is very unpopular and those who support him don’t tend to show upon in off elections.   And, of course this is a huge boon to progressive agendas all across the country, and a disappointment to us.

We were reminded of in the first century when the Jewish people were praying desperately for a Messiah that would give them relief from the tyrannical hand of the Roman government, and then Jesus came.    And they flocked to Jesus, were excited that God would deliver them as He did the Israelites from the tyranny of Egypt.  But God has another plan than the easy to understand military messiah.  He gave them a different messiah and deliverance but in a way they hadn’t counted on.   The goal was not to reform the world that existed but to create a whole new kingdom within that world and see it grow as the parable of the mustard seed said that it would grow into a huge influence.   It would be a bottom up transformation one person at a time of the world, not one with a top down with governors and rulers.  The earth will still be under the rule of Satan till the end times, but the kingdom of God would grow up within the earth as souls were added to it one at a time, and souls were sanctified to a physical kingdom that would come.  The World will not be reformed until Christ returns.   Until then we are aliens in a foreign land not of our ruling.

For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.  Romans 8:22-25

 (Abraham) by faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;  for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. … All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.  But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.  Hebrews 11:13-16

We are truly aliens in a foreign land and as our numbers have grown we have influence, but make no mistake this is not our homeland, we have transferred out citizenship to a heavenly kingdom.  Occasionally an election like the one Tuesday comes along and reminds us of that.

the ruler of this world has been judged.  John 16:11

He has been judged but the execution of his sentence awaits the end days.   He is still the ruler of this world for the time being.    But look back again at the first century church.  They were not stopped because Caesar was not voted out of office or the Pharisees and Sadducees were recalled from the Sanhedrin. Nothing in the kingdom of this world can stop the kingdom of God from growing and “coming” to fruition.   God will give us victories when we need them, but not when we don’t.   It is said of the early Christians:

“These men who have upset the world have come here also;  Acts 17:6

 I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. Matthew 16:18

And this was completely without the Roman empire’s support of permission.  And he would say to us today, “The gates of Sacramento, the gates of city hall of downtown Los Angeles, the gates of the capitol building of Washington D.C., or the gates of whatever capitol building in your state – WILL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT.”  Yes we would prefer to have a godly leader in the top governmental position, but that will never stop the church.

Our natural instinct is to fight, to teach them a lesson if they have stolen an election of supported things that we consider totally unbiblical.  But when Jesus is before Pilate, he says:

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”  John 18:36

Jesus plan for growing this mystery kingdom right in the middle of a worldly kingdom is explained in the kingdom parables in Matthew 12.  We are to share the gospel, disciple believers to obey all Jesus has commanded us, to be shining lights of how people should live and do good to all men in in the midst of a crooked and corrupt generation.

Go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.  Matt. 28:19

Let your light shine before me in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify you Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 5:16

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.  So then while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men and especially to those of the household of faith.  Galatians 6:9, 10

We don’t need the governor we want to be in place to grow God’s kingdom.  Growing this kingdom will not be easy.  We will face persecution which we would like to avoid by placing other governors or rulers in it’s place and sometimes God allows that.   But mostly we live in a worldly kingdom where we have to grow the kingdom from the bottom up one at a time, not from the top down by replacing leaders.  We should fight for laws and leaders which will provide a godly not atheistic rules but even more important is growing Jesus mystery kingdom in the midst of a worldly kingdom despite opposition.

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11, 12

In fact the church tends to grow best when it doesn’t have the secular leaders we would want in office.  True sacrificial Christianity decreased after Christianity because the official religion of the Roman Empire.  But secular agenda governors really have no ultimate power to stop us.  They may have the title and the position but God is the ultimate ruler over all things, and His will be done.

So what is our role in a hostile world?  To grow God’s kingdom, to win souls for Christ, to disciple believers in Jesus ways, to continue to teach and advocate for Biblical truths and justice despite who is in office, because ultimately we are on the winning side.  This of course gets back to the theme of this blog:  praying for a national revival that will turn the country upside down for Christ, as God has done many times in the past when things may has seemed hopeless.  Or to put it another way, “when the going gets tough, the tough get praying.”

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Oh, Lord Jesus, give us the courage and perseverance to advocate and grow your kingdom in spite of which rulers with unbiblical agendas have ascended to office.  We have seen many times in the past how your chosen people have succeeded in growing your kingdom despite the worst of rulers because their gates can never prevail against the onward movement of your church.  We realize we have lived in a very blessed country where many biblical principles ruled and how rare that is throughout all of history, but how your kingdom was never stopped by unjust rulers.  Help us to not be discouraged or defeated but to persevere even harder despite who is in office as a unified church.  As you say, “ Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;  in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.” Philippians 1:27,8 Forgive us where we have not sought to grow your kingdom but instead relied on rulers to keep a quasi Christian ethic in our society rather than adding transformed lives to your kingdom who wholeheartedly serve and worship you.  Please Jesus, guide us, motivate us, empower us to strive even harder to grow your kingdom and pray for total national revival until the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea.  In Jesus name, Amen”  (Habakkuk 2:14)

The rulers of this world are the ones who should be discouraged and afraid, not us, because they are fighting a losing battle – even if they have a governing title, they have no ultimate authority.  Jesus does, “all authority has been given to me”  Matthew 28:19.

SEPTEMBER 12, 2021 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below.

BELLWETHER ELECTION SEPTEMBER 14

This is pretty much the same request as last time.  There is a bellwether election in the recall of the California governor this Tuesday Sept. 14.   California tends to be a bellwether leader for the rest of the states in the nation.   The current governor is all in with the progressive agenda, and the main challenger, Larry Elder is a conservative and libertarian.  Please pray God will see the next governor of the state will be a godly man or at least one who operates by Biblical principles and not humanistic ones.

There is also the fear that the voting machines may be manipulated to give a managed result.  Please pray that all the voting process will be above board and that a fair election will take place.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

Dear Lord Jesus, you promise us in Hebrews 6:10 that “For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the [i]saints.”   The United States and the state of California has many times been far less than a perfect servant of yours, however the U.S. and California have over the centuries been powerhouses in sending out missionaries to foreign fields and provided charitable help to many through: Billy Graham Crusades, Campus Crusade for Christ, Focus on the Family, World Vision, the beginnings of the Jesus Movement and many other things.   Please remember us in this hour of need as pressure is mounting on your children to be forced by the government to do things that we cannot sanction.   Please as you are the one who “changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.” Daniel 2:21 That you would do that again this coming Tuesday and throughout the nation in the political elections over the next year by giving us godly leaders and stopping all attempts at fraud in our elections. In Jesus name, Amen

AUGUST 22, 2021 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below

THE CHICKENS ARE COMING HOME TO ROOST

We have a humanitarian crisis at the southern border, a collapse of protection of our citizens in Afghanistan, a delta wave of the covid virus sweeping the country, a country divided on racial lines each side calling the other racist, lawlessness in our cities and courts, a hidden spike in inflation that the government can’t hide anymore and the potential of a coming recession brought on by overwhelming government debt, China ready to pounce and take over Taiwan by force as they see the U.S. will no longer use force to sustain peace in the world, and on and on.

The devastation by those in government, media, law, business, religion, education who may have some nominal religious affiliation but in reality are practical atheists/communists and are practicing those principles is starting to bear rotten fruit which they will never admit.  Also we are starting to see God’s judgment on this nation and this world for not honoring Him, His ten commandments, His basis for marriage, His ordering of genders, His requirement for telling the truth, His command to follow the law, and churches turning away from the authority of Scripture and putting in its place the politically correct edicts of society.

We can not be sure where this will end.  Is this the beginning of the end times or is it like in the book of Judges a judgment upon our people to cause them to cry out and return to God and peace can be reestablished.  However, as the remnant of true believers we must ourselves act according to God’s Word, following His will, telling the truth of God’s Word, and being the voice of those calling our nation back repentance.

Let us pray that above all we would be true to following Jesus in the midst of this chaos no matter what the world does around us and

so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life,  Philippians 2:15, 16

And that we would pray for those who have fallen into following Satan’s lies that God would open their eyes and bring repentance and a true revival in our nation and remove those leaders in key areas of society that have been leading us down this devastating path.

If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  II Chronicles 7:13, 14

But as the verse says, revival starts with the believers.  Let us also pray in upcoming elections particularly the bell weather election recalling the governor of California that he be removed and a godly man or woman be elected in his place.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Dear Lord Jesus, we know that we as a nation deserve Your judgment for the many ways we have walked away from Your Word and Your commands.  First of all we pray for revival in our own hearts as believers, and then for the boldness to speak truth to a fallen society calling it to repentance, and then we pray for Your spirit to move upon this land of ours, and indeed upon the whole world calling it to repentance.  We pray you would remove those leaders who have been leading us astray and replace them with godly men and woman who believe in You and follow Your truth and teaching without apology.  We pray for this upcoming recall of the governor in California that this may be the beginning of raising up new godly leadership in our country not only in politics but in all areas of society.  We pray in Jesus name, amen.

AUGUST 1, 2021 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below

UPCOMING ELECTIONS

Though 2021 is not a major election year there are a number of state and local elections coming up.   We have seen how the 2020 election has created mass chaos in public policy.  Abortion is being promoted, the gay and transgender agenda is being pushed, reverse racism by way of the Critical Race Theory is being taught even to preschoolers, elected officials are refusing to enforce the law, the southern border is not being enforced and thousands of people are coming across who are testing positive for covid and spreading throughout the country, free speech is being muzzled by the news and social media, political “witch trials” are being initiated, thousands are being murdered by the Taliban in Afghanistan because of a preemptive U.S. withdrawal, and on and on.

We need to pray that godly men and women who oppose atheism, secularism, humanism would be elected and not those who desire to undermine all our Christian roots in this country.

California tends to be a bellwether for the rest of the country, and there are recall efforts for the governor and the Los Angeles district attorney are underway.  The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom is one of the most radical governors in the country seeking to shut down all church services in the state during covid until the supreme court stopped him.   George Gascon, District Attorney of Los Angeles, whose election was financed by the atheist, George Soros, is not enforcing the law, allowing criminals out of jail, instituting “no cash bail” which allows criminals caught before their trials to be automatically released with no cash on the line if they commit crimes again or flee.

Let us pray that the California governor would be recalled, the election is set for September 14.  Let us pray that the petition for recall George Gascon would be accepted.   And let us pray that humanistic, progressive candidates in elections all over the United States would be defeated and replaced by godly, Christ believing men and women who would uphold Christian principles in governing.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, we have seen over the last seven months what our country can look like when government officials who govern by humanistic principles take control.   Although as a nation we have strayed far from Your Word we pray for mercy that You would raise up godly men and women to take the place of those who would force a radical agenda on us and take away our freedoms to worship and serve you.  We pray for the upcoming Governor recall in California and other elections and recalls that you would replace humanistic/atheistic officials with men and women that follow you and Biblical principles in governing.  And Lord Jesus we pray that You would raise up powerful evangelists and preachers empowered by your Spirit calling our nation to repentance that would lead to a revival and opening the eyes of a population that has strayed far from you and doesn’t even seem to realize it.  Lord Jesus, please send us revival as You have many times in the past.  Amen.”

JULY 18, 2021 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below.

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 I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  II Chronicles 7:14

The emphasis of this website has been from the beginning that our country has sunk to such a low point spiritually in flirting with perversions and rejection of Biblical truth at almost all levels of our democratic republic, that God would have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorra if He didn’t bring a severe judgment on our land.

And since people who are rejecting Biblical truth, despite many who profess some religious affiliation, are so adamant in their opposition the only thing that can save us now is a Holy Spirit revival, where the Spirit goes beyond the intellect and rationalizations and convicts individuals to the heart.  He has done this many times in the past when it seemed a country was so far from God that there was not hope.   See the page on this site:

https://prayforunitedstates.com/history-of-revivals-god-answering-prayer-for-nations-coming-soon/

Whole nations were turned around as the Holy Spirit fell on them and overwhelmed their heart with conviction and fear of the outcome of the sinful path they were taking for their lives.

And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.  John 16:8-11

Let us pray with earnestness that God spares our country from the judgment that is coming and instead sends the Holy Spirit to bring our country back to Him.

PRAYER REQUEST

“Lord Jesus, as a nation we have sinned.  We plead for your mercy and ask instead of judgment that you send your Spirit to convict the hearts of us a believers where we have failed to speak up for you as we should and to convict the hearts of those Christians in name only who profess Your name but do not follow Your Word, and for even those who reject You and attack you that Your Spirit would fall on all and bring us back to national repentance and a heart to follow you, and not the consensus of the day.  We pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.”

JULY 4, 2021 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below

A recent Rasmussen poll showed that only one in three Americans think the Founders would approve of the United States today.  This can be seen by a recent supreme court decision not to even hear a case on religious liberty where a Florist in Washington state refused to make a floral display for a gay wedding because she would be participating in a ceremony which she believed the Bible condemns, and she was fined by the state.  The Founders would be shocked that courts today fear upholding the first amendment.

Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to own firearms for defense are being stripping away by a thousand small cuts. The courts refuse to take or hear what would have been clear cut cases 250 years ago, either because of fear of political opinion or a politically correct beliefs that contradict Biblical beliefs.   The state and the courts are now imposing their own secular “religion”.  When the ten commandments are kicked out of the courtroom what is left are  the shifting sands of public opinion.

The Bible says a lot about unjust judges, district attorneys, and the powerful who rule according to their own convenience (Isaiah 10:1,2;  3:13-15,  Proverbs 11:1) rather than truth. (Deuteronomy 10:20).    The law is being weaponized (as it is in Communist countries) to persecute those who don’t fall in line with the central government.

He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.  Proverbs 17:15

Woe to those who enact evil statutes, And to those who constantly record unjust decisions, So as to deprive the needy of justice, And rob the poor of My people of their rights, So that widows may be their spoil And that they may plunder the orphans. Isaiah 10:1-2

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.   Isaiah 5:20

Let us pray that those good judges will have the courage and wisdom to rule according to truth and the law as written, not according to public opinion and politics.

PRAYER

“Lord Jesus, please raise up just judges to fill our courts, those with courage and wisdom to rule according to the law, truth, and Your eternal commandments.  Please expose those judges who come into office to pervert the law for their own political agenda.  Please remove them, and replace them with godly judges who stand for your eternal righteousness. Please may the senate of the country and the states block the appointment of judges who would twist the truth and justice for political convenience.  And please expose and remove those media outlets and journalists and commentators who praise courts when injustice is done.  May there be woe to them.  And may you raise up preachers and media outlets that rejoice when the truth is upheld.  We pray this in Jesus name. Amen.”

______________________

PS – This prayer site started about a year ago, and our country has declined a lot in the last 12 months.  But we know God hears our prayers and the delay is not that He is not working but:

Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever.  Psalm 92:6,7

A great day of God’s wrath is coming against those who flaunt the boastful pride of life and reject His statutes and of blessing to those who follow them.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:7-10

Let us continue to pray for a nationwide Holy Spirit revival that our nation will be TRULY WOKE to the truth of God’s Word and the sovereignty of King Jesus.

JUNE 20, 2021 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below.

This week the VA offers Gender Confirmation Surgery to Vets and the Secretary of Veteran affairs, Denis McDonough announced during Gay Pride month that it was “the right thing to do”.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:27

 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;  …Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.   Romans 1:26-28, 32

 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:  Deuteronomy 28:15

All these things happening in government at the highest levels are blaspheming the name and image of God and yet they says it is “the right thing to do.”  Even language like “right” has been perverted.

God is patient but does not long tolerate direct affronts to His name and image.  See the old Moody Science film “Empty Cities”  How advanced great civilizations of the past that abandoned God and were given up to all sorts of sexual perversion as an affront to God’s intended purpose.  And how sexual perversions almost always were a precursor to a nation’s downfall.  And how those civilization were judged by God and many never recovered.

EMPTY CITIES   – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WISq_71tVvU

Let us pray that God will remove people like Secretary Denis McDonough and others in authority who promote such perversions from positions of power and replace them with godly men and women who uphold God’s Word and have a Biblical standard of what “right” means.

Let us pray that God will send a national Holy Spirit revival to our country to humble the hearts of the American people to cause them to see the one true God and His Son Jesus Christ and vote out of power these perverted leaders who promote perverted things while at the same time calling them “right”.

PRAYER REQUEST

“Please Lord Jesus, send a Holy Spirit revival upon our country as you have done in the many awakenings before this to turn the hearts of our people back to You the true God.   Please have mercy on our nation and see that these false leaders and prophets are voted out of power, no matter how many fraudulent election tactics they use to steal elections.   Please be merciful to your people who seek your name and face and not punish us with those who seek to pervert our nation. You said you would save Sodom for only ten righteous people, and yet there are many more than that which remain in this country and in every city.  Though we have failed you many times Jesus, many have served you faithfully and the missions to the world from the United States have brought your light to many internationally.   You tell us:  “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” (Hebrews 6:10).  We call upon Your faithfulness not to forget what many have done to glorify Your name in our country and throughout the world..  And do not judge us because of the few who have seized power to blaspheme you, but rather replace them with godly men and women from our country that uphold your name. Amen”

JUNE 13, 2021 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below.

Please continue to pray for the requests of June 6, for our children, that God would protect them from this society and world that seeks to pollute their minds and raise them up to be dedicated followers of Jesus.

JUNE 6, 2021  – you can skip directly to the prayer requests below.

INDOCTRINATION OF OUR CHILDREN

Satan has always played the long game.  If he can corrupt the next generation, he can corrupt the entire system. Just this week a high school valedictorian spent her address condemning a Texas law that said abortion AFTER a heartbeat was detected was taking a life.  She said it was a war on women.  But she failed to say that abortion was a war on the preborn women and that taking any human life was an assault on the image of God (Genesis 9:6), because she had been indoctrinated with a knee-jerk philosophy that any restriction on abortion was wrong, and that my body is my body rather than it belonging to God and that I am only a temporary custodian (I Corinthians 6:19-20).    How did this happen in a 1st world civilized society when for millennia abortion was considered one of the gravest sins?  Secular encyclopedias in the 1960’s roundly condemned abortion.  But today opposing abortion by a high school valedictorian is considered immoral.  How did this go so wrong in one generation.

Changing the present generation is difficult, but twisting the mind of the future generation, even the valedictorians is a lot easier.  As the “twig is bent, so is the tree is inclined” (Alexander Pope).

Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.  Proverbs 22:6

Some commentators have tried to say this means you should train up a child in “his own way”. But this is flawed thinking – as we are all sinners by nature they would be training him to be a sinner and condemning him to a life of sin.  The Scriptures teach us how to redeem lives from our own natural way.  And it is highly dubious in proverbs where morality is the theme is talking about finding a child’s talents and mechanical skills and promoting those.  No, the emphasis here is helping to develop the child’s conscience and moral habits so they work for him not against him/her and anchor him/her as they grow older.

The Bible constantly talks about training a child in God’s way.  And “his way” is “the way the child SHOULD go” to be the person he/she was created to be, not the way the fallen human has turned out. (Deuteronomy 6:20-25; Deuteronomy 11:18-21).

You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 19 You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.  Deuteronomy 11:18-19

Satan and his educators realize this and try to teach a child lies as early as possible.  The entire “world” system is built around this:  the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life” (II John 2:15, 16).

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.  I John 2:15 – 17

We live in a world and a world paradigm that is hostile to God’s Word and His paradigm.  Unbelieving teachers, educators, teacher’s unions, and professors are not just teach reading, writing, and arithmetic, but a world system of Satan’s intricate web of lies.  Mass Media, films and television are also doing this weaving false premises in their stories.  Politicians are doing this promising lies to get elected.  Corporations are promoting this to gain profits by pandering to man’s lowest common denominator of sinful nature.

They are teaching our children to hate anything but the worldly philosophy of Critical Race Theory – only one race is racist – where the Bible says that “all have sinned”.  Revenge, not forgiveness is taught.  They are teaching our children that sex outside of marriage is fine and that homosexuality is natural and what God has wanted all along.  They are not only proud of their sins, but want others to join them, and to force others to join them.

and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:32

Dwight L. Moody once said that if he had his entire ministry to do over again, he would have concentrated it entirely on children.  Almost all the early colleges and universities in this country were founded by Christians for the propagation of the gospel and Christian principles.  Sadly most of these have become totally secular, even the seminaries that now teach doctrines that are totally non-Christian.

We do have Christian schools and colleges today but they are coming under peer pressure from secular institutions and government to compromise the Word of God or they will be accused of “hate speech”, and sued, and cut off from any government support of education.  Satan doesn’t just go after the home-schooling mom’s but those who create the curriculum for them.

We need to pray for our next generation.  That churches, Christian colleges, home-schoolers will stand firm against this blatant assault by Satan to corrupt the next generation.   We need to pray that we will be wise to discern truth from error as we teach our children.  Satan is very clever in how he phases his lies to appear as moral and good.  Yet a good understanding of the Bible will help teachers to be “rightly dividing the Word of truth” (II Tim. 2:15) and not be fooled by false doctrine. It’s not just cults that are teaching a false theology, it’s the secular school system.

And what is even more concerning is the Christian adults with children have been taken in by many of these false teachings themselves because they have not adequately studied your Word and are passing on these teachings to their own children.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Lord Jesus you express you deep love for little children and for them to come to you, and how you condemn those who lead them astray and say it would be better for those people to be drowned with a millstone around their neck.   We are opposed in teaching our children by a worldwide phalanx of teachers, professors, politicians, media, and minions of Satan dead set and determined to corrupt the minds of even preschoolers with false teachings about your intended purpose for sex, gender, marriage, and race. We pray for the guidance and power of your Spirit and learning in your Word to discern false teaching so we don’t inadvertently instruct our children in some of these false teachings.  We pray that we could train up our own children in the way they should go.  We pray you give us influence in our schools and universities to be salt and light and stop the moral decay which they are teaching and even reverse it.  We pray for Christian schools and colleges to stand firm against the assault on Biblical values.   We pray for the courage to stand against the persecution and condemnation we are likely to face for not accepting the World’s paradigm.   And we pray for the salvation of those teachers, professors, media, and corporate executives that they would see the light of your glorious truth and reject the false teachings they have been propagating.  And if they don’t, we pray that they would be removed from their positions of influence and that their books would not be published and their films would not be made.  We pray for a supernatural national revival of your Spirit turning the hearts and minds of our nation back to you, where children could be more educated in godly principles again.  We pray in Jesus name, Amen.”

MAY 30, 2021 – you can skip directly to the prayer requests below.

OPPONENTS

In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?  Psalm 56:4

The more you read the news it seems like leaders in government are totally out of control.  They seem to feel that no one can stop them so they keep moving forward with more and more dictatorial, outrageous policies.  Even criticizing Satanism can now be considered a hate crime.

However as believers we know their authority is limited and there is a king of kings over them.

Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing?  The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,  “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.   Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”  Psalm 2:1-6

Christians have lived through far worse governments.  And God has protected His people.   There may have been times where believers have suffered persecution.

Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.  John 15:20

But these trials are blessings in disguise.

 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 5:10

And we know that no matter how tough things get God is with us.

and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:20

casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.  I Peter 5:7

So let us pray with confidence that God is still in control though at times it may not seem that way.  Pray that he will limit the evil of mankind and rulers.   And pray that we will keep the faith to see his miraculous deliverance or to endure through times of persecution as those in the heroes hall of faith.  Hebrews 11

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, please protect us from the way the law is being manipulated to attack Christians and the leaders and lawmakers who are going way beyond their legitimate authority.   We know that this is Satan’s work and the mystery of iniquity that is at work in our generation.   However, we know that you are still in control and we pray that you limit and restrain the evil they intend.  We pray for future elections that you would restore the balance of power with Godly leaders, lawmakers, and judges. And we pray for those Godly leaders today that you would enable them by your Spirit to restrain the evil intend of those leaders who currently have the majority.   We also pray that our faith would remain firm in you and do your will, and that if you call us to persecution that we would willingly submit to your will and as Paul and Silas in jail even continue to praise you through the difficult times.  Thank you for your promises and that we can rest secure that you are in control.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

May 23, 2021 – you can skip directly to the prayer requests below

PEACEMAKERS

Continue to pray for the requests from May 16, about peace between people of different viewpoints, peace in our families, our workplaces, and in our hearts.  Determine each day to bring a little more peace to the world. It seems the more certain element seek to take advantage of others, the more many of us want to seek revenge.  Leave that to God, (Romans 12:14, 17-21).  let us seek peace and to bring others to Jesus.   Pray also for the peace of Israel  (Psalm 122:6; Genesis 12:3) at this difficult time.

MAY 16, 2021  – you can skip directly to the prayer requests below.

PEACEMAKERS

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;  And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.   Isaiah 5:9

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22,23

It seems today people are full of war in their hearts.  The slightest provocation can cause a heated argument.  A sense of self-righteousness pervades our culture today.  To be sure there are many taking advantage of us today: in politics, media, social media, religion, business, and so on.  The number of mass shooting incidents tell us that people are willing to kill even strangers because they feel offended.   And even Christians are resorting to rude interchanges online and in person.  Yet God’s Word tells us.

But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Colossians 38

Are we tempted to call others names to win an argument, to insult them, to make fun of them, write rude letters to the editor or congressmen, business people, to speak abusively to service departments on the phone when we are not satisfied or feel cheated?  And yet, of all people, are to be… peacemakers.

This doesn’t mean that we are to be doormats – but our goal is peace, not war.  Are we contributing to the warlike spirit of the age, or are we seeking a solution that makes peace?

We expect the world to try to get whatever they want by any means they can get away with.  But as believes we are held to a higher standard.

We need to pray that God will work in our lives and in our culture to seek peace, no revenge, even verbal revenge.  In Paul’s letter along with praying for grace to those he addresses he constantly prays for peace.

 Grace to you and peace from God our Father.   Colossians 1:2

In Revelation 19 – Jesus returns to defeat all his enemies, but His ultimate goal is peace.  He is the prince of peace.

Peace must start in our hearts.  And as we as Christians exhibit peace, we can spread it to our culture.  And we should pray for patience for our culture and ourselves so that Satan may not continue so war in our hearts and divide our churches, and our nation

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, please help us as your followers to have peace and patience in our hearts.  May your Spirit grow that fruit of the Spirit within us so that our life and works and light may shine before an unbelieving world in such a way that they may see You and glorify You, and lessen the warlike attitude in our nation today.  We also pray for all aspects of our culture: politicians, media, teachers, co-workers, church members, and so on that peace and not war would be promoted and lessen the tensions we see today, rather than those who seek monetary and power advantage by dividing and demonizing others. Help us when appropriate to intervene as peacemakers and truly become the followers of Christ you have called us to be.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

MAY 2, 2021 – you can skip directly to the prayer requests below.

PRAYER FOR OUR LEADERS

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  I Timothy 2:1-4

Let’s continue to prayer for our leaders this week.  It’s easy to be angry with them when we see them violating our rights for their own political ends, and to say nasty things about them to retaliate.  But the Bible has a different mandate for us.

See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.   I Thessalonians 5:15

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience Colossians 3:12

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29

Often this is the opposite way we react when wronged.  Abusive words flow from out mouths.   Let us pray for God to give us grace to respond the way we should and pray for our leaders.  Do we seek to tear them down, or do we seek to do them good and help them correct their ways and act and judge rightly.  What is the goal of our speech and actions?  To destroy?  Or to build up to a better person?  How?  By praying for them.

PRAYER REQUESTS

‘Lord Jesus, we pray you would work in the lives of our leaders in this country and if possible to save them by Your Gospel.   And if not, you would restrain them from passing laws or committing acts which run counter to Your will.   Turn their hearts to do your will and to allow your Kingdom to come and Your Will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, even if it is contrary to their plans.  Father we pray specifically for: President Biden, and Vice President Harris.  For the Leaders of the Senate, Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell and all the senators both Democrat, Republican, and independent.   We pray for the Leaders in the house, Nancy Pelosi and Kevin McCarthy and all the members of the house both Democrat and Republican.  Give them wisdom and courage to do the right things and restrain them from doing things that run counter to Your will.  We pray for all the members of the Supreme Court:  John G. Roberts, Jr., Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brent Kavanaugh, Stephen G. Breyer, Samuel A. Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett that you would give them wisdom and courage to judge rightly and not just of their own opinions.  We pray for all the other federal and state and city judges that you would turn their hearts to judge rightly as well. And we pray for all the State and Country and City officials and legislators to cause them to rule rightly so that we as believers could lead tranquil and quiet lives carrying out your will without interference.  And for those who do not that you would remove and replace them with men and women that would.  And Lord since we live in a nation where we participate in choosing leaders we pray you would work in the hearts of all the citizens to vote in those leaders who would carry out your will.  In Jesus name, Amen.

APRIL 25, 2021  – you can skip directly to the prayer requests below.

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.  This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  I Timothy 2:1-4

It’s easy to complain about those leaders in authority in our country.  But the apostle Paul tells us to pray for them. And remember in Paul’s day these leaders were members of the Sanhedrin, Pilate, the Herods, the Caesars, and many of the town officials that persecuted Christians.  Paul doesn’t tell us to lead an uprising against them.  But to pray that God would give us favor with them so we could lead a tranquil and quiet life doing all Jesus has commanded us to do.

Although God is God over all creation and Jesus is seated far about all authority not only in this age but the next as well.  For the time being until Christ returns Satan is still the “Prince of the power of the air” and the “ruler of THIS world”.  Our goal is not to cause a revolution, to rearrange the chairs on a sinking ship, but to get as many people off this sinking ship as possible. Jesus Himself could have stopped his crucifixion with a word, but He didn’t.

Jesus answered (to Pilate), “My kingdom is not of this world.  If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” John 18:36

However, God does intervene when necessary to allow His followers to carry out his business if we ask.   And so He can give us favor.

The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes. Proverbs 21:1

So this week let us pray for God’s spirit to restrain out leaders from passing laws or orders which keep us from Going about doing what God has called us to do in this life.  Possibly to save some, to restrain them from poor leadership and to motivate them do act rightly.

PRAYER REQUESTS

‘Lord Jesus, we pray you would work in the lives of our leaders in this country and if possible to save them by Your Gospel.   And if not, you would restrain them from passing laws or committing acts which run counter to Your will.   Turn their hearts to do your will and to allow your Kingdom to come and Your Will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, even if it is contrary to their plans.  Father we pray specifically for: President Biden, and Vice President Harris.  For the Leaders of the Senate, Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell and all the senators both Democrat, Republican, and independent.   We pray for the Leaders in the house, Nancy Pelosi and Kevin McCarthy and all the members of the house both Democrat and Republican.  Give them wisdom and courage to do the right things and restrain them from doing things that run counter to Your will.  We pray for all the members of the Supreme Court:  John G. Roberts, Jr., Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brent Kavanaugh, Stephen G. Breyer, Samuel A. Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett that you would give them wisdom and courage to judge rightly and not just of their own opinions.  We pray for all the other federal and state and city judges that you would turn their hearts to judge rightly as well. And we pray for all the State and Country and City officials and legislators to cause them to rule rightly so that we as believers could lead tranquil and quiet lives carrying out your will without interference.  And for those who do not that you would remove and replace them with men and women that would.  And Lord since we live in a nation where we participate in choosing leaders we pray you would work in the hearts of all the citizens to vote in those leaders who would carry out your will.  In Jesus name, Amen.

APRIL 18, 2021 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below

UNRESOLVED ANGER

You know this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Now everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for a man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness of God. Therefore, ridding yourselves of all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:19-21)

It seems that there is a tempest boiling in the souls of the people in our nation just below the surface that is waiting to break out. We have had several mass shootings this year, and the press and some anti-gun advocates are playing this to the hilt to abolish our second amendment rights to have weapons to protect ourselves.  They say that if we can abolish guns we can abolish killings.  But in those countries that have abolished the population having guns, the government still keeps their guns and uses them to enslave the population like Venezuela.

The real problem is not the guns.  A gun cannot kill anyone unless someone fires it.  The problem is the unresolved anger in the soul. If it is not guns it will be knives.  If not knives, it will be explosives.  If not explosives it will be fires.  If not fires it will be poisons.  This country went two hundred years without the meaningless mass killings we are seeing in this century.  What has changed?  The guns?  No, the people.  We are a nation that has drifted far from God.  And even those who say they believe, don’t really follow His commands.   Mass media, politicians, teachers, and even preachers have learned that stirring up anger in people’s hearts is good business.  A lot of money can be made selling anger.

“Injustice is everywhere.  The courts, the police, the government won’t settle it.  You need to take justice into your own hands.”, say the agitators.  This is made worse by those in power using attorneys and biased judges to cheat justice giving the impression that we do need to execute “frontier justice”.  The riots in Portland and other cities.  The “peaceful” demonstrations that aren’t.  Movies promise us that revenge is sweet and satisfying.  It isn’t.

But James tells us “man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness of God.”  And he said this in one of the most unjust societies in all of history.   Jesus gives us the example.

He (Jesus) who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;  I Peter 2:22, 23

It is hard for a Christian to be abused and not abuse back.  How much harder for an unbeliever to silently take abuse and entrust themselves to Him who judges righteously.  To accept abuse by parents, or police, or politicians, or attorneys, or teachers, or bosses and not to strike back in return, but instead forgive and seek good to those who hurt us.

But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  Romans 12:20,21

For two centuries, people in the United States were united and constrained by the teachings of the Bible to some extent, but that has ended and we are starting to see the results of that.  Though only a few individuals have gone to extremes so far, they are the canary in the coal mine warning us of what is to come, unless our nation returns to God.  A lawless people must ruled by an even more lawless dictatorial government.   We will lose our second amendment rights if people don’t start behaving responsibly.  Those in government who crave more power will use the issue to remove the final protection against a total dictatorship, an armed citizenry.  It has been said that when guns are outlawed only the outlaws will have guns.  That is not true.   It is a dictatorial government that will have all the guns and use it to enforce tyranny.  The temptation to abuse that power will be too great and the real criminals will be the ones running the government, with no one to stop them.   e.g. Vladimir Putin.  Xi Jinping.  Nicolás Maduro.  Think it couldn’t happen here.  Think again.

As believers we need to pray that God would send a Holy Spirit revival to redeem the hearts of the people in our nation to not have a heart of “anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene speech from your mouth.” And instead “put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience”  (Colossians 3:7, 12).  To forgive injustices done against us, to overcome evil with good.  Setting a new example begins with us as believers, how we speak of others and how we act toward them.

See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek what is good for one another and for all people.  I Thessalonians. 5:13

When tempted, we need to ask, not how can we get even, but how can we do good to those who cause us injustice.   Sharing the Gospel.

PRAYER REQUEST

“Dear Jesus, please bring a revival to our country.  To change the hearts of our people to not be on the border of exploding with anger all the time, but be guided by your Spirit to act as Jesus would, to set a new paradigm.  We do pray for those who do abuse and flaunt justice that you would remove or punish them but that we would entrust ourselves to you to execute justice and not take it into our own hands.  Please do not allow the government to take away our right to defend ourselves and turn the United States into a tyrannical dictatorship like so many other countries in the world.  Please send your servants to those who are so enflamed with anger to speak peace to them before they take others lives.   Please as Prince of Peace, bring peace to our nation and peace in the hearts of our people.  We know war doesn’t start with guns, but with the war in the human heart.  Please redeem the hearts of our people.  Send a revival to our nation. In Jesus name, Amen.”

APRIL 11, 2021 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below

April 4’s requests are so important we are going to leave it up for another week.

A NATION OF LIARS

You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, not lie to one another.  Leviticus 19:11

We are becoming a nation of liars.  It is so easy to lie to get a quick benefit. BUT although Trust is easily given, but once broken almost impossible to win back.  Politicians, the mass media, the  social media, universities don’t seem to realize this.  And when trust is gone a whole nation descends into no one trusting the other and chaos. Tribalism Divisions, Identity Politics, Racism, Bigotry.  Making false accusations to win an argument.   Supporting my side, not the truth.  Proclaiming there is no absolute truth.  So you only trust those in your tribe or those closest to you, and you even doubt them.  And you deteriorate into the old middle-East adage:

“I, against my brothers. I and my brothers against my cousins. I and my brothers and my cousins against the world.” That is jungle law. It is the way of the world when the world is thrown into chaos. It is our job to avert that chaos, to fight against it, to resist the urge to become savage. Because the problem with such law is that if you follow it, you are always fighting against someone.” (Nafisa Haji)

It’s all about supporting “my team”, and not the truth.  If I have to lie to support my team, that is “moral”.  If I have to censor and cancel out someone else to suppress the truth and win and argument, I will.  Our large tech social media companies, political parties, news media have now adopted this method.  We no longer have intelligent conversations about disagreements.  It is all about winning, not seeking truth.  As long as we pursue this it will fractionalize our nation till is no longer exists.  We will no more be a “melting pot” or an unified “mosaic” but a shattered vessel.  And look to the selfish interest groups or parties that benefit by this, pray for them that they will repent, or be removed from power until they seek truth above personal gain.

PRAYER REQUEST

“Lord Jesus, We confess our sins as a country that we don’t tell the truth.  We pray that you would convict us to repent of this and be honest and honor you.  We pray that those who refuse to tell the truth and keep lying would be exposed and their deception would be shouted from the housetops and they would be discredited as a source of information.  Lord, please send a Holy Spirit revival upon our nation to convict people to the heart to turn to you and honor the truth.  In Jesus name, amen.”

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Healing a Nation

How God Heals a Nation

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Have there been times in History when all for Christians seemed to be lost and God intervened?

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How has God saved a nation that is heading the wrong way?

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What do Christians have to do to see God heal a nation  (II Chronicles 7:14)?

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For Inspiration and More on How God Heals nations see History of Revivals.

APRIL 4, 2021  – you can skip directly to prayer requests below

Areas we pray for God to work in our nation.

LYING AND TRUTH

You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, not lie to one another.  Leviticus 19:11

You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.  Exodus 20:16

You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.  John 8:44

in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, Titus 1:2

God puts a high priority on truth, and abhors lies.  Yet in our culture today, lies seem to be the coin of the realm.  Politicians, attorneys, newscasters, media commentators, professors, businessmen and accuse people of things that aren’t true and add false statements to their arguments to win the case.  As long as you get what you want and don’t get caught, it’s ok.

Even pastors try to bolster their church by exaggerating statistics.  We call other people names we know aren’t true to hurt them or to get even. We have so much fake news and misleading internet posts, and true posts that big tech censors that we don’t know who to believe anymore.  And when no one knows who to believe, trust is gone, and when trust is gone a society begins to fall apart. And yet surprisingly rather than confessing one’s lies, everyone boldly proclaims how truthful they are, and constantly deny any wrong.  Apparently no one in prison ever committed they crimes they are serving time for.

But understand all of this will be exposed.  And those who constantly lie will be punished, so repent of any lies you may have told.

So do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Matthew 10:26-28

PRAYER REQUEST

“Lord Jesus, We confess our sins as a country that we don’t tell the truth.  We pray that you would convict us to repent of this and be honest and honor you.  We pray that those who refuse to tell the truth and keep lying would be exposed and their deception would be shouted from the housetops and they would be discredited as a source of information.  Lord, please send a Holy Spirit revival upon our nation to convict people to the heart to turn to you and honor the truth.  In Jesus name, amen.”

MARCH 28, 2021 – you can skip to prayer requests below

For the next few weeks we want to pray for our nation regarding different commandments of God which our politicians, presidents, governors, judges, and people are violating, that God may be merciful to our nation and not punish it but transform the hearts of the nation.

HATE AND REVENGE

Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  Romans 12:17-21

This goes against almost all human sinful instincts.  We want to hurt those who have hurt us.  And yet Jesus gave us a different example.

For you have been called for this purpose, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps,He who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;  I Peter 2:21-23

“He was led like a sheep to slaughter; And like a lamb that is silent before its shearer, So He does not open His mouth.  Acts 8:32

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matthew 5:43-44

 they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”  Matthew 23:33-34

Politicians stir up hate, activists stir up hate, talk radio stirs up hate, social media giants stir up hate promoting some suppressing others, stirring up more hate. The next logical step is revenge.  Getting even, not only getting even with the one who did them wrong but even with all their offspring, in contradiction to God’s Word.

The person who sins will die. A son will not suffer the punishment for the father’s guilt, nor will a father suffer the punishment for the son’s guilt; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.  Ezekiel 18:20

It used to be only the mafia or barbarian tribes would slaughter a son for the father’s transgressions.  But now this practice has crept into modern society under a more polite euphemism:  reparations.

A tale of two countries.  Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) and South Africa.   When the black majority took over Rhodesia the politicians kept power by stirring up the masses to steal and slaughter the white farmers.  And today Zimbabwe which was a breadbasket for much of Africa is living in poverty and is the economic and food market basket case.   On the other hand South Africa when it was turned over to the black majority, strong leaders like Mandela and Bishop Tutu instituted a reconciliation commission offering forgiveness to the white leaders who had transgressed justice and the country prospered and pulled together for a time (see film “Invictus” about that period).  However since then other more radical leaders have promoted hate and revenge and the country’s prosperity has faded.

Look at the riots in this country and those who have stirred them up to not simply reform, but revenge and we see the same thing happening here.  If we are to go down the reparation route, where does it stop:   150 years, 400 years, 1,000 years, 2,000 years, 3,000 years.  Every race and creed has an injustice that has been done to their ancestors.  And if true “justice” is to be done, must it be limited to one country or to all countries who have committed injustice.  And what about the people of mixed race or those who came to the country since the crime was committed.  And do all people pay for the crimes of the minority.   The Bible gives a clear answer.

The person who sins will die. A son will not suffer the punishment for the father’s guilt, nor will a father suffer the punishment for the son’s guilt; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.  Ezekiel 18:20

“Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin alone.  Deuteronomy 24:16

The Bible preaches forgiveness not revenge.  We don’t reach out with revenge but the gospel.  We return hate with love.  To be sure we preach the truth, but we preach it with love.

The riots in Seattle and Portland and many other cities this last summer were driven by hate and revenge.  The crashing of the Capitol on January 6 was not a legitimate protest but was driven by hate and revenge.  It seems that our country has lost the ability to take on peaceful protest like those under Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.   And it that occurs all protests will be outlawed leading to a suppression of speech that will likely burst into a far more dangerous armed conflict.  We need reconciliation, not reparations.

PRAYER REQUEST

“Dear Lord Jesus, we pray for the heart of our nation that is being poisoned with greed, envy, hate, and revenge by politicians, media, professors, radical groups, and self-interested leaders.  We even see Christian brothers and sisters turning against and hating each other and destroying the unity that we have in Christ.  Jesus we pray that you will convict all believers to the heart that are doing this and call them to repent.  And to those in our nation who are not unbelievers, we pray you would send a Holy Spirit revival to convict their hearts that what they are doing is wrong and leads only to more conflict and harm.  For those who are causing this we pray you would remove them from power and from their positions of influence, and as you say, “vengeance is mine says the Lord.”  That we would as Jesus did  entrust ourselves to Him who judges righteously, rather than taking justice into our own hands.  Lord cause your people to pray for those who are misleading our nation for their own selfish or perverted justice ends and give us wisdom how to find true healing as those did in South Africa after apartheid ended.   Please send a revival on our nation.  In Jesus name Amen.”

MARCH 21 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below

For the next few weeks we want to pray for our nation regarding different commandments of God which our politicians, presidents, governors, judges, and people are violating, that God may be merciful to our nation and not punish it but transform the hearts of the nation.

WORK AND REWARD – EQUALITY VS. EQUITY

“Communism motto is from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.”  But inevitably it degenerates into everyone gets rewarded, no matter how much you work, because to do otherwise is “not compassionate”.  Sometimes you even see this in unions where everyone is guaranteed certain privileges even if they don’t work and it is impossible to fire them.  It’s not a merit system, but reward system.  On the other hand, Equality means everyone is treated as having worth coming from God.  In the declaration of independence, “all men are created equal”. Not equal in abilities, skills, or intelligence, but equal in worth because they are in the image of God.   Equity means that all men should have equal outcome regardless of their work.

Equity is a euphemism for communism.  In modern politics it is renamed as “redistribution of wealth”.  And the logical outcome is a policy being pushed called “Guaranteed minimum income” from the state (and from all of our taxes) guarantees a certain income to all regardless of how little they work.  This again comes from the communist motto, “from each according to their abilities, to each according to their needs”.  But people soon learn that “from each according to their abilities” really doesn’t apply because everyone is rewarded regardless and the workers stop working to support those who don’t

Guaranteed income for everyone whether they work or not (vs.  II Thessalonians 3:7-12) is the destruction of the human spirit.  Work is part of God’s plan.

if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.  II Thessalonians 3:10-12

Laziness is the natural state of the unregenerate man, and it promotes one of the seven deadly sins, sloth.     God’s system is a system of merit for work well done, not reward regardless.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. Galatians 6:6-8

Now we strive to give everyone equal opportunity to succeed, but to give everyone an equal reward for not working is antithetical to God’s plan.   Reward is based on work.

The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have earned five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your master.’… “Now the one who had received the one talent also came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed. 25 And I was afraid, so I went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you still have what is yours.’  “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You worthless, lazy slave! Did you know that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter seed? Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore: take the talent away from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’    Matthew 25:20-21

Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each one’s work.  If anyone’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet only so as through fire. I Corinthians 3:12-15

President Ronald Reagan once said that when you pay people for not working, you’re going to have a lot of people not working.   The root of wanting an equal outcome regardless of work or type of work done comes from laziness, selfishness, and covetousness.

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male slave, or his female slave, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Exodus 20:17

“Why do they have more than me?” “Everyone should not only have equal respect, and we should strive to give others equal opportunity.  But not everyone will have equal circumstances, equal position in life, and equal goods and outcome.”  God has put people in this world in different positions in life with different privileges.  But as in the parable above (Matthew 25)  Some have five talents, some two and some one.  In the body of Christ everyone is given a different function, all do not have the same outward prominence.  We need to be content with the tasks that God has put before us, and not be envious of what others have.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one part, where would the body be? But now there are many parts, but one body… All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?  I Corinthians 12:17-19, 29-21

We are told to seek to better our position in life, but not to be jealous, envious, or coveting of what others have, but for the present to be content with what God has allowed for our lot in life.

Not that I speak from need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.  I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.”  Philippians 4:11-12

The exception to that is God’s grace at salvation from eternal death and the promise of eternal life offered to us, that we do not deserve, but because of Christ’s death on the cross for us.   We all deserve punishment and not reward.  We all deserve eternal torment, but those who put their faith in Christ are forgiven, totally as an act of God’s grace and not our works.

“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”  Titus 3:5

And in that case, even the greater sinners receive the same grace as the lesser sinners.

But even though God saved us by His grace alone, He did it so that we might do good works, not just live off the fat of the land. Doing good works is not a means to salvation but a result of it.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-9

Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 5:16

Jesus did tell the rich young ruler to give away all his possessions to the poor as a unique test to a proud hypocrite to prove to him that he didn’t follow all God’s commands completely.  But the general principle is set forth by Paul.

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.  I Timothy 6:17-19

He didn’t tell the rich to give all their money to the poor but to use the blessings that God had given them to be rich in good works and generous to give.   Because even if all the wealth was redistributed Jesus tells us that soon it would be regathered by those who worked hardest and some by some who stole it and some who didn’t deserve it.

For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good to them  Mark 14:7

The war on poverty cannot be won by government edict or redistribution of wealth.  The best we can do is be generous in helping everyone we can.  True poverty is spiritual poverty.   We can help everyone out of spiritual poverty.

Better is a portion of vegetables where there is love, Than a fattened ox served with hatred. Proverbs 15:17

Atheistic Communism has never worked and will never work, and yet socialism and communism are being taught in our schools, in our universities, by our media, and by politicians and now one third of millennials approve of communism because they have never been taught the true history of the brutality of communism and how it destroys a nation’s economy and spirit.

Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks that he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting, but to himself alone, and not to another. For each one will bear his own load. Galatians 6;2-5

We are to bear those burdens for others that they cannot bear themselves, but the second part of the verse clearly says that each one must bear his own load that is not beyond his responsibility.  But doing everything for another destroys his own spirit.

REQUESTS

“Dear Jesus.  The danger of envy, jealousy, covetousness, and greed can affect all men: rich, poor, and middle class.   We all have a tendency to be to not want to earn what we get, to get something for nothing, and when those in political power to gain power for themselves, make it easy for us, it tempts us to not value the work you have given us to do.  Lord please bring a revival to our country and restore what was once known as the Protestant work ethic.  We are to help those in need whenever we can, but not to do for them what they can do for themselves.  And yet politicians want to bribe our citizens to gain votes not caring how it destroys a person’s soul.  Please either convict those in education, media, and politics of the wrong they are doing for their own short term gain, or remove them from positions of power.   Please open our country’s eyes to the truth of the responsibility to work for what we get and not always be looking for unearned benefits.  And please allow us as a nation to be content for whatever circumstances you have temporarily put us in, but inspire us to work harder to improve our lot,   Please bring a revival to our land to change people’s hearts in this regard. In Jesus name, Amen”

MARCH 14 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below

For the next few weeks we want to pray for our nation regarding different commandments of God which our politicians, presidents, governors, judges, and people are violating, that God may be merciful to our nation and not punish it but transform the hearts of the nation.

GOD AS GOD OR THE STATE OR OTHER IDOLS AS GOD

You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth.You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, inflicting the punishment of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing favor to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.   “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.   Exodus 20:3-7

Satan isn’t terribly picky about who or what you worship as long as it isn’t God or His Son, Jesus.  Approximately 20% of Americans list themselves as “nones”, ie. Have no particular religious affiliation.  Generally this means atheist or agnostic or “just not that important to me”. The truth is everyone has a religion, if you understand it as what value, thing, or person is most important to you in life.  That is, what do you regard as most important (or worship – attribute greatest worth to) in life.  What do you order your affairs around in life.  Atheists hate to hear this because they feel they are beholden to no higher religious authority.  But they are.  Most are Atheistic humanists; that is they worship at the altar as the human is the highest value in life.

For they exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Romans 1:25

However, in communism ultimately the worship of the human is superseded by the worship of the State.  That is what is the best value for all humans (utilitarianism), and that is the governing body.   The state must be elevated to the place of God, because there must be some authority governing all people in the state or you have chaos.   And the Bible does say we are to obey the governing authorities that God has put in place.  But He is the ultimate authority.

Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed.  Titus 3:1

For the Lord Most High is to be feared, A great King over all the earth.   Psalm 47:2

However, in communism it is not God who rules over the governing state authorities, it is merely the leaders who are either elected or who have seized power.  Man is the highest authority in creation and there is no homage given to God.  The state is a purely secular authority.  And yet our founders didn’t see it that way.

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”  John Adams

James Madison wrote that our Constitution requires “sufficient virtue among men for self-government,” otherwise, “nothing less than the chains of despotism can restrain them from destroying and devouring one another.”

And when it is the shifting ethics of men and not the ten commandments of God that provide that foundation for a nation you have chaos:  gender confusion, immoral sexual behavior, the ends justify the means (i.e. lies, persecution, intimidation), approval of certain lawlessness, validation of covetousness, break-up of the family, theft, slander – in other words pretty much what you are seeing happen in the United States today by some of the highest officials, educators, journalists,  attorneys, judges, media folk, and businessmen in the land.

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!   Isaiah 5:20

Professing themselves to be wise, they Became fools, Romans 1:22

In Communism the State is God.  And in Globalism, the state over all the states is the supreme God.    And many of our highest leaders have bought into this

But God has said,

You shall have no other gods before Me.  Exodus 20:3

We are to obey the ruling authorities but not when those authorities tell us as believers to violate God’s commandments.

And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, make your own judgment; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”  Acts 4:18-20

For over two hundred years of the United States government was embedded with Christian principles and so obeying authorities was not difficult.  But that is changing.  The Ten commandments are being taken down from courtrooms.  Prayer and discussion of Christianity is banned in the schools.   Christian bakers and ministers and doctors are being forced to endorse homosexual behavior and abortion on demand and laws they cannot obey.  And if they don’t they are being forced to take “re-education” classes (shades of Soviet and Chinese communism).

All this is being done under the justification of separation of church and state (which is not in the Constitution).  The first amendment says we are to have “freedom of religion” not freedom from religion.  No one is to be forced to believe any one religion, but that doesn’t be people cannot publicly express and practice their religion.  In the name of separation of church and state the religion of secularism (no mention of God) is being forced upon all citizens in public places. This is really just a duplicitous way of substituting secularism and a “politicly correct” religion for Christian principles as the ruling guideline for our nation.   Religion has not been removed from government (which would be impossible to do), the leaders have just been gradually replacing the judeo-Christian ethic with a secular utilitarian ethic and claiming that it is a neutral worldview (there is no such thing – it is a myth and deception of Satan).

As believers they want us to “shut up” and obey this secular edict.  As true believers we cannot do that.  We must expose the lie of atheism, socialism, communism, secularism and it’s “politically correct” revised set of 10 commandments.  This may mean we suffer persecution for standing up for godly behavior, but Jesus warned us that will happen.

These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, we pray that the eyes of our people would be opened to the power grab that some in political authority are making to bow down to the state as the ultimate authority and to replace You with a socialistic/communistic government as our god.  We pray for those who are pushing this agenda that You would convict them of their sin.  We pray that we would not bow to the wisdom of the age but give us courage to proclaim Your truth, your commandments, and Your worship in spite of the consequences.  We pray for the politicians, the educators, the attorneys, the judges, the businessmen, the media people who are promoting this false view of a socialist/communist state or global authority as the ideal god of this world, that you would enlighten them or remove them from power.  Allow us to have a nation that continues to follow Your principles while at the same time not forcing anyone to believe.   A nation where we can worship freely and live quiet lives as you command.  We pray for the people of the nation that You would bring a Holy Spirit awakening across our country turning the hearts of the people back to You and to worship you and not the state, or other idols the state sets up.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

MARCH 7  – you can skip directly to prayer requests below

For the next few weeks we want to pray for our nation regarding different commandments of God which our politicians, presidents, governors, judges, and people are violating, that God may be merciful to our nation and not punish it but transform the hearts of the nation.

THE LAW AND LAWLESSNESS

Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. I John 3:4

The books of Exodus and Leviticus lay out God’s ceremonial, national, and moral law (e.g. 10 commandments) for the nation of Israel).  The book of Deuteronomy (second law) repeats the telling of the law.  The religious ceremonial and national laws expired when the nation of Israel was no longer a landed nation.  However, the moral law continued as a judge over the entire human race.   For those who believe in Jesus the moral law has been fulfilled by His perfect life and sacrificial death of Jesus.

All of us, like sheep, have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the wrongdoing of us all To fall on Him   Isaiah 53:6

But Jesus didn’t abolish the moral law, He replaced it with the “Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ” for those who would believe.

Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law, until all is accomplished!  Matthew 5:17,18

In Jesus life He perfectly fulfilled the letter of the law which we could never do.  But that does not mean we no longer are beholden to live by God’s commandments and law, but those laws are now written in the hearts of those who believe.

 “I will put My law within them and write it on their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.  Jeremiah 31:33

But this doesn’t mean that God does not expect us to obey His laws or the laws of the nations we live in.   We and those who don’t believe still are to experience temporal punishment and deterrence for disobedience to the laws of our nation. Believers are spared eternal punishment but unbelievers are not.

Thus you shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.  Deut. 19:21

Every person is to be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;for it is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a servant of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.  Romans 13:1-4

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.  I Peter 2:13-14

The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” John 14:21

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.  I John 5:13

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’  Matthew 7:21-23

As Romans 13 clearly says, God has put the governing authorities, however imperfect, in place to preserve order in a society.   And to oppose the law, is to oppose God.  And not only does that person experience the wrath of a temporal government but the wrath of God in their person.

However Satan’s grand plan is to cause lawlessness.  His AntiChrist is called “The Man of Lawlessness”  II Thessalonians 2:17.   And his strategy is called “the mystery of lawlessness”  II Thessalonians 2:7 which is currently at work in the world

Why do so many Hollywood films and television shows applaud or create sympathy for the villain?  Why is our government more and more seeking to remove the laws or excuse lawlessness:  attorneys who clearly know a defendant is guilty but celebrate when they get them off;  judges who ignore the laws and pass judgments based on their own political bias, politicians who seek to excuse and even support illegal immigration or refuse to enforce laws they don’t like; lawmakers and corporations which seek to “legalize” drugs which can clearly destroy human lives and societies and are considered a sin in the Bible (pharmakia translates as sorcery which is condemned because it opens the human up to demonic influence), special interest groups that applaud lawbreaking when it benefits them, and governors and mayors who refuse to enforce the law and allow protesting mobs to destroy businesses, and threaten lives.

When criminals break the law, it is the police who are blamed by the media, interest groups, and partisan politicians.  And now there is a movement to either abolish the police or minimize their effectiveness by defunding them and by removing cash bail.  Obviously there is no excuse for police misconduct, but the current trend is not to correct misconduct but an unrestricted blame of the entire policing system and to entirely remove the police and replace it with counselors, which is a direct violation of Romans 13.  At the same time those same hypocritical politicians who want to remove the police want extra protection for themselves and extra prosecution of anyone who threatens them.

Of course, we must defend the rights of those who have been falsely accused.

You shall not distort justice, you shall not show partiality;  Deut. 16:19

Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor, Obtain justice for the orphan, Plead for the widow’s case  Isaiah 1:17

But we must not excuse the behavior of those who have broken the law, even if we have sympathy for their situation.  The law must be carried out.  If they police have violated the law in enforcement they must be punished.  But if the person who is being arrested has violated the law they must not be excused either.

People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry;
But when he is found, he must repay seven times as much; He must give up all the property of his house.  Proverbs 6:30

And yet our society is moving towards more and more lawlessness, and politicians (like the Pharisees in Jesus day) who accuse everyone else of lawlessness to bolster their own authority are often the greatest lawbreakers.

So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.  Matthew 23:28

Our society is one of a people with seared consciences that accept and promote greater and greater lawlessness.  Parents excuse their children’s behavior no matter how vile.  And as lawlessness grows, people no longer care about others, but only protecting themselves.  In the last times Jesus says:

And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold.  Matthew 24:12

There are only two cures for a nation of seared consciences:  A revival of the Holy Spirit convicting the people of sin and repentance;  or a judgment of God on that nation to humble it and bring it to its knees.   Let us earnestly pray it is the first.  Even electing better politicians or changing laws, will not change people’s hearts.  If there is a tipping point of the majority of the people who want lawlessness badly enough, they will get it.   We need to pray for God to convict our nation of its sins and share the Gospel with fervor.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, we earnestly pray for the people, politicians, educators, media people, attorneys, judges, businessmen of our nation that You would convict their hearts of their sin in accepting and promoting more and more lawlessness.  We pray like Jonah preached to the city of Nineveh, that You God, would raise up a prophet or an army of evangelists that call our nation to repentance from sin, and You would send an Holy Spirit revival to turn the hearts of the people away from lawlessness and back to You.  And if not, we reluctantly accept you may need to judge our nation to humble it, and we ask for shelter and protection for Your children during this time – as You provided a pass-over for the nation of Israel while judging the nation of Egypt.  We do pray that like Nineveh, that our nation may take seriously the call to repent and You would spare us.  But whatever your will is, we accept it.   Please protect and preserve the good police officers whom You call ‘servants of God”.  Keep them from overreach in enforcing the laws.  Remove the corrupt or partial officers.  Allow those who have been falsely accused to find justice.  Protect and defend your children from criminal acts and behavior.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

FEBRUARY 28 – you can skip directly to prayer requests below

For the next few weeks we want to pray for our nation regarding different commandments of God which our politicians, presidents, governors, judges, and people are violating, that God may be merciful to our nation and not punish it but transform the hearts of the nation.

THE FAMILY – Satan must destroy the family to be able to destroy a people’s faith in God and a nation.  By destroying the family, he destroys the next generation and makes them more likely to believe any anti-God philosophy.    There are several ways this can happen.  Normalizing sex outside of marriage (pornography, adultery, fornication, living together, one-night stands) which started with the sexual revolution in the 1960’s.  Or by providing so much welfare (“The War Against Poverty”), that a husband and wife no longer need to stay together to make ends meet.  That man can leave his responsibilities and let the state pick up the bills.   This leads to people not getting married and having children outside of marriage.  It leads to normalizing divorce.  It leads to children growing up in home without both a mother and father and without the balance that gives.  And that leads to gangs where children try to find another substitute family.

And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no person is to separate.” Matthew 19:4-6

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her…  each husband is to love his own wife the same as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband. Ephesians 5:25, 33

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.  I Timothy 6:8

These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. And you shall repeat them diligently to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the road, when you lie down, and when you get up.  Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may turn out well for you, and that you may live long on the earth.   Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.  Ephesians 6:1-4

Then there was the sexual revolution of the 1980’s and 1990’s normalizing homosexual behavior, which also sets up an alternate family, not the one God intended.  And children raised in that environment don’t get the upbringing of what a Godly family was intended to be.

Therefore God gave them up to vile impurity in the lusts of their hearts, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged natural relations for that which is contrary to nature, and likewise the men, too, abandoned natural relations with women and burned in their desire toward one another, males with males committing shameful acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error…and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them. Romans 1:26-27,32

Now there is the sexual revolution of the 2020’s where you can choose your sex and ignore your biological gender, leading to even further confusion to young people and adults as well and making the family even more unnecessary.   And although the idea of no nuclear family at all is not new, it was tried with Soviet Communism and didn’t work, and with Hippie Communes in the 1960’s and 70’s and didn’t work. It is now being brought back by atheistic interest groups like Black Lives Matter Global Network, which advocates free sex within a commune that raises the children.

 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  Genesis 1:27

Note, there are only two genders created, not three or more, and not interchangeable.  Since man and woman are created in the image of God.  To pervert genders is to blaspheme God’s image.

The prohibitions against treating the sanctity of marriage as an option and trying alternate forms or variations is not because God is a spoil sport or even just for very practical reasons that children and a society will be destroyed without it,  but because marriage was intended as a sacred institution to reflect God’s future relationship with His people, and to pervert or desecrate it is to blaspheme God Himself, one of the most severe sins there is.  And God has punished every society throughout history that has perverted marriage, even if they got away with it for a while before God’s wrath struck.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;    This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.  Ephesian 5:25, 32

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.  Revelation 19:7,8

All this is even more distressing since the divorce rate among those who “profess” to be Christians is almost the same as the divorce rate among unbelievers in the world.  We need to see a revival among believers to repent of taking marriage lightly.  Then we need to pray for the Holy Spirit to bring conviction in the hearts of the unsaved of their sin and the wrath to come if they do not repent.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Jesus, please forgive us as believers for taking the Your institutions of marriage and the family lightly.  These are the basic building blocks of Your church and society, and are a primary target of Satan in the world. Please cause us to repent, to work out marriage difficulties, to fulfill our duties to raise our children in righteousness.  Give us your strength to resist the lusts of the flesh (I Peter 2:11) and to honor You in both marriage and singleness.   And we pray for our nation that You would bring a Holy Spirit revival that would quicken the hearts of our people whose minds are programmed by the world, and those with seared consciences and remind them of the coming wrath upon those who ignore Your commands and Your design for us and for marriage and the family.   Please, Lord, frustrate the false teachings of those organizations that seek to break up the family and normalize immorality that you have forbidden.  Open our people’s minds to see the truth and to discredit those who would teach lies, whether they be prominent politicians, broadcasters, celebrities, professors, or whoever.   We pray that in all aspects of our lives that Your name would be raised up and praised.  In Jesus name, amen.”

FEBRUARY 21  – you can skip directly to prayer requests below

You shall not murder     Exodus 20:13

For the next few weeks we want to pray for our nation regarding different commandments of God which our politicians, presidents, governors, judges, and people are violating, that God may be merciful to our nation and not punish it but transform the hearts of the nation.

This week after a strong law against abortion was passed in South Carolina immediately a judge struck it down.  https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/south-carolinas-abortion-law-challenged-court-2nd-day-75999020   It seems every time Christian legislators seek to follow God’s law that the other side finds a judge who is willing to put politics above justice and strike it down.  Yet when the opposite happens, judges seem to be silent.

This week we want to pray against the grave sin of our nation, abortion.  The Bible clearly says that the soul in the womb is regarded by God as a person made in God’s image, though not yet fully physically formed.

For You created my innermost parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.  I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made;  Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.  My frame was not hidden from You When I was made in secret, And skillfully formed in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my formless substance;  Psalm 139:13-36

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,  And before you were born I consecrated you;
I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations.  Jeremiah 1:5

The Lord called Me from the womb;  From the body of My mother He named Me. He has made My mouth like a sharp sword…And now says the Lord, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him.  Isaiah 49:1, 5   (also Isaiah 44:2, 24 and 46:3)

for though the twins (Esau & Jacob) were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger.” Romans 9:11-12

See also Luke 1:39-45 where John the Baptist in the womb was seen as a person.  The baby in the womb is not merely fetal tissue but a person in God’s eyes.  And to take a life of one made in God’s image is murder and may be punishable by death because it is an attack on God Himself.

Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man.”  Genesis 9:6

There are of course, some exceptions like self-defense, and self-defense of a nation in war against an enemy seeking to destroy it.  But this is not the case in abortion.  The most tender, loving, tenacious relationship of a mother and a child in the womb has been demonized by a selfish society that demands that nothing shall stand in the way of my own convenience and selfish desires.  Usually only barbaric societies in the past (like Rome) practiced and endorsed such behavior openly. And today even the right to abortion after birth (infanticide) is regarded as something to be celebrated.   https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/01/30/new-york-abortion-law-liberal-leaders-celebration-death-life-column/2670049002/  (and in Virginia as well).

There is the case where the birth of a child threatens the life of the mother (self-defense).  In past centuries mothers lost their lives in the birth of a child, willingly sacrificing their own life for the life of the child.  In recent years the Catholic church had the solution of seeking to save both lives, but give preference to the life of the mother.  The “Pro Choice” movement says there is nothing more important than the choice of the female.  And yet 50% of all the children born are baby girls, but apparently, they get no choice.  It’s only the women who can vote who get a choice even in a society that proclaims that everyone’s inalienable rights are “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

As Christians we know it is wrong, but we live in a society that has accepted this evil practice of abortion and partial and even after birth abortion.  God would be fully right to judge our society in the strongest way and destroy it.   We need to pray on behalf of our nation that God shows us mercy and changes the hearts of our people to follow His will.  The greatest threat to our nation is not progressive, atheistic politicians but God’s patience being exhausted and judging us by allowing the nation itself or other nations to destroy us.

We do not practice putting to death mothers who abort their child because the society, the media, the educational institutions, the politicians have so brainwashing this generation that it is OK.  Yet women who do have abortions either suffer the emotional pain of what they have done for decades or live in denial with a hardened heart and seared conscience.   So the crime of society that endorses such practices is against both the child and the mother.  We need to pray the Spirit brings a revival in people’s hearts and the majority chastises the leaders who have mislead our nation and elects righteous men and women and removes and thoroughly discredits the unrighteous leaders, media, judges, and educators.

PRAYER REQUEST

“Lord Jesus, we pray for your mercy on behalf of our nation that has so abandoned your Word and to not only practice abortion, and to not only endorse it, but to demonize those who oppose it and your Word.   We know that an attack on a person’s life is an attack on You and Your image.  We ask forgiveness on behalf of our nation.  We know that there won’t be significant change.  The hearts of the people, the judges, the legislators, the presidents, the governors, the educators, the media, the attorneys must be changed to put an end to this barbaric practice.  Many of these are those who claim to be Christians but who do not practice their faith.  Lord, we pray your Spirit would convict their hearts of their sin, show them the eternal death that awaits them, and give them no peace until they repent and truly accept you as their personal LORD and SAVIOR, not merely as a part of their cultural upbringing and background.  We pray particularly for the leaders, legislators, and judges who promote abortion, that you would change their hearts or remove them from positions of influence and replace them with righteous men and women who uphold your commandments.  And so we desperately pray for a Holy Spirit revival in our nation as you have done in the past turning the hearts of our people back to their God and replacing the hearts of stone with hearts of a living and loving spirit so that we could enjoy Your true blessings and not Your wrath.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

(see the section in this website  “History of Revival – God Answering Prayer for Nations”)

https://prayforunitedstates.com/history-of-revivals-god-answering-prayer-for-nations-coming-soon/

FEBRUARY 14   – You can skip directly to prayer requests below

This last week the congress and media not only put President Trump on trial but anyone who voted for him or supported his agenda.  Things like the right to life of the unborn. freedom of speech, and freedom of religion, opposition to censorship, strong support for Israel’s security, upholding the law, restricting illegal immigration, and so on. The heart of Christianity is not merely ritualistic religious practices, but the upholding of righteousness and the opposition to lawlessness.

I (Jesus) will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’  Matthew 7:23

And those who do practice lawlessness cannot abide those who seek righteousness.  In face they even go so far as to call the righteous evil people.  But, we are to continue to good in spite of their false accusations.

Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God on the day of visitation.  I Peter 2:12

The temptation is to return insult for insult, and reaction for action.  But instead the apostle Peter tells us:

For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps,  He who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;   I Peter 2:20-23

And

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,  I Peter 2:1

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.And as the apostle Paul said,  Romans 12:21

In times like these the temptation is to lash back with insult trying to emotionally bruise the other.  Instead we are to keep our behavior holy and do good in return. We certainly are told to call out sin and ask for repentance but only as one sinner helping another.  But the best way to do that is by loving our opponents and praying for them.

Merely having political power will not change a nation.  Over 50% of the nation voted for many of the policies that are not Biblical.  Change has to come from within the heart.  And that requires the Holy Spirit convict our nation of its sins and bring it to repentance.  And calling the nation to repentance starts with us as believers repenting of our sins.

 My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  II Chronicles 7;14

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, we pray you would protect our nation from policies that are not according to your will.  There is a majority in government which could pass such policies and we pray You would block them..  We pray you would protect our nation from other enemies foreign and domestic who wish to destroy our nation and our faith in you.  We also pray for the grace in our own lives to respond as Jesus did when He was accused falsely.  We pray we could return good for evil, prayer for insult, patience for hate.  We also pray for a national revival by your Holy Spirit of millions coming to salvation and having a new heart to seek righteousness and not lawlessness.  And we pray for those who practice lawlessness would have authority taken away from them.  We pray this in Jesus almighty name. Amen.”

FEBRUARY  7 AND 11 – You can skip directly to prayer requests below

No matter whether you voted for Biden or Trump the actions of this week should alarm you. The Impeachment trial of a Former President when Impeachment was only meant in the Constitution to remove a sitting President.  The attempt to use the trial to ban to the President from running for any future office.  It was meant not as criminal or civil trial but a legislative process only to remove a sitting  President from office.   Running the trial without the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presiding but only a very partisan senator presiding again violates the Constitution,   Attacking a prominent corporate president and censoring him in the news and social media because he questions the election results.  A major news anchor trying to force a soviet era confession that the election did not have problems out of a congressman under the guise of an interview.  New media completely misreporting on the trial.

These all smack of things one would find in a Communist dictatorship which has the pretense of a constitution and the rule of law, but in fact is under the rule of individuals in power and the law is abandoned when inconvenient.  What is a Christian to do?  Some say, just give up, this is a sinful world.  Some want to take up arms and stop a government spinning out of control.

We believe God is still in control and that a man, a party, a nation will reap what it sows.  God is not mocked.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.  Galatians 6:7

To those who advocate violence the Bible says:

Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but [u]leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.   Romans 12:17-19

To those who would say Christians should just give up because we live in a sinful world and wait for the Lord’s return.

speaking the truth in love,  Ephesians 4:15

We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,  II Corinthians 10:5

“You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world….Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 5:13-16

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

You shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.” Acts. 1:8

We are neither to violently attack the world and seek revenge, nor are we to shrink from involvement in our culture capitulate to it and accept a sinful status quo.  We are to be salt which slows decay, and light which banishes darkness by proclaiming the truth, proclaiming the Gospel and by our good deeds as it says:

if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Romans 12:20

We know God is in control and if we serve Him as He has commanded, He will act on our behalf.  We know despite what the trying circumstances seem that we already have won.  We need to act that way. It may be the middle of a championship game and we are behind, but we know the end results on the scoreboard.

 In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”  John 16:32-33

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Lord, please give us courage to continue to love and pray for our enemies, to speak the truth, to share the gospel, to do good deeds to those who oppose us.  Give us your supernatural power through the Spirit to not hate or seek revenge, but to seek to love and reach out to those who persecute us and to pervert the Constitution and the law, and seem to get away with it and then lie about it and refuse to admit it.  At times we feel that you have abandoned us as your children to a dictatorial state and fascist media, but we know that you haven’t.   You already have overcome the world.  You may allow evil to continue temporarily but that is only to either give the sinners time to repent, or provide a basis for final judgment.  We pray for strength to continue to speak the truth and overcome evil with good in the meantime.   And we pray for a revival of your spirit over our nation.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

JANUARY 31, 2021 – You can skip directly to prayer requests below

Pray without ceasing.  I Thessalonians 5:18

Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not become discouraged, saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect any person. Now there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my opponent.’ For a while he was unwilling; but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect any person, yet because this widow is bothering me, I will give her justice; otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’”And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge said; now, will God not bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night, and will He delay long for them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly.   Luke 18:1-8

Many of you signed up to pray each day through election season for a minute a day at a set time.  The election is over but it seems the battle has just begun.  God temporarily said “no” to our requests for an administration and congress that would not restrict freedom of speech and freedom of religion.  But God has not abandoned us.  It is easy to be discouraged and give up.  But we must pray now more than ever. If a unjust judge will listen to a powerless widow, how much more will God who loves us listen to our prayers for truth and justice.

We understand you have many other responsibilities at the set time we have each day   However, if you can, we encourage you to pray for a few seconds throughout the day, according to your own schedule, or as God prompts you, for our country, and when you can please occasionally join us to pray for 1 to five minutes from 9-9:01 est, 8-8:01 cst, 7-7:01 mst, 6-6:01 pst, 4-:4:01 Hast, 3:-3:01 Sst,  with believers across our country, even if it is once a week or once a month. We will continue to post these prayer requests each week as long as God leads through 2022.

We believe that God who raised up this country to stand for righteousness and truth and proclaim the Gospel throughout the world will not so quickly abandon this nation.  He may be allowing for a time of testing, but unless it is the very end times, we will come out of this stronger than ever.

As the saying Goes “Prayer CHANGES things.”  And “Satan trembles when he sees, the weakest saint upon his knees.”   Don’t underestimate the power of prevailing prayer.  No force in the world can stand against God listening to His children.  No politician, no media outlet, no university of public school system, no legal team, no corporate empire, no global consortium, no spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places.   The only thing that can stop it – is US, giving up  and not continuing to pray.

I hear some are afraid of what will come.  And the progressive authoritarian agenda is very  concerning:

– to silence any opposing voices to the progressive agenda using media

– to punish opposing voices using federal agencies

– to totally control the economy through regulation and taxation.

– to forcibly redistribute wealth (equal outcomes, “equity” removing a sow/reap merit system)

– to indoctrinate students with an atheistic/agnostic socialist agenda

And then those on the other side who are seeking to oppose through revolution which could destroy our society.

But we are not to live in fear.

‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  I Peter 5:7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6,7

We are COMMANDED not to be anxious or fear.  Because ultimately, what we fear is what we truly worship, and we are to fear and worship God alone.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.  Proverbs 1:7

“Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted to him. Therefore, I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted to you. Mark 11: 22-24

Ultimately there will be no mountain that stands between us and God and God’s will for us.

Pray without ceasing.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Lord, we cast all our cares, all our anxiety upon you.  We have full confidence that you are in control of all things.  Ultimately no weapon formed against us can prosper no matter how unstoppable in the short term it may seem.  We pray for boldness to continue to proclaim your truth and to stand for justice no matter what our government does.  We pray that You will block any efforts to restrict our freedom to speak and worship.  We pray for the protection of our children from false teaching.  We pray for a free economy not a totalitarian one.  We pray for a system that rewards righteousness and stops unrighteousness, and that values life and not abortion.  We pray for fair elections in the future.  We pray for all these issues to be resolved peacefully.  And above all we pray your Spirit would bring a national revival turning the hearts of the people back to their God.  In Jesus name, Amen”

 

JANUARY 24, 2021 – You can skip directly to prayer requests below

I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.  John 17:15 (Jesus’ prayer for his disciples)

and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!” And God granted him what he requested.  I Chronicles 4:10  (prayer of Jabez)

‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Matthew 6:13 (Lord’s prayer)

For the wrath of man shall praise You;  Psalm 76:10

Some of us may fear that with this new administration that the floodgates may open to new laws and judicial rulings that will undermine morality and our nation.

Be assured, that God is still in control and He will restrain any evil command and limit its effectiveness.  And God will even use what seems to be evil to glorify Himself, as He did in the story of Job.  In the process, we as believers may suffer to some extent, but we are part of a larger battle which will eventually glorify God and establish His kingdom.

These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

We should thank God and be grateful that no violence occurred on Inauguration day.

But, our nation has strayed so far from God, and this could be the beginning of God’s judgment on it.  Just as the believing remanent of Israel suffered with the whole nation when God judged it (as in the Babylonian exile and Habakkuk’s time), we may be called to suffer with our nation and call them back to God, and pray for a nationwide Holy Spirit revival that will not merely win an election, but win over peoples’ hearts and turn them back to God.

In the meantime we must accept what God has allowed and continue to trust in God as Holy in spite of difficult times.

 I must wait quietly for the day of distress, For the people to arise who will attack us.
Even if the fig tree does not blossom, And there is no fruit on the vines, If the yield of the olive fails, And the fields produce no food, Even if the flock disappears from the fold, And there are no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will triumph in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, And He has made my feet like deer’s feet,
And has me walk on my high places. Habakkuk 3:16-19

And may we remember that not this world, but only God can satisfy us.

Whom do I have in heaven but You?  And with You, I desire nothing on earth.  My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, the nearness of God is good for me; I have made the Lord God my refuge, So that I may tell of all Your works.  Psalm 73:25-28

But we do not stop fighting for what is right, but our weapons are not fleshly weapons (II Corinthians 10:3-4) but spiritual weapons, the Word of God which we proclaim to our generation to open their eyes and to call them from lawlessness and back to repentance and back to God

For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12

This change in administration, the laws that are passed, and the acceptance or rejection of non-Christian cultural changes over the next few years could reveal who are the true believers and those who are merely Christians in name only. (Mark 4:13-20)

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus we thank you that you answered our prayer for no violence during the inauguration.   But we are concerned for what may be coming and so we offer up prayers and supplications with thanksgiving (Phil 4:;6,7).  Please give us grace and courage and wisdom and strength to endure what may be coming our way in the next few years in terms of attacks on our faith our freedom of speech and religion. Give us wisdom in speech and boldness to continue to proclaim Your Word and Your truths, no matter how inconvenient to us or how despised we may be.  Please continue to restrain the worst of the cultural changes that may be coming our way.  Please protect us from great harm.  Please keep us faithful to You and not to fall away when we suffer persecution. Please help us not reject those who oppose us but to love and pray for them that You would open their eyes to the truth and from the devil who has blinded them.  Please bring a great revival once more over our land turning the hearts of our people back to You.  Amen.”

JANUARY 17, 2021 – You can skip directly to prayer requests below

Never repay evil for evil to anyone… If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people.  Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord…  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21

It’s hard when you feel like you been mistreated, stolen from, abused to return good for evil while those who caused your pain are rejoicing and continually lying about you.  Perhaps some of you feel that way about the results of the current election and events of the last two weeks.  And some friends, relatives, and even believers have said scurrilous things about you and have bought into lies propagated by the media.  We are still tasked with obeying God and not merely responding with human retaliation but responding as Christians.   God is in control.  Where wrong has been done, it is up to Him to be discipline or judge and repay.

In the meantime our job is to say to them:

we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  II Corinthians 5:20-21

And we are to pray for our leaders:

First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made in behalf of all people, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,  I Timothy 2:1-3

And the Apostle Paul said this of some of the most unfair leaders in all of history, the Caesar’s of Rome.  Let us approach this inauguration week with the fruit of the Spirit “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”  Let us pray for peace in Washington D.C. and throughout the country.  We serve the Prince of Peace and we know Jesus said,

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.  Matthew 5:9

And let us also pray for protection against some of the more radical policies that this new administration may seek to pass.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Jesus.  We accept that you are in control and nothing happens outside Your will.   Many times in the Christian life, as Paul said “we are perplexed but not forsaken” (II Cor. 4:9) by what You choose to allow.  However we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Rom 8:28)  We pray for protection from weapons that may be directed against our religious freedoms and freedom of speech by the upcoming administration.  We pray for you to give us strength to have a peaceful, loving spirit towards those who may oppose us and the cause of Christ in the coming years.  We pray You would “lead us not into testing and temptation, but deliver us from evil” and block any evil that may come our way.  We pray that our leaders may promote good by their legislation and enforcement and stop evil.  We pray that injustice would be exposed and punished.  And in particular we pray for peace this week in our nation’s capitol and that there could be reconciliation and healing between friends, relatives, and believers over the coming months.  May hidden evil fully be exposed.  May truth win out.  And above all may Your Spirit bring a revival to our land and turn the hearts of the people to repentance for our sins, and back to You, our Creator.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

JANUARY 10, 2021 – You can skip directly to prayer requests below.

And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.” Galatians 6:9

The events of this last week would cause anyone to start losing heart.  The senate was given to those who would “fundamentally transform” the United States and remove the Constitution to turn it into something it is not.  The Electoral count confirmed that all fraud in the election was to be ignored and set a precedent for future elections.  The protests in Washington D.C. by conservatives were repeatedly falsely reported by the media as an insurrection by ALL the protestors, rather than the few who charged the capital building.  Our President was censored by the media, the social media and some in congress for inciting a riot, which he did not do.  It seems like there is a conspiracy to silence any voice that does not agree with the radical left agenda.

God seems to have not answered our prayers for a fair and thorough investigation of the election, for a balance in our government, and for us to continue to have freedom of speech and freedom of religion.   But as was mentioned last week.  God is still in control.  We don’t always understand why He allows the world to have temporary victories:  for Job to suffer, for Christ to be tortured and crucified, for Christians to be martyred, and so on, but we know from these instances that there is an endgame that brings greater victory for His children.  But we must continue to obey Him and allow His full plan to play out.

When the wicked sprouted up like grass all who did iniquity flourished, it was only that they might be destroyed forever.”  Psalm 92:7

Like a crime stopping unit, they sometimes allow the crime to continue till they can gather enough evidence to convict in court.  God has enough evidence, but He sometimes allows what is in the hearts of men to become evident in practice, that then full judgment may come.

“Behold, these are the wicked, and always at ease they have increased in wealth, surely in vain I have kept my heart pure…Then I perceived their end. Surely You set the in slippery places.  You cast them down to destruction.  How they are destroyed in a moment.”  Psalm 73:12,13, 17-19

But there may be times when we suffer under an unjust system.

 Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.  II Timothy 3:12

And we must accept that, and continue to be faithful.  To continue to fight for and say what is right despite the cost.  To:

to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people.  Romans 12:18

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matthew 5:44

So let us not grow weary, but continue to pray for this great nation.  To pray for the incoming President, to pray for those in other parties, to pray for all Americans, and worship God that He is still in control and nothing can happen without His permission.

We may be entering a period where God will judge our nation for its many sins.  Over 55 million babies have been aborted since 1973, drugs which the Bible condemns are being legalized, immorality is becoming normalized, the church is watering down the Gospel, Christians are living like the unsaved.  But as the faithful remnant, we need to continue to prove ourselves.

…prove yourselves blameless and innocent children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life.  Philippians 2:14-16. 

…put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you… and whatever you do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.  Colossians 3:14, 17

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, these are trying times.  We accept that you have said “no” or “wait” to some of our prayers, and we declare that you are still in full control over the affairs of men, and have allowed the possibility of more difficult times ahead for us.   We do pray for the incoming administration that you would guide them and keep them from bad decisions.  But even more we pray for ourselves that we would act as true ambassadors for you Jesus in these difficult times responding to adversity in the way that you have commanded us.  To continue to fight for justice, and to speak the truth but in love.  As many social media outlets are being censored or shut down to us, we pray for alternative avenues to voice our free speech and to share our faith.  We pray for the outgoing President that you would protect him and his family from revenge and harm from his enemies.  We thank you how he has stood firm for freedom of religion.   We pray for protection, strength, and courage for those in authority: congress people, judges, governors, and mayors to stand up against the transforming our country into one where the protections in the constitution are taken away.  We pray for peace in our nation.  We know the temptation to violent retaliation is strong when justice is not rendered, and yet we pray that you could keep those who would do violence and encourage violence in check.  And more than that, we know that only debate and laws will not change the hearts of a nation, so we pray your Spirit would again send a revival to this nation, to convict the hearts of those who call themselves Christians to repent of their sins, and the hearts of unbelievers to turn back to You.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

JANUARY 3, 2021  – You can skip directly to prayer requests below

Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.  Revelation 1:5

Why are the nations restless, And the peoples plotting in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers conspire together Against the Lord and against the His Anointed, saying, “Let’s tear their shackles apart And throw their ropes away from us!” He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”  Psalm 2:1-6

Many times throughout history world Kings and Satan have raised up their hands in a false confidence in their victory and in their control of world events.   But God is always in control.  And though it seems like He may have abandoned us, and the kings have defeated the righteous, God knows exactly what He is doing.  God laughs at them in their thinking that their plots have overcome Him and that they will finally do away with His rule.

As we enter this new year and this crucial week in our nation’s history with the senate elections in Georgia on Tuesday January 5th and the Presidential electoral count in congress on Wednesday January 6, and the massive march in Washington on both of those days, Let us pray that God’s will be done and that all remains peaceful.   No matter what happens, as believers we know God is in control and no weapon raised up against His people will ultimately prevail, though there may be periods where things may seem that way.   Let us pray as believers that we would continue to have freedom of speech and freedom of religion so we may continue to worship our Lord Jesus and spread the good news of His gospel of salvation.  And let us not doubt our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but continue to affirm our faith that He IS the ruler of the Kings of the earth. And let us accept His will whatever it is, knowing that the boasts of men will not ultimately prevail over the Will of God. Jesus HAS already won.  We just need to be patient till we see the end victory.

We don’t always understand God’s timing, but we can pray that now, today, in the midst of a season where there appears to be so much fraud in the election and so much misinformation being propagated through the media, let us ask God to come to our aid.

“Arise Oh, God, and plead your own cause, remember how the foolish man reproaches you all day long.”  Psalm 74:22

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, strengthen our faith.  You have seen how the rulers of this nation may have fraudulently controlled this election and how the media has censored and covered up wrongdoing.  At times we feel like our pleas for truth and justice have gone ignored.  We believe in You that You are acting on our behalf, please help our unbelief.  We ask that this Tuesday and Wednesday, that you would hear our pleas for a fair election in Georgia and a balance of power in our nation’s capital, and that any wrongdoing would be uncovered by the congressional count of the electoral vote on Wednesday.  We pray for the massive march on Washington Tuesday and Wednesday would impact our representatives to do the right thing.  And we pray for a peaceful protest, and a block on those rioters from the other side and their advocates in the media who would seek to stir up violence and misinformation.  We continue to pray for all the requests from the previous weeks and that those investigators of election wrongdoing would be strengthened, protected, and provided with any evidence that is needed to convict those guilty of wrongdoing.  And above all we pray for a revival of your Spirit upon this nation.  For we know that the law alone cannot bring transformation in people’s hearts but only your Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen.”

DECEMBER 27, 2020   – You can skip directly to prayer requests below

 Now all the earth used the same language and the same words. … And they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let’s make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of all the earth.” Now the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the men had built. And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they have started to do, and now nothing which they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth; and they stopped building the city. Genesis 11:1-8

Men, corporations, government always seem to move towards vertical integration, to gain absolute tyrannical control, so no one can stop the leadership.  The problem is since man is inherently sinful, this leads to an immoral system that cannot be stopped.  Our nations forefathers knew this and came up with a system of separation of powers:  three separate branches of government with balancing powers: legislative (with a separate house and senate), executive, judicial to even each other out.  And the federal government is balanced by all the state governments to limit the degree to which power could be centralized.

This January 5th the election of two senators in Georgia could determine whether one party will control, two possibly three branches and push through what they have called a fundamental transformation of America (presumably one not limited by the Constitution), and one which has as its goal a central, global, new world order.  There have been several attempts at a World government in over 6,000 years of recorded history and none has worked.   Most recently the Axis powers and the Nazi regime.  For a time the U.S.S.R. attempted to bring many third world nations under the influence of their communist rule in the Cold War.  Each government promised a better government than one of divided nations.   Each became more and more tyrannical.   But God stopped them all as He did at Babel.  The Apostle Paul tells us that it will continue that way until the final attempt is made by the AntiChrist.

and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,   Acts. 17:26

Because as Lord Acton has said, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely” We can see it on a small level when you give a boss a little power, he may tend to abuse it.   This goes whether those with the power are on the right or left of the political spectrum. With that in mind, it is likely best that at least one of the legislative houses would be a restraint on the executive branch and so it would be best if one or both senators in Georgia went to the Republicans.  But no matter what the result may God put a restraint on unbridled centralized power in our country.

The Georgia senate race election is January 5.   At the very least we should be praying that the vote is fair and no fraud is involved so both sides can accept the results.  And in any case we should pray that God’s will be done.

Also, January 6 the House and Senate count the electoral votes and declare the winner of the Presidential election.  These vote have been challenged many times in the past during these counts.  But with the high tension over potential fraud in this election, the stakes are even much higher.  Again we need to pray God’s will would be done, even if it is to overturn the election. May God oversee the electoral college count in congress and any challenges to the electoral count, and if there is fraud, may it be revealed.  And if the electoral count is not the place any fraud is to be corrected, may it be brought out clearly over the next few months through the judicial process.  But most of all may the electoral process and transition over the next few months be a peaceful one, and may God Bless America through these turbulent times.

Finally we should praise God for a potential solution to the deadly Covid-19 virus through vaccines that have been developed in a record time.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Lord Jesus, thank you for allowing us to find a vaccine for this Covid epidemic so quickly.  Please keep any harmful side effects from us.   We pray for all the requests of the two previous weeks: for any 2020 election fraud to be revealed; for people who know evidence to come forward; for investigators to have supernatural wisdom and strength to find the truth, for state lawmakers and judges to act fairly and righteously in examining any evidence, and for the mass and social media to report truthfully or to be judged for lying to the American people.  Also we pray for a fair election January 5 for the two senators in Georgia.   May it be fraud free, and any attempts at fraud be shut down immediately.  Please give us some balance of power in government so that authority would not be so centralized as to undermine our freedom of speech and religion. And may the counting and any challenge of electoral votes in the House and Senate on January 6 go smoothly and fairly and may truth will out.  And above all my any restoration of power or transition in power go peacefully throughout out the nation.   May you heal families and broken friendships that have happened because of politics in the last year.   May you protect this nation and keep it guided by a Constitution that has protected us for almost 250 years.  Keep us from a totally centralized national government or centralized global government which could go totally corrupt.  Lord, give us a year of healing and renewal in 2021 after such a turbulent year in 2020.  And above all please bring revival to our land.  Because only a righteous people will obey the laws of the land with right judgment.  “if… My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  II Chronicles 7:13-14. In Jesus name, Amen.

 

 

DECEMBER 20, 2020   – You can skip directly to prayer requests below

He raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.  And God placed all things under his feet .  Ephesians 1:20-22

We serve a risen Lord who is above all authority, power, and dominion, and that includes: the mainstream networks, the cable networks, the social networks, the many judges who refuse to hear a case, the power players in the political parties, the state and federal officials who are blocking investigations into election fraud, the foot soldiers who many have carried out election fraud. Nothing can stop his will.  And if He decides to show us mercy to find whether there has been election fraud, where it has been, and if enough to overturn the election, it is a small thing for Him to do.

Believe in God that He is able to do it, and since He wants the best for us, He will do all that is in His will and no earthly or demonic powers can stop Him.   Let us pray with all sincerity “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

As we remember the birth of our Lord in a humble manger, let us remember He now sits as a risen Lord in heaven above all authority.

So let us, continue with the same prayers as last week and ask for God’s mercy upon us, knowing that as we have been faithful to serve Him:

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.   Hebrews 6:10

PRAYER REQUESTS

1.)  For the Lord to do everything necessary to bring total, undeniable exposure of every fraudulent act that was committed in this election – causing every stone covering fraud to be turned over.

2.)   That all involved in election fraud be discovered and quickly brought to complete justice.

3.)   For the Lord to deeply convict each person who committed fraudulent acts to come forward and confess their acts.

4.)   For the Lord to strongly convict, embolden and cause every person who knows of fraudulent acts to come forward and sign an affidavit pertaining to them – and that God would protect each one who does in every needed way.

5.)   President Trump’s Defense team – supernatural information, wisdom, knowledge, insight, perseverance, strength, stamina, health, safety and great favor (Psalms 84:11) with all they write to and speak before.   That God would turn the hearts and minds of judges to give favorable renderings to them (Proverb 21:1).

6.)   For God to cause citizens in the 6 swing states to contact their state legislators and to demand  investigation that would overturn the election results, including taking over the assigning of their state’s electoral voters.

7.)   For the state legislators to have the needed wisdom, strength and bravery to do what is right and best in determining their state’s electors – and to be protected after doing so.

8.)  Judges – Strength, bravery, and intellect to correctly interpret the US Constitution relative to the election fraud and God’s protection in every needed way.

9.)   For the Lord to move and keep moving powerfully to see that everything that needs to be  done to rectify this election is indeed done – causing President Trump and every congressional candidate wrongfully denied victory to be granted it and placed in office.

10.)  For God to cause every necessary judgment to be released against every mainstream and social medium and individual that has perpetrated fraud pertaining to this election, to punish them and cause discontinuation of their corrupt behavior and support of it.

And one last one,  That God would bring revival to our land.

If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send a plague among My people,  and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  II Chronicles 7:13-14

In Jesus name, Amen.

DECEMBER 13, 2020

ENDGAME … OR NOT

Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness but instead even expose them. Ephesians 5:11

But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. Luke 12:2,3

With the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear eighteen states petition of election irregularities, and with increasing censorship by major social media sites and the mainstream press, it would seem that none of the potential fraudulent acts in the 2020 will ever be exposed and corrected, and that the senate elections in Georgia Jan.5 and in the future in this country will never be just.  But,

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, this also will he reap. Galatians 6:7

The wheels of God’s justice may grind slow but they grind fine, missing nothing. Our responsibility is to keep believing in Him that the mountain blocking our way to freedom of speech and freedom of religion will be cast into the sea.

And Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted to him. Therefore, I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted to you.   Mark 11:22-24

We can know for certain that we have already received in heaven that God will not be mocked and that deeds of darkness will be exposed.  Let us pray in faith that what we have already received in heaven, may be granted to us on earth.

Again, it is not over till God says it is over.  December 14 electors vote, January 5 are the Georgia Senate elections which are critical for maintaining balance of power in DC,  January 6 the congress counts the electors votes and formally declares the winner.   Inauguration day is Jan. 20.  And even if it takes weeks or months after that we believe the truth will come out and God will watch out for His own.   But even beyond that we need a public ready to receive the truth, and so we need a national revival of the Spirit to bring our country back to God to do that.

We got a list of excellent prayer requests for from some friends.  So we go right to that.

PRAYER REQUESTS

1.)  For the Lord to do everything necessary to bring total, undeniable exposure of every fraudulent act that was committed in this election – causing every stone covering fraud to be turned over.

2.)   That all involved in election fraud be discovered and quickly brought to complete justice.

3.)   For the Lord to deeply convict each person who committed fraudulent acts to come forward and confess their acts.

4.)   For the Lord to strongly convict, embolden and cause every person who knows of fraudulent acts to come forward and sign an affidavit pertaining to them – and that God would protect each one who does in every needed way.

5.)   President Trump’s Defense team – supernatural information, wisdom, knowledge, insight, perseverance, strength, stamina, health, safety and great favor (Psalms 84:11) with all they write to and speak before.   That God would turn the hearts and minds of judges to give favorable renderings to them (Proverb 21:1).

6.)   For God to cause citizens in the 6 swing states to contact their state legislators and to demand  investigation that would overturn the election results, including taking over the assigning of their state’s electoral voters.

7.)   For the state legislators to have the needed wisdom, strength and bravery to do what is right and best in determining their state’s electors – and to be protected after doing so.

8.)  Judges – Strength, bravery, and intellect to correctly interpret the US Constitution relative to the election fraud and God’s protection in every needed way.

9.)   For the Lord to move and keep moving powerfully to see that everything that needs to be  done to rectify this election is indeed done – causing President Trump and every congressional candidate wrongfully denied victory to be granted it and placed in office.

10.)  For God to cause every necessary judgment to be released against every mainstream and social medium and individual that has perpetrated fraud pertaining to this election, to punish them and cause discontinuation of their corrupt behavior and support of it.

And one last one,  That God would bring revival to our land.

If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send a plague among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  II Chronicles 7:13-14

In Jesus name, Amen.

NOVEMBER 29, 2020  (if you want, you can skip to PRAYER REQUESTS below)

SPIRITUAL DARKNESS

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Ephesians 6:12

This week Sydney Powell, the lawyer seeking to find if there was election fraud with the voting machines in this election asked for prayer by saying that she never felt such spiritual darkness  opposing her.   This would seem to be strange for forces of darkness to oppose her if what she were doing weren’t significantly threatening those forces. Please pray for her to find any significant fraud with the election machines, if there is any, and that she could find the hard evidence to back it up, and to clear it up so this would never happen again and the American public could have confidence in their future elections.

Rudy Giuliani is investigating if illegal changes that were made in voting procedures before and during and after the election that could have falsified the vote.  Both of these investigations are under tremendous pressure to get final evidence results before the electors have their votes certified by the states December 5.  They then formally vote on December 14.

Regardless of whether there are enough votes to change the election, these investigations are critical to point out flaws or even fraud so that can be corrected for future elections so the public can have confidence in the electoral process.  We need to pray for these investigations to be honest and thorough and point out whether there may or may not have been fraud.  Though we would like results now, these investigations may take several months, but it is important we know the full results.  We also need to pray that Sydney and Rudy have the strength, the persistence, the freedom and the resources to complete their investigations without destructive opposition from vicious activists or spiritual dark forces.

We also need to consider the special run-off elections in Georgia which will determine the majority in the U.S. senate and affect whether major changes of legislation are rushed through by a one party rule or determined by a bipartisan congress and administration. We need to pray for the Republican candidates David Purdue and Kelly Loeffler that at least one or both would win, so that any legislation has to be approved by both parties.  Also the majority in the senate could determine approval of future supreme court judges.

If it is God’s will that Joseph Biden be inaugurated in January as President, we need to pray for him too, as I Timothy says that we are to pray for leaders “and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”  (I Tim. 2:2)

Prayer requests this week are much the same as last week.  See those too.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Lord, please may the truth be found about this election regarding whether the voting results were legitimate or not.   Please guard from spiritual dark forces and give wisdom to Rudy and Sydney’s teams as they gather evidence.   Please give your wisdom and objectivity to judges who have to evaluate the evidence and courage to do the right thing once it is presented, no matter which way the results fall.  Also we pray for the Georgia senatorial elections on January 5th which may determine the outcome of the majority in the senate.   We pray for a divided senate and administration so that both sides have to work together to pass any significant changes in the laws of the country.  We pray for peace in the country and not riots no matter what the results. In the meantime, if Biden is inaugurated as our next President, we pray for health, for wisdom and for strength for him to do the right things and not to merely bow to pressures from damaging special interest groups, and to be a President “for all the people” as he said he would do.  And we pray for a revival in the country turning the hearts of the people back to you their God.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

NOVEMBER 22, 2020  (if you want to can skip to PRAYER REQUESTS for this week.

“It ain’t over till it’s over.”

That great philosopher of the 20th century, Yogi Berra said that.   He’s seen plenty of games that  the guys in the news booth were saying the game was over.   Spectators were leaving the stadium, and then… the other team won.  Yogi’s team the New York Mets were the bottom team in their league every year in the 1960’s since they were formed.  Everyone had given up on them, then in 1969 they went all the way to the World Series and won.

In the early years of the Revolutionary War, it looked like the War was lost.  There was no more money to fight the war.  Some of George Washington’s soldiers in Valley Forge started to go home; they hadn’t been paid; they were low on food; many didn’t have shoes.  Then on Christmas Eve Washington did a daring raid on better fed and better armed troops in New Jersey and the tide of the war started to turn.

On Good Friday Jesus hung on the cross.  The disciples were dispirited.  They had given up everything to follow a man they hoped would end Roman oppression and there He was hanging on a cross.  It was the end of a beautiful dream. They had just wasted the last three years of their life following Him.

BUT IT WASN’T OVER

(Excerpts: “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Comin’” sermon by S.M Lockridge)

…It’s Friday, See Jesus walking to Calvary, His blood dripping, His body stumbling
And his spirit’s burdened. But you see, it’s only Friday, Sunday’s comin’

…It’s Friday, The world’s winning, People are sinning, And evil’s grinning

…It’s Friday, But let me tell you something, Sunday’s comin’

…It’s Friday, The disciples are questioning, What has happened to their King
And the Pharisees are celebrating, That their scheming, Has been achieved
But they don’t know, It’s only Friday, Sunday’s comin’

…It’s Friday, Hope is lost, Death has won, Sin has conquered, and Satan’s just a laughin’ It’s Friday, Jesus is buried, A soldier stands guard, And a rock is rolled into place

But it’s Friday, It is only Friday, Sunday is a comin’!

It’s not over yet.  There are some states that don’t certify election results till December 5.  The electoral college doesn’t meet in each state to cast their votes till December 14.  It’s not till January 6, the Senate and House of Representatives meet to count the electoral votes and declare the results.  The President isn’t inaugurated till January 20, 2021.  There are many court challenges in the meantime by the Presidents attorneys, which could still cause a court injunction to any of the above events.  Collecting all the evidence of widespread corruption in a short time to present in court is a gargantuan task with limited resources.  The Muller commission had three years, almost unlimited resources, and 32 million dollars and they couldn’t make their case.  But it’s not over till it’s over.  Like the sports commentators the mainstream media is proclaiming it’s  over.  They want to be the ones running the show.  But they are not.   It is the American People and the electoral process and the rule of law.

And even if Biden is inaugurated, it’s not over.   There are the senate race runoffs.   And there is the American people.  If Biden has been presenting a false platform and hiding a true agenda, and the media has been covering up the truth.  It won’t stand.  Don’t underestimate our fellow citizens.  And then there is the Lord.  He was involved in birthing this nation.  He has used it mightily in proclaiming His truth throughout the world   He is still ultimately in control.  Not the news media, or the social media, or a particular party.  He may allow us to take one step back before we take two steps forward.  But He’s not asleep at the switch.   Valley Forge happened in December 1777 and the final major battle of the Revolutionary War ended Oct. 19, 1781.  It wasn’t over, till it was over.   The United States of America was the result.

To those of us who value the right to life, the rule of law, the priority of family over state, morality as taught in the Bible vs. alternate lifestyle and genders, freedom of religion and conscience, freedom of speech vs censorship, exposing lies and corruption, truth vs. expedience, worship of the one true God vs. worship of man or the state, it may seem like these values just lost in the last election to a platform of thinly veiled secular humanistic globalism. But remember:

It may be Friday… but Sunday’s coming.     It ain’t over yet.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord, your ways can be confusing to us.   At times it seems you allow events that will hinder your Kingdom from coming to earth.  We seem to constantly focus on the Friday’s in our lives.  Stir our faith.  Help us to see the Sunday’s, the bigger picture of Your working and the promise you have given us of a resurrection Sunday, where our righteousness will be brought out as the light, and our judgment as the noonday.  Lord there is time to save the values we pray for and we ask for supernatural strength and wisdom and power be given to the attorneys who are fighting to expose the corruption that has occurred in this last election. Give them favor with courts.  And may this corruption be corrected before the deadlines.   And regardless of whether the election is overturned or not, may the work they do lay the foundation for election reform so there will be no doubt in the future that elections are honest and secure. May those officials who have promoted corruption be exposed and punished, and may those in the media who seek to cover up the truth be exposed and removed from their positions.  Please give us an honest election process and press for the future.  But even more than that, there are so many in this country who are blinded to the mystery of iniquity that is work among us.   We pray for a revival of your Spirit to sweep across the land and turn the hearts of many of our nation back to You again, In Jesus named, Amen”

NOVEMBER 15, 2020  (if you want you can skip to PRAYER REQEUSTS for this week below)

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET PRAYING

For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.   Hebrews 12:3

Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary.  Galatians 6:9

On one side are all the news media, every major social media group, most of the political operatives and congress people and high paid attorneys operatives in Washington, D.C., Democratic governors and mayors controlling the voting process who will do anything their party tells them to do, virtually the entire university population of professors and students, virtually all the civil servants in all the cabinet departments in Washington who are supposed to be neutral but slant every decision to the Democratic committees demands and surreptitiously undermine Republican administrations( https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/anonymous-author-white-house-book-revealed-miles-taylor/story?id=73884296 ), all the major teachers unions educating our children, several boards of major corporations and Wall Street firms, the most powerful PR firms using every focused group phase in the books, several key never Trumpers, and some Christians and pastors who don’t seem to realize the full impact of the far left agenda operatives behind Biden, and an leftist ethic in media and elsewhere that says lies are OK as long it helps you win.  On the other side are 72 million people who voted for Trump, a few outnumbered law firms (some compromised), and Christians praying.

Given all that, Its amazing the election was as close as it was, and that people are still demanding recounts to validate the results.   Now is not the time to stop praying, but the time to ramp things up.   Whether or not God chooses or not to allow for a time an administration that plans to undermine our civil rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion is His choice.   In the past it has resulted in a much harder swing the next time to the side of liberty.  It has been variously attributed to Abraham Lincoln and others that “You can fool all of the people some of the time, You can fool some of the people all of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.” If our country has been so blinded to the truth, then we need to pray for a revival of national repentance and where people’s eyes are opened by the Spirit, not worship a different political party, but to oppose the agenda of some who wish to fundamentally transform this country to a place where there is not freedom of religion but freedom from religion and an atheistic base, where their leaders may still claim some nominal tip of the hat to Christianity, but not have any substance beneath it.

However, One Christian praying with the Lord on his/her side is a majority.  Don’t forget that.

The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not rescued by great strength.
A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it rescue anyone by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who wait for His faithfulness, To rescue their soul from death And to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name.
Let Your favor, Lord, be upon us, Just as we have waited for You.  Psalm 33:16-22

If there has been fraud in the election, then we need to pray for a fair recount and evaluation, whether it changes the election results or not, but so as to ensure it doesn’t happen again.  And if it would change the election outcome we need to pray harder than ever that all the forces thrown against an honest recount of all the votes would not be stopped, because to the Lord that created the universe this is a small thing to Him to do.

When King David’s son fell ill because of God’s punishment on David, David prayed day and night till the son died.   But once the son died, he did not reject his Lord or stopped praying, but moved on and continued to worship God and serve Him faithfully.  So no matter what outcome God allows we must continue to pray in all earnestness, accepting God’s current choice and remembering that God does listen and will answer at the appropriate time.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.   James 5:16-18

The side of the Marxist’s Green New Deal, and the one world-Globalists, and those who would undermine the nuclear family, and who promote immorality and lawlessness have far more to fear that those of us who follow the Lord.

How much more severe punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  Hebrews 10:29-31

Those who despise the blessings that have come to this country because of its strong Christian base (even with its flaws) and who use lies and deception to attempt to undermine that base are living with a false sense of security.

They are not in trouble like other people, Nor are they tormented together with the rest of mankind. Therefore arrogance is their necklace; The garment of violence covers them. Their eye bulges from fatness; The imaginations of their heart overflow. They mock and wickedly speak of oppression; They speak from on high.They have set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue parades through the earth.Therefore his people return here, And abundant waters are drunk by them. They say, “How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High?” Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth.  Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence;  For I have been stricken all day long, And punished every morning. Psalm 73:5-14

And yet this is what the Bible says of their end.

When I thought of understanding this, It was troublesome in my sight Until I entered the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end. You indeed put them on slippery ground; You dropped them into ruin. How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!Like a dream when one awakes, Lord, when stirred, You will despise their image.   Psalm 73:16-20

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap.  Galatians 6:7

One who sows always reaps more than he sows .  Those who sow deception and theft will one day reap far more negative things  than they have sown.   God is not mocked, even though they suppose He is.

For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind:  Hosea 8:7

Let us pray for them as well, that their eyes will be opened and that they repent before God judges them.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord we are disappointed that the election seems at this time to be leading to more restrictions to our freedom of speech, to our freedom of religion, to support of the right to life, to our opposition to lawlessness and immorality, to our opposition to more government corruption, and to our concern for financial hardship to many in our country.  But, we trust that all is in Your plan somehow and you will either rescue us from the election results or use any coming time of oppression to change the hearts and minds of a nation that has fallen away from you so they will repent and turn back to you.  Jesus, we pray for those in media, social media, government, schools, universities, corporations, who are using deception to win, that you would convict their hearts of sin because they have rejected you, their lack of righteousness, and Your coming judgment of them.  Lord as protection against a unstoppable wave of negative regulations against your people we pray that if the administration is Democrat,  that the Republicans would hold control of the senate.  We assume the DNC and media will continue to cheat in all possible ways to steal the elections of remaining senators.   We ask with all our hearts that any illegal or deceptive efforts will be stopped. And we ask that any elections that may have already been stolen will be at least recounted (John James – MI)  And we pray for the salvation of those in the DNC, Democratic congress, and in the possible new administration and government that you would open their eyes to the truth of Your ways and Your Word.  We pray that you would protect Israel from any rash actions of a new administration that would invoke the curse upon any nation that curses Israel or any of Abraham’s offspring either by physical lineage or by spiritual adoption. We pray in Jesus name.  Amen.”

NOVEMBER 8, 2020  (If you want to skip to PRAYER REQUESTS for this week below)

WHAT NEXT?

We prayed there would be a clear result in the election. That has not happened, despite the mainstream news media spuriously proclaiming that it has.  There are likely recounts and legal cases challenging the legitimacy of the election for weeks or months to come.  We prayed there would be no unrest.   Mercifully any significant unrest has not happened yet   We said there could be a result of a president of one party and the congress (house or senate) of another.  It’s looking like that may happen.  And that may put a limit on how much damage any administration could accomplish.  It also appears that there may have been significant irregularities in the vote counting or possibly even fraud.  We can pray that any deeds of darkness would be exposed (Ephesians 5:11)

What are we as Christians to do?   We fear that some of our freedoms will be taken away and  that Israel will not continue to be supported,  even though the Biden camp claims he will be a President of all the people, though his past record under Obama-Biden and this past election campaign rhetoric seems to conflict with that.

A similar situation where the political leaders seemed to be able to suppress the truth came about when the leaders of Israel arrested and persecuted the Apostles for preaching Jesus.   Yet the Apostles knew who really was in charge and prayed as King David did in Psalm 2

‘Why were the nations insolent, And the peoples plotting in vain?  The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’ Acts 4:25, 26

The “nations”, the power brokers have this false sense of control, but they only have the control that God temporarily allows them to have before He takes it away.

Until I entered the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end.  You indeed put them on slippery ground; You dropped them into ruin.  How they are destroyed in a moment!
They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! Like a dream when one awakes,
Lord, when stirred, You will despise their image.  Psalm 73:17-20

For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever Your hand and purpose predestined to occur.  Acts 4:27, 28

We need to remember God is always in control.  We may be perplexed as Paul was as to God’s ways (II Corinthians 4:8) and why God allowed some persecution of His servants, but we must remember that Satan and the world are always limited by what God allows for His greater purposes.

“But reach out with Your hand now and touch all that he (Job) has; he will certainly curse You to Your face.” Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not reach out and put your hand on him.” Job 1:11, 12

This does not mean we will not as believers suffer persecution.   In fact persecution for our faith is promised as God’s way of proving our faith and refining us for heaven.

If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”   Luke 9:23

Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they followed My word, they will follow yours also.  John 15:20

So what are we to do.   We must continue to do what God has commanded us to preach His Word, to proclaim Jesus, to seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God. (Micah 6:8)

Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them.  Ephesians 5:11

We are to be salt and light in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. We know that Satan is the father of lies.  We must continue to speak the truth regardless of consequences.  The truth about the unborn, the truth about supporting Israel, the truth about immorality in our culture, the truth about those who have committed crimes and seem to have gotten away with it.

A truthful witness saves lives, But one who declares lies is deceitful.  Proverbs 14:25

It may also may mean that we should not support those media outlets and networks which persist in constantly  lying, twisting, or covering up the truth.  And that we not patronize their news programming,  Nor patronize their commercial sponsors. And that we may need to leave certain social media outlets that censor us as Christians and find other ones instead.  For example, Facebook refused to run ads for this website even though we met all their conditions.   We cannot entirely remove ourselves from the world, but we can lessen our dependence on those groups that promote deception and not give them more funding for them to promote their lies and half-truths and/or censorship.

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; 11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds. II John 1:10

Though in context this refers to not welcoming false religious teachers (those who contradict the teaching of Christ) into our homes, it also has broader application to any who would proclaim lies that undermine the teaching of the Word of God and attack the knowledge of God.  (abortion, immorality, gender confusion, the state as an idol and other teachings mentioned in earlier weeks of prayer requests)

We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,  II Corinthians 10:5

And though we don’t have final information about whether there has been fraud in the election, and whether that would change the outcome, we need to pray that if there has, and if this election was stolen, that any deeds done in the darkness would be revealed and that true justice would be done, and that those truly elected would be promoted to power, and that those who are guilty would be held accountable.

But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.  Luke 12:3

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, it seems there is a dispute as to whether there was fraud committed in this election and this will be challenged in recounts and lawsuits.  We pray that if there has been fraud that this will be exposed to all the world and that no amount of media spin will overcome it.  That the truth will out.  And if this changes certain election results that the changes would occur without political logjams or civil unrest.  And we also pray that if the current temporary results hold that you will through your Spirit give boldness to the church to continue to proclaim Christ and truths from your Word despite the persecution we may face.  And that we would not support organizations or corporate headquarters or advertisers that actively promote lies and half-truths and censorship. Help us to find alternate responsible news and social media outlets and products that we can use.  And for those who may have committed malfeasance during this election that you would judge them and as you say that they may be dropped into ruin, destroyed in a moment, and utterly swept away by sudden terrors.  We do not seek to avenge ourselves to but give all judgment into your hands for any who might be guilty.  Lord we thank you that no matter what political system we live under that you are in control and will allow nothing beyond your will.  And we look forward to the day when Jesus will rule and ‘the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.'(Habakkuk 2:14).  In the meantime we pray your Spirit would fall upon our nation and bring a revival, turning the hearts of the people in our nation back to their Creator-God, as the Spirit has many times in the past, in Jesus name, Amen.”

NOVEMBER 1, 2020  (If you want to can skip to PRAYER REQUESTS for this week below)

TWO VISIONS FOR OUR NATION – SIX ELECTION OUTCOMES

There used to be some common ground between the Republican and Democratic parties.  We all wanted the American dream (people with their own homes, enough provision for every family, the pursuit of happiness), but the means of getting there would be different.  But now one party still believes in the founders’ vision of a Republic of the people, by the people, and for the people founded on Judeo-Christian principles, and the other party views the founding of the country as racist and totally flawed, and requiring a total progressive makeover to a secular Marxist nation ruled with an iron fist by the “best and brightest professionals” who govern by agnostic, humanist and utilitarian principles.  One side wants a limited government, merit based, capitalistic, free market economy giving people as much opportunity as possible to advance and pursue happiness but  tempered by Christian charity and justice, the other side wants a central government, state controlled, socialist economy, promising people an equal outcome and equal justice, as dictated by rationalism and utilitarianism.

Usually the difference is not presented that starkly, and is covered by words that would appeal to the other side. Now not all politicians in the Democratic party would subscribe to such a harsh distinction, yet the thought leaders driving the progressive agenda have a clear goal of ridding our country of the “regressive” influence of Christianity.  One leftist thought leader, John Dunphy has said, “The battle for mankind’s future must be waged in the public school classroom, which must become an arena of conflict between… the rotting corpse of Christianity and the new faith of humanism.”  In reality, humanism is not new, it has been around since the garden of Eden, when it was promised by the deceiver, “You will become like God”.   In practice both political systems have had flaws; but the socialist system more so because it is founded on humanism, and the flaws are shown by the history of the USSR, Red China, Cuba, Venezuela, N. Korea and other socialism countries that have promised freedom and equality but delivered an oppressive state with only the top political operatives reaping the benefits.

Tuesday this nation will decide which way it wants to head toward.  The first gives Christians a better chance to “lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” (I Tim. 2:2) and allow us to have freedom of speech and freedom of religion.  But Christians have flourished under totalitarian regimes albeit with much persecution. As has been the said “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church”.  When the church was legalized under Constantine in the fourth century, it began a slide to compromise with the world.  And today many times the church is barely indistinguishable from the world.  We certainly would pray for an outcome in the election that would allow us as believers to continue to practice our faith without being told what we can and cannot say or do. But, perhaps if God does allow Christians to be persecuted more for their faith, it will clear out those in the church who aren’t true believers and cause us to seek God’s Kingdom first instead of this worldly one (Matthew 6:33).  Rather than grumble we need to be content with whatever outcome God allows, and know that God will enable us to do all things He has called us to do regardless of the circumstances.

 I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.  Philippians 4:11-13

Regarding six outcomes:  The first two we should pray against:  first, that there is no clear outcome to the election and unrest or riots may erupt as both side posture to take advantage in order to win; second, that there is a clear outcome but one side decides the election process will never give them what they want and they cause civil unrest and riots to punish the other side and cause the other side to step back and give them what they want.   Either outcome could set the spark that could begin another civil war or a guerilla war.  As Christians we are called to be peacemakers under the Prince of Peace.   And though we recognize that sometimes war is necessary (WWII), our goal is always first to seek peace.

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.  Psalm 34:14

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.  Matthew 5:9

If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people.  Romans 12:18

for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit… So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.  Romans 14:17, 19

The next two outcomes are that Trump wins with a Republican House and Senate, or that Biden wins with a Democratic House and Senate.  In both cases the winning party could simply ignore the millions of people who voted for the other party and ram through their agenda without even seeking to work with the other side to find a solution that would at least partially satisfy both.  This could lead to growing resentment and again spark civil unrest.

The last two outcomes are that Trump wins but with a House or Senate or both from the opposite party, or that Biden wins with a House or Senate or both from the opposite party.  This is similar to what we have had for much of the last twenty years.  Each side has had to listen to the other.  But in many cases it has led to one side being intransigent to gain political advantage for the next election to keep the other side from claiming any accomplishments.

And so there are dangers to all four outcomes.  Winston Churchill has said, “democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.…”   and one of our founders, John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”   We cannot rely simply on the bare structure of the Constitution to protect us, the government is not some entity that is separate from us; WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT.  As Christians we must act as Christians, not merely Republicans or Democrats, but we must act as citizens of heaven who seek to have His kingdom come and to have His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  As John Adams said, the system will not work without moral and religious citizens administering and obeying it.  So regardless of party we must pray that God will allow godly, moral, and religious people to be elected.   Pure capitalism can be heartless, uncompassionate, greedy, and unjust.  A system seeking equal outcomes can be brutal, totalitarian, and censorious.  It is  elected leaders who are moral people who will determine if there is a balance; a set of rules never will.   The USSR had freedom of religion clauses in their ruling documents, but the atheistic leaders never allowed the people to freely practice their faith.  Let us pray for Godly men and women to be elected who are courageous, and willing to break from their own party position when that vote violates Christian principles.  And let us pray for revival causing all Americans to turn back to God; because a mere election victory is empty if it is not accompanied by the godly men and women who live daily by its Constitution.  See. https://prayforunitedstates.com/history-of-revivals-god-answering-prayer-for-nations-coming-soon/

First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made in behalf of all people, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.    I Timothy 4:1,2)

PRAYER REQUESTS”

“Lord Jesus we know the outcome of this election is in your hands. You tell us, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Prov. 16:33) We know that not only with a die but with votes, every decision is from you.   Lord we pray no matter what the election results are that there would be a clear outcome we all can agree on and for a peaceful outcome as you are the Prince of Peace.  We pray for courageous men and women of God to be elected who would stand for the moral principles in Your Word.  We pray for continued opportunity for the church to have freedom to preach your Word and expand your Kingdom and Your will on earth so we could lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity.   We pray for the leaders elected that if they are not believers in You that they would become ones and follow Your way.  We pray that if a humanistic progressive agenda is given predominance either by the election or cultural peer pressure, and Your church is persecuted as you promised “if they persecuted me, they will persecute you” (II Tim. 3:12), that You will give us the grace to respond as you did and not to be overcome with evil, but to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).  In either case refine us to be conformed to the image of Christ and to a church in which there is no partiality but Christ is all and in all.  And overall we pray for a revival in our country where your Spirit would turn the hearts of our countrymen back to their Creator as you have done many times in the past, where Your people would humble themselves, and pray and seek Your face, and turn from their wicked ways and You would hear from heaven, and heal their land.  (II Chron. 7:14), Amen.”

OCTOBER 25, 2020  (If you want you can skip to PRAYER REQUESTS for this week below)

PRAYER FOR INTERVENTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”  Luke 11:13

Many times in the life of the church nothing less than the God’s intervention through the Holy Spirit can save the day.  And God has promised to send the Spirit to indwell those who believe in Jesus and to aid them in times of need.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.  “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.  I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.  John 14:12-20

As Christians in the past have petitioned our Lord Jesus to send His Spirit (the other Helper) for revival in our nation, God has honored that request.   See. https://prayforunitedstates.com/history-of-revivals-god-answering-prayer-for-nations-coming-soon/    Now once again, not only for this upcoming election which could determine the freedom we have as Christians to practice our faith, but also for the aftermath.  It’s not just whether an election is won or lost but about returning the hearts of a wayward nation to their Creator God.    Because, even if the election puts in some leaders who allow freedom of religion, we still may have a church that is under attack, a church that is censored on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, a church that is mocked by the mainstream media, a church that is told by some politicians that they can believe their faith, but not practice it or speak about it if it contradicts the current politically correct viewpoint.   Unless God brings a national revival to change the hearts of the many people, journalists, celebrities, professors, teachers, politicians, attorneys, and even some compromising Christians we will still have opposition to freedom of religion, freedom of speech, justice, upholding the law, dignity of the preborn, the sanctity of truth, righteousness over expedience.

We need to pray for an outpouring of God’s Spirit to pierce the hearts of us as believers and all the rest as well to bring many to Christ.

And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.  John 16:8-11

The word convict can also mean “convince”  When human logic fails the Spirit can speak to people’s hearts and turn them back to God.  Sometimes in sharing with friends and others the danger our nation is in is like speaking to a wall or a blind and deaf person, because as the Scripture says,

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  II Cor. 4:3,4

We have no power in ourselves to overcome the lies of the evil one to blind others.  Only as the Holy Spirit speaks can the blindness be broken.

Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.  Psalm 127:1

But God has promised to send His Holy Spirit to help His children, but we must ask, we must plead with all faith the God will honor his promises, and we know His will is to honor His promises.

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.  I John 5:14, 15

In this hour of decision, we need the Holy Spirit now to touch our nation more than ever.   And God has promised He will act if we humble ourselves, repent, and pray.

If… My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  II Chronicles 7:13-14

Let us also pray that God will raise up an army of prayer warriors at this time.  As Jesus said:

Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.  Matthew 9:38

Because this is not merely about who wins and election or whether a virus is taken away but the eternal destiny of millions in our country who are headed towards a Christless eternity.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, we pray for millions of true Christian prayer warriors to join us not only for this election and officials to be elected who would promote your values and that allow us as believers to freely practice our faith, but also to pray for a revival to sweep this land and turn the hearts of the people back to their God and Creator.  We pray you would send your Holy Spirit to sweep across our country and convict those who have been blinded by the evil one, to pierce their hearts with your truth, and to bring them to salvation, and begin a new era of honoring Your name and being a witness to the world of our Lord Jesus and His Holy Word in the Bible.  We also pray for our enemies, those who worship at the altar of expedience, and secularism and those who profess some sort of faith, but really don’t believe in You.  We pray as You did on the cross.  “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”  Lord reach them as well.  Give them one more chance to find salvation in You.  For we know you say “Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?” (Ezekiel 18:23)  We pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.”

OCTOBER 18, 2020  (If you want you can skip to PRAYER REQUESTS for this week below)

VOTING FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR NATION HAS BEGUN

The total population of the United States in 2016 was 324 million, total voting age population was 250 million, voting eligible population was 231 million, the total number of votes cast was 136 million.  Total population of the United States today is estimated to be 328 million.

As of today it is estimated that between 20 and 26 million ballots for the current election have already been cast.  If this is true to form then 15-19 % of the votes in this election have already been cast.

Many have said this may be the most important election in our lifetime   It used to be that the Republican and Democratic parties had a unified vision for America under the Constitution as a place where anyone who worked hard could eventually achieve the American Dream that was not possible in many other places in a world:  own their own homes, have enough money to provide a comfortable living for their families, and pursue happiness.   Of course the means to get there differed.   The Democrats favored more and more government to make that happen, and the Republicans favored, less government, more individual freedom, and a safety net for those who needed a hand up to get back in the process.

Today however, Many in the Democratic party view the entire country as an evil, failed state, with racist founders, and an outdated Constitution that needs to be abolished, not merely updated.  Republicans are divided on how to deal with this: some are trying compromise; others are proclaiming this is still a great nation, and like every nation it has flaws which can be fixed.

But special interest groups are exploiting racial tensions, gender tensions, gross financial disparities, demands for more rights in order to gain political power.  Politicians and media have decided that the ends do justify the means and have resorted to twisting the truth, demonizing opponents, outright lies, and frivolous legal actions; and that these are legitimate as long as they get their goals

During the Cold War we were a bastion of a free market, democratic republic in the world against the threat of totalitarian communism from the USSR and Red China.  Today, many in the Democratic party have a fuzzy warm vision of communism replacing our republic.  Euphemisms like “socialism” or “democratic socialism” are used instead of communism, but the end destination is the same:  a government that controls all health care, retirement plans, schooling, income, housing, and so on.  George Bernard Shaw said it this way, “Socialism is the same as Communism, only better English.”

On the other hand the Conservative wing of the Republican party wants to take the best of what America has been and reform the areas that need to be changed, but under the most unique document in world history, The American Constitution as written, allowing for amendments when necessary.  Had Donald Trump run in 1968 or even in 1976 or 1980 or even 1988, he likely would have run as a Democrat as his policies would have aligned with that then.   Today he is considered by the media and Democrats as a far right extremist. Reagan is quoted as saying, “I didn’t leave the Democratic party, the Democratic Party left me.”

This shows how little common ground the parties have today.   And a lot of credit for it goes to liberal teachers in schools and professors in colleges, and liberal journalists who have taken over those professions and excluded those who would teach otherwise.  And so two generations of students have been indoctrinated with a “progressive” “socialist” bent.  Meanwhile many of the Baby Boomers and their children remember the awful abuses of Communism during the Cold War (100 million of their own people killed) and they also see the horrors of Communism today in Cuba, Venezuela, are N. Korea are they are appalled by the amnesia that is happening to our country.   There concept of middle ground is a myth.

These are two very different visions for the future of America.  As Christians, it could affect our basic freedom of religion and freedom of speech to talk about our beliefs.   Communist countries often jailed Christians or forced them into re-education camps or “mental” therapy hospitals.  And they still do today.   Of course when Communism comes it doesn’t happen right away, but inevitably it strips freedom of religion from the people.   The Bible tells us to pray:

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,  for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.  This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  I Timothy 2:1-4

We need to pray that the choice for the future of this country becomes very clear to all voters.  We need to pray for this upcoming final debate and the TV commercials we see, that the attempts to hide the ultimate motives of politicians will not succeed and the choice during this final debate will become clear to all.  We need to pray that a government is elected that allows Christians to lead tranquil and quiet lives so we can live in all godliness and dignity.  We need to pray that as Christians and all Americans go to vote that God would supernaturally give them the wisdom to see between the spin and the lies and the commercials what is best to improve our society where it has failed, but allow us to keep the freedoms we have rather than surrendering it to an all powerful government.  Of course, there are no perfect leaders.  Many times we may have to choose between the lesser of two evils, but choose we must; because not to vote is a vote in itself.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, as the voting has begun, please may your Spirit speak into the hearts of all Christians to give them wisdom to know how best to vote and how to evaluate this final debate.  Please may your Spirit move among the entire electorate to see through the spin and manipulative commercials and stump speeches, and carefully focus-grouped talking points and to see what really matters and how to vote.   Please allow our country to elect those politicians who will seek to have Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Please bind all demonic interference that would use worldly tactics to enslave our society to a centralized state which would become the god of our nation, a state that would prohibit your people from freely proclaiming the truths taught in Your Word.  Please protect the voting procedure so that all the votes count, and that any attempts to discard, or destroy, or add, or not count ballots would be exposed and rejected.  May the final count be a decisive one that everyone can agree is the correct verdict.  Please, no matter what the result allow all sides to accept the final result and move forward and not pursue endless squabbles which could lead to civil unrest.  We ask these things in Jesus name, Amen.”

OCTOBER 11, 2020  (if you want you can skip to prayer requests for this week below)

THE CHURCH, PASTORS, AND PRAYER

“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.” And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once.  Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not drive it out?” And He *said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:15-21)]

Just as the disciples failed to combat the Satanic attacks, the church today is timid, powerless, and not able to stand up to the schemes of the demonic world because we are prayerless and because we lack  faith in God.  Most all mainline denominations retain the outward trappings of Christianity and the name “Christian” but reject the Christian message and following its teachings.  As far back as the 1960’s future mainline pastors only 41% believed in the Virgin Birth of Christ, only 29% believed in a real heaven and hell and only 16% believed Jesus ascended physically to heaven and only 1% believed that there will be a second coming of Christ.  The Presbyterian Church recently had a big debate as to whether Jesus was the savior of the world and the only way back to God. And even for those evangelical churches who retain the letter of the Christian message, they have rejected the Spirit of the Christian Gospel and live lives almost identical to the world as if their Lord Jesus did not exist.  A recent survey showed that even 56%  Evangelical Christians believe that having some kind of faith is more important than any particular faith and 41% said that salvation can be gained by being good.  Divorce rates among practicing Christians is only slightly lower (37%) than unbelievers (41%).  Most major denominations have accepted or are leaning towards accepting gay marriage.  Half of mainline protestants said that abortion should be legal is all or most cases.

Jesus said:

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how [e]can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.”  Matthew 5:13

Is it no wonder that Hollywood and the television networks have no problem making fun of Christianity, but fear to criticize any other religion “because they might offend someone.”  Many of the pastors of our country have stopped preaching about the necessity of salvation in the name of Jesus Christ and the reality of heaven and hell because it is not popular.  The church has become a seeker-friendly, self-help resource, rather than a light of truth in a dark world.  We are afraid to call out sin for what it is and preach the Gospel because we “don’t want to offend anyone.  Whereas the Apostle Paul says,

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”  Romans 1:16

And we have no burden to pray for the salvation of our friends and our nation.  It is as if we do not believe in the reality of eternal separation from God if one does not receive Jesus.  We are a prayerless church.  The Wednesday night prayer meeting is no more.   Most of our prayers deal with asking for physical healing rather than crying out for the salvation of our nation.

Pastors rarely lead the way on this.  Prayer is not a priority.  Fasting is hardly ever discussed.  How can we expect God to be serious about us, if we aren’t serious about Him.   One megachurch pastor was challenged when his denomination was going liberal to set-up 24 hour prayer chains and days of prayer to petition God to intervene.  He did nothing.  If your pastor is not leading the way, then you need to take the initiative.  Constantly ask him to act.   Form your own prayer groups from concerned believers to meet in your homes or in online Zoom groups.   Prayer for the state of the American Christian Church today.  Pray for revival in our land (see https://prayforunitedstates.com/history-of-revivals-god-answering-prayer-for-nations/ )

We need to realize that without petitioning God to work for us our work is in vain.  And at this point in our nation’s history, we must pray for change before the society goes totally secular.

Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.  Psalm 127:1

We need to pray against this spirit of timidity that keeps us and our pastors from confronting our culture and our government (see last week’s request are no neutral worldview).  We need to take prayer and fasting more seriously or we will have the same results the disciples did.   Pray for this upcoming elections with all your heart and encourage all your Christian friends to do the same.  So much is at stake not only for the future of the country but our own freedom as Christians.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Lord Jesus, embolden our pastors and us to speak truth in love to our culture and our government.   Set our hearts afire to pray without ceasing for your Kingdom to come and your Will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Energize Pastors to start regular prayer meetings.  May your Spirit bring a revival across this whole country and motivate all believers everywhere to pray without ceasing.  Open our eyes to realize we cannot defeat Satan and his minions with earthly means but only by your Spirit as we petition in prayer.   Teach us to know the power Jesus knew in His prayer so we can cast our the demons of our culture and our government.   Lord we pray for this upcoming election, without naming names we pray that your will would be done in electing leaders at all levels of government who would honor you and removing those who would not.  Or that you would do a transformative work in the heart of those who oppose you and your will, so that they may become believers or at least follow Your way.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

OCTOBER 4, 2020  (if you want to you can skip to prayer requests for this week)

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE AND THE MYTH OF NEUTRALITY

Most people think the phrase “separation of church and state” was part of the Constitution.  It was not. It was first mentioned in a letter by Thomas Jefferson in a letter to a church in Danbury Baptist Association in 1802.  The first amendment did say that “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”  The Colonialists learned from the tyranny of the church of England which persecuted any other denominations: Puritans, Baptists, Catholics, and so on.   They didn’t want a national church in this new country.  But that didn’t mean they didn’t believe that Judeo-Christian principles should not underlie the constitution and the laws of the nation.  The very idea of separation of powers (rather than absolute powers of a monarchy) came from the understanding of the sinfulness of man and that when a single source of power goes bad, the whole nation goes bad.  But by separating powers and balancing the ruling powers if the executive, or the congress, or the judiciary went bad hopefully the other two branches could hold it in check.  God divided the nations at Babel (Genesis 11:1-9) because they were starting to form a centralized one world government so they would not be spread over the entire earth as God commanded (Genesis 1:28) and go bad and deny His rule and so he divided the people and the powers by giving them different languages so that they could not form a single unified government, and if one nation went bad there would be others that could balance that.  This is the opposite of what Globalists want today.

The idea that as Abraham Lincoln said that this is a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people” is unique in history and derives from the idea that rulers derive their authority from the people, not the other way around.   The seed of this came from the Mayflower Compact where the Pilgrims on the trip to America agreed to self-governance by the people.  It also came out of the Protestant churches’ congregational or elder rule rather than the hierarchical structure of the Catholic church or most European governments at the time.  The Declaration of Independence says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

The founders didn’t want a national church but they certainly didn’t want to remove the Judeo-Christian principles from the national government as many secularists do today.   The most important of these inalienable rights in the Declaration are “life”(which abortion denies), liberty (which slavery denies), and the pursuit of happiness (which an overregulated government denies) and these all derive from the Bible.  There is a myth that the government operates (or should operate) on some sort of neutral worldview.  But this is a myth.  Every worldview has an ultimate principle by which is evaluates things.   What those who oppose Christianity today call a “neutral” worldview is really a secular worldview (one without God or without Judeo-Christian values).  It is a worldview where man, or atheistic/agnostic humanism or the secular utilitarian state has replaced God as the ultimate value.  And God clearly condemns this and will not long bless any government that so operates.

“I am the Lord, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God.  Isaiah 45:5

For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.  For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions.  Romans 1:25

The Supreme Court made this mistake in 1963 declaring it as an establishment of religion, when they banned classroom prayer to a Creator God in 1963 (not a specific faith), even though congress still has recognition to a Creator God in its sessions, on its coins, in the pledge of allegiance, the inauguration of Presidents, and in the Declaration of Independence.  The Supreme Court perhaps assumed in error there was such a neutral worldview that could be taught.   But instead essentially that state has established a national religion of atheistic/agnostic humanism with the only guiding principles coming from the popular wants and norms of an ever changing society or powerful interest groups, university professors, and the media rather than the absolute Word of God.  The Congress and President are its prophets proclaiming the new doctrines, and the judiciary are the priests judging between what is right and wrong based on the every changing laws.  They borrow some principles from Judaism and Christianity, but the discard the others that they don’t like.  You often hear the mantra “You can’t legislate morality.”  But it is deceptive lie and a logical fallacy.  Every law on the books is legislated morality when it judges one principle to be better than another (i.e a moral hierarchy).  The only difference is it may not be a Christian principle (i.e. traditional one man, one woman marriage), so to the secularists, that is ok. But it is legislated morality, legislated political correctness, forcing everyone to accept it.

Now for years some evangelists, like Billy Graham, have chosen not to speak openly about their political views so that some may not reject the Gospel because they come from a different political party and will reject the Gospel because they may think they have to change political parties to become a Christian. But this does not mean that when the state challenges core principles of Christianity (as previous prayer requests have mentioned) that Christians should not speak politically out and not be involved in politics.  Daniel rejected the political demands of his day and refused to worship the statue of Darius and instead openly worship the LORD, when the politics of the state required him to deny his faith.   The pastors during the American Revolutionary War proclaimed the politics of liberation from the tyranny of England.   George Washington and John Adams were Christians who proclaimed their politics came from their beliefs.  John Witherspoon a signer of the Declaration of Independence was a Presbyterian minister and a teacher of seminary students. John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

The Christian abolitionists were vocal political opponents of slavery before the Civil War.   The Christian political lobby was very active in the passage of the child labor laws and giving women the right to vote.  Courageous Black Christian pastors in the 1960’s under Martin Luther King, politically stood up to the racism and discrimination of the time and a Civil rights act was passed by congress.   Francis Schaeffer, well known Christian apologist and C. Everett Koop (famous Christian surgeon) were some of the leaders in the late 1970’s opposing abortion and waking up the church to this travesty.   C. Everett Koop later became Surgeon General under Ronald Reagan and was a principle moving force labeling and declaring cigarette smoking a deadly habit that should not be glorified or practiced.   Jerry Falwell, Sr. was instrumental in creating a church movement that many secularists hated called The Moral Majority which opposed abortion.  On the other hand, President Jimmy Carter, a self proclaimed born-again Christian, supported the brutal practice of abortion.   But the Moral Majority was instrumental in electing Ronald Reagan who slowed the nations mad rush toward abortion and sought to govern by Christian principles.

When the state starts to impinge on the church and requires them to deny their faith and Christian principles, the church has always stood up.  So to say that Christians should not be active is politics when the rights of the church and Christians, and the best interests of our nation under God are at stake is just a deceptive ruse of the ultimate enemy, Satan.  And with an increasingly atheistic contingent in congress that wants to change the fundamental nature and protections of the Constitution, even Franklin Graham, Billy Graham’s son, has stood up to say that at this time Christians cannot afford not to be involved in politics.  Those “Christians” who continue to say that Christians should not stand up for Biblical values in the face of an onslaught of political attacks on the church and the faith, are ignorant of history and what the Bible requires them to do.  Perhaps they have bought into the lie of a neutral worldview, or a neutral moral government.  Perhaps they are just afraid of the persecution they will face from the twitter mob and even from Facebook friends.  Perhaps they are worshiping at the idol of “political correctness” rather than the altar of the Lord Jesus Christ, and haven’t sufficiently studied what the Bible teaches rather than what the popular culture teaches.  But in any case, if they continue, they will be judged by God for not standing up for Him and His Word.

Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 10:32-33   

This is not to say that there may be many secondary political issues, not directly rooted in the Word of God, where sincere believers may disagree on.  And in those issues we should be tolerant and kind in discussing differences.   Then there is the question when two candidates for office are both not believers, and liars, and cheats, who do you vote for.  In those cases it may be the lesser of two evils, or the one who at least supports Christian principles in his political actions rather than attacks them.  Of course most American politicians claim to come from a Christian background, but often this is in name only, a faith they have long since discarded .  One needs to examine WHAT THEY DO OR HAVE DONE, not merely WHAT THEY SAY.   Have they supported Christian religious freedom and freedom of speech, or have they hindered it?  Have they promoted abortion or have the sought to limit it?  Have they supported legislation based on Christian principles or have they supported legislation based on secular humanistic principles?  Remember there is no neutral point of view.  That is a myth.  Have they honored the nation of Israel?

(to Abraham the Father of Israel) And I will make you a great nation…and I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. Isaiah 12:3

God has protected the United States because the United States has protected Israel.   If some who are in congress get their way that protection will be removed, and our nation could be cursed.

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, Grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Lord you have called us to “vindicate the weak and fatherless…Do justice to the afflicted and destitute…execute justice for the oppressed…give food to the hungry…learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow… deliver the person who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor…hate evil, love good, And establish justice… preach the Gospel… preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”  and bless Israel.   (Psm. 82:3; 147:7; Is. 1:17  Jer. 2:12, Amos 5:15, Matt. 16:15, I Tim. 4:2)  When politicians or ruthless brokers lie and deceive and to promise benefits while seeking to centralize all power for themselves and violate your laws, mock your Word, and forbid your worship, you have called on us to “stand in the gap before Me (God) for the land, so that I (God) would not destroy it” (Ezek. 22:30).  Even if these are political acts they are also spiritual acts in your sight and we must stand up.  Give us the courage to do what we can.  Open our eyes of your children to see there is no such thing as a neutral worldview.  There is truth and there is error.  Help us to “not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them” (Eph. 5:11), to be “be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matt. 10:16) and not to be taken in by the lies of the world, but “to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you (we) appear as lights in the world, holding fast the Word of life,” (Phil 2:15,16). Bring us a revival in the land.  In Jesus name, Amen.

SEPTEMBER 27, 2020   (If you want you can skip below to “Prayer Requests” for this week)

CANDIDATES AND DEBATES

Debates have always been the great field leveler for candidates. This goes all the way back to the Lincoln – Douglass Debates and way before.    They can’t hide behind carefully worded advertisements, talking points, good photo images, well shot and edited  commercials, mass media attacks or defenses.  They are on stage alone, without a net, without their handlers, video prompters, earphone coaches.

Of course debates also have weaknesses.  Debates today cover many issues giving little time to any one issue and a clever comic one line retort can carry the audience when the candidate doesn’t really answer the question.  There is little time to explain complex issues.  Candidates may falsely define an opponent’s position. They may take cheap shots at the person. Then there is the emotion of the audience.   A speaker with a handsome, intelligent, smooth, powerful, appealing, take charge, charismatic image can sway an audience even when not making good logical arguments.

Yet, debates can decide an election, particularly the first debate because people often make up their mind in the first debate.  Sometimes a candidate can come back in the second debate, but it’s harder.  This week the first debate could be determinative in this critical election.  So we need to pray with all our hearts for this first debate. Our responsibility as voters is to carefully listen to all that is said.  Separate the logic, the truth, and the facts from the glitter.  Evaluate the character and capability of the debater to follow through on what they promise.

And so we need to pray for the candidates and for the debates that the candidates would be clearly presented with all their strengths and weaknesses so the voters can make an intelligent decision.  Of course the spin artists, media panels who evaluate after the debates all have agendas.  We need to pray that the audiences would make up their own minds and not be bullied by panels or spin artists.   We need to pray the Spirit of God would be moving during the debates and impressing on the minds of voters the best candidate for the Presidency.

Of course, neither candidate is anywhere near perfect.  Both have been caught in lies. Both will be using carefully worded catch phrases intended to mislead.  Both have had significant failures in their careers.  Both have Christian backgrounds, but actions they have taken in the past may call into question whether either of them are true believers, so we need to pray for their salvation.   Both are flawed human beings, neither is the perfect candidate.  Jesus Christ will not be on the debate stage, so we have to choose which is the best of the two flawed people.  We need to choose between two men with very different visions for America and very different ways of getting there.  Both have a track records in office that can be evaluated and how they supported or opposed issues important in God’s Word and the Christian community. Do these track records conform to what we as Christians value (see prayer requests from previous weeks). In any case we need to pray for these men one of whom will be our future President.

 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the [c]knowledge of the truth. I Timothy 2:1-4

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus, above all your will and your truth will be revealed in the debates.   Our prayer is that your kingdom come, your will be done.  Please may your Spirit move over the audience as they watch this first debate, and future ones.   You say in your Word the view of the majority in decisions is important (II Corinthians 2:6).  May your Spirit give us that confirmation in believers hearts and in the nation as a whole on who should be the next President,  Since the nation is so divided, may there be a decisive vote on November 3rd so there is no question as who the next President should be, whether it is the one some of us want of not.  We believe that you move in the affairs of men, as your Word says, ““It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings”  (Dan. 2:21).  So we pray in faith the you will move during the debates and in these last few weeks before the election in the hearts of the electorate and elevate your choice to the position.  And no matter which side wins, may the result be decisive, and may the country accept your decision and may those who would seek to stir up strive, to cause ongoing division to destroy, be put in their place. We also pray all this for Senate, House, and all state and city elections.  May the candidates you wish to rule be elected.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

 

SEPTEMBER 20, 2020  (if you want, skip below to “Prayer Requests” this week)

JUDGES

A Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, died just this week, and we pray for comfort for the loss for her friends and family.  Some have seen her as a champion on the court, some have seen her as a chief mover in undermining the Constitution of the United States.  For two centuries replacing a justice on the court was not a major political event, but in the last fifty to sixty years it has been.  This all goes back to a case early in the country’s history, Marbury vs. Madison (1803).  The Supreme court was designed to be the weakest of the three branches of the government, the final arbitrator of cases between individuals and companies.   But in Marbury vs. Madison the court assumed a power not granted it in the constitution, the power of judicial review of laws, statutes, executive orders, and all state laws and orders.  That is, they got to determine if these laws were in line with or violated the Constitution (the final ruling document, in the U.S.)  This gave the supreme court enormous new powers.  In the United States, no one is above the law, and no law is above the Constitution. This is vastly different than a Monarchy where the King is the law, not a document.  Judicial review makes sense in that you don’t want a President, congress, or governors issuing laws that are not in line with the U.S. Constitution.  If the Constitution needs to be updated there is a process of Constitutional amendments, and this has been done 27 times.

The founders of the country knew that men are imperfect that’s why they had a division power and balance of powers between the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary branches of government.  The make-up of congress was divided by 50 states, small and large.  The House of representatives is divided today into 435 representatives; the Senate today divided into 100 senators.  Neither the congress nor the President can operate completely independent of each other.  However, the Supreme court is only made up of nine justices. A single federal judge has the same power of the Supreme court unless his ruling is appealed.  The same applies to the appellate courts where there are generally 10-12 members.  And all of these appointments of unelected officials (President appointed, Senate approved) are for life.  Life expectancy in the 19th century was between 40-50 years and most people died of diseases, without losing mental facilities before death.  Today life expectancy is about 80 years and many people experience dementia or Alzheimer’s or at least significantly decreased mental facility starting after seventy years of age, and most certainly after 80 years of age.  You can start to see the problem here.

For many years judicial review of laws and orders worked reasonably well, though there were some catastrophic errors:  Dred Scott v. Sanford which decided slaves were not citizens (1857) and was overturned by the civil war and the 13th Amendment.  And  Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), which allowed segregated schools and was overturned in Brown v. Board of Education 1954.  But as in all aspects of life the longer a governing structure is in place, the more clever attorneys can figure out a way to defeat it.  (think software security and hackers).  It is easier to control the opinions of one federal judge, or ten appellate judges, or 9 supreme court judges appointed for life, than it is to control 435 house members, 100 senators, or a President who must face an election every four years.

If a President, a majority party in the senate, or a political party can stack the supreme court with judges who favor their politics, it is a lot easier than getting a law accepted and not rejected, or rejected and not accepted, and thus overturn decisions of elected representatives of 150 million voters.  A single unelected federal judge (or ten federal appeals judges, or 9 supreme court judges) can strike down a law he/she/they don’t like even if it is constitutional, or they can allow an unconstitutional law to stand.  Or they may seek to find a right in the Constitution that may not even be there  (as many have criticized the court’s decision in Roe v. Wade 1973, extending the 4th amendment to an individual’s rights over the fetus as mere personal property, not a separate preborn human life with separate inalienable rights of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness).  And once the supreme court has spoken it is impossible to overturn their decision except by a Constitutional amendment.  Theoretically judges are chosen because they are supposed to be unbiased, knowledgeable in the law, and committed to upholding the Constitution.  However, in the last sixty years, that has only been the case in theory.

A pattern of “legislating from the bench” has become a norm.  Legislating is not a power given to them.   Of course because these are very smart people they hide their biases when they write opinions citing countless previous court cases that they use to rationalize what is essentially undermining the boundaries of the Constitution.  The rationale is that the Constitution is a “living breathing document” and that the founders could never have conceived of personal computers, jet planes, and the complexity of modern society, so the Constitution has to be updated, but not by the onerous, slow process of constitutional amendments but by 9 judges who by their own opinions feel that this is the best way to update it.  They look at popular opinion, political trends, foreign constitutions, and their own moral or partisan biases.  There is a contingent on the court that looks to the “original intent” of the Constitution authors, and James Madison’s Federalist papers as a guide to see how the founders might have interpreted the constitution in view of today’s society.  On the other side there is a contingent who throw all that aside and point out that these were 18th Century men stuck in their age and their “original intent” is irrelevant.

The problem is this, you essentially have nine unelected people appointed for life, rewriting the Constitution, and having their decisions last for 50-100 years or forever.  Justices can of course be impeached, but only for judicial misconduct or grave ethical or criminal misconduct (e.g. juror tampering, witness limiting), not for bias in declaring a law constitutional or unconstitutional.  Only one supreme court judge, Samuel Chase, was ever impeached for judicial misconduct, but in his trial he was acquitted and not removed.   In other words it is virtually impossible to remove an unelected supreme court justice, no matter what they do or decide.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt tried to stack the court with more judges favorable to his politics but the congress stopped him.  Since then the court has only had nine judges, but there is a battle royal every time a justice is to be replaced with each side putting up for nomination, the judge who is most partisan to their side while at the same time pretending the judge they are nominating is unbiased and neutral considering each case as it comes without preconceived judicial biases.  Some groups have resorted to the politics of personal destruction to questionably accusing nominees of misdeeds in order to disqualify justices during nomination because so much is at stake.  This, of course, makes some of the best candidates not want to even apply for their job and unfairly destroy their lives and their families.  It has become a very ugly scene, and has undermined the public’s confidence in the courts, which at some point could open the public to “frontier justice” where the courts become irrelevant and the public relies on vigilante justice to settle cases.

Laws and orders do need to be evaluated that they conform to the constitution; but putting the ultimate decision in the hands of only nine unelected, irremovable,  men/women is a recipe for ultimate disaster. A constitutional amendment modifying Marbury v. Madison is not likely anytime soon.  So we are stuck with praying that God would superintend in the affairs of men and give us justices who are truly committed to the principles espoused in the original constitution as they apply today and not merely their own partisan biases for “updating” it as a way to avoid the more difficult though proper process of constitutional amendments.   Let us pray that partisan politics does not destroy the process of nominating and approving the best replacement for Ruth Bader Ginsberg.  Let us pray that those who would use such tactics would be removed from the process.  When the judges of a country go bad, the whole country suffers.   God reserved some of his most severe condemnation for Israel’s corrupt judges who ruled in a self-interested, biased, unfair manner.  Let us pray God is the one who exalts the best person to the supreme court bench.

(Israel’s) Her judges are wolves at evening; They leave nothing for the morning… They have done violence to the law.   The Lord is righteous within her; He will do no injustice.  Every morning He brings His justice to light; He does not fail. (Zephaniah 3:3-5)

“For not from the east, nor from the west, Nor from the desert comes exaltation; But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another.”  Psalm 75:6, 7

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Dear Lord Jesus, please comfort the family of Ruth Bader Ginsberg for their loss.  Please give those who nominate the next justice wisdom to pick the best choice, one that would be highly qualified, of strong moral character, well versed in the law, and committed to the Constitution, someone who would be acceptable to both sides in congress, someone who would be approved by a significant majority and thus give the public confidence in the courts, even though some may always disagree with any nominee and create confusion.  And may those who seek the politics of personal destruction to force through their own partisan biases, rather than the good of the nation as a whole, be removed from the process.  Please Lord, allow those governing the country to either propose an amendment or find a better way to review laws as constitutional that doesn’t put so much power in the hands of just nine people, and one that limits the abuses which have occurred by those who would force through partisan agendas.    And above all please bring a revival of your Spirit to this country because without your law written on our hearts, there is no law which will limit those who manipulate the process merely to achieve their own ends rather than the best interests of the nation.   Amen”.

(for a more thorough review of issues in the Federal court system see “Men in Black” by Mark Levin)

SEPTEMBER 13, 2020   (if you want to can skip to prayer requests for this week)

ACTORS AND ATHLETES

Celebrities today have a huge influence over culture from movie stars, to Youtube stars, to professional athletes,  Surprisingly though many of them enjoy the money and fame, they don’t always like the role model and thought leader expectations that come with that.  For example one professional coach said that for all the supposed recent political fervor on his team maybe only 20% of them were even registered to vote.  Yet there is huge pressure on them as thought leaders by special interest groups, political groups, and advertisers to publicly on video endorse their agenda. And they better go along to get along.   And refusing to do so can bring significant consequences from twitter mob groups calling for them to lose their jobs to loss of product endorsements, to being excluded by other celebrities, to loss of future employment.  Go along or the Cancel Culture will cancel you out.  And sometimes there is pressure from a publicist or manager just to endorse something to get a higher salary, or avoid losses.

If a football player does not endorse some political agenda that the key players on the rest of the team do, the team may not cooperate with him on the field.  He may get a lower salary the next year, or be let go.  The uni-thought sports press may demonize him.  Conservative Hollywood actors find the phone has stopped ringing.  Party networking opportunities have dried up.   It used to be people’s politics were a personal thing and everyone respected others rights to a different opinion.  Today people are demonized or excluded if they don’t go along with the group think clique.  And it has to be tough if your income for yourself and your family, all depends on you to just sign a piece of paper that says you endorse some group you may not be excited about.

Of course among celebrities there are true ardent believers for the causes they stump for.  But are they really any better informed than your average blue or white collar worker who takes his democratic voting duties seriously .  Yet, so many people assume that if they are a star athlete or star actor that they must know more than everyone else about politics, world history, or the best way to run a government.  The truth is, many times they don’t.  Sometimes they have been fed one-sided false information by special interest groups; and being emotional by their make-up they can become very committed to something that is just not true.  You neighbor could easily be as knowledgeable, or moreso, on some issues as the celebrity is.

It is the responsibility of everyone to listen carefully to both sides and evaluate, and ask God for wisdom, and not just rely on a celebrity endorsement no matter how sincerely given.  And not to go along with what everyone else is doing just because everyone else in your group or on TV is saying it, or because there is peer pressure and the fear of exclusion if one doesn’t go along.  As Christians by nature we are counter the world cultural norm that Satan is trying to impose on everyone and he is very sneaky in how he forces everyone to go along.

The first to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and examines him. Proverbs 18:17

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.  Romans 12:2

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.  I John 2;15, 16

Any time everyone in the world is saying one thing, we as Christians, need to take a deep breath, and a step back and examine it more closely if in fact this is what the Bible teaches.  Is it anti-Biblical (though is may appear OK)?  Is it in accord with Biblical principles?   Or is it in a gray or neutral area where there can be legitimate disagreement and freedom as believers. (e.g. like how much tax is fair and how much is destructive).  But the decision certainly shouldn’t be made based on whether a celebrity endorses it or chastises you for not accepting it.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Let us pray for the celebrities in our culture to be courageous and disagree with things they don’t believe.  And let’s pray for others not to demonize those who disagree with them.  And let us pray that all of us would make our decisions based on Biblical principles, logic, facts, listening to both sides, but not just because of peer pressure or endorsements.  Of course we always need to understand that often there is no perfect solution or political candidate but we must pick the best of the choices we are given.  Unfortunately Jesus is not on the ballot.

“Lord Jesus, we pray for those in our society in positions of influence, for their salvation most of all that they could indeed be true role models and thought leaders following the true role model Jesus Christ.  We pray for them standing up for what is right, not just for what they have been told or forced to say or falsely persuaded into saying.   We pray for wisdom for them in evaluating alternatives so when they speak they do not mislead many.  And we pray for those who are most influenced by them, the youth, the “in” crowd, the citizens who don’t take the time to fully inform themselves on the issues and candidates and are just looking for someone to tell them what to believe and to do.  We pray you would spur the public on to listen to the debates, to study the issues that various candidates support, to study the ballot initiatives, to have the wisdom to spot the difference between what they say, and what they really intend to do.   And most of all we pray for revival in our nation that as the Spirit of God fills peoples lives and changes their hearts that they would have the wisdom to make the choices that are Biblical, and the ones that honor our Lord the most.  Amen.”

SEPTEMBER 6, 2020   (If you want to can skip to prayer requests for this week)

THE MEDIA

The media is sometimes referred to as the fourth estate.   The first three being:  the nobility, the clergy, and the middle class.   These are supposedly the elements in a society that keep it in check.  Nobility in our country would be the government leaders, lawmakers, judges, titans of business.  The idea is that the press has responsibility to hold the government, the judges, and industry accountable.  And there have been significant cases where the press has held corruption in government to account.  But who holds the press accountable if it is coopted by part of the government (as in communist countries) or goes rogue with its own agenda?  In the early 1900’s it was referred to as “yellow journalism” where all the newspapers were totally partisan, Republican and Democrat even in the names of the newspapers, throwing scurrilous, unfounded accusations back and forth.  “Yellow” did not refer to a racial issue but the cheap pulp paper used in newspapers that were white one day and faded to yellow the next, indicating the cheap quality of the “news” therein as well.  Then in the early 1900’s journalistic leaders like Henry Luce insisted that newspapers and magazines hold forth objective reporting, and separate the “news” from the “opinion” which was put on the opinion editorial (op-ed) page.  The press in general was always left leaning but there was a concerted effort to keep news objective, and opinion separate.

By the 1960’s, with the upheavals of the Vietnam war, equal rights marches, exploration of free sex, and drugs, liberal professors who favored socialism in journalism schools began teaching that objective reporting was not simply enough, journalists had a responsibility to shape society and “advocacy journalism” became the norm.  This mean taking sides in political elections; shaping how news was reported; reporting news that favored your side and not reporting or minimizing news that presented a counter point of view; only hiring reporters that agreed with the liberal point of view; demonizing those leaders you disagreed with by adjectives used and exalting those you agreed with by puffing them; taking a political opponent’s words out of context and making it sound as negative as possible; and giving coverage to frivolous lawsuits against opponents as much as possible.  And all this while giving the public the illusion that the news is still objective and non-partisan while concealing your true intentions.  The transition was slow at first but by the turn of the 21st century, news organizations began pressing the envelope further and further even reporting total false stories with the idea that the end justified the means and no one would ever find out, since they are the only ones with the big microphone.   Then stories with only “anonymous” sources (that could never be held accountable for utterly false statements) became common.  And when the press was criticized, they yelled that freedom of speech and of the press was threatened, and they should not be held accountable, only they could hold everyone else accountable.

The Lichter and Rothman book in the early 1980’s showed that 80% of the journalists by then consistently only voted Democratic.   By the last decade some have estimated that 97% of the press only donate to the Democratic party.  This, of course, is their right but it gives one pause to question how biased is the news they are reporting.  And it seems strange in a society that for the last several elections that is almost divided 50-50, that the press should be so lopsided in make-up.

Then at first social media was open to all as they tried to build users, but soon Facebook, Google/Youtube, Twitter executives were being called before Congress to answer questions about censorship of conservative posts on their sites.  And posts on Facebook and Twitter which are in disagreement with what some have called a “Twitter Mob” are mercilessly attacked mob to be silenced.  Conservative people who post are demonized, sometimes fired from jobs, doxed (home addresses posted so they can be vandalized), and worse.

Our freedom of speech is being stolen by a “cancel culture”.  The equal rights laws are beginning to only apply to socialists (and those who reject religion) and not conservatives or those of religious faith.  Freedom of religion is being threatened as well as the right to defend oneself by reasonable force (the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution).  And the warriors on the forefront of this are not thugs with guns, but TV news anchors and reporters, with expensive haircuts, whitened teeth, in stylish suits, in perfectly lit TV studios, with pleasant bumper music, and with smiling faces reading from carefully crafted, slanted text on teleprompters, accompanied by carefully selected stills and videos designed to evoke the proper emotion.  They seem so harmless and yet the constant barrage of attacks on traditional values and slanted news against those they oppose, it gradually influences large numbers of the public, the same way curated news did in Nazi Germany, the USSR, and in other current dictatorial countries.

If our eye is clouded, the information our mind receives to decide is stunted.   And for a nation the news media is the eye of the country, but if that eye is clouded with biased, compromised information, then our people do not have all the objective facts to decide.

“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!  Matthew 6:22-23

Yes, there are some oppositional point of views presented on Fox News (but less and less), and in the Wall Street Journal (more moderate in tone), and on talk radio, but they are vastly outnumbered and there are constant attacks to silence them as well (e.g. Dennis Praeger’s video were banned on Youtube, simply for his conservative points of view).  Churches have also been singled out for news attacks during his Covid situation, but protests have not.  Certainly all points of view should be heard fairly, but that is not the agenda of the current mainstream news or social media today.  They want to silence or grossly minimize all other points of view.  Since there is a 24-7 news cycle, all decisions must be instant.  There is a rush to judgment on many political issues.  There is not time to examine a case in depth in a sound bite culture.  Trial by media is now the norm and innocent until proven guilty is abandoned.

The Bible has a lot to say about dishonesty or half-truths or only presenting one side in passing along information.

You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.   Leviticus 19:11

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  Isaiah 5:20

A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who tells lies will not escape….A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who tells lies will perish.  Proverbs 19:5,9

The first to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and examines him.  Proverbs 18:17

PRAYER REQUESTS

So how are we to pray?  The temptation is to hurl invectives at these people who lie, tell half truths, cherry pick “facts”, blaspheme God’s Word, our faith and our Lord, on TV and in tweets and posts.  But the Bible says to

(to put aside) anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth… (and to ) put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;  bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.  Colossians 3:8, 12, 13)

We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.   I Thessalonians 5:14

No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their vindication is from Me,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 54:17

There is no wisdom and no understanding And no counsel against the Lord… victory belongs to the Lord. Proverbs 21:30-31

You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. I John 4:4

We are to take the high road as our Lord did.   That doesn’t mean we do not strongly confront those who spew lies and half-truths as Jesus did (Matthew 23), but our goal is different than winning an argument.  Our goal is “speaking the truth with Love”  Ephesians 4:15.  Our responsibility is not to try to forcibly convert someone to our point of view but to speak the truth in the power of the Holy Spirit and leave the results to God.  If we trust in God, He will act on our behalf.

We also should pray for those who are in opposition.  If the heart of the King is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord (Prov. 21:1), so to can He influence those who oppose Him to carry out His will.   We also want to pray for their Salvation.

“Dear Lord Jesus, we pray for the media in our country.  We feel so helpless against the large corporations and the billions of dollars they spend to set the agenda in the news to undermine your principles and your Word.   Also, we cast our cares on you that both sides of an argument are not fairly presented. We cannot fight with conventional weapons against such powerful control of information to the masses, and we are unsure how to stop what is often a spreading of lies and half-truths, and cherry picked stories.  So we plead for your mercy and your promises that no weapon formed against us will prosper and we pray that we will overcome by our faith because greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.  We don’t know how You will do it, but we trust that you will. And so we pray for You to bring honesty and objectively in reporting.  And so we also continue to pray for a revival of your Spirit will sweep the land and bring many of these in the media to yourself and change the whole structure of reporting back to fair, objective news so that we can have the information to discern what is best according to your Word and not to be force fed some secular, approved philosophy.  And for those who still oppose, we pray you will remove them from positions of influence and replace them with people who are honest brokers of the news.  In Jesus name we pray, Amen.”

AUGUST 30, 2020  (If you want you can skip to prayer requests for this week)

ATHEISM

According to the American Family survey 33% of the US population identify as “nones” (atheists, agnostics, nothing in particular) up from 24% in 2017.  Millennials are leaving the church in droves.  Since the societal upheaval in the 1960’s liberated generation has produced children and grandchildren who have gone on to fill our classrooms and universities with teachers and professors who either regard faith as irrelevant or destructive.  The excesses of radical, militant Islam have given religion a bad name.  Disgraced pastors from major churches have given the impression that all Christians are hypocrites, and the pedophilia scandal and cover-up by the Catholic church has turned people away from God.

Although there are many sacrificial church charities that help the poor and disadvantaged, the mainstream media tends to use every problem to discredit the church to the public, identifies it with far right racist, hate groups, laughs about antichristian bigotry, and promotes antichristian values of abortion and homosexuality, transgenderism, etc.    Major political organizations and financiers use some social issues as Trojan horse to sneak in a political philosophy of atheistic, communism.

The success of these movements are in part to the church’s preoccupation with itself, and its own internal church social and spiritual activities, staying in our own comfortable cocoon and not reaching out to the world around it to share God’s love and message of salvation and contending for the faith, except in very, limited, nominal ways.

He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing…  Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you.  Deuteronomy 10:18; 16:20

Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.  Isaiah 1:17

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 5:16

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.  Galatians 6:19, 20

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; 

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;  I Peter 3:15

Meanwhile secular groups with hidden agendas behind them have protested injustice, and given superficial support to helping the poor and have stolen the initiative from the church and the world is following them and rejecting Christianity.  Hence the growing number of “nones” who see faith as not relevant to a world in need.

We have not sufficiently fulfilled God’s commands to serve others and preach the Gospel to the world, the universities, the legal centers, the centers of business. And after decades of attacks by the enemy the tide is turning to secularism and atheism.  It feels very much like Russia did 100 years ago (and many times in between) when political despots promised a better world and free everything under atheistic communism but ended out enslaving the population.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Although it is very easy to be angry and hate people who promote the lie of atheism, and blaspheme the name of God like that. We need to seriously be praying for these people that God would open their eyes to the reality of the sinful world and that Jesus is the only Savior for all the needs of man.  We need to see them as Jesus did, lost sheep without a shepherd, blinded by Satan to what is their own real best interest.  Trapped by a foolish philosophy that doesn’t stand up to any logic.

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God,”  Psalm 53;1

Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”  Matthew 9:36-38

The good news is that there is nothing in our current circumstance that a great revival like ones God what has sent in the past, wouldn’t fix. (see https://prayforunitedstates.com/history-of-revivals-god-answering-prayer-for-nations-coming-soon/

“Heavenly Father.  We mourn for our world around us as they are like sheep wandering without a shepherd, lost, and damaging each other and us too by their lostness.  Please forgive us as believers for failing to be the witnesses to the world around us by our words and deeds that we should have been.  Please give us compassion for them: the proud, the arrogant, the unruly.  Motivate and empower us to pray the Lord of the harvest would send laborers into the harvest and for us reach out to them with the love of the Savior to bring good news to the afflicted; to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners of Satan’s system; to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God.  We pray for the lost, that you would open their eyes to the glorious wonder of the Gospel.  We pray for the teachers, professors, the attorneys, the politicians, the media elite that you would teach them to teach truth and not the lies of Satan; and if they don’t remove them from their positions of influence.   We pray for the atheist activists that you would help them to see the ultimate goals they say they want can only come through a relationship with their Creator.  We earnestly pray you would send your Spirit with a revival for our nation.  We pray all this in Jesus, our King’s, name. Amen.

AUGUST 23, 2020    (if you want you can skip to prayer requests for this week.)

COVID 19 – a coincidence or a judgment of God?

Many times in the Bible God used plagues or pestilence (or disease) to judge His people who had strayed from Him. (Numbers 14:37;  16:41-49; Deuteronomy 28:58-63; Joshua 22:16-18; II Samuel 24:15: Psalm 106:28-31; Ezekiel 5:12; Amos 4:10) and to judge other nations who had offended His name as well (I Samuel 5:6, 12), most notably Egypt during Moses time (Psalm 78:50).   And there is the warning of future plagues on the nations that have rejected God when Christ returns (Luke 21:11  future  Revelation 9:18; 15:1,5)

Does that mean every disease is a specific punishment for sin?  It wasn’t in the case of Job or the man born blind (John 9:1-3); but ultimately every misfortune in this life is a result of the curse because of the original sin of our progenitors and the ongoing sin of all of us (Genesis 3:16-19; Romans 8:18-22). This earth was a paradise, but was cursed by God because of sin with a view to one day redeeming it.  And all the sufferings we endure in this present age are a reminder of the high cost of sin. However, some diseases may be a specific judgment for a specific sin and some may not.

Since we do not have Old Testament prophets to tell us explicitly a Word from God if a specific disease is a judgment for a specific sin, we can only evaluate.  However, the parameters are clear.  When a nation grossly offends God by its abominations and blasphemy (greed, sexual perversion, worship of other gods), judgment usually follows.  Certainly any major plague is a reason for a nation to look back, take stock and consider if it has grossly offended the Creator.   And in our case, there are plenty of reasons for God to judge us as have been profiled in previous weeks prayer requests (failure to honor God, greed, covetousness, sexual perversion, abortion, lawlessness).  We are a proud nation (part of a proud 1st world) which considers it has advanced so far that it no longer needs God.   And God can show us how a tiny virus, one tenth of one millionth of a meter, can bring a nation’s economy to its knees.  For God to remove this pandemic, we must first turn from our sins and plead for God’s mercy.

If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  II Chronicles 7:13-14

And instead of turning to God to remove this plague, we are trusting in doctors and vaccines to end this.  King Asa was condemned not because he consulted with physicians but because he did not first seek the Lord (II Chronicles 16:12).  Our primary trust must be in God, not in medicine and science.  God may and often does use medicine to heal, but it must not be our primary source of trust.  We must first go to God.

Of course the world refuses to believe that any disease may be a judgment for their sins.   They want no restraints on their lifestyle and will yell loudly that they should not be held accountable for anything.   But as believers we must lead the way.  We must first confess our sins, and then the sins of our nation and ask God to have mercy upon us.   A recent survey showed that even 56%  Evangelical Christians believe that having some kind of faith is more important than any particular faith and 41% said that salvation can be gained by being good.  This is an idol that has crept into the Christian church.  There is only one God, not many.  And there is only one way to God, Jesus Christ.   All other ways are idols and God severely punished nations who rejected that.  If even we as Christians accept that the world’s idols (wealth, power, science, other religions or cults, politics, social media, socio-economic reform) are sufficient means of salvation, why should God not judge us?.   We need to reject the world’s idols and be bold in proclaiming the Gospel that only Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  We must not be ashamed or cowed by peer pressure.  Otherwise, why should we expect God to lift this current illness among us?

And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, And there is no savior besides Me.  Isaiah 43:10-11

You shall have no other gods before Me. Exodus 20:3

Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.  John 14:6

And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,  I Timothy 2:5

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God…For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  John 3:3, 16

Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 10:32-33

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16

…when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,   II Thessalonians 1:7-9

PRAYER REQUESTS

In light of this current pandemic the mandate for believers is clear:  seek God’s face, confess and repent of our sins, confess the abominable sins of our nation, reject the world’s idols as sufficient and preach the Gospel of repentance to all men. Pray for God’s mercy that He may lift this current disease, and install people of faith in positions of power in the church and in our nation in this upcoming election so our nation would not succumb to the idols of the world.

“Dear Lord Jesus, have mercy on us.  We have sinned.  We have accepted the world’s idols as a equal substitute for You.  We have allowed sins you regard as abominations to creep into our daily life and we have not shouted out against them.  You may use various means to accomplish Your will, but we have began to trust in those means and worship them instead of You. We have accepted the world’s view that all ways to God are acceptable rather than preaching the only one true Gospel that Jesus is the only way, regardless of the persecution that comes our way.  We accept that this disease may be a wake up call to us to turn back to you.  Lord we ask that You send your Holy Spirit to bring a revival to our land and turn the hearts of our people back to You as you have done many times in the past.  We pray that you will lift this plague that has struck our land and allow us to return to a more normal life, but not one where we forget You again, but one where we honor you as the only true God. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.”

AUGUST 16, 2020     (if you want you can skip to prayer requests for this week.)

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6

We should start with thanksgiving that God has blessed this United States for so many years in ways other nations have never experienced.   Yes, we are to pray for the problems but Paul tells us to not just focus on the problems but balance it with he blessings.

This week the focus is lawlessness.  Jesus did not commend the zealots who wanted to destroy Rome by rioting, and by application those rioting today to destroy society would be condemned as well.  Lawlessness will keep one out of heaven.

‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’  Matthew 7:23

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.  Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. Romans 13:1-5

Paul in Romans reminds them despite abuses the Roman soldiers may have committed that they are “ministers” of God to keep the peace and they have authority to “bear the sword” to keep the peace.  And opposing those in authority is just as evil as opposing God Himself.

What we are experiencing today is the glorification and rationalizing of lawlessness by various political groups and even the mainstream network and cable media.  This is totally contrary to God’s Word.  Jesus tells us the appropriate response to those who abuse authority is:

You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.  If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.  Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you   “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  Matthew 5:38-43

A Roman soldier may not always have fresh clothes and could confiscate the shirt of an Israelite at will, or could force an Israelite to carry a load for the soldier for a mile.  Jesus doesn’t tell the Israelites to attack the soldier but instead to offer not only his shirt but his coat also.  And not just carry the load for one mile but for two.  Return blessing for abuse.  And not to hate him, but to love him and pray for him.  A slap on the right cheek is not physical assault but a back handed slap of insult from a right handed people.

This teaching not only applies to “protesters” but those of us who name the name of Christ and are greatly offended by what we see and hear on the news.  We need to pray for those who riot.  We need to pray for the police, even if we have been abused.  We need to pray that lawlessness will stop.

 Never take your own revenge, beloved….Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  Romans 12:19,21

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Lord Jesus we pray for peace in our streets.  We pray for the conviction of sin and salvation of those who are rioting and seeking to destroy property, to attack the police, to disobey the law, to loot for personal gain, and to attempt change through illegal and coercive means.  We pray for the media which is justifying the violence and not honestly reporting the damage and harm that has been caused by the rioting and disobedience to the law because it does not fit their narrative.  We pray for their conviction and salvation and that they may honestly, objectively report all aspects of the protests.  And we do pray for those who are truly peacefully raising issues of injustice that their voices may be heard and that they will not give in to anger and lawlessness as many have. We pray for any peaceful demonstrators who have been abused by excessive police force.  We pray for those bystanders who have been attacked and hurt by rioters, and for those owners whose businesses have been destroyed, that you would heal and restore all of them. We pray for our police, that our cities would not eviscerate them, but that we all would respect them as your ministers and that you would guide and protect them and keep them from exceeding the might necessary to enforce the law.   And we pray for ourselves for our own temptation to hate those who are rioting, attacking, lying, looting, seeking to destroy that we could instead by your strength love them and pray for them.  Lord Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace, we pray you will send your Holy Spirit to cut peoples’ hearts to the quick and bring revival and salvation to our nation, and that you will bring peace to our streets.  And we pray this November that you will raise up elected leaders that will not increase unrest, but bring peace instead.  In Jesus holy name we pray, Amen”

AUGUST 9, 2020  (if you want you can skip to prayer requests for this week.)

It is estimated that 75 million people died in World War II, perhaps the worst war in World History. It is estimated that 100 million people died under Communism in the last 100 years. (WSJ).  And we are horrified by the utter massacre of human life.  But are we horrified by the estimated 57 million preborn babies have been aborted since Roe vs. Wade in 1973 in the U.S. alone, about a million a year. This is perhaps our nations most glaring sin, and yet we tend to overlook it and are not outraged at this mindless slaughtering holocaust that continues every day.  It is an outright offense on the very person of God.

“Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.”  Genesis 9:6

Murder is blaspheming the image of God.  At no other time in history has human murder of the preborn been so accepted.  Yes, in pagan days babies were sacrificed to the fire and in ancient Rome infanticide was practiced but not to this extent.  As some have said God would have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah if he does not judge our nation severely, and many other nations around the world that nonchalantly accept such carnage.  This current virus is perhaps just a early warning of coming judgment.

Of course, it is argued that these fetuses aren’t really humans but merely organs of the mother, or mere fetal tissue, not a living human beings.  But this is not true.  Any biologist will tell you that life begins at inception.  For a preborn child there is a heartbeat at 23 days, brainwaves and fingerprints by 6 weeks, and all internal organs by 7 weeks.  Babies have survived outside the womb in an incubator at 22 weeks.   At one time in American history black Americans were only considered 3/5 of a human.  Thank goodness, we have rejected that definition.  But, today a preborn child is not even considered 1% of a human.  Endangered species are given more respect.

God Himself says a child in the womb is an independent human life in His image and should be given full respect as a person.

For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.  Psalm 139:13-17

“Did not He who made me in the womb make him, And the same one fashion us in the womb?  Job 31:15

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, “I, the Lord, am the maker of all things, Stretching out the heavens by Myself And spreading out the earth all alone,  Isaiah 44:24

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  And she cried out…how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.” Luke 1:41-44   (at six months in Elizabeth’s pregnancy 1:36)  

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you;  Jeremiah 1:5

And many other verses.  (Psalm 22:9-10; Psalm 58:3; Exodus 4:11; Isaiah 43:7;  Isaiah 49:1-5; 49:1;  Genesis 25:23-24; Romans 9:10-11; Job 10:8-12; Job 31:13-16.  God clearly regards the being in the womb as a person, not merely fetal tissue.

It is argued that every woman should have a right to privacy and to choose what she does with her body.  But ½ of those 57 million (28 million) aborted were baby girls.  They were not given a right to privacy or to choose.  One’s privacy ends where another person’s life begins.   A nation is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable and helpless.  We have been judged.  The movie “Unplanned” shows the journey of Abby Johnson, an abortion clinic supervisor who quit after watching an abortion.  The movie “AKA Jane Roe” tells the story of the plaintiff in Roe vs. Wade, Norma McCorvey, who later regretted having the child aborted and filing the case.  The abortion clinics never document the emotional trauma that follows many mothers who had their children aborted.  The great increase in unwanted pregnancies came out of the sexual revolution of the 1960’s (see last week’s request) which said that all sex is good sex and abstinence outside of marriage is old fashioned, but then refused to deal with the consequences and inconvenience that comes as a result of free sex.

No one denies the pain and great inconvenience a mother must go through in an unplanned pregnancy for nine long months, responsibility of adoption or child-rearing that follows birth, nor the responsibility that a father (married or not) should have as a result.  But killing an innocent baby is not a moral option.  The one exception might be if a mother’s life is at stake the goal is to save both the mother and child with preference being given to the mother.  Even studies by very liberal groups admit that the risk to a woman’s health is only given as a reason for less than 3% of the abortions performed each year, and it is likely much less.

The Bible in Exodus 20:13 says: “You shall not murder.”  And in this passage it is referring to murder of a human being, not taking the life of an animal.   The Bible in many passages clearly distinguishes between “killing” and “murder”   The Bible does allow killing for legitimate self defense of an individual, or for law enforcement officers or soldiers in an army seeking to defend their own against attack.   But murder is regarded as taking another’s life for personal gain or to avoid inconvenience.  On the other hand, as difficult as it is for our generation to accept, abortion clearly fits under murder.

Seven supreme court judges in 1973 have been responsible for 57 million deaths in the United States.  And numerous supreme court judges since including five on the present bench are responsible as well as they continue to violate God’s law and violate the inalienable right to life set forth in the Declaration of Independence. And most shocking is that legislatures in New York State and Virginia have both cheered for passing laws that allow abortion to occur right up to 9 months and birth, and in some cases even after birth (infanticide euphemistically called “partial birth abortion”).  State legislatures cheering on murder.  It’s hard to believe.  Though all of these are primarily guilty of this modern day holocaust, every abortion clinic, every one who has supported abortion, and all of us who have stood by and not loudly spoken up against abortion, or voted against those who support abortion, or prayed without ceasing that God would intervene are also partially responsible.

PRAYER REQUESTS FOR AUGUST 9 – 16

This week we aim to correct that.  We want to earnestly pray that God would forgive our country for this awful sin of abortion, and forgive us for not speaking up strongly enough against this legalized murder of the most helpless and innocent of our children.   Let us pray for candidates to be elected that would fight for the life of the preborn and not give in to the spirit of the age that says killing those who are inconvenient is okay.  Let us pray that You God would convict the hearts of those who have accepted this horrible sin as normal to see the incredible evil that it is.  Taking a human life is one of the greatest sins.  And it is a slippery slope to taking the lives of others who cause us inconvenience: the elderly and the handicapped (as did the Nazis) because they don’t contribute to society and cost too much to keep alive.  Next is the taking the lives of those who are religiously or politically inconvenient. And finally anyone who is inconvenient to those making the rules.   Pray that our nation not go down that slope. There are already professors at major U.S. universities who support utilitarian values like that.

“Dear Lord Jesus, we know that only your Spirit can move the hearts of a nation to repent of this great sin of abortion that our nation has become too comfortable with.  We pray that you would open the eyes of our fellow citizens to see the great horror that this is and to confess this sin and stand up against it.   We confess this sin for our fellow citizens and ask forgiveness for ourselves for not speaking up strongly enough against it.   We pray that you would remove those judges, politicians, media people, university professors and others in positions of influence who support this sin, and replace them with righteous men and women who support life and honoring Your image in men and women, all ages and conditions in life.   We pray that you would close down the abortion clinics and hospitals because people are no longer using them and because of owners being convicted of their sins.   We pray for your mercy for the preborn souls which you are forming in their mothers’ wombs.  Have more pity on them than on the strident supporters of abortion who would kill them because they are inconvenient.  Return us to a righteous nation that honors the gift of life in your image that you have given to us.   In Jesus name, Amen.”

August 2, 2020   (see prayer requests at the bottom of this week’s essay)

No nation can last long that sinks into sexual immorality, impurity, and deviant behavior.  The Moody science film “Empty Cities”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VzSFkAmp9U looked at civilizations that we look at as primitive.  The assumption is that these civilizations have yet to evolve.  They found that many of these so-called primitive people came from very advanced cultures but because of a period during their elevated past they allowed moral decay: sexual deviation, drug indulgence, and disregard for the value of human life to enter their culture and it began a downward spiral from which they never recovered.   The great historian Arnold Toynbee once estimated that all the great cultures in history had an average peak lifespan of about 200 years.   That means for the United states since 1976 we are living on borrowed time.

Look at the Word of God and compare it with the moral decay in our culture that God must judge.  Confess these sins to God for our nations as you read them.

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.   Genesis 1:27

There is no Scripture talking of God creating a third or fourth gender.  Compare this with the movements today to say there are more than two genders, or to say anyone can choose their gender, or to promote cross dressing, or even getting medical operations to give the illusion of changing one’s sex.

A woman shall not wear man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.  Deuteronomy 22:5

Yet today there are entertainment clubs and movies that glorify transvestites.  And some even take it to the extreme of getting “sex change” medical operations which would be an extension of what the Bible condemned.

If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.  Leviticus 20:13

For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.” Romans 1:26, 27

And not only do people today engage in this homosexual sex that is an abomination to God but they seek have God bless what He detests by getting apostate ministers to marry them. And beyond this they seek to force everyone else in the culture to not only allow their behavior but to accept and promote it as well even to the extent of educating young children.  And there are false teachers who attempt to rationalize away the clear Scriptures by pretending this only applies to prostitutes or promiscuous sex and that love accepts all.   In context, the passages are clear in saying that it applies to everyone.  It is an expression of lust not true marital love according to God’s plan.  When man who is made in God’s image disgraces that image by distorting it, he is blaspheming God.

And it’s not just that it insults God, but by violating God’s intended purpose for a person, it is destructive to that person who practices such things.  They are only hurting themselves.  It’s like jumping off a cliff and thinking the laws of nature and gravity don’t apply to you.  Or it’s like thinking an expensive computer could also be used as a basketball (which it wasn’t designed to be) and trying to bounce it.  You don’t break God’s laws, they break you.

and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.  Romans 1:32

Of course we live in a society where these things are allowed legally.  So, we do not force people to live righteous lives.   But those who practice these things are not merely satisfied with allowing them, but they must have everyone accept them as normal and perfectly moral and promote them and not disagree.  They have the freedom of conscience but no one else is allowed to.

And He (Jesus) answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”  Matthew 19:4-6

And Marriage is no longer held in honor today.  There are approximately 1/3 as many divorces each year as marriages. In some ethnic groups up to 70% of children are born out of wedlock.  Every study indicates the children that do best are the ones from a stable family where there is a father and mother in the home.   In the United States 25% of men and 15% of women have admitted to committing adultery. 40,000,000 Americans regularly visit porn sites.  35% of all internet downloads are related to pornography.

but I (Jesus) say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  Matthew 5:28

In the past we have relied upon the preaching of the Gospel, the inner conscience of society and the common reason from nature to keep our culture from falling into these errors which God will judge.  But today those who practice such things are aggressively misusing civil rights laws to sue and punish anyone who disagrees with them.  And the judges and politicians and media have been blinding the society to the truth of God’s creation and the Word of God and forcing all to accept these sins   And Christians have largely been silent and fearful of disagreeing.

God cannot bless our culture if this slide to moral decay continues.  And the destiny of those who practice these things and don’t repent is clear:

For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Ephesians 5:5, 6

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. I Corinthians 6:9, 10

In the 1960’s there was a sexual revolution and the “summer of love” that said “all sex is good sex, as long as you “love” the other person”  God ordained marriage was not necessary.  “If it feels good, do it.”  And that mentality continues to this day.   Adultery (extra-marital sex) and fornication (pre-marital sex) are condemned by God’s Word, and result in many negative consequences:  guilt, divorce, sexually transmitted diseases, inability to have meaningful relationships, unwanted pregnancies, and many more.  God’s laws were intended to protect you and provide for you.  When you violate them, you don’t break God’s laws, they break you.

We need to humbly confess the sins of our society, and beg God to open the eyes of our fellow citizens to recognize their sins of either indulgence or acceptance of these things.  And if Christians if we have fallen into these sins we need to ask God’s forgiveness and repent of them and find accountability from other Christians to keep us from this moral decay.  Because God tells us through the Apostle Paul:

For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God;and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.  I Thessalonians 4:3-8

So how do we pray.  It seems our society is so far gone.  And we are on the precipice of God’s judgment as a nation.  First we need to confess and repent of any of these sins we have been involved in as Christians.  Then we need to pray for friends and relatives who have fallen into these sins.  And then as God gives us the opportunity, we need to share with these friends and relatives and plead with them to recognize the error they are making.  And we need to confess the sins of our nation the way Nehemiah did for Israel and to ask God to send the Spirit to bring a national spiritual revival where people are convicted of these sins and turn from them to accept Jesus.  (See History of Revivals for how God has done this in the past)   https://prayforunitedstates.com/history-of-revivals-god-answering-prayer-for-nations/

Here is a prayer to consider praying this week:

“Dear Heavenly Father.  Please forgive us as a nation for these sexual sins of all sex outside of  divinely ordained marriage between a man and woman, and any other sins listed above.  Please forgive us personally for any of these sins we may have indulged in, and for standing by and not boldly proclaiming the truth of Your Word on these things.  We know that passing laws, or speaking harshly or tactlessly to those who commit them will not change them.  Only your Spirit breaking their hearts and convicting them of your truth and turning to the Gospel and your empowerment can bring true change in our society.   We desperately pray you bring times of refreshing and brokenness to our nation.  We earnestly humbly pray that you bring revival to our nation and to many other nations that have fallen into these lies and sins.  Open the eyes of our people, our politicians, our judges, our media, our educators, and all who are falsely promoting these things you call an abomination and deliver us from these sins.  And please, please protect our children from these false teachings on sexuality.  We pray in Our Lord Jesus Christ’s name and the victory He claimed over evil for us by His shed blood on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. Amen.”

July 26, 2020

We are told in the Bible to recognize, that despite Satan being called “the ruler of this world”, and despite that it seems like government leaders, judges, and the media have all the power to totally control our lives, make no mistake, God is still sovereign and in control of all leaders and of all things.

“It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.” Dan.  2:21

For the Lord Most High is to be feared, A great King over all the earth. He subdues peoples under us And nations under our feet.”  Psalms 47:2,3

“The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.”  Proverbs 21:1

“He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth” Daniel 4:35

“For not from the east, nor from the west, Nor from the desert comes exaltation; But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another.”  Psalm 75:6, 7

“Why are the nations in an uproar, And the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!” He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.  Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury” Psalm 2:1-5

At times it may seem like the world is spinning out of control, and those who hate God and His Word have the upper hand.  But, God will not allow anything to happen that does not eventually promote His Kingdom come and His Will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Sometimes that means Christians may be dominated for a time by unbelievers to purify His own (Habakkuk 1 and 2).  But when believers humble themselves and pray with all their heart God is often merciful and allows unbelievers to lose control and He blesses His own.

First we need to humbly submit to His sovereignty and His will whatever that may turn out to be.  We need to trust that GOD IS IN CONTROL and not be anxious, for anxiety reveals that we fear Satan and the rulers of this earth more than the God almighty.  There is nothing that can happen to us that God does not dictate or allow and He will enable us to overcome it (Philippians 4:13).  It is a lack of faith in God’s Omnipotence that dishonors Him, and our faith in his Almighty power and rule that defeats the enemy.  That is why the Psalmist can smile in the presence of his enemies: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies”. (Psalm 23:5).  By our “standing firm… in no way alarmed by your opponents which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you.” (Philippians 1:27,28).  The peace in our hearts and our unshakable faith is God’s sovereignty is the way the enemy is defeated.

Here’s a prayer you may consider “Our Father who art in Heaven, and Jesus our Redeemer, we know that despite outward appearances you ARE in control, and that we can have peace that no matter what happens You are by our side.   So, we don’t have to be fearful or full of anger seeking revenge.  Please allow us to proclaim Your truth with total peace in our hearts.  So, we pray You turn the hearts of our leaders to Your choices for any upcoming political decisions; and we pray also for the elections of leaders in our country so as you say we may “lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness” and proclaim your Word.  Please establish those men and women who will espouse your principles and remove those who seek to undermine them so Your will may be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Amen.”

July 19, 2020

Next we need to recognize that our ultimate battle to heal our country is not again other men and women.  It is against the dark spiritual forces that are blinding men and women, filling their hearts with deception and anger.  We know that greater is He that is in us (i.e. The Lord) than he (Satan) that is in the world.  We need to petition God to bind the spiritual forces of darkness blinding people and motivating anger and division in our country, because by our own strength we cannot defeat these dark forces.

 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”  Ephesians 6:12

“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.”  II Corinthians 4:3-4

“The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness, To deliver their soul from death And to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.”  Psalm 33:16-20

You might pray like this:  “Dear Heavenly Father, We know that anger and division and blindness to the truth is not caused by You but by the evil one.  We also know that we don’t have the power to overcome him and his minions by our own strength and our human weapons;  So we humbly hope in Your lovingkindness and not our own resources, and ask You to bind the evil one and his legions and as You promised to deliver our souls and our countrymen’s souls and bodies from the death of this this virus and to deliver us from those spiritual enemies that are seeking to destroy us and our country, and we pray that You would open the eyes of those deceived of the truth and consumed by anger and bring a spiritual REVIVAL to our land, and heal our divided nation.  Amen”

Our humility before the Lord in prayer is the key for the Word says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  James 4:6

It’s easy to get upset and angry with what we see happening in our country, but remember, “the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (James 1:20) and “do not fret because of evildoers… cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret; it only leads to evildoing.”  (Psalm 37:1,8)   Instead channel your frustration into praying for the situation.  “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)

July 12, 2020

“If… My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:13-14

This is the foundational verse for Pray for United States. My people are us as Christians in the U.S. Our land is the U.S. and even though all people in our country are not Christians we need to pray for all.

We need to seek God’s face, to allow Him to show us our sins, and confess our sins. Where have we as Christians personally have failed and we need to turn from those wicked ways. We have become proud, rich, arrogant, and selfish before God.

Judgment always begins with the household of God (I Peter 4:17). If we want God to clean up our country we first need to confess and repent of our sins as believers.  And we know, “If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear”  Psalm 66:18

Then we need to confess the sins of our nation, even those who may not be Christians as Nehemiah confessed for all his people, not just himself (Neh. 1:6-7). Pray for God to work in their hearts to get them to repent of their sins.

And to humbly ask God to forgive us all. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.” Psalm 139:33, 34

Consider praying like this:  Lord Jesus, please help me to humble myself before you, reveal to me my sins, to seek your face and not worldly distractions and sins, and to turn from any wicked way within me.

Please hear from heaven, heal our country of this virus, revive us to love and follow you, heal us from the hateful divisions between us, guide us to do justly as you would have us, and give us wisdom to elect the leaders you would have for this country for the next few years.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9

As you confess your sins, and turn from them in your heart. Know that God forgives you and will hear your prayers for healing our nation.

God said to Abraham he would save Sodom for only ten righteous people (Genesis 18:32, 33). Surely in the U.S. there are ten. Pray with a humble, God-fearing heart and God will hear you and He will heal our land.

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