A Nation Under God

Two hundred thirty-three years have passed since that historic         July 4, 1776, when our nation was born. There are many references to God that our founding fathers made, acknowledging our trust and dependence as a nation. In praying for our nation, reflect with us on some of the lyrics of our National Anthem, and other American patriotic songs that refer to a nation under God:

Star Spangled Banner (Fourth Stanza):

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust.’
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

My Country, Tis of Thee (Fourth Stanza):

Our father’s God to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright,
With freedom’s holy light,
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God our King.

America the Beautiful (First Stanza and Chorus):

O beautiful, for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!

America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.

You are invited to join us in praising and honoring our Lord  in prayer with your comments below:

Praise, Honor, Blessing and Glory be to God – Hallowed Be Your Name!

In all that we do, as God’s children, it’s never “about me,” but always about God and His righteousness – that He might have all the praise, honor, blessing and glory!

I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore. Psalm 86:12

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17

Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:1-5

Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men! Luke 2:14

So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Luke 11:2

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come! Revelation 4:8

You are invited to join us in praising and honoring our Lord  in prayer with your comments below:

Lord Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace

Jesus said in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Romans 5:1 describes the peace we have in Christ:

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…”

The prayer, “Lord Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace,” is attributed to the13th-century friar, Francis of Assisi. Let us pray:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

Let us know how God is blessing you! To share your prayers or comments, just click on the no comments / comments below.

From the Battle Front in Pakistan

Many Pakistani people living near the Pakistan /Afghanistan northern border are getting caught in the cross-fire between a government military offensive and Taliban insurgents. A recent e-mail sent on Saturday, May 31, 2009, from the region, talked about the trials and suffering people are enduring:

Abraham came home this morning and we just gave thanks when he got back! He looked tired and exhausted and happy to be home. He was devastated. Not because of the bombs. We know the sounds and impact of those now. But the loss of lives, the aftermath, the tears and the sounds. Apparently it was close to the last attack which brought down the Christian bookshop.

Abraham went to the hospital to see a friend who had shards of glass in the back of his neck and was waiting for doctors to treat him. He was in a pain and hardly able to move. His friend, laid on his stomach with his face in a pillow, clenching his fists to release the pain. A Christian nurse who was his cousin came and attended to him. She told him she was sorry but that there were cases worse than his and the staff were working to their fullest.

While Abraham stood there someone on the next bed touched his leg to get his attention. Abraham turned around to see a white bearded old man who was covered in blood. His leg had been wounded. He was saying something to Abraham who then recognized him as an old mathematics teacher from his boarding school. When he saw his face, his eyes registered recognition but very little else. He wanted water and so Abraham not only went and brought him water, but assured him that he would be in touch with the family and let them know. They were frantic when Abraham called.

Abraham felt that it was so strange, “God took me to see my Christian friend but I ended up caring for a Muslim teacher whose family could not get to the hospital for a long time because of the blocked roads. Now, the teacher who always tried to get me to study the Quran and Islam, thanked me when I left this morning. I sat up with him all night… God took me there for a purpose. I held my friend and his hand, and prayed for them before I left. I was so scared when I was praying for him in case someone saw me. But God led me to be bold. Then he said ‘thank you’ to me and he said ‘Ameen.’”

Please be in prayer for our brother Abraham, his friend, and math professor. Pray for wisdom, protection and safety. But above all, pray for God, our great Healer, to heal and restore their land bringing beauty out of ashes.

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A Great Love

A great love knows that in every difficulty, every trial, every failure, the presence of the loved one suffices. How strong is your Love for God? Do you trust Him always, knowing that He will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)?

Just to be with Him, knowing that our Lord is beside you, and that He sincerely cares for you (1 Peter 5:7) – does that bring you joy and peace? If not, then your love for Christ, and your realization of His love, are at fault. If this be so, pray for mor LOVE – His love that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

Dear Heavenly Father – help my love and trust in You to grow deeper and deeper each day. Help me to lean on Your presence in my life both during times of trial, as well as, times of success. Let Your joy, peace, and love surround me – always! Amen.

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Memorial Day 2009 & Prayer

The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.

Proverbs 10:7

Memorial Day was formerly known as Decoration Day. This holiday commemorates U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country. It began first to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it was expanded to include those who died in any war or military action.

Abraham Lincoln at the commemoration of the Battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, declared these words honoring those who had lost their lives on the battlefield at Gettysburg:

That from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion, that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God, and that government of the people by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth.

In his Memorial Day proclamation to the nation, President Barack Obama called for the nation to honor those who have given their lives for our country, as well as, those who are currently serving in the military, and to unite in prayer:

For over two centuries, Americans have defended our Nation’s security and protected our founding principles of democracy and equal justice under law. On Memorial Day, we honor those who have paid the ultimate price in defense of these freedoms.

Members of the United States Armed Forces have placed our Nation’s safety before their own for generations. From the first shots fired at Lexington and Concord to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, these brave patriots have taken on great risks to keep us safe, and they have served with honor and distinction. All Americans who have enjoyed the blessings of peace and liberty remain in their debt.

…Pray for all of our military personnel and veterans, their families, and all those who have lost loved ones in the defense of our freedom and safety.

The President added: In respect for their dedication and service to America, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved on May 11, 1950, as amended (36 U.S.C. 116), has requested the President to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer. The Congress, by Public Law 106-579, has also designated 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as a time for all Americans to observe, in their own way, the National Moment of Remembrance.

…NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 25, 2009, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time to unite in prayer. I also ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for the many freedoms we enjoy as a nation to worship You. We thank You for peace in our land and pray that it may be extended throughout the world, and that many may come to know You – the Prince of Peace.

We ask that you would have mercy on our brave men and women in harms way. We pray that You would reveal the truth of Your love in their hearts; that You would bring comfort and peace to their families; and that You would protect them from the wickedness of this world. We ask that you would turn the tide against the terrorist enemies of this world, whose only offering to mankind is death, destruction, and oppression. This we ask in Jesus’ name, AMEN!

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Once again – a cry for prayer from our fellow Christians in the Middle East.

Urgent cries for prayer are being received from our brothers and sisters living and worshipping Christ in the Islamic world, as this message shares:

Friends, a lot of what I know, I cannot, cannot, cannot, share with you. I stress this because of security. Who knows who is who, and who is reading this, and how they may use it. I am not being paranoid, Brothers and Sisters. We live in a goldfish bowl, and are being watched. I must raise up prayer, but I must do it safely and securely.

Can I express to you the urgency for prayer?! There are confirmed reports of churches and mission schools that are being closed down. Some have been threatened by the extremists; others, by those who feel it is safest for their area that they close before trouble starts.
What will these Christians do?

Please pray for those where, for years and years — almost centuries, in our part of the world — Christians have served and ministered to those God brings to them. These are Christians who have been issued warnings by the Taliban to leave their homes and their areas. This comes at a time when Christian help and ministry is most needed in these places, as they have been opening up their homes and hearts to care for the nearly-one-million homeless, orphans, wounded, hungry, and the naked. The mission hospitals, churches, and centers of servanthood and love are being shut-down. Pray for the voice of the Good Shepherd to be heard in this “Valley of the Shadow of the Death;” and for those in the valley to hear the sound of His staff and His rod hitting the ground with each step, on the Way He had called His sheep to take.

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Join us for prayer for our nation on the 58th Annual National Day of Prayer.

The 58th Annual National Day of Prayer will take place Thursday, May 7, 2009. Millions will unite in prayer as thousands of events will take place from coast to coast. The theme for this year is “Prayer… America’s Hope” and is based on the verse from Psalm 33:22 which states: “May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.”

Beth Moore will join Shirley Dobson to lead the nation in prayer as the 2009 Honorary Chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. Beth founded Living Proof Ministries in 1994 with the purpose of teaching women how to love and live on God’s Word. She has written numerous books and Bible studies, including “Breaking Free,” “Believing God,” and “The Patriarchs.”

2009 Prayer for Our Nation

by Beth Moore, Honorary Chairman

Father in Heaven,

We lift our eyes toward Your Throne, where You reign in righteousness.

Your Word assures us that when Your people cry out in sincerity and humility, You will never turn a deaf ear to us.

We call upon You now, seeking Your forgiveness and favor.

Look over this fevered landscape and heal us, Lord.

Drop knees to the floor and raise eyes to the sky, for we know where our help comes from.

Unite these States again in devotion to You, and blur every dividing line.

Do not give us over to our sins. Give us, instead, over to passionate prayer that moves Your heart.

May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You.

In the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

Amen.

Suggested Prayer Requests for our Nation:

Pray for our nation’s economic stability. Many Americans have lost their jobs and homes. Major industries have had to seek bailouts from the government. Others have had to declare bankruptcy. While some say that the economy should grow again later in 2009, people are still hurting, and families are suffering. Pray that our Lord would move in the hearts and minds of industry and government leaders to seek His guidance for true stability for our nation. Also, pray for those individuals and families who might be caught in economic turmoil, that God would provide hope and stability to their lives, as they seek, and turn, to Him.

Pray that the fear of Swine Flu spreading throughout our country would subside. Even though Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, has announced that scientists now believe the H1N1 virus epidemic (Swine Flu) is no more dangerous than seasonal flu, people throughout our nation are scared. Pray that our Lord would place His hand of protection over our nation, as well as over those who are suffering in neighboring Mexico, and throughout the world; to His care, and that life would soon be restored to an orderly basis. God has allowed this virus to spread. He is the One who will restrain it.

Pray for our nation’s youth, particularly those in high school, as a dropout crisis continues throughout the U.S. Nearly 6.2 million young people have dropped out of high school, fueling what a report released this month called “a persistent high school dropout crisis.” The report was made by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University in Boston, MA, and the Alternative Schools Network in Chicago, IL. Pray that our Lord would give many of these young people a sense of hope and encouragement to continue their education, seeking His wisdom and knowledge, not the ways of the worlds.

Pray for the members of our military who are risking their lives in Afghanistan, Iraq and around the world, asking God to protect and guard each one.

“In God We Trust!”- Our coins still declare it, yet our headlines say otherwise. As you come before our Lord in prayer for our nation, pray that we would remain a country totally dependent upon Him. Pray for our government officials, on every level of representation, that our Lord would continue to have His hand of guidance and direction on their decision-making; that He would protect and bless our nation, as we continue to honor and trust in Him.

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Prayers Urged for Protection Against Piracy

World Vision is asking for prayers for protection of ships and crew members off the coast of Africa. Two of the ships recently attacked by pirates off the Somali coast were carrying relief supplies for Africa. According to World Vision, the Liberty Sun and the Maersk Alabama were carrying food and supplies for malnourished people in Rwanda. Amy Parodi, a spokesperson for World Vision, says, “When this food doesn’t arrive – when it is delayed – these people suffer. They go hungry. They don’t get what they need and it becomes more difficult for them to rebuild their community.” Parodi said, “It wasn’t emergency response food, but it was part of a larger program that helps empower these people.” She says that the food keeps their bodies nourished while they’re learning new techniques to improve their farming, building roads and improving their communities so that they can become self-sustaining.

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Open Doors, USA, reports on the thousands of believers who are being persecuted daily for their faith in Jesus Christ, living in Islamic-controlled countries throughout Asia and the Middle East.

Here is a personal prayer request from a fellow-believer who actually lives in one of these countries, under a persecution watch (for safety – their identity and location have been withheld):

We need so much prayer. Nothing is simple anymore. Everything seems complicated. And then, there is the Word of God. Simple, uncomplicated, shining a light on our paths. Our Word is to obey. Perhaps things become complicated because men and women do not want to obey and walk out in the paths lit by the Light of Christ; and so, we grope in the dark and conflict begins. But even then, as a human being, I am forced to say that the world we live in — the country I knew — is gone for good; there are no simple clear-cut identities and spaces for us; the identification of friend and enemy has blurred. Whether or not your speech is offensive against Islam, Allah, the Prophet and the Koran, our very faith in Jesus makes us an offense, makes us a blasphemous presence to many in this land. Those who think differently, will leave. If not, they themselves will be living in gated luxury communities, or will be walking the tight rope to keep themselves un-noticed.

Who will be our friend tomorrow, who will be our enemy? Who will we cry to help if it gets to that? But, then, I guess Jesus is our best friend. Who could be a better friend than Him who lays His life down? Jesus fits the bill, and that is Who we must look to for a simplification of all the complexities that the evil one is spinning around us. We live in a potential war zone, life is not simple, the path is not always clear, the enemy is not always ugly with horns and a three pronged pitch fork, or with a beard and turban. Sometimes, the one with the beard is the angel-in-disguise, or a believer. For these days, I ask that you pray for me; the youth groups; the Churches; the mothers and fathers and their the families in our country. For parents, as they struggle with letting their children go to school or not; whether to go shopping or not; whether to use a busy route or not; whether to stay with friends if it gets too late, or tell the kids to come home. For children and young people — for wisdom, and a desire to walk in righteousness, and in the light of Christ. For each one of us — discernment, and a closer walk with Jesus in these times.

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