Day of Prayer

I know I haven't been very active lately but I have been doing a lot of soul-searching. I’ve wondered why with all the things that were done we have had very limited success. Why? In the last couple of years in the men's Sunday School class that I teach we have been going through the Old Testament Prophets. I realize that as Daniel said in Daniel 4:25, "... that the most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomsoever He will."

I have come to believe as a nation we do not deserve any better than what we have. We look around us and say to ourselves, “look at the wonderful works of our hands. Look at this great nation that we built.” We have the greatest military that the world has ever seen. We enjoy a wealth that any people at any time in human history could only dream of. Yet many of us know something is wrong. I believe that what we have seen in this country and around the world is God trying to send us a wake up call. Without pointing fingers anyone else I believe I must start with myself. I need to answer that call. What about you?

May 3th is the National Day of Prayer. I believe that we needed to change it to a National Day of Repentance and Prayer, a day of fasting, self examination, supplication for ourselves and this country. If we are going to make any real changes, if we are going to see the blessing of the Most High, we must start by changing ourselves. Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”

If you believe that I’m right I would invite you to join me in spending as much of that day as possible in fasting and prayer, not some get together, just you and God. Read His Word. Look into the Old Testament prophets. See their messages to God’s people. Seek the LORD. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.

Pass this along to others that you know. Let’s see if we can get this message at least across the state, maybe across the country.

We were a nation that at it’s beginning acknowledged its dependence on Almighty God. (I’ve included 2 presidential proclamations, 1 full, 1 partial.) Today our president doesn’t even have anything to do with anything “christian” for fear of offending someone. We can’t say anything about him if we are guilty of the same things.

A Thanksgiving Proclamation of President George Washington, Oct. 3, 1789:

“Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and

Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me " to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness: "

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favor, able interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other trangressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.”

Proclamation of President John Adams, March 23, 1789:

“AS the safety and prosperity of nations ultimately and essentially depend on the protection and blessing of Almighty God; and the national acknowledgment of this truth is not only an indispensable duty which the people owe to Him, but a duty whose natural influence is favorable to the promotion of that morality and piety, without which social happiness cannot exist, nor the blessings of a free government be enjoyed; and as this duty, at all times incumbent, is so especially in seasons of difficulty and of danger, when existing or threatening calamities, the just judgments of God against prevalent iniquity are a loud call to repentance and reformation; and as the United States of America are at present placed in a hazardous and afflictive situation, by the unfriendly disposition, conduct and demands of a foreign power, evinced by repeated refusals to receive our messengers of reconciliation and peace, by depredations on our commerce, and the infliction of injuries on very many of our fellow citizens, while engaged in their lawful business on the seas: —Under these considerations it has appeared to me that the duty of imploring the mercy and benediction of Heaven on our country, demands at this time a special attention from its inhabitants. ...”