Tuesday, May 1, 2012

RUN UP TO NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER 2012

DAY 1:  "WHAT AM I TO DO?"



KEY VERSE: What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.(1 Corinthians 14:15 ESV)


In less than 72 hours, American observes the Annual National Day of Prayer. Many events will be held around the nation, both in the public square and in churches. This is a good thing. Here in the middle of the heartland, in the Capitol City of the state of Illinois, we choose to acknowledge this day according to the wishes of God - by means of Worship.


We assemble at the Illinois State Capitol Steps for the official Springfield observance, as we have since the event returned to its Biblical roots in 2006, when Springfield/Decatur Business Men in Christ assumed leadership. (Click here for the more details on that event). We pray and press in to the Heart of God on behalf of the Community and Nation, but more importantly for families and our dear children who are under assault by an increasingly hostile secular establishment. I have a different focus than some others. My emphasis as the facilitator of this, and any event which I organize, is to have the people of God assemble to worship. I even invite those who are not saved, to come and fellowship, in hope that when I give the Salvation message, they will grab a hold of the Gospel and repent.


As both a street and formal evangelist, I am a student of Revival and know that Repentance is the Key to Revival. After Repentance, comes more and more crying out to Abba Father. We cry out in hope and expectation, and give Him permission to invade every aspect of our lives - both personal and corporate - in order that He may draw us closer to Him. To that effect, the prayer leaders I invite annually, will not be the politically-connected pastor or the activist or ministry leader. Prayer leaders who are filled with the Spirit of God, from any Christian denomination are the ones who can execute this assignment to "PRAY WITHOUT CEASING"!


The question above, from our Key Verse for National Day of Prayer week in America, at least here in the Illinois State Capitol is "WHAT AM I TO DO"?! Well, our first assignment is to pick up the mantle of prayer! First Thessalonians 5:17 exhorts us to "pray without ceasing". That simply means, from the original text "do not let there be a gap between your prayers, from one day to the next". This should awaken us to the fact that most Christians do not pray! The average christian man prays less than 2 minutes per day. Even worse, the average pastor prays only an average of 10 minutes per day! 


As the nation heads down the road to a coming Judgment, the people of God are called on to be, well, the people of God! Therefore, in order that we not neglect so great a salvation and calling from our Father in Heaven to maintain our daily relationship with Him, I suggest we adopt this key verse from today into our walk with the Lord.


In addition to our 2012 verse above, there is no better way to start the day with Jesus than to grab a hold of this Scripture and savor it " praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication".


The Kingdom of God is what's at stake for us and our children. Dig into this verse and keep watch, pray without ceasing this day and persevere not only in prayer, but in loving someone else to Jesus. Amen.



(image courtesy google)

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