Monday, September 28, 2020

40 Days of Prayer for USA

Dear Church Family

   We are entering an enormous challenge and opportunity within 40 days, the General Election for 2020. This will require a lot of prayer for our nation, leading up to that important moment. I'm writing to you to urge you to pursue with me a solemn 40 day vigil of prayer for our nation. I will be sending, starting tomorrow 9/24, the 40th day away, a letter with some devotional ideas and I hope you join with me in praying the prayers. I will send the next group of 3 or 4 devotionals a couple of days later with more inspiration. I do hope you pray for our country, whether you use these scriptures or not.

   I know we have a variety of opinions and reasons for thinking about the way we are going to vote. In our Methodist world, John Wesley knew we would not all be of the same mind. But he urged us to all want to love one another in the best way possible. So our prayers can be for one another to grow in love, even in the middle of the challenges that are before us.

   One of my great appreciations for our country and our faith is that we have been able to look past our differences and realize we are all children of God. I hope we can keep civility and respect and compassion for one another, even during this awkward time. Some of our troubles have been because  we judge someone who doesn't see the way we do, as  "an evil, horrible, must be destroyed person" and that just isn't Christ like or even basically an attitude of America. So I invite you to pray for civility especially.

   Here are some ideas for starting this journey together. And if you don't mind, let me know your thoughts as we go along this pilgrimage of prayer together.

Day One

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." Proverbs 1:7

Prayer Points

Pray that the United States will repent of its corporate rejection of the Word of God as a basis of law. Pray that a holy fear of God will sweep across our nation, leading us back to a place of wisdom. Pray that courage born of wisdom will be given to Christians in places of leadership in government, the courts, and law schools across the nation so that they will stand for a godly basis for law.

Day Two

"The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble." Psalm 9:9

Prayer Points

Ask the Lord to turn the hearts of the citizens and leaders of the United States to Himself. Invite the Lord to be your refuge and your stronghold. Pray that our nation will increasingly see that God is our only refuge in the midst of the troubles of this world.

  from 40 Days of Prayer for America by David Butts

This should get you started. I'll share more in a day or two.

Blessings

Pastor Jeff

 


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