Prayer Time

Mark 11: 17

And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”

This may be one of the most important devotionals I write all year.  In May we celebrated the National Day of Prayer. I would like to suggest that today offers an opportunity for another day of unified national prayer.

The election is over. Regardless of the outcomes, it is time for healing. A nation divided against itself cannot stand. It is time for us to pray for our nation and for unification. Put down the axes and knives and pick up the Word. Healing, restoration and unity is the theme of post-election America. Only Christians can lead this important shift. Lay down thoughts and words of what could have been or should have been. This election has been full of vitriol. Now is the time for Christian ideology to rise to the surface. Christ says those values are prayer and love. The time for vitriolic dialogue is over.  We now enter into a time of national healing and a sense of community, caring for one another in the love and grace of our Lord Jesus.

Interestingly, Jesus said his house was supposed to be a place of prayer for all nations. That should give us pause. He lived in a much smaller world than do we and yet his vision was beyond the borders of his own country. Though he did not have world news on his phone 24/7, he knew there were people all over the globe who needed prayer. We too need to pray for all the nations of the world, especially in this time of a global viral crisis. In the first place, we can gain more by working together. Secondly, what happens in other parts of the world can affect us.

Certainly our “houses of prayer” should be safe zones and places of abundant love and acceptance. They should be places where we pray for all the people of the world. However, there is a nuance here that is even larger. It is that we have become the temple of God. We are houses of prayer. That means that wherever we are, the house of prayer is too. Have we made this temple a den of robbers? Or is it still a house of prayer? The answer to those two questions is of great importance and perhaps a bit concerning. We need not, however, be crushed by the weight of the problems around us. We are part of the needed answers because we have the privilege of going right into the throne room of the creator. Let unity begin in the Christian house where we all meet at the throne to praise our king and petition Him for the needed help.

I hope you agree with me that this is a time of much needed prayer. And if you agree, I will be pleased to join my prayers to yours. Bless you for your faithfulness in Christ.

National Day of Prayer

Exodus 33: 18

“I pray You, show me Your glory!”

This is my prayer today. The theme for the National Day of Prayer is “Pray God’s glory across the earth.” Whomever chose the theme for this year must have had divine inspiration because it is the perfect prayer. It is curious that the National theme has a world-wide scope. This isn’t just about praying for our national leaders. It is about praying for God to show up across the whole world.

So, what is the glory of the Lord? You may have seen the term “Shekinah Glory” before. The Shekinah glory is the radiant presence of God. We have never needed His light and His presence more than today. His presence is His goodness. When Moses asked God to reveal His glory, God responded, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” God’s goodness and compassion are always in His presence and His presence is His glory. Isaiah wrote, “They will see the glory of the Lord, The majesty of our God.” In other words, the glory of the Lord reveals His majesty. One cannot be in the presence of the Lord, witness His glory and not be awed by His majesty.

God’s glory called to Moses from a burning bush which was not consumed by fire. His glory led the Israelites on their great exodus in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21). Ezekiel wrote, “The temple was filled with the cloud and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the Lord,” (Ezekiel 10: 4). On the Mount of Transfiguration, the radiance of God’s glory was described as splendor (Luke 9: 29 – 35). On the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2: 2 – 3) God’s glory appeared as tongues of fire. More recently, in 1906 at a little church on Azusa Street in Los Angeles, the building appeared to be on fire, but it turned out to be God’s glory. People actually called the fire department but one cannot quench this fire.

The idea I want to sow into you today is that God’s glory has dwelt on earth. People have, on many occasions, seen the Glory of God. In modern times, we may have lost touch with the exact nature of God’s glory, but it is nothing less than God’s manifesting presence in the earth. We need God, we need to see God. When Moses asked to see Yahweh’s glory, God answered, “Yes!” Never in our lifetimes have we needed God’s radiant presence more than we do today.

In my studies, I have discovered that God’s presence hearkens to a praying people. Do you want God to show up on planet earth? Prayer and praise are the forerunners of God. My heart cries out, “Father, I need you. Father! I need more of you.” Our world needs hungry hearts who will cry out to the Father with passion and determination, people who will meet at the foot of the cross and call upon the blood of Christ to redeem and rescue us. We need pray-ers desperately! We need leaders to turn their faces to God and ask for God’s wisdom even as each and every one of us does the same. We need a nation of people who will make prayer a priority. I pray, and I know that you do too, but this is a time for us all to increase. We need increase in our compassion, conviction and maybe the third word should be contrition. We need more than our morning prayers before we rush out the door or to our “work at home” computers. We need time of praying from the depth or our hearts and listening to the voice of the Lord. What is He saying to us? How is He leading us?

I hope that today you will put aside some of what you have planned and will make quiet time to call out to the Lord. Put your heart on your sleeve and let the Lord lead you by the heart. Let us all be united today and “Let us Pray.”

I have included links to all the scriptures I quoted today so that you can easily go and see them for yourself. Just click on the scripture cite and you will be teleported to that glory filled moment in time. Enjoy.

Prayer Power

Luke 1:10

And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer.

Today is the National Day of Prayer in the United States. For those of us who live here, we should first offer up a prayer of thanksgiving that we can have a National Day of Prayer. Let’s also pray for all those around the world who cannot openly pray to Yahweh. For all of you who read this devotional and live outside the United States, will you consider this your personal invitation to join with us for a day of prayer? There is no time or space in the Spirit because we are united in the Spirit.

Maybe you will pray with me that we will become a people known for prayer. I think we don’t pray as often as we might because we have lost confidence that our prayers are effective. “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much,” or so Brother James would have us believe (James 5: 16). Maybe we doubt our righteousness, or maybe we just don’t think we have enough spiritual “oomph” to make a difference. Sometimes it just doesn’t feel like our prayers are going to impact a situation. We talk about the power of prayer and we’ve even seen how prayers have turned a situation around, but the confidence leaks out of us when it comes to our prayers. Well, there is help for that. It is called unity. As we unite in prayer, we become stronger. “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken,” (Ecclesiastes 4: 12 NIV). Together we can do amazing things! Jesus said, “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 18: 19).

The spiritual realm has power. However, we are not well versed in operations within spiritual sphere. When you speak words, they actually have energy. Researchers have already shown that thoughts create an energy signature. They aren’t just wisps that float off into Neverland. Likewise, there is spiritual substance in our words and thus, in our prayers. Even if you feel like you don’t move a lot of spiritual weight, in our combined strength we really can move mountains. And, don’t forget that it is really our heavenly Father doing the heavy lifting, but we have our part as well. He takes our prayers and the spiritual energy they create and molds them into the answers we seek. The long and short of it is that when we combine our energy, we are a powerful team. So, even if you feel like your prayer is weak, in its combination with other prayers the power is enormous. It only took a few men in Wales, devout in their prayers, to bring about a revival.

So today, I invite you, no implore you, to join millions of other people in prayer. Pray all day. Every time you have a minute break, offer up one more prayer. Pray for the people at your place of employment, at your church, at your children’s school. Pray for the leaders of those institutions as well as for the leaders of your country. Pray for the people in the media who deliver news, movies, and music. Ask the Lord of the harvest to touch hearts, bless and heal. Pray for the clerk behind the cash register and the teller at the bank. There is no limit to the number of prayers or the number of people who need prayer. Pray for me.

May God, our Lord and Love, bless your every prayer and may he bless and touch every person and institution for which you pray today. May the blessing return to you a hundredfold for every prayer you offer. And, may His blessed grace unfold itself upon all people that all may see that Jesus is Lord and the savior of our souls. Let the love of our beloved God and Father be seen and demonstrated. I pray that God bless you and keep you in the folds of His embrace.