Day Fifty Five: The Power of Prayer in the Midst of A Storm
Today is the National Day of Power, so it is fitting to focus in on the power of prayer. For me prayer has two meanings. The first meaning is that prayer is a way to communicate with God. This meaning has some thaws in it because it doesn't focus in on who actually we are praying to when we communicate to God. People cling to a variety of gods hoping that they will save them or try to push God into a very small box.
The National Prayer is like that. I understand that they don't feel right about coming out and saying the gospel message. I do see in the first paragraph that they ask for forgiveness of sins, but they are not giving anyone any "meat." When I look at this prayer, I have to ask myself who are you glorifying? Unfortunately we as a nation have gotten away from talking about the consequences of sin. We've made it so that if you are feeling guilty, that you just go to God and he will make it all better. I cringe inwardly, knowing that even though God is merciful, it doesn't mean that he won't punish those who blatantly sin. When you actually read the selected verse and then the verses after it, you get a clearer picture of what Habakkuk is saying. Here is the National Day of Prayer's verse: Habakkuk 2:14(KJV) "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." I would be very careful here. Asking for God's glory to come down and cover the earth means that you have to be willing to give up everything. It is an expectation that God will intervene. He has, and he will be magnified so the whole world sees him for who he is. Habakkuk goes on in the last verses of Chapter 2 to clarify what he meant by this statement. It is clear that he is not saying that people should worship any other god. He shames the one who makes someone else drunk. He emphasizes that the violence of Lebanon will cover them. He also talks about idols. I do find it interesting that the National Day of Prayer committee chose this verse.
Psalms 34:17(KJV) is the verse that I would have thought they'd focus on. It reads: "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles." I know we need to believe that God will deliver us from this tyrannical government soon. I also believe that God will break those who brought on this destruction. Jeremiah 33:3(KJV) says it clearly. It reads: "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." We definitely need to call on him now to deliver us. As I meditate on this verses it becomes clear that God is intervening on our behalf right now.
There is a real power when we pray to God with the understanding that he is the only true God. Matthew 6:7(KJV) is a good reminder of how we should pray. It reads: "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." I see that so much in both our prayers and songs. It is no wonder that many have "tuned out" and have fallen away from the truth. People are starting to wake up from the hypocrisy that the church has been preaching. The closing of the churches has been a good thing, but we are losing opportunities to reach people with the true message. We're giving them a partial message just to "string" them along because they have "itching" ears.
The Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13(KJV) gives people the right focus. It reads:
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Did you catch the first line? It is important that we focus in on God, knowing that he is all powerful. Yes, it is hard to say "let thy will be done." So many of us are focusing on the present, hoping for relief. I know I am. We don't understand what's happening and we want answers.
I probably put this verse up in an earlier blog post, but I think it's a good one. John 15:7(KJV) "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." The key element is that you must abide in him and let his words guide you. It is foolish what so many of the so-called preachers of the Word of God are pushing. They are distorting the Word for their own profit. Yet there is a remnant that are out there preaching the Word as it was meant to be preached. God is opening up opportunities for these people to reach others for Jesus.
Many times I really don't know how to pray. In the midst of a storm like this one, it is extremely difficult to express the pain and sorrow. I know that I get tired of waiting, and this enforced quarantine is making things worse. I can take comfort in these words from Romans 8:26(KJV). It reads: "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Today I know that there are many of us who are not following the National Day of Prayer in proclaiming the glory of God. Instead they are groaning under the weight of their current circumstances and asking for God to intervene on their behalf.
It is good and right to pray for everything. Philippians 4:6(KJV) states: "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." In other words we should "pray without ceasing." I Thessalonians 4:17 (KJV).
I am praying for this country and the world that the tyrannical governments will be broken, and that the people will rise up and take back their freedoms. We are dangerously close to having a global union thus upon us. We have been asleep too long.
The National Prayer is like that. I understand that they don't feel right about coming out and saying the gospel message. I do see in the first paragraph that they ask for forgiveness of sins, but they are not giving anyone any "meat." When I look at this prayer, I have to ask myself who are you glorifying? Unfortunately we as a nation have gotten away from talking about the consequences of sin. We've made it so that if you are feeling guilty, that you just go to God and he will make it all better. I cringe inwardly, knowing that even though God is merciful, it doesn't mean that he won't punish those who blatantly sin. When you actually read the selected verse and then the verses after it, you get a clearer picture of what Habakkuk is saying. Here is the National Day of Prayer's verse: Habakkuk 2:14(KJV) "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." I would be very careful here. Asking for God's glory to come down and cover the earth means that you have to be willing to give up everything. It is an expectation that God will intervene. He has, and he will be magnified so the whole world sees him for who he is. Habakkuk goes on in the last verses of Chapter 2 to clarify what he meant by this statement. It is clear that he is not saying that people should worship any other god. He shames the one who makes someone else drunk. He emphasizes that the violence of Lebanon will cover them. He also talks about idols. I do find it interesting that the National Day of Prayer committee chose this verse.
Psalms 34:17(KJV) is the verse that I would have thought they'd focus on. It reads: "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles." I know we need to believe that God will deliver us from this tyrannical government soon. I also believe that God will break those who brought on this destruction. Jeremiah 33:3(KJV) says it clearly. It reads: "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." We definitely need to call on him now to deliver us. As I meditate on this verses it becomes clear that God is intervening on our behalf right now.
There is a real power when we pray to God with the understanding that he is the only true God. Matthew 6:7(KJV) is a good reminder of how we should pray. It reads: "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." I see that so much in both our prayers and songs. It is no wonder that many have "tuned out" and have fallen away from the truth. People are starting to wake up from the hypocrisy that the church has been preaching. The closing of the churches has been a good thing, but we are losing opportunities to reach people with the true message. We're giving them a partial message just to "string" them along because they have "itching" ears.
The Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13(KJV) gives people the right focus. It reads:
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Did you catch the first line? It is important that we focus in on God, knowing that he is all powerful. Yes, it is hard to say "let thy will be done." So many of us are focusing on the present, hoping for relief. I know I am. We don't understand what's happening and we want answers.
I probably put this verse up in an earlier blog post, but I think it's a good one. John 15:7(KJV) "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." The key element is that you must abide in him and let his words guide you. It is foolish what so many of the so-called preachers of the Word of God are pushing. They are distorting the Word for their own profit. Yet there is a remnant that are out there preaching the Word as it was meant to be preached. God is opening up opportunities for these people to reach others for Jesus.
Many times I really don't know how to pray. In the midst of a storm like this one, it is extremely difficult to express the pain and sorrow. I know that I get tired of waiting, and this enforced quarantine is making things worse. I can take comfort in these words from Romans 8:26(KJV). It reads: "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Today I know that there are many of us who are not following the National Day of Prayer in proclaiming the glory of God. Instead they are groaning under the weight of their current circumstances and asking for God to intervene on their behalf.
It is good and right to pray for everything. Philippians 4:6(KJV) states: "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." In other words we should "pray without ceasing." I Thessalonians 4:17 (KJV).
I am praying for this country and the world that the tyrannical governments will be broken, and that the people will rise up and take back their freedoms. We are dangerously close to having a global union thus upon us. We have been asleep too long.
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