Apr 30, 2018 – Prayer Focus

24/7 National Strategic Prayer Call Monday, April 30, 2018 

“A CALL TO THE WALL…ONE NATION UNDER GOD” – 1-712-770-4340 Code: 543555 # 

*The key assignment for the 24/7 National Strategic Prayer Call is to intercede hourly for the safety and security of our President and to pray for that which pertains to our nation! 

Father, we come before You, asking that You protect and secure our President, Donald Trump, 

his wife and our First Lady, Melania, their son Barron and their extended family. 

Continue to instruct him and cause him to serve You with his whole heart and being. 

Cover our Vice President Mike Pence, his wife Karen and their family, 

and all those in the Trump Administration who are serving You and our nation! Thank You, Lord!

Strategic Focus for Monday 

WELCOMING THE KING OF GLORY into the United States

Preparing our Hearts for our May 3rd National Day of Prayer – Part 2

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 

making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 

one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:1-6

“Walking worthy of the calling with which we have been called” is a great challenge in today’s world! “Keeping the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” … a test that even the best of us struggles with. Yet God, Who created us and has called us, says that He is in us. Secure in that knowledge, we can “bear with one another in love” and accomplish His will! He has given us a key with which to do this: PRAYER! 

Prayer brings people together. It builds bridges between opposing persons and even political parties. It also reminds us that we are created in God’s image and that He desires for us to represent Him everywhere we go. Prayer brings UNITY…and through it, we find ourselves loving even those who have been “unlovable” before!

The National Day of Prayer (NDP) is an annual observance held in the United States on the first Thursday of May, (May 3rd in 2018). On that day, people of all faiths are invited and encouraged to unify and pray for our nation. The National Day of Prayer belongs to all Americans and is a day that transcends differences, bringing citizens together from all backgrounds and persuasions. 

It is also an occasion when other nations pray for us. For the sixth year in a row, Australia is calling the nations of the world to join with them to pray and fast for four days for the United States of America, from April 30 – May 3, 2018. Our 2018 NDP theme of Pray for America – UNITY has even deeper meaning this year for those from other countries who are interceding for us! This UNITY theme is based upon the scripture verse from Ephesians 4:3 “…making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” 

It is indeed a challenge to unify…to mobilize public prayer for America, both here and abroad. Yet, as individuals, churches, and spiritual leaders in America and around the world, humble ourselves and unify in prevailing prayer, we are paving the way for the next great move of God to come to America and our world!

Mrs. Shirley Dobson, NDP Chairman Emeritus said: “We have lost many of our freedoms in America because we have been asleep. I feel if we do not become involved and support the annual National Day of Prayer, we could end up forfeiting this freedom, too.” 

As we come together in clear agreement before God and men, we are a visible sign for all to see…that the Church is awake and standing together in extraordinary prayer…asking that the Father be glorified…as the gospel message is catapulted across our nation and to the nations of the earth! 

The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of our heritage. Because of the faith of our Founding Fathers, public prayer and national days of prayer have a long-standing and significant history in American tradition. 

• The “First Call for National Prayer” took place in 1775 when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation. 
• In 1808, Thomas Jefferson, one of our Founding Fathers wrote: “Fasting and prayer are religious exercises; the enjoining them an act of discipline. Every religious society has a right to determine for itself the time for these exercises, and the objects proper for them, according to their own particular tenets; and right can never be safer than in their hands, where the Constitution has deposited it.” 
• This call to prayer has continued through our history, with President Lincoln’s proclamation of a day of “humiliation, fasting, and prayer” in 1863. 
• In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual national day of prayer.
• 30 years ago this year, in 1988, the law was unanimously amended by both the House and the Senate and signed by President Reagan on Thursday, May 5, 1988, permanently setting the first Thursday of every May as our National Day of Prayer.
• The Supreme Court has affirmed the right of State Legislatures to open their sessions with prayer. (Marsh vs. Chambers -1983).
• Every President since 1952 has signed an NDP proclamation, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. 
• Last year, all 50 state governors plus the governors of several U.S. territories signed similar proclamations. 

Like Thanksgiving or Christmas, this day has become a national observance placed on all Hallmark calendars, observed annually across the nation. Every year, local, state, and federal observances are held from sunrise in Maine to sunset in Hawaii, uniting Americans from all socio-economic, political and ethnic backgrounds in prayer for our nation. It is estimated that over two million people attend more than 30,000 observances – organized by approximately 40,000 volunteers. At state capitols, county court houses, on the steps of city halls, and in schools, businesses, churches and homes, people stop their activities and gather for prayer. (To find an event near you, go to: http://www.nationaldayofprayer.org )

Our National Day of Prayer has great significance for us as a nation. Let us pray for this year’s event! 

• Lord, help us to study our history…so that we can boldly share the stories of how our Founding Fathers sought Your wisdom in bringing this nation forth and Your counsel when faced with critical decisions. 
• May we see our involvement in the National Day of Prayer as a duty, a responsibility…a call for us to humbly come before God, seeking His guidance for our leaders and His grace upon us as a people. 
• May we rejoice in the unanimous establishment of our National Day of Prayer as an annual event, and thank God that prayer is as important to our nation today as it was in the beginning. 
• May we as Americans ever proclaim: “IN GOD WE TRUST!” 

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Specific Prayer Topic for Today

Praying for the Congress of the United States: Senate and House of Representatives

Senate lawmakers advanced a resolution that would shorten debate time on most presidential nominees, after complaints that some have been using the arcane Senate debate rules to stall certain nominees submitted by President Trump.

By a 10-9 vote, the Senate Rules and Administration Committee approved a resolution from Sen James Lankford of Oklahoma that would slash post-cloture debate for most executive branch nominees from 30 hours to just 8 hours.

Partisan delaying tactics have escalated in the past decade. Senators in both parties said they are eager to get past gridlock in order to pass other matters, including a dozen appropriations measures that have also typically stalled in recent years.

Pray:

• That the Senate would find a way to speed up the nomination process by reducing stalling techniques.
• That Senator Lankford and others work for passage of the bill to reduce debate from 30 hrs to 8 hrs
• For the removal of Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi from the Congress of the United States of America.

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Hineni, Adonai! Here I am, Lord!

Engaging in a Warfare of Love!

The Battle of the Bride!

KADIMA! Onward…forward!

“LAYNA!” LIGHT and TRUTH!

Be Strong…Courageous…Brave!

Unashamed of the Gospel of Christ!

To print, use the attached PDF file 

https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:cbdeebe8-24fe-4733-8807-6cc557fd137e