National Day of Prayer
April 27, 2008
Introduction
This week is a special week in that it has two special days:
§ Today has been proclaimed the “Church of Christ 6th Annual Orphan Sunday
§ Thursday has been proclaimed a National Day of Prayer.
§ After our dismissal prayer, I will play a 10 minute video for those who would like to see it about the orphans in Russia and their plight.
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America
America trusts in the abiding power of prayer and asks for the wisdom to discern God's will in times of joy and of trial. As we observe this National Day of Prayer, we recognize our dependence on the Almighty, we thank Him for the many blessings He has bestowed upon us, and we put our country's future in His hands.
From our Nation's humble beginnings, prayer has guided our leaders and played a vital role in the life and history of the United States. Americans of many different faiths share the profound conviction that God listens to the voice of His children and pours His grace upon those who seek Him in prayer. By surrendering our lives to our loving Father, we learn to serve His eternal purposes, and we are strengthened, refreshed, and ready for all that may come.
On this National Day of Prayer, we ask God's continued blessings on our country. This year's theme, "Prayer! America's Strength and Shield," is taken from Psalm 28:7, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped." On this day, we pray for the safety of our brave men and women in uniform, for their families, and for the comfort and recovery of those who have been wounded.
The Congress, by Public Law 100-307, as amended, has called on our Nation to reaffirm the role of prayer in our society by recognizing each year a "National Day of Prayer."
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2008, as a National Day of Prayer. I ask the citizens of our Nation
to give thanks, each according to his or her own faith, for the freedoms and blessings we have received and for God's continued guidance, comfort, and protection. I invite all Americans to join in observing this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-second.
GEORGE W. BUSH
The Theme of the Tulsa workshop this year: Prayer: “Our declaration of Dependence.”
Body
I. The great verses about God and the nations.
A. The need of prayer and humility.
(2 Chr 7:14 NKJV) "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
B. It is God Who guards the city, and the nation.
(Psa 127:1 NKJV) Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.
C. The need of righteousness in our nation
(Prov 14:34 NKJV) Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.
1. Carolyn and I went to see the movie “Expelled.” It was a documentary.
2. It was a story of those in our country who have lost their jobs as professors in American universities because they taught “intelligent design” for our universe.
3. It also showed the horrors of the Berlin Wall, Communism, and the Nazi concentration camps and gas chambers were God was expelled.
D. Our need to pray for our leaders.
(1 Tim 2:1-4 NKJV) Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, {2} for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. {3} For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, {4} who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
E. We need to thank God for His goodness.
1. We should acknowledge God and His goodness.
(Prov 3:5-7 NKJV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; {6} In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. {7} Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
2. We need to be thankful in His presence.
(Psa 95:2 NKJV) Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
3. We need to be a thankful people.
(Eph 5:3-4 NKJV) But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; {4} neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
II. Do we realize how much we have to be thankful for?
A. The story of Seth who lives in Ghana touched my heart.
I belive brother Tilton wrote these words: “We lived in Ghana for five years. While there, we had a young man, Seth Okyere, who worked for us. Seth worked hard and we had a good relationship. In addition, Seth led singing at church. He had a nice voice and was able to sing all four parts and teach the church many songs. When we left Ghana Seth was out of a job, but he earned a little money by making and selling popsicles.
Eventually he married and today has three children.
Seth wanted to be of help to people, but with few resources he knew he couldn't do much by himself, but he and his wife agreed to do something. So they moved to Buduburum a Liberian Refugee Camp about forty miles away from Ghana's capital city Accra. Their aim was to serve the people there in whatever way they could, which includes teaching them about Jesus Christ.
When they first got there they were living in one tiny room. There was no electricity nor running water. They had/have no washer or dryer so they wash their clothes by hand, in a pond about a mile or so from their house. Little by little they would buy a few cement blocks until the time came when they had enough to build a single room for themselves. They built the room but could not move in because they did not have the money to put a roof on. After another couple of years of scrimping and saving they put a roof on their one room. Slowly they built two other rooms.
This past January someone gave Seth enough money to roof the two roofless rooms of his house. You would have thought that he had been given $1 million. He was very excited. He could not wait to tell his wife and then get busy putting the roof on.
Yesterday he sent a picture of his house. (Above left) It's difficult to see the roof because there is very little pitch and it's aluminum, so it doesn't contrast with the surroundings very well.
Seth is typical of many people in Ghana living simply and giving what they can to serve their fellow-men. They sacrifice and serve! I look at my own life and realize that I've never made a real sacrifice. God forgive me.
"Blessed is he that considers the poor: the Lord will deliver him in
time of trouble." Psalm 41:1 KJV
B. Have we been good stewards of what we have?
(1 John 3:17 NKJV) But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
Conclusion
I. This week we have two great days to consider:
A. A day of National Prayer
B. A day to consider the orphans around the world.
II. It is the prayer of the righteous man that is most effective.
III. Are you a righteous person?
(James 5:16 NKJV) The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Scripture quotations marked "NKJV™" are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.