Every week people ask us to pray for them and their situations. Whether it is on a Sunday, a Wednesday, or just a normal day throughout the week, people want us to pray for them. People know prayer works. They have seen it with their eyes, and they know the power of prayer mentioned in the scriptures,
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:16)
While we pray for others, do we also pray for ourselves?
When others ask us to pray for them, we take time to petition God on their behalf. However, do you take time and pray for yourself?
Let us not forget we need to pray for ourselves. Even Jesus, in John 17, prayed for Himself, that He might glorify the Father. Jesus needed strength, and especially in his final hours.
You and I also need the strength of God in our lives. Praying for others is a good trait of a Christian life, but we must not forget that we need the strength and wisdom God provides. (Psalm 34.4; James 1.5)
Charles Spurgeon was once quoted as saying, “I have now concentrated all my prayers into one, and that one prayer is this, that I may die to self, and live wholly to Him.”
We must pray for others, but we must pray for ourselves, our strength, and our faith so we may be able to continue. Remember the words of Paul,
“…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
Good morning. I pray this letter finds you and your family doing well.
Today I write to you asking you, as my family and friends, to spend time in prayer each day for our country. The country we live in is undergoing some troublesome times, with possibly more on the way. This is not a political statement, nor is it a prophecy. It is something which has been on my mind for a while.
Throughout this year we have seen various trails and many high roads. The overshadowing factor of 2020 is the COVID-19 virus. This one virus has changed the way we interact and move through the world. It will be a change which will influence decisions for decades to come.
However, just because the COVID-19 virus changed things does not mean it was a troubling year. Religiously, churches were challenged to take on new roles and different assemblies. These new roles and assemblies meant the church would leave the building and find its way into the world. Assemblies arose in parking lots looking like the drive-in movies of old. While this was odd, everyone driving by that church building got to see the service firsthand.
Some congregations moved to online services. These services clogged the internet and broke a few servers along the way. Who knew that so many congregations would blast their messages for the entire world to see? Overnight preachers became internet evangelists like the old televangelists. People from all over the world could hear a message from any size congregation.
Much good arose from 2020, and we still see the influence of good across our nation. There is much to be thankful for today. We persevered even through the troublesome times.
Today, I ask you to pray.
Our nation is hurting. This holiday season, combined with the COVID-19 restrictions, along with emotions already running high, is at a boiling point. The rumblings of strikes and violence across the nation is saddening. The transition of the presidential election process is troubling. The distrust of others is heartbreaking because of selfishness.
Our nation needs to find its moorings. We need genuine people of God to lift this nation up in prayer. We need God’s people to be the ones speaking. While the media covers the bad, let God’s people bring about the good. We need God’s people to speak up for the innocent, the unborn, the orphans, the elderly and the infirm. We need them to have a voice. God’s people must use their voice.
This is not a call for loudness, but for your voice to be heard from the Almighty God. This is not a call for a protest, but a supplication before God. It is not a call or empty words, but words of action to the One who knows all.
Today, I ask you to pray.
Pray for your country to find peace.
Pray for your country to find unity in good things.
Pray that our country may realize that serving others, not destruction, is the right thing to do.
Pray for the election process. The results are not official yet. Our country is seeing political turmoil that will not be good, no matter who is in office.
Pray that God may heal our country, and the world, of the COVID-19 virus and heal those infected by it.
Pray for families to find healing and peace during these emotional times.
Pray and let God know what you need during this time.
We all need to be praying, daily, for our nation. We are not and have never been a perfect nation. Instead, we are an opportunistic nation. We have opportunities in our nation that most in the world would love to enjoy, yet we might take these things for granted.
Despite the freedoms in our nation, no one is totally free without truth. The truth we need to know is the truth of God. It is His words that makes use free. (See John 8.32 and John 17.17) His truth must be our guiding light so we can see through the darkness and journey to His marvelous light.
This is not a tomorrow type action. This is a today action.
I am challenging you to pray a minimum or 10 minutes a day for our country. Divide this up whoever you will, but I challenge you to put 10 minutes into a prayer for our country.
In less than 40 days, Election Day will be here and millions of our country’s citizens will make their way to the polls to vote to vote for their candidate of choice. It is my prayer that all people would spend time in prayer before voting. Prayer is an important part of daily life, but especially during election times. Some will put their politics before their prayers. Let us be sure to continue in our prayers.
Last week, we began developing a website call Pray for the Election. (http://www.prayfortheelection.com) This website was developed, not as a political website, but as a website for prayer. There is no sponsoring of a candidate, political party or political agenda. It is a website dedicated to encouraging others to spend time in prayer on behalf of the upcoming elections. The Bible speaks of praying for the leaders of the nation in which we live, and we want to encourage others to pray for the upcoming elections.
Our nation is in turmoil on many fronts and we need to spend time in prayer. This is not a time to divide, but a time to unite in prayer and request that God provide us wisdom and peace. We know that God is in control and we need His blessing of strength in our lives. Let us pray.
It is difficult to believe that we are now finding ourselves in another election cycle. While I am not an expert on elections, this election seems to follow the increased chaos attributed to the year 2020.
As the elections draw near, it is important that Christians pray. To be honest, I am not concerned if you are voting or not. I am more concerned if you are praying.
Put your political beliefs aside for a moment and ask yourself, “Am I praying more or talking about politics more?”
It is a hard, but a valid question we need to consider as the time is drawing near for millions of citizens to head to the voting booths and choose our next elected officials.
Are you praying for the election process?
I would encourage you to head over to the newest effort of the Preacher’s Pen called, “Pray for the Election.” This is not a political website, but a prayerful one. It is not our aim to tell you which political candidate to choose, but to encourage you to pray for all candidates, our nation and its citizens.
