Lord, have mercy.
We pray today for our President.
We don’t deserve a good leader, Lord. We deserve a leader who reflects our callous souls and our selfish pursuits. We deserve a leader who would stroke our greed and lead us down a path of lies and gluttony until we consume our very selves.
But Father, will You please have mercy? Will You give America Your grace once more?
Lord, will You guide the heart of our President? Will You draw his heart toward You?
Will You please put spiritual and political counselors around him who will give him good advice? And will You help him listen to them? Will You block him from making harmful decisions, and will You guide him to good ones?
If he does not know You personally as his Savior, will You woo his heart to salvation? Give him discernment, humility, and wisdom beyond his own.
Lord, will You also please make his heart tender toward Israel? Help him to love Your people and work always to protect them.
Guide his hand. Guide his mind.
(I Timothy 2:1-4)
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
April 16, 2009
Lord, have mercy.
The church has not been pure. Many leaders have used Your name selfishly to gain power and wealth. Hypocrisy fills the secret lives of leaders who claim to know you. Truth has been reshaped for the sake of popularity. Promises of earthly health and prosperity lead many away from the truth of Your gospel.
We are weary of trusting leaders, then finding disappointment. We are weary of giving to ministries, but receiving emptiness. We aren’t sure where to find spiritual leaders with authentic faith. We don’t know where to find truth.
Lord, please strengthen our faith shepherds. Provide for them. Encourage them. Protect them. Keep them pure. Help them to honest about their failures, and help them lean into Your strength.
Please, send us more laborers for this harvest. Send us pastors who handle Your Word with accuracy. Send us pastors who love others more than themselves. Send us pastors with humility and strength.
And please, give us the discernment to know truth when it comes to us. And help us receive it.
(Titus 1:7-9)
The church has not been pure. Many leaders have used Your name selfishly to gain power and wealth. Hypocrisy fills the secret lives of leaders who claim to know you. Truth has been reshaped for the sake of popularity. Promises of earthly health and prosperity lead many away from the truth of Your gospel.
We are weary of trusting leaders, then finding disappointment. We are weary of giving to ministries, but receiving emptiness. We aren’t sure where to find spiritual leaders with authentic faith. We don’t know where to find truth.
Lord, please strengthen our faith shepherds. Provide for them. Encourage them. Protect them. Keep them pure. Help them to honest about their failures, and help them lean into Your strength.
Please, send us more laborers for this harvest. Send us pastors who handle Your Word with accuracy. Send us pastors who love others more than themselves. Send us pastors with humility and strength.
And please, give us the discernment to know truth when it comes to us. And help us receive it.
(Titus 1:7-9)
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
April 15, 2009
Lord, have mercy.
We need Your help dealing with our nation’s enemies. As individuals, you have asked us to love them. Yet, you have also given governments the right to intervene with force to stop evil.
It’s hard for our leaders to know how to reconcile those two things, for often they seem opposed to our limited minds. This issue is beyond our understanding, and so we need Your wisdom to guide us.
Lord, please protect America from using her power to take advantage of others. Help us find other means than war to reach the greater good. If ever we must engage, please help us to move with accuracy and altruism. Protect us from all unnecessary violence. And please, give our national leaders wisdom.
As individuals, help us to love those who want to hurt us. Help us to seek their good. Help us rest in the fact that You see all, and then help us trust You to bring justice. Show us when to act, and when to speak, and when to keep still. Above all, keep our hearts in love.
(Matthew 5:44)
(Romans 13:4)
We need Your help dealing with our nation’s enemies. As individuals, you have asked us to love them. Yet, you have also given governments the right to intervene with force to stop evil.
It’s hard for our leaders to know how to reconcile those two things, for often they seem opposed to our limited minds. This issue is beyond our understanding, and so we need Your wisdom to guide us.
Lord, please protect America from using her power to take advantage of others. Help us find other means than war to reach the greater good. If ever we must engage, please help us to move with accuracy and altruism. Protect us from all unnecessary violence. And please, give our national leaders wisdom.
As individuals, help us to love those who want to hurt us. Help us to seek their good. Help us rest in the fact that You see all, and then help us trust You to bring justice. Show us when to act, and when to speak, and when to keep still. Above all, keep our hearts in love.
(Matthew 5:44)
(Romans 13:4)
Monday, April 13, 2009
April 13, 2009
Lord, have mercy.
We need Your help dealing with our nation’s enemies. As individuals, you have asked us to love them. Yet, you have also given governments the right to intervene with force to stop evil.
It’s hard for our leaders to know how to reconcile those two things, for often they seem opposed to our limited minds. This issue is beyond our understanding, and so we need Your wisdom to guide us.
Lord, please protect America from using her power to take advantage of others. Help us find other means than war to reach the greater good. If ever we must engage, please help us to move with accuracy and altruism. Protect us from all unnecessary violence. And please, give our national leaders wisdom.
As individuals, help us to love those who want to hurt us. Help us to seek their good. Help us rest in the fact that You see all, and then help us trust You to bring justice. Show us when to act, and when to speak, and when to keep still. Above all, keep our hearts in love.
(Matthew 5:44)
(Romans 13:4)
We need Your help dealing with our nation’s enemies. As individuals, you have asked us to love them. Yet, you have also given governments the right to intervene with force to stop evil.
It’s hard for our leaders to know how to reconcile those two things, for often they seem opposed to our limited minds. This issue is beyond our understanding, and so we need Your wisdom to guide us.
Lord, please protect America from using her power to take advantage of others. Help us find other means than war to reach the greater good. If ever we must engage, please help us to move with accuracy and altruism. Protect us from all unnecessary violence. And please, give our national leaders wisdom.
As individuals, help us to love those who want to hurt us. Help us to seek their good. Help us rest in the fact that You see all, and then help us trust You to bring justice. Show us when to act, and when to speak, and when to keep still. Above all, keep our hearts in love.
(Matthew 5:44)
(Romans 13:4)
Sunday, April 12, 2009
April 12, 2009
Lord, have mercy.
Our system of national media needs Your healing desperately. America’s airwaves are full of political extremists spewing hatred. Lies are presented as truth. Truths are presented with vicious arrogance.
How are we to know what to believe?
Father, the internet and television are full of violence and immorality. It’s so difficult to live holy lives with so many temptations surrounding us.
Will You please help us? Will You send us options in news and entertainment that are honest, helpful, edifying, humble, and holy? Will You guard our eyes, and our ears, and our minds?
Will You give us discernment to know lies when we hear them? Will You give us humility when we are tempted to follow arrogant speech? Will You help us be shrewd, and yet innocent? Will you help us to be so repulsed by wickedness, that we turn our eyes from it?
Will You send a revival into the media? Will You break the strongholds of blindness and hardness there? Will You clean and heal this deeply-infected part of our land?
(Psalm 101:3)
Our system of national media needs Your healing desperately. America’s airwaves are full of political extremists spewing hatred. Lies are presented as truth. Truths are presented with vicious arrogance.
How are we to know what to believe?
Father, the internet and television are full of violence and immorality. It’s so difficult to live holy lives with so many temptations surrounding us.
Will You please help us? Will You send us options in news and entertainment that are honest, helpful, edifying, humble, and holy? Will You guard our eyes, and our ears, and our minds?
Will You give us discernment to know lies when we hear them? Will You give us humility when we are tempted to follow arrogant speech? Will You help us be shrewd, and yet innocent? Will you help us to be so repulsed by wickedness, that we turn our eyes from it?
Will You send a revival into the media? Will You break the strongholds of blindness and hardness there? Will You clean and heal this deeply-infected part of our land?
(Psalm 101:3)
Friday, April 10, 2009
April 10, 2009
Lord, have mercy.
Our schools have become corrupted. Instead of training children to think and reason effectively, many classrooms serve as havens for godless, relativistic ideology.
The halls of our nation’s schools are full of drugs, immorality, racial tension, and violence. Daily, students walk into situations of mental and verbal abuse. Their spirits are broken, their confidence is torn. They have no refuge.
Many teachers have been indoctrinated by universities that value humanistic reform over educational substance. Thinking they are doing good, they fill the minds of students with the dogma they have learned - and our nation’s children have no one to teach them otherwise.
Father, will You rescue our students? Will You protect, strengthen, and provide them with faith-filled teachers whose mission is to bring light into this darkness? Will You break down (or reform) the powerful organizations within our nation’s education system that stand opposed to good? And will You give us a huge number of Your servants to teach and heal the broken places in our nation’s schools?
(Proverbs 22:6)
Our schools have become corrupted. Instead of training children to think and reason effectively, many classrooms serve as havens for godless, relativistic ideology.
The halls of our nation’s schools are full of drugs, immorality, racial tension, and violence. Daily, students walk into situations of mental and verbal abuse. Their spirits are broken, their confidence is torn. They have no refuge.
Many teachers have been indoctrinated by universities that value humanistic reform over educational substance. Thinking they are doing good, they fill the minds of students with the dogma they have learned - and our nation’s children have no one to teach them otherwise.
Father, will You rescue our students? Will You protect, strengthen, and provide them with faith-filled teachers whose mission is to bring light into this darkness? Will You break down (or reform) the powerful organizations within our nation’s education system that stand opposed to good? And will You give us a huge number of Your servants to teach and heal the broken places in our nation’s schools?
(Proverbs 22:6)
Thursday, April 9, 2009
April 9, 2009
Lord, have mercy.
Many of our leaders have turned from You. They have chosen popularity over integrity. They have followed the masses instead of leading them. They have bowed to pressure for the sake of their careers.
Many of our leaders do not fear You. Many do not value Your truth. They are trying to direct our land without seeking Your help.
Yet still, we know that the hearts of our leaders are in Your hands. So, we pray now for those who have political charge over us.
Will You send a revival of Your Spirit through our governing bodies? Will You win the hearts of our leaders?
Will You send ministers to them to help them? Give them words full of Your Spirit. And please, open the hearts of our leaders to receive the truth when it comes.
Please redeem our leadership, Father - even those adamantly opposed to Your ways. It’s a huge request. It seems impossible. But You are the God of miracles. Win their hearts. Heal our land.
(Proverbs 21:1)
Many of our leaders have turned from You. They have chosen popularity over integrity. They have followed the masses instead of leading them. They have bowed to pressure for the sake of their careers.
Many of our leaders do not fear You. Many do not value Your truth. They are trying to direct our land without seeking Your help.
Yet still, we know that the hearts of our leaders are in Your hands. So, we pray now for those who have political charge over us.
Will You send a revival of Your Spirit through our governing bodies? Will You win the hearts of our leaders?
Will You send ministers to them to help them? Give them words full of Your Spirit. And please, open the hearts of our leaders to receive the truth when it comes.
Please redeem our leadership, Father - even those adamantly opposed to Your ways. It’s a huge request. It seems impossible. But You are the God of miracles. Win their hearts. Heal our land.
(Proverbs 21:1)
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
April 7, 2009
Lord, have mercy.
Our nation has become lukewarm, spiritually. We have become so comfortable in the ease of our faith, that we have not followed Your commands.
The distant poor die of hunger, and it does not break our hearts. The sick go without care, and we turn our heads. The widows and orphans cry out in their distress, and we pour our energies into building our own accounts. Millions die without You, and yet we keep those masses far from our affections - because we are comfortable.
We have not been Your hands. We have not been Your feet. We have not been willing to change our lives drastically and turn from our comforts to invest in eternity.
Ignite our hearts, Father. Show us the eternity in every human soul. When we lock eyes with another person, remind us of their closeness and kinship. Help us find ways to care daily for those in need. Help us sacrifice comforts so that others can live. And grant us those deep, secret joys that come from investing in treasures we cannot hold.
(James 1:27)
Our nation has become lukewarm, spiritually. We have become so comfortable in the ease of our faith, that we have not followed Your commands.
The distant poor die of hunger, and it does not break our hearts. The sick go without care, and we turn our heads. The widows and orphans cry out in their distress, and we pour our energies into building our own accounts. Millions die without You, and yet we keep those masses far from our affections - because we are comfortable.
We have not been Your hands. We have not been Your feet. We have not been willing to change our lives drastically and turn from our comforts to invest in eternity.
Ignite our hearts, Father. Show us the eternity in every human soul. When we lock eyes with another person, remind us of their closeness and kinship. Help us find ways to care daily for those in need. Help us sacrifice comforts so that others can live. And grant us those deep, secret joys that come from investing in treasures we cannot hold.
(James 1:27)
Monday, April 6, 2009
April 6, 2009
Lord, have mercy.
In the quiet of my own heart, I know that I have sinned against You.
I have actively turned from You in these areas: _________________________________
I have tried to avoid You in these areas: _______________________________________
I am not obeying You completely in these areas: ________________________________
I’m deeply sorry that I have lived running from You. As an individual part of the whole of America, I ask You to heal my own heart.
I have made so many mistakes, and I now realize that I am just not able to earn “goodness” for a holy God. So, I ask that You would give me Your purity in exchange for all of my failures.
Jesus died to pay for everything wrong I’ve ever done, and so there is nothing more that I need to do, other than be honest with You about my mistakes and receive the free new life that You offer me. So, I receive Your cleaning. Thank You for it. And I ask You to live inside me, and fill me with a Spirit that can heal my life - and our land.
(I John 1:9)
In the quiet of my own heart, I know that I have sinned against You.
I have actively turned from You in these areas: _________________________________
I have tried to avoid You in these areas: _______________________________________
I am not obeying You completely in these areas: ________________________________
I’m deeply sorry that I have lived running from You. As an individual part of the whole of America, I ask You to heal my own heart.
I have made so many mistakes, and I now realize that I am just not able to earn “goodness” for a holy God. So, I ask that You would give me Your purity in exchange for all of my failures.
Jesus died to pay for everything wrong I’ve ever done, and so there is nothing more that I need to do, other than be honest with You about my mistakes and receive the free new life that You offer me. So, I receive Your cleaning. Thank You for it. And I ask You to live inside me, and fill me with a Spirit that can heal my life - and our land.
(I John 1:9)
Sunday, April 5, 2009
April 5, 2009
Lord, have mercy.
We have not invested ourselves in our land for the benefit of future generations. We have reaped the rich blessings of those before us, but we have not provided for the land of our children.
Financially, we have spent until we owe more than we can pay. Environmentally, we have not taken good care of our resources. In our laziness, we have not even studied the good laws of our land, and so we have become prey to the speech of traitorous and unwise leadership. Morally, we have created a deficit of fatherhood and motherhood that is leaving our nation’s children lost and grasping for security. We have lived for our own pleasure, at the expense of those who will come behind us.
Lord, we ask You to remove the spirit of selfishness from our land. Break down the consumption in our hearts. Make us sensitive to the generations that will come. Help us lay ourselves aside for their good, as You put aside Yourself for ours.
Make us a nation of savers, of givers, of investors. Help us to live preparing for the needs of others.
(Proverbs 13:22a)
We have not invested ourselves in our land for the benefit of future generations. We have reaped the rich blessings of those before us, but we have not provided for the land of our children.
Financially, we have spent until we owe more than we can pay. Environmentally, we have not taken good care of our resources. In our laziness, we have not even studied the good laws of our land, and so we have become prey to the speech of traitorous and unwise leadership. Morally, we have created a deficit of fatherhood and motherhood that is leaving our nation’s children lost and grasping for security. We have lived for our own pleasure, at the expense of those who will come behind us.
Lord, we ask You to remove the spirit of selfishness from our land. Break down the consumption in our hearts. Make us sensitive to the generations that will come. Help us lay ourselves aside for their good, as You put aside Yourself for ours.
Make us a nation of savers, of givers, of investors. Help us to live preparing for the needs of others.
(Proverbs 13:22a)
Saturday, April 4, 2009
April 4, 2009
Lord, have mercy.
Our nation has chosen its heroes poorly. We have glorified the rebellious, the haughty, and the immoral. We have been envious of those who toss their heads proudly in the face of righteousness. We have loved those who excuse our moral failures and justify our sin. We have worshipped the physically beautiful, the materially wealthy, the corporately powerful. We have trusted the cynical, and the abrasive, and the crude.
We have forgotten how to love integrity. We have forgotten how to love purity and sobriety. We have forgotten how to love kindness and tenderness. We have forgotten how to love self-control and gentleness. We mock purity, and we mistrust it. Our hearts have become too hard.
Lord, we ask You to remove the spirit of idolatry from our land. Break down those high places and those false gods. Reveal them for what they are.
Show us again how to love good things. Teach us beauty. Teach us grace. Teach us holiness.
(Isaiah 3:18-24)
Our nation has chosen its heroes poorly. We have glorified the rebellious, the haughty, and the immoral. We have been envious of those who toss their heads proudly in the face of righteousness. We have loved those who excuse our moral failures and justify our sin. We have worshipped the physically beautiful, the materially wealthy, the corporately powerful. We have trusted the cynical, and the abrasive, and the crude.
We have forgotten how to love integrity. We have forgotten how to love purity and sobriety. We have forgotten how to love kindness and tenderness. We have forgotten how to love self-control and gentleness. We mock purity, and we mistrust it. Our hearts have become too hard.
Lord, we ask You to remove the spirit of idolatry from our land. Break down those high places and those false gods. Reveal them for what they are.
Show us again how to love good things. Teach us beauty. Teach us grace. Teach us holiness.
(Isaiah 3:18-24)
Thursday, April 2, 2009
April 2, 2009
Lord, have mercy.
Our nation has been selfish. We have made too many choices because they were easiest for us without accepting enough responsibility for the vulnerable. We have gone into the world consuming more than giving.
Looking at the whole of our land, we have pursued physical intimacy as consumers instead of as givers. We have pursued parenthood as consumers instead of as givers. We have pursued wealth as consumers instead of as givers. We have pursued power as consumers instead of as givers. We have devoured much, for the purpose of our own pleasure. And the psyche of our nation has become obese, unhealthy, and self-absorbed.
Lord, we ask You to remove the spirit of gluttony and consumption from our land. Please restore a passion within America to care for the weak, the poor, the lonely, the elderly, the children, the sick, and the unborn of our world. Help us to offer our resources and our bodies as tools of selfless giving instead of as instruments of greed. Reign our endless appetites. Restore self-control and health to our land.
(Matthew 25:37b-40)
Our nation has been selfish. We have made too many choices because they were easiest for us without accepting enough responsibility for the vulnerable. We have gone into the world consuming more than giving.
Looking at the whole of our land, we have pursued physical intimacy as consumers instead of as givers. We have pursued parenthood as consumers instead of as givers. We have pursued wealth as consumers instead of as givers. We have pursued power as consumers instead of as givers. We have devoured much, for the purpose of our own pleasure. And the psyche of our nation has become obese, unhealthy, and self-absorbed.
Lord, we ask You to remove the spirit of gluttony and consumption from our land. Please restore a passion within America to care for the weak, the poor, the lonely, the elderly, the children, the sick, and the unborn of our world. Help us to offer our resources and our bodies as tools of selfless giving instead of as instruments of greed. Reign our endless appetites. Restore self-control and health to our land.
(Matthew 25:37b-40)
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
April 1, 2009
Lord, have mercy.
Our nation has been blind. We have shut our eyes to those truths that we don’t like, and we have tried to create our own “truths” instead. We have chosen our own ideas of “right” and “wrong” without even asking You if You agree. We have named ourselves gods, and priests, and judges. How arrogant we have been!
We have made excuses for our failures and bad choices until we can barely feel conviction. We have hardened our hearts, until we have no conscience. We have worked so hard to prove our own ways right, that we have forgotten how to listen to You. And when we do hear Your voice, we often reject it for our own.
America has come now to the point where we cannot discern light from dark. The eyes of our souls cannot understand. The ears of our souls do not recognize Your voice. Many of those who claim to know You don’t understand Your ways.
Lord, we beg You to remove the spirit of blindness from our land. Open the eyes of our hearts. Pour out Your light into this darkness. Help us see. Please, strip away the lies we have created. We need You desperately to give us true vision.
We are not wise enough or strong enough to do this without you. We need Your rescue. Please flood America with Your Spirit. Make us sensitive and teachable when You expose our lies, and turn our hearts to whatever Your truth may be.
(Proverbs 21: 2)
Our nation has been blind. We have shut our eyes to those truths that we don’t like, and we have tried to create our own “truths” instead. We have chosen our own ideas of “right” and “wrong” without even asking You if You agree. We have named ourselves gods, and priests, and judges. How arrogant we have been!
We have made excuses for our failures and bad choices until we can barely feel conviction. We have hardened our hearts, until we have no conscience. We have worked so hard to prove our own ways right, that we have forgotten how to listen to You. And when we do hear Your voice, we often reject it for our own.
America has come now to the point where we cannot discern light from dark. The eyes of our souls cannot understand. The ears of our souls do not recognize Your voice. Many of those who claim to know You don’t understand Your ways.
Lord, we beg You to remove the spirit of blindness from our land. Open the eyes of our hearts. Pour out Your light into this darkness. Help us see. Please, strip away the lies we have created. We need You desperately to give us true vision.
We are not wise enough or strong enough to do this without you. We need Your rescue. Please flood America with Your Spirit. Make us sensitive and teachable when You expose our lies, and turn our hearts to whatever Your truth may be.
(Proverbs 21: 2)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
March 31, 2009
Lord, have mercy.
Our nation has been proud. We have relied upon our own strength while turning away from Yours. We have looked to our own wealth, intellect, and military might for all of our security.
Our arrogance shames us. You are not a small god, but a Great Lord of might and wonder! All good things come from You, and so if our nation has ever had anything of true worth, it has been because of Your mercies. Humbled and broken, we confess our need again to You.
We need You more than wealth. We need You more than intellect. We need You more than power. We need You more than human leadership. Without You, all of our treasures and strength are worthless.
It is a wonder of Your perfect love that You are tender toward the cry of a few voices. So Father, we ask You to meet America in our time of need. We ask You to restore our humility. Please soften those proud places in our land that keep America from a right view of Your bigness. And please, raise up within us a new strength that is faithful to You.
Father, would You also protect us as we learn to repent? Would You please teach us gently, and help us to obey Your soft voice before Your storm? Help us respond to Your wooing. Lead us to seek You again as our protector and provider with a heart of humility.
(Deuteronomy 8:12-18a)
Our nation has been proud. We have relied upon our own strength while turning away from Yours. We have looked to our own wealth, intellect, and military might for all of our security.
Our arrogance shames us. You are not a small god, but a Great Lord of might and wonder! All good things come from You, and so if our nation has ever had anything of true worth, it has been because of Your mercies. Humbled and broken, we confess our need again to You.
We need You more than wealth. We need You more than intellect. We need You more than power. We need You more than human leadership. Without You, all of our treasures and strength are worthless.
It is a wonder of Your perfect love that You are tender toward the cry of a few voices. So Father, we ask You to meet America in our time of need. We ask You to restore our humility. Please soften those proud places in our land that keep America from a right view of Your bigness. And please, raise up within us a new strength that is faithful to You.
Father, would You also protect us as we learn to repent? Would You please teach us gently, and help us to obey Your soft voice before Your storm? Help us respond to Your wooing. Lead us to seek You again as our protector and provider with a heart of humility.
(Deuteronomy 8:12-18a)
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