2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people who are called by my name 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. English Standard Version (ESV)
I received an email yesterday from Franklin Graham with the Billy Graham ministries urging us to pray over the Democratic convention which began yesterday. He asked the same thing of the Republican convention the week before. When you see all that is happening in our world, everything that is happening in politics, it is quite evident that we are in need healing, in need of prayer.
There are many things that we can pray for including wisdom for professing Christians who are involved in our government, pray for leadership, leaders that would be willing to take a stand for what Jesus believes in. Pray for His meekness, not weakness, but a power under control in stressful trying situations.
But as we pray, it should not be a prayer followed by going about our day, our business, with the attitude that we have done our part by simply praying. Pastor Greg Laurie writes, "Notice God said, "Pray and seek My face." We should not only pray, but we also should seek His face. There is a difference. We can pray like this: "Lord, send revival. Amen." Now let's get lunch. Or, we can pray, "Lord, we are seeking You. . . . Lord, we are calling out to You. . . . Lord, we are desperate for You. . . . Lord, we need You. Send an awakening to America." It is effectively a prayer that doesn't take no for an answer. " It is from a heart that won't say no to His promptings.
Many important decisions lie ahead, may our prayers have a "desperation" about them, may our prayers be for an awakening in the hearts of His people knowing that if our country is going to be healed, it is not our government, either party, that will do it. It will be God working in the hearts of His people to bring about the change that we need.
"As for you, if you live in my presence as your father David lived, pure in heart and action, living the life I've set out for you, attentively obedient to my guidance and judgments, then I'll back your kingly rule over Israel—make it a sure thing on a sure foundation" The Message
-- In Christ, Mike Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. NIV
2 Chronicles 7:14-18The Message (MSG)
12-18 God appeared to Solomon that very night and said, "I accept your prayer; yes, I have chosen this place as a temple for sacrifice, a house of worship. If I ever shut off the supply of rain from the skies or order the locusts to eat the crops or send a plague on my people, and my people, my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I'll be there ready for you: I'll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health. From now on I'm alert day and night to the prayers offered at this place. Believe me, I've chosen and sanctified this Temple that you have built: My Name is stamped on it forever; my eyes are on it and my heart in it always. As for you, if you live in my presence as your father David lived, pure in heart and action, living the life I've set out for you, attentively obedient to my guidance and judgments, then I'll back your kingly rule over Israel—make it a sure thing on a sure foundation. The same covenant guarantee I gave to David your father I'm giving to you, namely, 'You can count on always having a descendant on Israel's throne.'
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