National Day of Prayer - 2012
What an amazing day. The weather was beautiful and many were so glad to be able to participate. Pastor Mike Porter of New Vision Ministries kicked it off with a reading of the governor's proclamation and a prayer calling for righteousness in our nation. Then Connie Swain spoke, calling for humility and a total devotion to God. Her entire speech is below.
The entire group sang "Holy, Holy, Holy" as a declaration of devotion to God Almighty. Then students from New Vision Academy of Alvord led us in the Pledge of Allegience, followed by God Bless America and a closing prayer.
The entire group sang "Holy, Holy, Holy" as a declaration of devotion to God Almighty. Then students from New Vision Academy of Alvord led us in the Pledge of Allegience, followed by God Bless America and a closing prayer.
National Day of Prayer
May 3, 2012
Hosted by Wise Regional Prayer Network
Address by Dr. Connie Swain, Coordinator
Most Christians in America today, have often been informed and aware that our nation was founded on Godly principles. However, many, especially the younger generation have little knowledge of just how important our founding principles are. They are unaware how fragile freedom really is, as well as the importance the foundations of righteousness and truth are, with which this land was founded.
Since 1775 and only until the last few years, our nations leaders have requested, and even urged the country to prayer and fasting for direction, protection and provision.
George Washington said
“…. The Honorable the Congress having recommended it to the United States to set apart Thursday the 6th of May next to be observed as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, to acknowledge the gracious interpositions of Providence; to pray or intreat, that deserved punishment for our Sins and Ingratitiude, to unitedly implore the Protection of Heaven; Success to our Arms and the Arms of our Ally: The Commander in Chief enjoins a religious observance of said day and directs the Chaplains to prepare discourses proper for the occasion; strictly forbiding all recreations and unnecessary labor.” “…..we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord,.…so the next generation might know them even the children not yet born- and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.”
Psalm 78: 4, 6–7
We are all familiar with 2 Chronicles 7 and the promise from God “If my people, which are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray” That passage is quoted like it is someone else who should become humble, it is a promise with conditions.
We, as a nation have moved so far away from the foundations of this country and are suffering the consequences for it.
Before the fall of Jerusalem in AD70, the great sin of the Jew was their rejection of Christ; the great sin of the Christian world is their rejection of the laws of God, the foundations of His government in heaven and earth. The same is true today in this country.
Idolatry is rampant…we idolize everything but Almighty God. Prosperity, celebrities, our comfort, our wants, needs, and desires, and humility is far removed. Even our pulpits have become a place of entertainment and comfort and not the place of warning, training, warring, and salvation it used to be.
President Washington reminded the people to pray for grace instead of their ‘deserved punishment for sins and ingratitude,’ and for protection. We are unprotected personally and corporately because we are not uniting in prayer to Almighty God against the evil that so pervades our nation.
In the 70’s American Christians sat back and allowed abortion to become legal in the name of convenience. Now, this generation is allowing the anti-Christ spirit to be elected into the top leadership positions of our nation in the name of tolerance and ignorance.
--Samuel Adams told us
"Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt. He therefore is the truest friend to liberty of his country who tries to promote its virtue, and who.....will not suffer a man chosen into any office of power and trust who is not a wise and virtuous man."
Webster’s 1828 dictionary gives a definition of virtue, and footnotes that this sense is obsolete, but was the common meaning in the days of our founding fathers:
Virtue - “Moral goodness; the practice of moral duties and the abstaining from vice, or a conformity of life and conversation to the moral law. The practice of moral duties (drawn) from sincere love to God and his laws, is virtue.
In ancient Jerusalem, while claiming to observe the precepts of God’s law, the people were transgressing all of it’s principles, much like America today.
Wise County is rare. We have many leaders who are godly people and serve as such. But in neighboring communities, many politicians have been, and are being elected who are far from virtuous. Towers of religion hosting the anti-Christ spirit are being built in neighborhoods throughout the country. It will be only a matter of time until we see them here.
If we believe that these elections will not severely affect and impact us, we are fooling only ourselves. God is calling for us to wake up as His hand of protection is being withdrawn.
Our founding fathers believed they were on a divine mission. They believed they were performing as much as an exodus as Moses. Just read the Declaration of Independence and their words of freedom from a tyrannical ruler.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them it shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.”
These words were written by men who knew that overbearing government, leadership by powermongers and the wealthy would doom our precious freedom. How is that different from today?
John Adam's wrote "I always consider the settlement of America with reverence and wonder, as the opening of a grand scene and design in Providence(or the heavens) for the illumination of the ignorant, and the emancipation of the slavish part of mankind all over the earth."
How do you think John Adams would feel today if he saw the poverty, the slanted politics and the overall condition of our country. While much of it would bring awe, there would also be shame.
This task is too large for just a few. We have to get back to an unadulterated devotion to God Almighty, Jehovah God and seek Him and Him only for our country. We must lay aside what we think is best and pray for divine wisdom to move forward.
April 30th, 1789, George Washington was sworn in on what is now known as Ground Zero. After taking the same oath of office that is given today, President Washington said “No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential (Godly) agency.”
This man knew that God and God alone was who guided our founders in word and deed. Today, we must get back to that place of humility.
Even the leaders of this great state knew who they had to serve. In 1876, when Texas became a state, our own constitution begins with “Humbly invoking the blessing of Almighty God, the people of the state of Texas establish this Constitution.”
As we gather today, the whole point is to humble ourselves, set our doctrinal differences aside and come together as followers of Jesus Christ and pray to God for our nation.
The NDP task force theme this year is from Ps. 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” We have been blessed, very blessed, but our nation is moving from blessing to judgment and without prayer and repentance, humility and righteousness we will continue to pay the price of complacency and rebellion. We will, like Jerusalem in AD 70, suffer the consequences of our actions.
Their Mission states:
The mission of the National Day of Prayer Task Force is to mobilize prayer in America and to encourage personal repentance and righteousness in the culture.
The Vision is:
In accordance with Biblical truth, the National Day of Prayer Task Force seeks to:
2012 NATIONAL PRAYER Dr. David Jeremiah – NDP Honorary Chairman
Heavenly Father, Every good gift and perfect gift comes from You. You are a faithful God and Your mercy endures forever.
You have promised to bless the nation that trusts in You. Our currency proclaims “In God We Trust,” but in our culture we are far from You.
In the words of the prophet Daniel, “We have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.”
We come before You once more, seeking Your forgiveness and mercy. You, O God, are our only hope… Hear our prayer and, for Your honor’s sake, shine Your face upon this nation.
Give our leaders the desire to seek Your wisdom and the courage to follow Your guidance… and watch over the men and women of our armed forces as they sacrifice for the cause of freedom.
We give You thanks for all You have done for us, and we earnestly pray that You will help us become, once again, a nation whose God is the Lord.
In the name of Your Son, and our Savior, we pray this prayer.
Amen
May 3, 2012
Hosted by Wise Regional Prayer Network
Address by Dr. Connie Swain, Coordinator
Most Christians in America today, have often been informed and aware that our nation was founded on Godly principles. However, many, especially the younger generation have little knowledge of just how important our founding principles are. They are unaware how fragile freedom really is, as well as the importance the foundations of righteousness and truth are, with which this land was founded.
Since 1775 and only until the last few years, our nations leaders have requested, and even urged the country to prayer and fasting for direction, protection and provision.
George Washington said
“…. The Honorable the Congress having recommended it to the United States to set apart Thursday the 6th of May next to be observed as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, to acknowledge the gracious interpositions of Providence; to pray or intreat, that deserved punishment for our Sins and Ingratitiude, to unitedly implore the Protection of Heaven; Success to our Arms and the Arms of our Ally: The Commander in Chief enjoins a religious observance of said day and directs the Chaplains to prepare discourses proper for the occasion; strictly forbiding all recreations and unnecessary labor.” “…..we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord,.…so the next generation might know them even the children not yet born- and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.”
Psalm 78: 4, 6–7
We are all familiar with 2 Chronicles 7 and the promise from God “If my people, which are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray” That passage is quoted like it is someone else who should become humble, it is a promise with conditions.
We, as a nation have moved so far away from the foundations of this country and are suffering the consequences for it.
Before the fall of Jerusalem in AD70, the great sin of the Jew was their rejection of Christ; the great sin of the Christian world is their rejection of the laws of God, the foundations of His government in heaven and earth. The same is true today in this country.
Idolatry is rampant…we idolize everything but Almighty God. Prosperity, celebrities, our comfort, our wants, needs, and desires, and humility is far removed. Even our pulpits have become a place of entertainment and comfort and not the place of warning, training, warring, and salvation it used to be.
President Washington reminded the people to pray for grace instead of their ‘deserved punishment for sins and ingratitude,’ and for protection. We are unprotected personally and corporately because we are not uniting in prayer to Almighty God against the evil that so pervades our nation.
In the 70’s American Christians sat back and allowed abortion to become legal in the name of convenience. Now, this generation is allowing the anti-Christ spirit to be elected into the top leadership positions of our nation in the name of tolerance and ignorance.
--Samuel Adams told us
"Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt. He therefore is the truest friend to liberty of his country who tries to promote its virtue, and who.....will not suffer a man chosen into any office of power and trust who is not a wise and virtuous man."
Webster’s 1828 dictionary gives a definition of virtue, and footnotes that this sense is obsolete, but was the common meaning in the days of our founding fathers:
Virtue - “Moral goodness; the practice of moral duties and the abstaining from vice, or a conformity of life and conversation to the moral law. The practice of moral duties (drawn) from sincere love to God and his laws, is virtue.
In ancient Jerusalem, while claiming to observe the precepts of God’s law, the people were transgressing all of it’s principles, much like America today.
Wise County is rare. We have many leaders who are godly people and serve as such. But in neighboring communities, many politicians have been, and are being elected who are far from virtuous. Towers of religion hosting the anti-Christ spirit are being built in neighborhoods throughout the country. It will be only a matter of time until we see them here.
If we believe that these elections will not severely affect and impact us, we are fooling only ourselves. God is calling for us to wake up as His hand of protection is being withdrawn.
Our founding fathers believed they were on a divine mission. They believed they were performing as much as an exodus as Moses. Just read the Declaration of Independence and their words of freedom from a tyrannical ruler.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them it shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.”
These words were written by men who knew that overbearing government, leadership by powermongers and the wealthy would doom our precious freedom. How is that different from today?
John Adam's wrote "I always consider the settlement of America with reverence and wonder, as the opening of a grand scene and design in Providence(or the heavens) for the illumination of the ignorant, and the emancipation of the slavish part of mankind all over the earth."
How do you think John Adams would feel today if he saw the poverty, the slanted politics and the overall condition of our country. While much of it would bring awe, there would also be shame.
This task is too large for just a few. We have to get back to an unadulterated devotion to God Almighty, Jehovah God and seek Him and Him only for our country. We must lay aside what we think is best and pray for divine wisdom to move forward.
April 30th, 1789, George Washington was sworn in on what is now known as Ground Zero. After taking the same oath of office that is given today, President Washington said “No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential (Godly) agency.”
This man knew that God and God alone was who guided our founders in word and deed. Today, we must get back to that place of humility.
Even the leaders of this great state knew who they had to serve. In 1876, when Texas became a state, our own constitution begins with “Humbly invoking the blessing of Almighty God, the people of the state of Texas establish this Constitution.”
As we gather today, the whole point is to humble ourselves, set our doctrinal differences aside and come together as followers of Jesus Christ and pray to God for our nation.
The NDP task force theme this year is from Ps. 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” We have been blessed, very blessed, but our nation is moving from blessing to judgment and without prayer and repentance, humility and righteousness we will continue to pay the price of complacency and rebellion. We will, like Jerusalem in AD 70, suffer the consequences of our actions.
Their Mission states:
The mission of the National Day of Prayer Task Force is to mobilize prayer in America and to encourage personal repentance and righteousness in the culture.
The Vision is:
In accordance with Biblical truth, the National Day of Prayer Task Force seeks to:
- Mobilize and encourage personal and corporate prayer on the first Thursday of May and throughout the year, regardless of current issues and positions (Colossians 4:2, Romans 12:12, Matthew 18:19-20, Joel 2:13-16, II Chronicles 7:14)
- Preserve America’s Christian heritage and defend the religious freedoms granted by the Constitution (Deuteronomy 6:6-8, Proverbs 14:34)-NOTE-if the current trend toward ignorance of this heritage continues, we will soon be overcome by relativistic, all-encompassing tolerance and eventually lose those foundations.
- Emphasize prayer for America and its leadership in the seven centers of power: Government, Military, Media, Business, Education, Church and Family (I Timothy 2:1-6)
- Foster unity within the Christian Church (Psalm 133:1, Ephesians 4:11-13)
2012 NATIONAL PRAYER Dr. David Jeremiah – NDP Honorary Chairman
Heavenly Father, Every good gift and perfect gift comes from You. You are a faithful God and Your mercy endures forever.
You have promised to bless the nation that trusts in You. Our currency proclaims “In God We Trust,” but in our culture we are far from You.
In the words of the prophet Daniel, “We have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.”
We come before You once more, seeking Your forgiveness and mercy. You, O God, are our only hope… Hear our prayer and, for Your honor’s sake, shine Your face upon this nation.
Give our leaders the desire to seek Your wisdom and the courage to follow Your guidance… and watch over the men and women of our armed forces as they sacrifice for the cause of freedom.
We give You thanks for all You have done for us, and we earnestly pray that You will help us become, once again, a nation whose God is the Lord.
In the name of Your Son, and our Savior, we pray this prayer.
Amen