Prayer Targets: Philadelphia Clergy, People of Prayer; ObamaCare Vote, Important Prayer Initiatives
July 11, 2012
Then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14b
Dear Praying Friends,
ON JUNE 12, 1775, the delegates in Philadelphia called for a day of fasting and prayer across the colonies on July 20. By the time the day arrived, the Battle of Bunker Hill had already taken place, Washington had assumed formal command of the Revolutionary armies, and the second Continental Congress had been in session for more than a month... John Adams wrote [to his wife, Abigail], "Millions will be upon their knees at once before their great Creator, imploring his forgiveness and blessing..." The day of prayer and fasting was widely publicized in newspapers and handbills, much to the annoyance of the British...
When July 20 finally arrived, the delegates...walked as a group to...Christ Church, attending prayer services throughout the morning, and then proceeding to the First Presbyterian Church to continue praying for the rest of the afternoon... Adams wrote to his wife, noting in amazement that the day "was observed here with a Decorum and solemnity, never before seen ever on a Sabbath. The Clergy of all Denominations, here [Philadelphia] preach Politicks and War in a manner that I never heard in N. England. They are a Flame of Fire."
[A year later], shortly after the signing of the Declaration of Independence... the delegates elected the Reverend Mr. Duche [of Christ Church] as the first chaplain of Congress. After the unanimous vote, Duche took to the floor and prayed:
Look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these our American States who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor, who have thrown themselves on thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee . . . defeat the malicious designs of our cruel adversaries.
[T]he elders of Christ Church [met] to decide whether it was advisable "for the peace and welfare of the congregation, to shut up the churches or to continue the service without using the prayers for the Royal Family." With little debate the vestry closed ranks and agreed to keep the doors of the church open, making clear that all prayers for the King were to be replaced by prayers for the new Congress. Before his congregation, [Duche] opened the Book of Common Prayer and with his pen struck out all references to King George and his parliament. He inserted instead "the representatives of the American people," and from that day forward the prayer petitions of Christ Church would be used to bolster the revolutionary cause. It was a scene repeated across the colonies (James P. Moore, Jr., One Nation Under God: The History of Prayer in America, 2008)
Reports from Call2Fall 2012 echo historic accounts from the founding era, e.g., "God's presence was there as we...humbled ourselves before Him... I felt Satan opposing me as I prepared and prayed but then the Holy Spirit took over... the response from the congregation was the most ever given... in all of my 19 years of preaching. God moved upon us...I also pray...the same...happened all across America." "Our service ran more than 30 minutes later than we ever have before. Then we were there another 15 minutes while folks spontaneously expressed testimony about how God is working!" Over 1.4 million people participated this year (thanks for helping get the word out!). If you have a report to share, email me, or post your thought on the Call2Fall Facebook page.
ObamaCare Tax Fight Not Over - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), recently ruled by the U.S. Supreme Court as constitutional, because it is a tax, and Congress has authority to levy taxes under the U.S. Constitution. House leaders now want to repent of Congress' mistakes and sins against future generations of the American people, before it is too late.
Many historians point to the Stamp Act of 1765 as catalytic to the War for Independence. Passed by the British Parliament, the Act placed a small tax on nearly every kind of document produced in the colonies, including newspapers. It was omnipresent. Protests broke out; colonial legislatures adopted resolutions opposing the Act, and businessmen joined to boycott British goods. It took only until March, 1766, for Parliament to repeal the law, so loud was the protest, coupled with serious pressure from British businessmen.
Obamacare is much farther reaching than the Stamp Act, impacting every American's personal health care from before the cradle to grave; mandating a huge tax: the expenditure of tens of thousands of dollars annually for many families and huge fines on businesses and individuals who refuse to submit; and employing tens of thousands of new IRS agents to exact obedience and levy fines on the American people.
Obamacare is tyranny, heretofore unimagined in the U.S. Advocates laugh off the House vote to repeal, insisting that the law - affirmed by the Congress, the President and the Supreme Court - is a done deal. But they underestimate the power of prayer and the determination of the American people to remain free. Some are willing, for the false security of government-run health care, to help create an over-reaching, overly powerful federal government that will use unlimited federal debt and oppressive tax and enforcement to finance it; others are not! Even if it appears to be flickering, there is still a flame of liberty burning in America. There are still God-fearing American patriots among the American people, who, like Patrick Henry, would rather die than allow it to go out.
The People are the highest authority under the U.S. Constitution. We have power and authority greater than all three branches of federal Government put together. The states, too, have authority and many are using their authority to reject Obamacare, in the face of the lost Supreme Court battle. And our appeal is to a higher authority, still! In God We Trust! Because we are One Nation Under God, whether by Congressional action, the vote of the people at the ballot box, even civil disobedience, if necessary, this law will ultimately be overturned. Foisted upon Americans by misrepresentation, outright lies, arm twisting and backroom deals; filled with deceit and tyranny against people of faith, hostile toward the unborn, determined to destroy innocence and moral purity of our youth, threatening the safety and fragility of Americans near the end of their lives, this law, if sustained, would spell the end of American liberty. But it will not be sustained!
There has been speculation, even within the prayer movement, that Chief Justice Roberts' ruling was upon some superior wisdom and prophetic insight. And while it is true that God can use a bad ruling for good, this was a bad ruling. We who pray play a pivotal role in our nation's history; it is important that we pray both with the spirit and understanding. The consequences of Roe v. Wade have been the loss of 50+ million unborn American lives - and our government's advancement of abortion worldwide. This decision, if not reversed, will result in the greatest expansion of abortion since Roe, and a dark night of the soul from which our nation may never emerge (see Story, The Great Dissent, Part I; Part II, Part III; hear Ronald Reagan in 1961).
- May God's people draw very near Him! May He use this and other circumstances Americans now face: economic struggles, cosmic catastrophes, terrorist threats, and the loss of liberty, including religious liberty, to stir us! May we draw from Him courage and determination to rise and take action - by prayer, by speaking out, by educating others and by urging Christians and common sense Americans to exercise their vote in November in support of candidates who will defend life, uphold religious liberty, stand for marriage and vote to defeat Obamacare (Josh 8:1-2; Jdg 5:12; Ps 73:26-74:1-23; Is 1:4-18; 12:6; Acts 5:29; Rom 8:26-39; 14:11-12; Eph 4:14-15; 2 Tim 4:2-3).
Finally, last week I listed worthy prayer initiatives planned before November. I ask you especially to pray for "David's Tent," being undertaken by my friend Jason Hershey, Director of the Washington, DC, YWAM Base and Founder of the DC House of Prayer. Jason has received preliminary approval to pitch a tent on the Ellipse, just south of the White House, for a 43-day period just prior to the November Election. While prayer and fasting are taking place across America, day and night praise and worship will rise to the Lord, from "David's Tent," just as it did from King David's tabernacle on Mt. Zion, 3000 years ago (2 Sam 6:17; Is 16:5; Amos 9:11; Acts 15:16). Thank you for praying!