Prayer Targets: True Repentance; Pulpit Freedom; Election Prayer; Israel & the Middle East; Jerusalem
September 26, 2012
"When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes." 2 Chr 34:19
Dear Praying Friends,
Os Hillman has published a powerful daily devotional for people in the workplace. This piece, True Repentance in a Nation, will help as we continue fasting and praying for the upcoming Election:
Josiah was a godly king in Israel. However, before he came to power, the nation had fallen into all kinds of evil. One man, Manasseh, had brought the nation to a condition of inexorable evil. God finally had enough.
"Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab. I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down" (2 Kings 21:12-13).
Josiah came into power just before this judgment. He began to clean up the evil by burning all the idolatrous temples... He did this without the benefit of even reading God's Word, but through the Holy Spirit working in his heart. Then one day the ancient Scriptures were discovered in the temple that had lain dormant for years. They had a profound impact on King Josiah.... (2 Chronicles 34:19-21).
Josiah was broken. He tore his robes in repentance. He fell to his knees and repented for the wickedness of his nation. He stood in the gap, and God honored Josiah; however, it wasn't enough. God still had to judge the nation for its previous wickedness under the reign of Manasseh.
"Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what He spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before Me and tore your robes and wept in My presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord... (2 Chronicles 34:27-28).
God spared Josiah during his reign, but after he died judgment came upon the nation.
No nation is immune from God's judgment. Pray for your nation today. Pray that your nation will have a repentant heart among the leaders and the people (TGIF, Volume 1).
As we pray for God to guide each of us during the days leading up to the election, central to our prayers must be a repentant heart and a desire for revival. While we must cry out to God for the best men and women to be elected, we know that only God-sent revival and spiritual awakening in our churches will set our nation aright.
Pulpit Freedom Sunday - On October 7th over 1,000 pastors across America will participate in this Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) initiative. They will preach truth pertaining to issues at stake in the November 6th election, including life, liberty, marriage, and family. Some will speak openly about candidates; some will make endorsements. Each pastor will send a copy of his sermon to the IRS, hoping it will stir IRS action. A 1954 law restricting pastors from endorsing political candidates as a condition for tax exempt status causes many to avoid any mention of political issues. ADF will provide free legal defense to churches that coordinate with them, and will carry potential cases to the U.S Supreme Court (see Speakup Movement.org).
- May Pulpit Freedom Sunday be a huge success for Truth and Liberty. May the ADF acquire one or more cases they can take to the Supreme Court. May they prevail and bring this era of silencing God's servants to an end (2 Sam 12:7 ; 2 Chr 26:16-21; Es 4:14; Is 58:1; Eze 33:1-11; Mt 10:28; Acts 4:18-20; 18:8-10).
Call2Fall Election Prayer - There are so many worthy election prayer projects to list in this Prayer Targets issue, but we have posted a list HERE. We are including initiatives of larger organizations with a national scope. Believers have no excuse for not participating in these organized national prayer efforts. We invite you to join us with prayer leader, Dr. Greg Frizzell, for Forty Days of Seeking God in United Prayers for Revival and Elections, patterned after Dr. Frizzell's new book by that name. This is an hour of great urgency. We desperately need God to intervene in our nation's affairs. Nothing will do but His mercy! Each of us must consecrate ourselves with prayer. See the introduction to our 40 Day initiative and help spread the word! Visit us at Call2Fall.com and "like" the Call2Fall Facebook page and urge your friends to visit these sites as well. . Our non-partisan Revival & Election Prayers will be posted on the site each day through Nov. 6th (see List of Prayer Initiatives, Intro. to Forty Days of Seeking God for Revival & Elections).
- May God use these prayer initiatives and the prayers of perhaps millions of Americans to turn the tide in our nation this November. Our Hope is in God! (2 Chr 7:14; Es 4:14; Is 59:16; Eze 22: 24-31; Joel 2:12-15; Lk 13:1-5).
Israel and the Middle East - Few Bible-believing Americans expect the Obama administration to manage U.S. affairs in the Middle East based on the teachings of Scripture. His policy positions and rhetoric fail to prioritize Israel, and have only gained scorn for the U.S. in the Mideast. His support for the "Arab Spring" has backfired completely. The result has been greater jeopardy for Israel, contempt for the U.S., the tragic murder of a U.S. Ambassador and three other Americans, and violent anti-American protests throughout the region. Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered a milder-than-usual speech to the U.N. General Assembly in New York City today, but aligned himself with the Occupy Wall Street Movement, despite having violently subdued protestors in his own nation. He is expected to meet with Occupy leaders in the next few days. Last year we learned that some of the very Americans who instigated the Days of Rage/Occupy movement, helped train anti-Israeli Palestinian activists for their "Flotilla" project. Reportedly the Muslim Brotherhood used some of those principles to foment protests that became the Arab Spring movement. Scripture warns that our nation's blessing (economic, military and otherwise) is tied to our blessing (active support) of Israel (Gen 12:2-3). Weak U.S. leadership and ambiguous posturing toward Israel and Iran have left the Middle East ripe for further violent Islamist reaction. Iran's determination to produce and use a nuclear bomb could push us toward war (see Egypt & Israel; Day of Rage; Obama-Netanyahu, Eliminate Israel).
- May Christians across America stand up for Israel. May our nation elect leaders in November who will secure our nation's support for Israel (Gen 12:2-3; 13:15; Ex 32:12-13; Ps 137:5-6; Is 62:6-7; Zech 12:2-3, 8-10 13:1).
Finally, the annual Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem is coming right in the nick of time. Millions of believers across the globe will consecrate October 7th, to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, gathering in homes and churches. What a great preparation for the U.S. Election (see DPPJ). Please take time to pray on October 7th, and please sign up right away to join FRC and Dr.Greg Frizzell in 40 Days of Prayer for Revival and Elections! Thanks for Praying, and may God bless you!