Thursday, November 1, 2018

7 Vital Prayer Points

Some material taken from Crosswalk.com - 7 Vital Prayer Points for the upcoming election
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7
How can Christians make a difference in the world today?  It seems an impossible thing to imagine but we can still make a difference in so many ways.  The most important thing we can do for our country today is to pray. Elections are coming up next week so now is a great time to focus prayers on our country and its leaders, as well as the decisions made at the polls.  This week our church is having a pre-election prayer vigil where people have committed to praying for our county every day.  We have a designated place in the church for this special prayer time.  If you feel led to come and pray and you didn’t sign up, you may come anyway between the hours of 9-5.  
Today Pray That We Would Not Succumb To Worry, Fear, Or Defeat.  Pray that we wouldn’t grow so weary that we just give up and tune out. Our voices are important, now more than ever before. Headline news stories can often incite fear and worry as we think about the future. We don’t have all the answers and we feel powerless to change what we believe needs to be changed. We look around us and see dark days and evil often seems to be winning. But God’s words still remain true in it all. He is the Answer. He’s the Light that breaks through the darkness. He’s the One who sets free and has the power to restore our nation.
It is hard to fight off worry when you all we see and hear in social media and the news are the horrible acts of terrorism, racial violence, and all the other unsettling events taking place.  We have very little control over the things happening in the great big world. Focusing on God and praying are ways we can deal with the worry and fear.  When we take our eyes off of ourselves and put them on God and others, we take the focus off our worry.  We must put our hope in Him and trust His promises. He doesn’t promise we won’t go through hard times, including our nation.  He does promise to never leave us or forsake us, even when the earth crumbles beneath us. If we truly believe His word, then we know He is in control of every circumstance in life.  Worrying will not change anything that is going on in the world. 
Being thankful for what He has done is also a good way to take the focus off all the bad stuff.  When we give thanks, we remember the good things God has given us, and gratitude floods our hearts.  When we set our gaze on Him, He gives us the peace and rest we need.

Scripture to Claim:
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore.  Psalm 125:1-2

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