Category Archives: Prayer

Public Prayer and Piety When Facing a Crisis

Do you know who prayed this prayer?

“God, we come to you in these moments that we don’t understand, that are hard, because we believe that you’re God and coming to you and praying to you has impact… “If we didn’t believe that prayer didn’t work we wouldn’t ask this of you God. I believe in prayer…we believe in prayer.” Continue reading

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National Day of Prayer 2022

Today is the 70th annual observance of the National Day of Prayer.

According to NDP website, a joint resolution by Congress which was signed by President Harry Truman in 1952 declared an annual national day of prayer. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed an amended law that set aside the first Thursday of every May. Since then every President has signed a proclamation, encouraging Americans to pray on this day.  Following that precedent, President Biden signed a proclamation for today to be declared a National Day of Prayer.

This year’s theme is “Exalt the Lord Who Has Established Us.”

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Should We Pray for Putin’s Demise?

Recently Nancy Kennedy the religion writer for our Citrus County Chronicle related receiving a letter from a reader asking if it was right to pray for the death of one’s enemy.

The reader said her preacher had prayed for Vladimir Putin’s demise, referring to him as “the evil one.”

Yesterday President Biden called Putin a “war criminal.” In view of the destruction of Ukraine, the attacks on hospitals, schools, and the death of civilian women and children, I can’t disagree with that. Continue reading

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Pray for the People in Ukraine

We see the news clips of Russian tanks going into Ukraine, the traffic jam of people fleeing Kiev, and the map where Russian missiles have hit military bases, and it’s easy to forget about the actual people who live there.

We need to pray for the people of Ukraine.

Reporters asked President Biden how the Russian insurgency will affect our gas prices. TV talking heads opine about the economic consequences on the US. Financial experts discuss the impact of this attack on our stock market. We see people a long way from where we live and it’s easy to forget Christians live in Ukraine. Continue reading

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Prayer. Forgiveness. And Unity.

“The message of the 2021 National Prayer Breakfast,” wrote Bob Smietana of the Religious News Service, “can be summed up in the title of a book by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Nobel Prize-winning South African cleric: No Future Without Forgiveness.

The National Prayer Breakfast, held on the first Thursday in February, began in 1953, during the Eisenhower Administration and has been attended by every President since, was held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue reading

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National Day of Prayer 2020

“Unprecedented times call for unprecedented prayer! This year’s ‘virtual’ National Day of Prayer observance may have more prayer – and more ‘pray-ers’ than ever before!,” wrote Kathy Branzell, President of the National Day of Prayer Task Force.

I suspect we’ve had unprecedented prayer during the past two months of the COVID-19 crisis. In fact on March 14th, President Trump issued a proclamation for a special day of prayer when he declared a national emergency. Continue reading

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Prayer and U.S. Constitution

Alabama sheriff Nick Smith is in trouble. At least with some folks. In their eyes, he’s engaged in an egregious activity that should be censured.

“What has sheriff Smith done” you wonder. “How has he violated his oath of office?”

Recently in the face of two local tragedies, sheriff Smith has asked the community to pray. Continue reading

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Pray for the Brethren In Bulgaria

Yesterday on facebook my friend and preaching colleague, Wilson Adams, posted a prayer request  for the Bulgarian brethren.

Demetra Dimitrova from Sofia, Bulgaria, sent Wilson “an urgent note asking prayers for her country.” Apparently “a controversial new law is before the Bulgarian Parliament that could keep minority faiths from freely worshiping, teaching, and evangelizing.” Continue reading

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God Answers Prayers

“A Georgia teenager wrote a letter to God and then sent it to the clouds attached to helium balloons – and was shocked this week when she received a response,” reported Michael Foust in ChristianHeadlines.com

“The 18-year-old teen girl, Mykehia Curry,” Foust wrote, “was inspired to write a letter to God about her financial situation. She is planning to attend college.”

“God help me go to college. God this is me again, please help me get everything I need to leave Wednesday. I love you, Amen,” the letter read, according to WMAZ-TV. Continue reading

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The National Day of Prayer 2018

Today is The National Day of Prayer.

Following a joint resolution in Congress, President Harry Truman signed it into law in 1952. Every President since has signed a proclamation observing such a day. In 1988, President Reagan with unanimous consent of Congress designateded the  first Thursday of May to be the annual day of National Prayer. Continue reading

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