Quote from Forum Archives on April 28, 2003, 11:05 am

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Today I'd like to share with you a message that introduces and
explains about the National Day of Prayer. Each year, on the
first Thursday of May, an organization entitled The National Day
of Prayer helps orchestrate a nationwide event in which people
from all over the country take some time out of their schedules
to pray together corporately and nationally.

Shirley Dobson, wife of well known author, speaker, and founder
of Focus on the Family, has organized the event since 1991.
Ronald Reagan, during his presidency, helped bring the event back
into an annual event, but its history goes quite a way back in
time. Shirley explains quite a bit about the event in her
message below, and you can get additional information by
checking out nationaldayofprayer.org (though at the time of this
writing, the site appears to have problems. You might want to
check into it between now and Thursday. Finally, for those of
you living in New Hampshire, as I do, the state house lawn
between Main and State Streets in Concord will be the site of a
noon time National Day of Prayer event).

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian
____________________________________________________________

Prayerfully Yours
Mrs. Shirley Dobson
Chairman, National Day of Prayer Task Force

The National Day of Prayer 2003 is right around the corner! For
many of you, Thursday, May 1, will mark the culmination of many
long weeks and months of hard work. You have spent countless
hours contacting local officials, coordinating with churches,
planning prayer gatherings, making phone calls, and generally
"spreading the word" about NDP. In a few weeks, your tireless
efforts will pay off as men, women, and children from coast to
coast join together to lift our nation and its leaders before
the Lord in prayer.

This time of year is incredibly hectic for those of us in the
NDP Task Force office, as well. In fact, as the countdown to May
1 continues, our staff is running at a frantic pace! But in the
rush to meet deadlines and make final preparations, we must be
careful not to lose sight of our ultimate purpose. As we clamor
to attend to the practical and technical preparations associated
with the National Day of Prayer, we can't forget what a
privilege it is in the first place to be involved in the noble
work of calling our nation to prayer and repentance.

Indeed, as our culture increasingly embraces immorality and
moves further away from biblical principles, we must remember
that repentance is an important component of prayer. In fact,
the necessity of turning from sin is reflected in NDP's theme
and verse for 2003: "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a
disgrace to any people" (Proverbs 14:34). Even as we endeavor to
iron out the details of this year's observance, let us also
strive to pursue righteousness in our own lives as an example to
those around us.

When Solomon became king of Israel, he learned very quickly that
there is a relationship between personal righteousness and the
welfare of a nation. After completing construction on the temple
and royal palace, Solomon received a visit from the Lord. God
told Solomon that if the people of Israel continued in their
sin, they could expect Him to "shut up the heavens so that there
is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a
plague among my people" (2 Chronicles 7:13). But God also
offered Israel a chance to escape its self-imposed pain and
suffering, saying: "If my people, who are called by name, will
humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their
wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their
sin and heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Later in the same chapter, the Lord takes His focus off of the
people of Israel and places it exclusively on Solomon as an
individual, saying, "As for you, if you walk before me as David
your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and
laws, I will establish your royal throne..." (vv. 17-18). On the
other hand, the Lord warns Solomon of the dire consequences of
failing to live a righteous life: "But if you turn away and
forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to
serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot Israel
from my land..." (vv. 19-20).

As followers of Christ, we can learn much from God's personal
message to Solomon. This episode serves as a reminder that each
of us has a responsibility to stand for the principles of
righteousness and to intercede in prayer on behalf of our
nation. But in so doing, we must remember that change will not
ultimately come as the result of our own efforts. Our part is
simply to submit to God in humility, and then trust Him for the
outcome.

Even though personal prayer and individual time with God form
the foundation of our communication with Him, we must also
recognize the power of corporately coming before Him with our
requests. That is what the National Day of Prayer is all about!
As our individual petitions are joined together and transformed
into a mighty chorus, we have the power to usher in a revival
that will sweep through our nation. By coming together in
prayer, we have the opportunity to answer Christ's call to be
"salt and light" in a dark world: "You are the light of the
world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden... let your light shine
before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your
father in heaven" (Matthew 5:14, 16b). Clearly, by coming before
the Lord personally and corporately in prayer, we are shining
His light into the darkness.

There is a cyclical relationship between personal righteousness
and corporate, or national, righteousness. As noted above - and
as Solomon learned - the process starts when each of us submits
to God in prayer and pursues holy living on an individual basis.
Then, as our lives are transformed by the power of Christ, we
are able to share His love and make a positive impact on those
around us. The Gospel spreads as a result, and through the
personal righteousness of our friends, neighbors, and leaders,
our nation itself is transformed.

When our culture collectively embraces biblical values, more and
more individuals within society will be empowered to adopt those
principles for themselves and, more importantly, to discover the
Source of those timeless truths. As new individuals begin to
share their joy with others, the process can begin all over
again!

The cycle of personal and corporate righteousness begins and
ends with prayer. That is why all of your hard work in
preparation for NDP is so important. As we gather on May 1 in
humility and repentance, we will be unleashing the power of God
to transform both individuals and our nation as a whole. Whether
you're an NDP coordinator, volunteer, or friend, thank you for
all your hard work this year. Only eternity will know the number
of lives that have been changed as a result of your efforts to
call your fellow Americans to prayer. May God richly bless you
for your service to His kingdom!

Mrs. Shirley Dobson is nationally recognized for her leadership
skills and contributions to women's affairs, Christian
organizations, and the government. She is currently a member of
the Board of Directors for Focus on the Family, and has served
as chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force (NDP) since
1991. Through the efforts of her team of NDP staff and
volunteers, millions of Americans gather at more than 40,000
prayer events annually on the first Thursday of each May. Mrs.
Dobson is also a sought-after speaker on issues impacting
families and the culture, and is co-author of Let's Make a
Memory, Let's Hide the Word and Night Light. Her new book on
prayer, Certain Peace in Uncertain Times, was released in April,
2002.

Learn more about the 2003 National Day of Prayer at
nationaldayofprayer.org

=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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