A JOURNALING THOUGHT
Are you Christian?
Whether you live in the United States or not, let's be real and acknowledge that the United States is in a battle for its life. Literally.
Needless to say, prayer is essential for the nation.
If you are Christian and live in the US, then let's be even more real. It is a biblical mandate for us to pray for our nation. And that's on a good day. On a normal day.
Now, think about how there's abortion... How prayer, the Ten Commandments, and saying the Pledge of Allegiance are mostly kicked out of our schools. How the media is no longer telling both sides of the story, is no longer unbiased, and is telling lies. Then, think about all the other hot-button issues and division in our nation before 2020.
America needed our prayers prior to 2020.
Since we are in an election season, prayer is even more important. Then, add how it's the year 2020 and everything that's happened between COVID and racial division, lawlessness, and so forth... prayer is even more critical in our nation. Can we agree on this?
It's critical we see the need to pray. So then, we will be moved to actually do it on a daily basis at the very least.
GOD-FOCUSED PRAYER AND NOT SELF-DIRECTED PRAYER IS THE KEY (NOT OUR WILL, BUT HIS BE DONE)
Prayer is needed in the United States now and more than ever.
However, we need to be very careful about what we pray (and those and what we vote for).
The worst thing we can do is pray (or vote) for whatever we want and for whatever feels right or good. We are finite people, with narrow and fallible minds, and we have biases. Hence, when we pray, we need to pray what the Bible says. Not what we want or say. We need to pray for HIS will, not ours be done. We need to make sure that we line up our every thought, opinion, belief, and stance on what the Bible says and on our values.
We need to pray for what the Bible tells us, not what we want the Bible to say. We need to pray what the Bible tells and not for our personal preference.
His will, NOT OURS be done.
HOW DO WE PRAY FOR HIS WILL, NOT OURS, BE DONE?
We pray verses directly out of the Bible.
And when we pick verses from the Bible, even if we have them memorized, it's absolutely imperative we read and re-read the context and at the very least ten verses before and after (even if we have to go to a different chapter or Book of the Bible) so we do not proof-text what the Bible says and take verses our of context.
So before we pray a verse, let's make sure we really understand what happened well before and well after that verse and read ideally a chapter before, of the verse, and after the verse.
Now, how can we pray what the Bible says? Read the Bible and pray the verses found there, knowing the full context of each verse we pray.
It's best if we do not just pray without the guidance of the Bible or we can very easily slip into praying for our biases and personal preferences.
JOURNALING PROMPTS OR QUESTIONS
Answer these questions, and do these prompts, in your personal journal:
Have you been praying without ceasing? About everything?
Have you been giving thanks and in all circumstances?
Have you been meditating on the Word day and night (because you've been in the Bible each day?
When people look at you, can they tell there is something different about you?
Do your words and actions line-up so you reflect your faith, Jesus Christ, and the Word of God in all you do?
Are you living the purpose God has given you?
Note: Those questions were geared to make sure you're smack-dab in the middle of God's will and are doing what He has asked in the Bible. Now, once we get ourselves right, then, we can pray for our nation because we will pray for His will, not ours to be done.
Have you prayed for the United States recently? If so, what have you prayed? If not, why not?
Do you see the necessity of prayer right now?
Can you commit at least half an hour a day (preferably two to three times a day, thirty minutes each time) of praying for the United States for the next year? We are in a desperate situation and need to pray more than ever.
Pray now for the United States in your journal.
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