MAY 7 IS THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

Lord, we exist to give You glory. We exist because of Your glory, and in Your glory, as our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. We give you thanks and praise for every breath and moment You have given to us. We repent of our sin; for the shameful things we have done against You and for our silence when we did not speak up to proclaim Your Name, profess Your Word, or protect and practice Your will. We ask Your forgiveness. We pray that the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will spread across our nation and the entire earth as we seek Your Kingdom and righteousness; as we walk in obedience to You, and in humble unity, love one another. Jesus, the Bible says that You are “the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.” You have taught us to pray, commanded us to love, and commissioned us to share Your gospel of grace. Your glory fills our hearts and families, it overflows into our neighborhoods, workplaces, campuses, churches, entertainment, and media. We give thanks for our military and ask that Your glory would spread to, and through them as they preserve freedom around the world. We pray for our government, that all of our leaders and laws would be filled with Your glory, that they would magnify Your Holy Word and honor Your will and ways. We pray that Your grace and glory would spread to bring hope to the hopeless, and love where there is hurt and hate. God, use us as we pray your promise, that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” In Jesus Name, Amen!

Click to listen:

When We Pray

People hurting, people broken
Beaten down and feeling hopeless
Wonder if it's gonna always be this way
Who will speak up for the captive
Show some love and heal a past that
Binds the wounds we think will never go away

But what if we could be a people on our knees
As one before the King, ’cause we believe

All the world starts changing when the church starts praying
Strongholds start to break, oh, when we pray
Prison walls start shaking at the sound of praising
Nothing stays the same, oh, when we pray
Oh, when we pray, oh

I see revival rising, I see hope on the horizon
As a generation stepping out in faith
Because we will be a people on our knees
As one before the King, ’cause we believe

Let Your kingdom come, Lord
Let Your will be done

All the world starts changing when the church starts praying
Strongholds start to break, oh, when we pray
[repeat]
Prison walls start shaking at the sound of praising
Nothing stays the same, oh, when we pray
When we pray, oh, when we pray
When we pray

HISTORY OF NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

1952: On April 17 a bill initiated by Mr. Conrad Hilton of Hilton Hotels and Senator Frank Carlson of Kansas was passed (Public Law 82-324) that the President of the United States was to set aside an appropriate day each year, other than Sunday, as a National Day of Prayer.

1974: The National Prayer Committee begins as a subcommittee on prayer at the International Congress on World Evangelization held in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1974. Out of the Lausanne gathering came the U.S. Lausanne Committee, now Mission America, and America’s National Prayer Committee. Mrs. Vonette Bright was appointed to the Prayer Advisory Group.

1976: The first members are selected for the Prayer Advisory Group: Dr. Dick Eastman, Mr. Frank Insen (World Vision), Millie Dienert, Evelyn Christenson and Vonette Bright. Dr. Harold Lindsell of Christianity Today also met regularly with the group at the Christian Embassy in Washington D.C.

1979: The National Prayer Committee is officially formed. Today there are 18 members on the NPC Executive Board. Federal EIN: 75-1914068, Exempt 501 C3

1981: Businessman Joe Mays (Religious Heritage of America), David Bryant and the NPC group meet to cast the first vision for the National Day of Prayer. Contacts were made with the Public Liaison office of the White House to begin planning efforts.

1983: The first National Day of Prayer observance, organized by the NPC, takes place at Constitution Hall in Washington D.C. with featured speakers Vice President George Bush and Dr. Lloyd Ogilvie.

1986: Vonette Bright and the National Prayer Committee contact Senator Strom Thurmond (R) for guidance on writing a bill that would designate a day for the National Day of Prayer

1987: Senator Thurmond writes the bill then introduces it to the Senate Judicial Committee. It became bill S.1378, which would amend public law 82-324

In total, 13 Senators and 90 Congressmen signed giving their endorsements.
The following individuals sponsored the bill:

Congressman Tony Hall (D-Ohio)
Congressman Carlos Moorhead (R-California)
Senator Howard Heflin (D-Alabama)
Senator Strom Thurmond (R-South Carolina)
Senator Bill Armstrong (R-Colorado)
Congressman Frank Wolf (R-Virginia)
Congressman Bob Garcia (D-New York)

1988: Rabbi Haberman and Rabbi Tanenbaum express their support of the bill.

1988: Monday, May 5 – the Judiciary Committee in the Senate and the Committee on the Post Office and Civil Service in the House each release the bill for vote

1988: Wednesday, May 7– 4:00 p.m. final confirmation is given that the bill passes unanimously in the Senate (a few days later in the House).

1988: Thursday, May 8 – Ronald Reagan signs into law Public Law 100-307 the designation of the first Thursday in May as the annual observance for the National Day of Prayer

Those present at the signing:

President Ronald Reagan
Vonette Bright
Pat Boone (then Co-Chair of the NPC)
Susan Sorensen (National Coordinator)
Tony Hall (D-Ohio)
Frank Wolf (R-Virginia)
Dr. Richard Halverson (Senate Chaplain)
William Ford (House Chaplain)
Senator Howard Heflin (D)
Rabbi Joshua Haberman
Father John O’Connor
Dr. Jerry C. Nims (National Advisor)
Gladys Harrington (Year of the Bible)

1991: Shirley Dobson accepts the role as Chairman of the NDP Task Force.

1998: Bill Clinton signs into law - Pub. L. 105-225, August 12, 1998, 112 Stat. 1258: The President shall issue each year a proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a National Day of Prayer on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals.

2016: Millions will observe the 65th Anniversary of the National Day of Prayer Shirley Dobson's 25th year as Chairman

2016: Shirley Dobson passes the baton, and Anne Graham Lotz accepts the role as Chairman of the NDP Task Force

2017: Dr. Ronnie Floyd is appointed as the President of the NDP Task Force phasing out the position of Chairman 2019: Kathy Branzell is appointed as the president of the NDP Task force, succeeding Dr. Ronnie Floyd.

HOW TO PRAY FOR AMERICA

"When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" ~ Psalms 11:3

I believe our nation is in trouble today, probably more than I've seen in my lifetime. We are contending with issues that are causing the very foundation of our country to crumble. Our moral and spiritual roots are eroding, the economy is misleading, family life is disintegrating, and political forces are at unprecedented odds. There seem to be very few leaders who will take a stand for God and for His Word.

It can be tempting to believe that America has reached a point of no return. While these factors cause despair, we are reminded in Scripture that with God, nothing is impossible. No problem is too great for Him. Seasons of distress and uncertainty and hardship call for faithful, fervent prayer by God's people and remind us of our responsibility to humble ourselves before Almighty God. We cannot expect healing to come to our nation apart from obedience to God through His Holy Word.

God longs for His people to humble themselves and to seek forgiveness and pray for guidance. God's Word says, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Psalm 33:12). The Bible commands that we repent of our sins and turn to Almighty God. And because we are confident that we serve a God of mercy and compassion, we know that He stands ready to respond to our cries out of the abundance of His divine wisdom.

It is a crucial time for us to individually and collectively seek God's divine intervention for the challenges facing us. We need to pray not only for our nation, but we need to pray for our leaders, for all those who govern us, that they will turn to God with humble hearts and follow Him. Our military leaders need our prayers as we have dedicated men and women serving on battlefields and sacrificing their blood to protect our nation and many innocent people around the world. God is faithful to bless those who turn to Him.

Pray that as a nation we would return to God. As we call on God, let us do so by genuine faith, believing that He hears our prayers. God can heal this great land, for which our forefathers fought and died. We need spiritual renewal, we need a revival in America, and we need each and everyone to pray. Lord, Hear Our Cry! ~ Franklin Graham

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