Tag Archives: Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.K. – Only One Life

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01The brevity and vanity of life was a theme throughout the Psalms, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. King David, though impatient and distressed by life or his own actions, always came back to the same thing…his hope was in God.

And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.

Psalm 39:7

Can you say the same thing? Sometimes the burdens of providing for family, raising children or struggling with illness can cause you great worry or despair. But think of it. These Old Testament characters based their faith on the God who had not yet fully revealed Himself through the gospel of the Lord Jesus. David didn’t know the reality of that, yet his only hope was in the Lord and in His Word…the foundation that is real and lasting. How he lived became much more important than how long he lived.

Recognize your hope of life in light of Christ’s life, death and resurrection. Live with eternity’s values in view. However it is possible for you, spread the word to your neighbors and to the leaders of this nation. Life has meaning when your hope is in the Lord. As missionary C.T. Studd wrote: “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Recommended Reading: Psalm 116:1-9

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R. – White House Heartbreak

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

You think modern presidential campaigns are rough? When Andrew Jackson ran for president almost 200 years ago, his opponents lowered the boom on him in ways that would shock even modern, Internet-numbed critics. Jackson was accused of being a murderer, an out-of-control gambler, and a traitor. They said his mother was a prostitute and his father a “mulatto” man. And his wife, Rachel, was labeled a bigamist. Becoming First Lady should have been a wonderful honor, but Rachel so hated Washington D.C. and all the rancor it produced that when Jackson was elected, a friend noted that her “energy subsided, her spirits drooped, and her health declined.” Rachel died of an apparent heart attack before her husband was inaugurated.

The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.

Proverbs 10:28

Why should you place your hope in the eternal? Because when your expectations are on earthly things, they will perish…someone will be along shortly to kick you in the teeth and steal your joy. Far better to build your foundation on Jesus Christ – only then can your work survive.

Today, ask for wisdom to be focused on righteous things, and may others in America see your example and seek Him.

Recommended Reading: I Corinthians 3:10-15

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; P.G. – Life’s Map

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

In attendance at the Guatemala City seminar were schoolteachers learning about building character into their students so they would become moral assets to society. Over several days, each was encouraged to draw a map of his or her life – a timeline onto which significant events would attach. For many, tragic happenings as well as joyful ones found their spot on their life’s map. Then they were asked, “When did you see God at work?”

Make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.

I Peter 3:15

Perhaps you’ve taken a Christian apologetics class, learning to present a rational basis for your faith and defending it against objections. A highly-touted television debate between an apologist and an atheist drew large audiences earlier this year. For most, however, simply sharing from your “map” how God worked in your life carries more with it than learned rationalizations. People can believe change when they see how and why it happened. Can you point to a specific time when Jesus became real in your life, and you received Him as your Savior?

Pray for Christians in government to be bold in sharing God’s difference for them – to the end that others will want to believe.

Recommended Reading: I Peter 2:9-19

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; A.W. – Still the Same

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

A little over 25 years ago, the hit song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” was released by singer Bobby McFerrin. It’s a catchy tune and once you’ve heard it, you can’t get it out of your head. It also touches on an issue most face every day – the struggle between worrying and happiness.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God.

Psalm 146:5

The first word in today’s verse is “blessed,” but it is interchanged with “happy” in many Bible translations. Both are used to explain that someone who believes in the “God of Jacob” is fortunate, favored, and can feel content with no worries. Why? Because this one true God saves His people from sin, showers them with blessings of grace, and supplies all their needs. Those who trust in Him have not only strength for each day, but hope for eternity.

Are you overwhelmed? Remember, the “God of Jacob” from over 2,000 years ago is still the same God in control today. Pray for Him to release you from worry. Also petition Him to make Himself and His power known to the citizens and leaders of the nation.

Recommended Reading: Matthew 6:25-34

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; H.L.M. – Focus Above

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

Legendary college basketball coach John Wooden is thought by many to be the greatest coach of any sport. Coach Wooden still holds many records that may never be broken. His teams won 10 championships, and no other coach can claim more than four. However, though Wooden is revered for his achievements as a coach, his winning record did not define his success.

You were called to the one hope that belongs to your call.

Ephesians 4:4

“I made up my mind in 1935 to live by a set of principles and I never wavered from them,” Wooden once said. “They are based on the Bible and the teachings of Jesus.” He also told his players: “Discipline yourselves so others won’t have to. Never lie, never cheat, never steal. Earn the right to be proud and confident.”

Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” As you interact with others daily, ask God to show you opportunities to focus on the eternal rather than the temporal in each thought and action. Pray also that the nation’s leaders would make their personal and professional decisions based on God’s perspective and principles.

Recommended Reading: Philippians 3:12-21

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.H. – Set the Captives Free

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

At 17, Maurice and his girlfriend shared a townhouse with his sister. He sold drugs to help pay the bills. No surprise that soon Maurice was in the county jail. But when a visiting minister suggested he read the gospel of John, things changed. Maurice gained a new understanding of Christ’s sacrifice and unending love. He was redeemed.

O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.

Psalm 130:7

Today’s verse talks about that same “steadfast love” and “plentiful redemption.” The nation of Israel was also living a life of sin and shame. In Psalm 130, David recounts how no one could stand before God without his forgiveness. But He not only forgives, He exchanges a bad life for an abundant one. Maurice, still in prison, is now enrolled in a prison ministry degree program. God is using him to minister to others right from his cell.

America can experience that same kind of redemption. God’s love is never ending, and He will always take the broken and make it new again. Pray for America to place hope in His unfailing love. Ask Him, too, to redeem the lives of men like Maurice, as well as your nation’s leaders.

Recommended Reading: Isaiah 61:1-11

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Small but Deadly  

Leave a comment

greglaurie

Every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. —James 3:7–8

Some years ago I went to the Rose Parade. One of the most memorable sights of this impressive parade is when I saw a man riding down Colorado Boulevard on the back of a buffalo. I had never seen anything quite like it. I have seen buffaloes in the wild, but I had never seen anyone actually ride one. With nothing more than a bit and a bridle, the rider came galloping down the street on this beast. It was unbelievable. It just shows you what a little bit can do.

A horse controlled by a bit can render a great service. But uncontrolled, it can do much harm. In the same way, a tongue controlled by Jesus Christ can be a great blessing. But uncontrolled, it can do much damage. Just as a horse is controlled by a bit, we are controlled by our words. Think about it: one word or one statement can determine the course of our lives. For example, saying “I will” to the claims of Christ can change our eternal destiny. Our words so dramatically affect the course that our lives will take.

James says “the tongue is a little member” (3:5), which simply means that it is a small part of our body. But it can do so much damage. We may see someone with bulging biceps and muscular legs and feel intimidated. But what we ought to be worried about is that little two ounce slab of mucus membrane in his mouth — the tongue. That can do more damage than anything else.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.P. – Child of God

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

Often it’s easy to recognize parents in their children, both in the way they look and in the way they act. If you believe in Jesus, you are a child of God. You may not sport a beard or robe, but every day you should strive to copy Christ in your behavior.

And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

I John 3:3

Preceding today’s passage is the teaching: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (I John 3:1) People don’t recognize Christians when they don’t recognize Jesus, though God’s children are easy to spot; those who hope in the Lord will live pure lives and not entangle themselves in sin.

Do you ever feel like the odd man out at work or in a social situation because of your values? It’s only to be expected. “Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.” (I John 3:13) Stand strong. Don’t be ashamed of who you are in Christ. Ask God to open the eyes of the people around you – and of this nation – to who Jesus is, and why they should know Him.

Recommended Reading: John 15:18-27

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.K. – One and Only

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01Once a year: that was the only time the high priest could enter the room designated as the Holy of Holies. He had to pass behind a thick, high curtain which separated the room from the outer section of the temple. In that place he pleaded for forgiveness of sins for the people of Israel. Then Jesus came; He died – once for all to pay the price for sin.

We have this…a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain.

Hebrews 6:19

As He hung the final three hours on the cross, “there was darkness over the whole land…and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.” The Savior, still in control even at death, declared that His work was finished, and His human spirit went directly into the Father’s presence (Luke 23:44-46). Jesus, the Hope of mankind, the God-man…now sits on His throne in Heaven as your intercessor. The curtain is open; you can talk to Him directly!

It should give you a security unlike any other. Your redemption has been accomplished by the Holy One. Nothing further is needed except your belief. In this time of great doubt and insecurity, pray that the people of this nation would trust in their one and only hope, the Savior Jesus Christ.

Recommended Reading: Hebrews 9:11-15, 22-28

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R. – Paper Towns

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

Had you walked the streets of any of America’s eastern cities during the second half of the nineteenth century, you would have soon been approached by a farmer or entrepreneur offering to sell you land in the west. A brochure would be presented containing a map illustrating an impressive new town complete with schools, stores, factories, churches and many fine homes. Literally thousands of Americans found this offer irresistible. Unfortunately, after leaving everything behind and making the journey west, buyers usually found the land they had purchased was real enough, but the “town” existed only on paper. They were in the middle of nowhere.

Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Psalm 33:22

Doubters may say trusting in Christ and a future home in Heaven is a blind hope – like buying land sight unseen. But yours is a much more substantial hope than that. “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths,” writes Peter, “but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” (II Peter 1:16) And God promises to make the truth known to all those who diligently seek him (Proverbs 8:17).

Today, pray that America’s leaders might turn away from myths…and to the truth of God and His Word.

Recommended Reading: John 8:31-38

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; P.G. – Not a Slug

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

Slugs are the bane of many gardens. At night, they’ll ooze their way through your plants, chewing off leaves and fruit. They’re sneaky little gastropods, say extermination experts: baiting them, trapping them, even sending in lizards and chickens might help. Still, slugs won’t go away. They can only be managed.

We desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end.

Hebrews 6:11

The writer of Hebrews cautions that you not become sluggish, but earnestly imitate faith’s heroes. There are ways to avoid becoming a spiritual slug. Make a daily habit of spending time in the Bible – diligently read, study, and journal your thoughts to expand your knowledge of God and the certainty of His promises. Then pray. Your prayers are a sweet aroma to the Lord (Psalm 141:2). Be ready also to give an answer to everyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that you have (I Peter 3:15).

Pray today for the leaders in your church working to manage the spiritual slugs in the midst. Include in your prayers Christian members of the Obama Administration, Congress and the judiciary who know the Lord to develop the same earnestness and share their hope.

Recommended Reading: Hebrews 6:1-12

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; G.C.- Goody Two Shoes

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

Are you a Goody Two-Shoes? Most people cringe at the tag. The phrase got its start from John Newbery’s children’s story published in 1765, and we’re still using the label today. The Modern Urban Dictionary describes a Goody Two-Shoes as a likely staunch conservative bent on lecturing others about avoiding sin; in short, a pest.

The desire of the righteous ends only in good.

Proverbs 11:23

Modern culture has painted a picture of being good as “judgmental and annoying” and being bad as “hip and cool.” A survey of most people will likely reveal they want to be seen as cool, but their real desire is for good things to happen in their lives! The Holy Bible describes God’s handiwork in making the Earth and people as “very good.” Goodness is also counted as one of the marvelous gifts of the Holy Spirit to be desired. Today’s verse says righteous desires can only end up having good results.

Pray for America today – that a generation of young people would come to understand a good and loving God even in the midst of a decadent and carnal culture. Be prayerful, too, as you navigate the tricky ethos of bad as good and good as annoying…and don’t be afraid to proclaim God’s view of good as great.

Recommended Reading: Isaiah 5:16-21

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; H.L.M. – His Promise in Difficulty

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

A gunman recently killed three people and injured others before ending his life at Fort Hood military post in Killeen, Texas. Soon, members of Skyline Baptist Church turned their weekly Bible study into a prayer service. Army Major Kevin Thompson, an officer at Fort Hood who serves as co-interim pastor, said, “We were praying for the victims and their families and that somehow God would find a way to prompt people to call out to Him through this incident, no matter how horrific.”

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Romans 12:12

Elaine Clark was teaching the children at Skyline that evening about I Thessalonians 5:16-18, which says: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” After Clark explained to a young girl the importance of knowing the Lord is always in control, even in danger, the girl responded: “You know God sent Jesus to die for that man,” referring to the shooter.

Whenever you question your circumstances, come to your Heavenly Father as His precious child, knowing that He promises to turn every difficulty into good. Remember also to pray that the nation’s leaders will find their hope and peace in God’s promises.

Recommended Reading: Romans 8:28-39

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.P. – Look Up

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

It’s easy to get down in the dumps these days. Experts estimate that depression effects one out of 10 Americans, and the number grows by 20 percent each year. There are about 40,000 suicides committed annually in the United States. How can you protect yourself from the despair?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Psalm 43:5

It helps, as David did, to focus on the Lord. It changes your perspective as you begin to think hopeful thoughts like, “God is real. He loves me. He takes care of me. He uses the bad things in my life for the good.” Plus, God really does intervene. He does help. He does make things better. It may take longer than you would like, but you can count on the Lord.

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) In these troubled times, remind yourself to put your trust in Jesus. Regardless of how you feel, spend time praising your Heavenly Father for answered prayer and showing Himself strong in your life. Ask the Holy Spirit to use this country’s problems to turn hearts heavenward.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 34:1-14

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team;  J.K. – New Life Offer

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

The promise is eternal life. Repeated often in Scripture, the complete gospel message was in the Divine mind before the ages began. The all-knowing, loving God knew what mankind, straying from Him, would need.

Eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.

Titus 1:2

Eternal life is yours. Your only requirement is faith in the One who sent His Son to pay for all your wrongdoings. Bought with a huge price, you need only to believe. God’s offer of eternal life is nothing less than His offer to share in the life He Himself lives. Commentator William Barclay writes, “It is the offer of God’s power for our frustration, of God’s serenity for our dispeace, of God’s truth for our guessing, of God’s goodness for our moral failure, of God’s joy for our sorrow. The Christian gospel does not in the first place offer men an intellectual creed or a moral code; it offers them life, the very life of God.”

So what are you waiting for? How can you pass up an offer this good? It is a newness in your life that you can experience right now…unsurpassable joy! Pray for God to give it to you and the people of the United States.

Recommended Reading: Romans 6:1-11

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R. – Garbled Goodbye

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

Death is seldom a pleasant topic – and when it must be discussed, there’s an endless list of synonyms available. Words like “corpse” and “coffin” are often avoided in favor of softer terms like “deceased” and “casket.” Christians prefer to focus on the promise that a brother or sister “went to be with the Lord.” One preacher, it is said, fumbled his graveside eulogy when he motioned to the dearly departed and said, “This is only the shell…the nut is gone!”

God, who raised him from the dead…so that your faith and hope are in God.

I Peter 1:21

When your faith and hope are in God, you have nothing to fear from death. Yet it’s often only when you face a brush with eternity – the loss of a loved one, a stark diagnosis, perhaps a near miss on the highway – that you learn just how real your belief really is.

Today, take time to meditate on the great miracle of God’s incredible love for you…a love that can never be shaken, even by death. And as you pray for America and its leaders today, ask for wisdom in sharing His love with those who live in fear of an unknown and foreboding future.

Recommended Reading: John 11:38-44

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; P.G. – Mayday, Mayday, Mayday

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

The recent disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 puzzles officials because no distress call was ever recorded. The international mayday distress signal…always repeated three times in succession…is followed generally by the nature of the emergency. But no call was given. The future of the passengers was erased. And for families and friends waiting restlessly in Beijing, all hope of rescue had been cut off. Professional search teams needed wisdom.

Wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

Proverbs 24:14

When Solomon penned the Proverbs, he issued repeated reminders to seek wisdom for all of its benefits. It is sweet and good, he said, like honey. The wise person will acknowledge when he is facing trouble and send his distress call to the Lord. Solomon’s father, David, made a great statement of faith when he said there is hope in the Lord who made the heavens and Earth and sea (Psalm 146:5-6).

Diplomats hope for peace, economists hope for solutions, and researchers hope for cures to devastating diseases. But the Author of hope and the Sustainer of the future asks you and the nation’s leaders to trust in Him – to issue their own “mayday” calls, for He alone is their help.

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 24:10-22

 

TODAY – May 1, 2014 is The 63rd National Day of Prayer – TODAY

“So that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ” Romans 15:6

Printable Prayer Guide

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R. – Stopping Self Destruction

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

At the movies, criminals are often portrayed as masterminds with virtually unlimited resources and capabilities. In reality, it’s usually not that way, and the crime committed at a convenience store in Rome, Georgia is a good illustration. A hapless thief who broke into the business to steal, of all things, a roll of lottery tickets tried to cover his tracks by burning down the store. Video evidence captured the man spraying lighter fluid around and then setting the store – and then, accidently, himself – on fire.

He said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”

Acts 9:5

When Christ intercepted Saul on the road to Damascus, it was to end his mission of destroying believers. But it was also to stop Saul…soon to become known as the Apostle Paul…from destroying himself. His effort to eradicate Christianity would have failed – as it has for the many tyrants who have tried it – but his own soul would have been lost forever.

As you lift up America and its leaders today, remember that God is not willing for any to perish, and that even the fiercest opponents of the faith are not beyond His reach…and should not be beyond your prayers

Recommended Reading: II Peter 3:8-13

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.P. – Philip’s Transporter

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

“Beam me up, Scotty!” This exact phrase was never actually used on Star Trek; nevertheless, it describes the fictional invention of the transporter. Will this kind of technology ever be possible? Perhaps…but thousands of years ago, God did something similar with Philip.

He said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Acts 8:31

Philip’s missionary journey began unusually with an angel directing him to meet an Ethiopian court official, who then invited Philip up in his chariot to explain a passage in Isaiah. Philip told him all about Jesus. Philip baptized the Ethiopian – and then God instantly transported the missionary to Azota (about 40 miles away) where he preached in the area. The Ethiopian, undoubtedly inspired by both the amazing event and his new spiritual hope, went on his way rejoicing.

Technology has advanced in 2,000 years, yet the transporter remains fiction. God holds the secrets to all unexplained events that have happened throughout history. Of all the mysteries God has revealed, the most important one is how to receive eternal life – and it starts with a simple four-word phrase, spoken to Jesus: “Come into my life.” Pray more of the nation’s leaders and citizens will find salvation in Christ.

Recommended Reading: Mark 16:14-20

The National Day of Prayer is quickly approaching. This Thursday, May 1st, we will set aside a day for Americans to once again ask for God’s involvement in our country, its leaders and our military

 

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R. – Unwarranted Wrath

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

You probably think of George Washington as calm, steady and unflappable, even in his most desperate of times. In truth, the first president had a terrible temper and when under stress, according to one of his contemporaries, his face became “dark and lowering” and he was “most tremendous in his wrath.” Thomas Jefferson even once provided a firsthand account of an enraged Washington throwing his hat on the floor and stomping on it.

Gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Acts 6:15

Stephen, the first martyr of Christianity, was quite a contrast to that. Falsely accused and facing imminent death, his countenance conveyed an unearthly peace – like the “face of an angel.” Filled with the Holy Spirit, he was willing to accept any consequence for his testimony about Jesus.

There may be moments when a little “righteous indignation” is called for, but much more often, you will do damage when you become “most tremendous” in your wrath. Today, ask God to give you the wisdom and discipline to respond appropriately to whatever, or whoever, is making your life difficult today. And may He grant the same to President Obama and America’s leaders.

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 29:9-14

The National Day of Prayer is quickly approaching. ONLY 3 DAYS AWAY. On May 1st, we will set aside a day for Americans to once again ask for God’s involvement in our country, its leaders and our military.