National Prayer Breakfasts

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="005d2a23.png"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div>      |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE NATIONAL PRAYER EMBASSY VICTORY WOR">home</A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE NATIONAL PRAYER EMBASSY VICTORY WOR">THE NATIONAL PRAYER EMBASSY & VICTORY WORLD OUTREACH CHURCH IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA </A>   |   <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Us In Brief">About Us In Brief</A>   |   <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Service Times ">Service Times </A>   |   <A HREF="id7.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Directions">Directions</A>   |   <A HREF="id11.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What We Believe">What We Believe</A>   |   <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Pastor">Pastor</A>   |   <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Congregation Photo">Congregation Photo</A>   |   <A HREF="id9.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="D.C. Prayer Tour ">D.C. Prayer Tour </A>   |   <A HREF="id8.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hollywood Prayer Tour">Hollywood Prayer Tour</A>   |   <A HREF="id12.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="History Purpose ">History & Purpose </A>   |   <A HREF="id13.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Prayer Tours in Every City">Prayer Tours in Every City</A>   |   <A HREF="id14.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Local Chapters of the National Prayer Em">Local Chapters of the National Prayer Embassy</A>   |   <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Response to 9/11 War on Terrorism">Response to 9/11 & War on Terrorism</A>   |   <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Prayer Resources">Our Prayer Resources</A>   |   <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="From Politics to Praise: The Ruth Mizel">From Politics to Praise:  The Ruth Mizell Story</A>   |   <A HREF="capitol_hill_prayer_embassy.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Capitol Hill Prayer Embassy">Capitol Hill Prayer Embassy</A>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Other Prayer Resources">Other Prayer Resources</A>   |   <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Current Prayer Alerts">Current Prayer Alerts</A>   |   <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Prayer for Gods Evangelistic Endtime Har">Prayer for God's Evangelistic Endtime Harvest</A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="National Day of Prayer">National Day of Prayer</A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Global Day of Prayer">Global Day of Prayer</A>   |   <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="10/40 Window October prayer focus">10/40 Window October prayer focus</A>   |   <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Annual Day of Prayer for the Persecuted ">Annual Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church</A>   |   <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ramadan Muslim annual prayer focus">Ramadan Muslim annual prayer focus</A>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="See You At The Pole School Prayer Rally">"See You At The Pole" School Prayer Rally</A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Presidential Inauguration Prayers ">Presidential Inauguration Prayers </A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Annual Day of Prayer for the Peace of Je">Annual Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem</A>   |   <B>National Prayer Breakfasts</B>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Memorial Day Chaplains Prayer">Memorial Day Chaplain's Prayer</A>   |   <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FDRs DDay Prayer">FDR's D-Day Prayer</A>   |   <A HREF="id10.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us ">Contact Us </A>   |   <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Help Us">Help Us</A></div> <div> National Prayer Breakfasts</div> <div> <B>On the first Thursday of every February, a National </B></div> <div> <B>Prayer Breakfast is held in Washington, D.C., hosted </B></div> <div> <B>by weekly Bible study/prayer groups held in the U.S. </B></div> <div> <B>Senate and House, and attended by the U.S. President, </B></div> <div> <B>and about 3000 of our other national leaders and </B></div> <div> <B>leaders from around the world. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>On February 5, 2004 U.S. General John Abizaid </B></div> <div> <B>opened in prayer as follows: </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Almighty and merciful God, our nation pauses </B></div> <div> <B>today to seek your strength, to ask for your </B></div> <div> <B>protection, and to reflect upon the many blessings </B></div> <div> <B>you have given this great land. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"We ask you to help us find the road to peace, to </B></div> <div> <B>guide us on this path even as we face those who </B></div> <div> <B>would bring war to our shores. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"We know from your prophet Isaiah that he saw a </B></div> <div> <B>vision of a future day when the nations of the </B></div> <div> <B>world would beat their swords into plowshares </B></div> <div> <B>and their spears into pruning hooks. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"But until the coming of that great day it is right for </B></div> <div> <B>us to pray that you would preserve our nation and </B></div> <div> <B>give us courage to defend it wisely. We pray that </B></div> <div> <B>you give us patience in the face of adversity. We </B></div> <div> <B>ask that you grant us compassion for those who </B></div> <div> <B>seek our help to find justice and freedom. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"As we begin this National Prayer Breakfast we ask </B></div> <div> <B>your blessing be upon our President and his </B></div> <div> <B>cabinet, our Senators and Representatives in </B></div> <div> <B>Congress, the Governors of our States, the Mayors </B></div> <div> <B>of our Cities, indeed all of our leaders. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"We commend to your gracious care and keeping </B></div> <div> <B>our sons and daughters who so proudly serve our </B></div> <div> <B>armed forces. We ask that you defend and protect </B></div> <div> <B>them each day, that you strengthen them in their </B></div> <div> <B>trials, and that you give them courage to face the </B></div> <div> <B>perils which confront them. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"We pray for the families of our fallen heroes, and</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>we are reminded of your scripture, that greater </B></div> <div> <B>love has no one than this, than to lay down one's </B></div> <div> <B>life for his friends. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"For those who must fight this fight, we ask you to </B></div> <div> <B>give them both strength and humility to stand </B></div> <div> <B>honorably for the freedom you have granted all </B></div> <div> <B>men and women. Ultimately let the great Arabic </B></div> <div> <B>words, "Peace be upon you" have meaning for all </B></div> <div> <B>your people. Hear our prayer O God, for we pray in </B></div> <div> <B>your Holy Name, Amen." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>President Bush spoke on the importance of prayer </B></div> <div> <B>and the acts of charity being done by our troops in </B></div> <div> <B>Iraq toward the local residents there. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Congressman John Lewis and former </B></div> <div> <B>Congressman J.C. Watts both spoke on the </B></div> <div> <B>importance of forgiveness, love and non-violent </B></div> <div> <B>conflict resolution, as modeled in the American </B></div> <div> <B>civil rights movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King </B></div> <div> <B>in the 1950's and 60's. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>It was noted that the Israeli ambassador was in </B></div> <div> <B>attendance along with the ambassadors of several </B></div> <div> <B>Moslem nations. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The prayer meeting closed with Coach Joe Gibbs </B></div> <div> <B>of the Washington Redskins professional football </B></div> <div> <B>team giving his testimony of receiving Jesus Christ </B></div> <div> <B>as his personal Lord and Savior. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Text and video of President Bush's message is </B></div> <div> <B>available at </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>www.whitehouse.gov</U></B></FONT><B> (search for </B></div> <div> <B>National Prayer Breakfast, February 5, 2004). </B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST, FEBRUARY 3, 2005:</U></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The speakers and prayer leaders on February 3, 2005 included President Bush, a wounded U.S. combat </B></div> <div> <B>veteran from the Middle East (who read Psalm 91), </B></div> <div> <B>and former U.S. congressman (now U.S. ambassador </B></div> <div> <B>to the U.N.'s Agency for Food and Development) Tony </B></div> <div> <B>Hall who gave the following points: </B></div> <div> <B>--care for the poor </B></div> <div> <B>--pray for our leaders </B></div> <div> <B>--gather in small groups to pray and study God's Word </B></div> <div> <B>--love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength </B></div> <div> <B>and your neighbor as yourself. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>For the text and video of President Bush's remarks: </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>www.whitehouse.gov</B></FONT><B> search for National Prayer </B></div> <div> <B>Breakfast 2/3/05. </B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST, FEBRUARY 2, 2006:</U></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Before President Bush spoke it was reported from the </B></div> <div> <B>podium that this annual event was started in 1953 in response to then-President Eisenhower's comment </B></div> <div> <B>that he was living in the loneliest house in America. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>This year's speakers included President Bush and </B></div> <div> <B>Bono, the lead singer from the rock music group U2.  </B></div> <div> <B>Bono emphasized caring for the poor, especially </B></div> <div> <B>AIDS victims in Africa. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>For the text and video of President Bush's remarks: </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>www.whitehouse.gov</B></FONT><B> search for National Prayer </B></div> <div> <B>Breakfast 2/2/2006 (See text below).</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>For a video of the entire event (only available for a  </B></div> <div> <B>few days after Feb. 2, 2006): </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>www.c-span.org</B></FONT><B> look </B></div> <div> <B>under "Recent Programs" for: "Bono & Pres. Bush </B></div> <div> <B>at the Annual National Prayer Breakfast." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Keep praying first of all for nations, leaders and </B></div> <div> <B>world events! (1st Tim. 2:1-4) </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jeff Wright, director NPE</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>For Immediate Release from the White House</B></div> <div> <B>Office of the Press Secretary</B></div> <div> <B>February 2, 2006 </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>President Attends 54th Annual National Prayer </B></div> <div> <B>Breakfast </B></div> <div> <B>Hilton Washington Hotel</B></div> <div> <B>Washington, D.C. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>9:09 A.M. EST </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Please be seated. (Applause.) Thanks for the warm welcome. Laura </B></div> <div> <B>and I are delighted to be here. This lovely </B></div> <div> <B>personality said this morning, keep your remarks </B></div> <div> <B>short. (Laughter.) </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>I appreciate this prayer breakfast a lot, and I </B></div> <div> <B>appreciate the spirit in which it was formed. Ike said </B></div> <div> <B>he was living in the loneliest house in America -- </B></div> <div> <B>what he forgot to say is, the rent is pretty good. </B></div> <div> <B>(Laughter.) </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>It's great to be here with distinguished guests from </B></div> <div> <B>all around the world. Your Majesty and Prime </B></div> <div> <B>Ministers and former Prime Ministers, friends with </B></div> <div> <B>whom I have the honor to work, you're welcome here. </B></div> <div> <B>I appreciate the fact that people from different walks </B></div> <div> <B>of life, different faiths have joined us. Yet I believe we </B></div> <div> <B>share one thing in common: We're united in our </B></div> <div> <B>dedication to peace and tolerance and humility </B></div> <div> <B>before the Almighty. (Applause.) </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>I want to thank Senators Pryor and Coleman for </B></div> <div> <B>putting on this breakfast. I appreciate Senator Frist, Representative Blunt, Representative Pelosi, other </B></div> <div> <B>members of the United States Congress who've </B></div> <div> <B>joined us on the dais and who are here for this </B></div> <div> <B>breakfast. I thank the members of my Cabinet who </B></div> <div> <B>are here. Get back to work. (Laughter.) </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>I find it interesting that the music is from Arkansas. (Laughter.) I'm glad it is, because they know how to </B></div> <div> <B>sing down there. (Laughter.) </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>You know, I was trying to figure out what to say about </B></div> <div> <B>Bono -- (laughter) -- </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>BONO: Careful. (Laughter.) </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>THE PRESIDENT: And a story jumped to mind about </B></div> <div> <B>these really good Texas preachers. And he got </B></div> <div> <B>going in a sermon and a fellow jumped up in the back </B></div> <div> <B>and said, "Use me, Lord, use me." And the preacher </B></div> <div> <B>ignored him, and finished his sermon. Next Sunday </B></div> <div> <B>he gets up, and cranking on another sermon. And the </B></div> <div> <B>guy jumps up and says, "Use me, Lord, use me." And </B></div> <div> <B>after the service, he walked up to him and said, "If </B></div> <div> <B>you're serious, I'd like for you to paint the pews." </B></div> <div> <B>Next Sunday, he's preaching, the guy stands up and </B></div> <div> <B>says, "Use me, Lord, use me, but only in an advisory capacity." (Laughter.) </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>So I've gotten to know Bono. (Laughter.) He's a doer. </B></div> <div> <B>The thing about this good citizen of the world is he's </B></div> <div> <B>used his position to get things done. You're an </B></div> <div> <B>amazing guy, Bono. God bless you. (Applause.) </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>It is fitting we have a National Prayer Breakfast, </B></div> <div> <B>because our nation is a nation of prayer. In America, </B></div> <div> <B>we do not prescribe any prayer. We welcome all </B></div> <div> <B>prayer. We're a nation founded by men and women </B></div> <div> <B>who came to these shores seeking to worship the </B></div> <div> <B>Almighty freely. From these prayerful beginnings, </B></div> <div> <B>God has greatly blessed the American people, and </B></div> <div> <B>through our prayers, we give thanks to the true </B></div> <div> <B>source of our blessings. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Americans remain a prayerful people today. I know </B></div> <div> <B>this firsthand. I can't tell you the number of times </B></div> <div> <B>out there traveling our country, people walk up, </B></div> <div> <B>total strangers, and say, Mr. President, I'm praying </B></div> <div> <B>for you and your family. It is one of the great </B></div> <div> <B>blessings of the presidency, and one of the most </B></div> <div> <B>wonderful gifts a person can give any of us who </B></div> <div> <B>have the responsibility to govern justly. So I thank </B></div> <div> <B>my fellow citizens for their gracious prayers and </B></div> <div> <B>wonderful gifts. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Every day, millions of Americans pray for the safety </B></div> <div> <B>of our troops, for the protection of innocent life, and </B></div> <div> <B>for the peace we all hope for. Americans continue to </B></div> <div> <B>pray for the recovery of the wounded, and to pray </B></div> <div> <B>for the Almighty's comfort on those who have lost </B></div> <div> <B>a loved one. We give thanks daily for the brave and </B></div> <div> <B>decent men and women who wear our nation's </B></div> <div> <B>uniform, and we thank their families, as well. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In this country, we recognize prayer is a gift from </B></div> <div> <B>God to every human being. It is a gift that allows us </B></div> <div> <B>to come before our Maker with heartfelt requests </B></div> <div> <B>and our deepest hopes. Prayer reminds us of our </B></div> <div> <B>place in God's creation. It reminds us that when we </B></div> <div> <B>bow our heads or fall to our knees, we are all equal </B></div> <div> <B>and precious in the eyes of the Almighty. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In prayer, we're reminded we're never alone in our </B></div> <div> <B>personal trials or individual suffering. In prayer, we </B></div> <div> <B>offer our thanksgiving and praise, recognizing our </B></div> <div> <B>lives, our talents and all that we own ultimately flow </B></div> <div> <B>from the Creator. And in these moments of our </B></div> <div> <B>deepest gratitude, the Almighty reminds us that for </B></div> <div> <B>those to whom much has been given, much is </B></div> <div> <B>required. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In prayer, we open ourselves to God's priority, </B></div> <div> <B>especially His charge to feed the hungry, to reach </B></div> <div> <B>out to the poor, to bring aid to the widow or the </B></div> <div> <B>orphan. By surrendering our will to God's will, we </B></div> <div> <B>learn to serve His eternal purposes. Through </B></div> <div> <B>prayer, our faith is strengthened, our hearts are </B></div> <div> <B>humbled and our lives are transformed. Prayer </B></div> <div> <B>encourages us to go out into the world and serve. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In our country, we recognize our fellow citizens </B></div> <div> <B>are free to profess any faith they choose, or no </B></div> <div> <B>faith at all. You are equally American if you're a </B></div> <div> <B>Hebrew -- a Jew or a Christian or Muslim. You're </B></div> <div> <B>equally American if you choose not to have faith. </B></div> <div> <B>It is important America never forgets the great </B></div> <div> <B>freedom to worship as you so choose. (Applause.) </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What I've found in our country, that whatever our </B></div> <div> <B>faith, millions of Americans answer the universal </B></div> <div> <B>call to love your neighbor just like you'd like to be </B></div> <div> <B>loved yourself. Over the past five years, we've been </B></div> <div> <B>inspired by the ways that millions of Americans </B></div> <div> <B>have answered that call. In the face of terrorist </B></div> <div> <B>attacks and devastating natural disasters here and </B></div> <div> <B>around the world, the American people have shown </B></div> <div> <B>their faith in action again and again. After Katrina, </B></div> <div> <B>volunteers from churches and mosques and </B></div> <div> <B>synagogues and other faith-based and community </B></div> <div> <B>groups opened up their hearts and their homes to </B></div> <div> <B>the displaced. We saw an outpouring of compassion </B></div> <div> <B>after the earthquake in Pakistan and the tsunami that devastated entire communities. We live up to God's </B></div> <div> <B>calling when we provide help for HIV/AIDS victims on </B></div> <div> <B>the continent of Africa and around the world. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B> In millions of acts of kindness, we have seen the </B></div> <div> <B>good heart of America. Bono, the true strength of </B></div> <div> <B>this country is not in our military might or in the size </B></div> <div> <B>of our wallet, it is in the hearts and souls of the </B></div> <div> <B>American people. (Applause.) </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>I was struck by the comment of a fellow who was </B></div> <div> <B>rescued from the Gulf Coast and given shelter. He </B></div> <div> <B>said, "I didn't think there was so much love in the </B></div> <div> <B>world." This morning we come together to </B></div> <div> <B>recognize the source of that great love. We come </B></div> <div> <B>together before the Almighty in prayer, to reflect </B></div> <div> <B>on God's will, to seek His aid, and to respond to </B></div> <div> <B>His grace. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>I want to thank you for the fine tradition you </B></div> <div> <B>continue here today. I pray that our nation will </B></div> <div> <B>always have the humility to commend our cares to Providence and trust in the goodness of His plans. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>May God bless you all. (Applause.) </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>END 9:17 A.M. EST </B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>  </B></div> <div> <B> </B></div> <div> <B> </B></div> <div> <B> </B></div> <div> <B> </B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>