National Day of Prayer
(for the week of April 2 – 8, 2006)
FROM THE NATIONAL PRAYER EMBASSY,
HERE IS TODAY'S PRAYER ALERT: THE
FIRST THURSDAY EACH MAY IS THE
OFFICIAL NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
IN AMERICA. ON MAY 4H THIS YEAR
MANY SPECIAL PRAYER VIGILS AND
RALLIES ARE BEING PLANNED FOR
CITIES AND TOWNS ACROSS OUR
NATION. PUB.LIC SCHOOL STUDENTS
WILL GATHER AROUND THEIR
FLAGPOLES FOR 7 A.M. PRAYER.
CITIZENS WILL GATHER AT THEIR
CLOSEST CITY HALLS OR OTHER
GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS FOR NOON
HOUR PRAYER. THROUGHOUT THE DAY
AND ESPECIALY IN THE EVENING OF
MAY 4TH MANY COMMUNITIES WILL
HOLD JOINT CHURCH PRAYER
SERVICES. SOME ARE ORGANIZING
PRAYER TOURS USING VEHICLES TO
PASS THE MAIN BUILDINGS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE GOVERNMENT,
MEDIA, ECONOMY AND MILITARY IN
EACH COMMUNITY, USING THEM AS
REMINDERS TO PRAY FOR EACH
SPECIFIC REALM OF CONCERN. LET’S
PRAY ABOUT ALL OF THIS TODAY:
"FATHER GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR
HELPING US TO BRING FORTH ON
THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
THOSE FERVENT AND EFFECTUAL
PRAYERS BASED ON YOUR WORD
AND MULTIPLIED IN UNITY THAT WILL
AVAIL MUCH GOOD FOR OUR NAITON
AND WORLD. WE THANK YOU LORD
FOR GOOD WEATHER LEADING UP TO
AND ON MAY 4TH TO FACILITATE ALL
OF THE OUTDOOR PRAYER MEETINGS
THAT WILL BE HELD. WE THANK YOU
LORD FOR HELPING ALL THOSE
WORKING NOW TO ORGANIZE AND
PROMOTE PRAYER MEETINGS FOR
THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER, IN
JESUS’ NAME, AMEN!" FOR FUTURE
ALERTS, CALL 1-800-828-PRAY OR
WWW.NATLPRAYEMB.ORG
(for the week of April 16 – 22, 2006)
FROM THE NATIONAL PRAYER EMBASSY,
HERE IS TODAY'S PRAYER ALERT: THE
FIRST THURSDAY EACH MAY IS THE
OFFICIAL NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER IN
AMERICA. TRADITIONALLY THE PRAYERS
ON THIS DAY HAVE EMPHASIZED OUR
GOVERNMENT LEADERS AND MILITARY
FORCES, BUT IN RECENT YEARS
PRAYER HAS BEEN INCREASINGLY
DIRECTED TOWARD OUR CHILDREN,
SCHOOLS, FAMILIES AND THE
INFLUENCE OF THE ELECTRONIC
MEDIA, ESPECIALLY TV. THE
AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION,
WHICH FOCUSES ON OPPOSING
EXCESSIVE SEX, VIOLENCE AND
ANTI-CHRISTIAN VALUES IN THE
MEDIA, HAS ORGANIZED FOR THE PAST
15 YEARS A NOONTIME PRAYER RALLY
ON THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
CALLED, "MEET AT CITY HALL."
PEOPLE GATHER AT THEIR LOCAL
CITY HALLS OR OTHER GOVERNMENT
BUILDINGS AND PRAY, EITHER ON
SIDEWALKS ON IN THEIR CARS,
EITHER INDIVIDUALLY OR IN GROUPS,
FROM 12:20 P.M. TO 12:40 P.M., FOR
MORAL REBIRTH IN OUR COUNTRY.
LET’S PRAY: "FATHER GOD, YOUR
WORD DECLARES THAT WHERE SIN
ABOUNDS, GRACE DOES MUCH MORE
ABOUND, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO
AN EVEN GREATER REVIVAL IN OUR
LAND THAT WILL OVERCOME WHAT
THE DEVIL HAS MEANT FOR EVIL AND
TURN IT FOR GOOD, AND CAUSE THE
KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD TO FILL
ALL THE EARTH LIKE THE WATERS
COVER THE SEA. WE THANK YOU
LORD FOR JESUS’ BLOOD, WHICH
COVERS OUR NATION AND OUR
PLANET NOW, AND GIVES US PEACE
AND TRUTH AND MORAL REBIRTH
AND STRENGTHENING IN OUR
GOVERNMENT LEADERS, OUR
MILITARY FORCES, OUR CHILDREN,
OUR SCHOOLS, OUR FAMILIES AND
MEDIA, IN JESUS’ NAME, AMEN!" FOR
FUTURE ALERTS, CALL 1-800-828-PRAY
OR WWW.NATLPRAYEMB.ORG
For 2006, Shirley Dobson of Focus on the Family and the National
Day of Prayer Task Force are featuring Henry Blackaby as their
keynote speaker at their Washington, D.C. observance of the
National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 4th.
This event is usually held in the 3rd floor caucus room of the
Cannon House of Representatives Office Building on the south
side of the U.S. Capitol.
In addition, a four-day outdoor continuous Bible Read-a-Thon and
Prayer Meeting will be held on the West Steps of the U.S. Capitol,
ending with a joint church prayer rally at 5 P.M. - 8 P.M. on Thurs,
May 4.
Many other related prayer rallies will also be held across America on
that date. For more information: ph. 719-268-4801 www.nationaldayofprayer.org
In recent years Mrs. Dobson and the National Day of Prayer Task
Force have urged that prayers like the following be read out loud together by individuals and groups across our nation at federal,
state, county and city halls, post offices, military bases, public and
private schools, churches, workplaces, etc., at 12 noon on the
National Day of Prayer.
Prayer tours in vehicles have also been organized in recent years
by those observing the National Day of Prayer, for individuals and
groups to read prayers like this one, and from our National Prayer Embassy Prayer Handbook, out loud together, while passing sites
such as those listed above.
PRAYER FOR OUR NATION by Henry Blackaby--2006
Oh Heavenly Father,
You have made Yourself known to us as a nation by Your mighty
works throughout our history. From the beginning, You have been
with us through many wars and conflicts; Your right arm has saved
us. We have been amazingly and graciously blessed.
Today, we confess our sin of not responding to Your right to rule in
our lives and our nation. Too often we have despised and rejected
Your will while imposing our own, and we are now facing the consequences of our disobedience. Draw us back to Yourself that
we may return to Your ways once again. Without You we can do
nothing. You have promised that if we honor You, You will once
again honor this great nation.
That is our fervent prayer. For your honor and glory we pray, Amen.
PRAYER FOR OUR NATION by Max Lucado--2005
Dear God,
Not unto us, but to You, O Lord, goes all the glory.
We depend on You. You give birth and breath and
determine our days. You make every nation and set
every boundary. We exist by your power.
We exist for your glory. Showcase Your power
through this land. Display your justice in our courts,
wisdom in our governments, guidance in our schools
and love in our homes.
Have mercy upon our sins. We have disrespected
your word, disregarded your gifts, discarded your
children. We are sorry. Forgive us, dear Father.
Grant strength to all our leaders. May they serve you
first and honor you most. Remind us of the brevity of
this life and the beauty of the next. Prepare our souls
for the day we meet you in eternity.
This we pray in your holy name. Amen.
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 5, 2005 President Commemorates National Day
of Prayer at the White House
The East Room
9:26 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, and welcome to the
White House. Laura and I are honored to join you on
this important occasion.
I want to thank Shirley Dobson, the chairman of the
National Day of Prayer. Thank you for organizing this
event and thank you for your wonderful comments. I'm
glad to see you brought your husband, Jim, with you.
(Laughter.) It's good to have Vonette Bright with us,
welcome. I appreciate my fellow Texan, Max Lucado, for
his wonderful prayer. Thank you very much; welcome.
I'm glad you and Denalyn are with us. Rabbi, thank you
for your reading of the psalm. It's good to have your
family here; welcome. I appreciate Father Charles Pope,
pastor of St. Thomas More Catholic Church, here in D.C.
Kind of sounded more like a Baptist preacher to me.
(Laughter and applause.)
Laura and I are proud Methodists and we're pleased to
be here with Bishop Peter Weaver, who is the president
of the Council of Methodist Bishops, who will deliver the
closing prayer. Thank you.
It's such an honor to be here with the St. Olaf Choir led
by Anton Armstrong. You've got such beautiful music,
thank you for sharing with us. (Applause.) I'm sure
they're having a prayerful moment right now --
(laughter) - praying that I hurry up and finish because
they have been standing for quite a while. (Laughter.)
The National Day of Prayer is an annual event
established in 1952 by an Act of the United States
Congress. Yet, this day is part of a broader tradition that
reaches back to the beginnings of America. From the
landing of the pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, to the launch of
the American Revolution, the men and women who founded
this nation in freedom relied on prayer to protect and
preserve it.
Today, prayer continues to play an important part in the
personal lives of many Americans. Every day, millions of us
turn to the Almighty in reverence and humility. Every day,
our churches and synagogues and mosques and temples
are filled with men and women who pray to our Maker. And
almost every day, I am given a special reminder of this great
generosity of spirit when someone comes up and says, Mr.
President, I'm praying for you.
Prayer has been an important part of American public life,
as well. Many of our forefathers came to these shores
seeking the freedom to worship. The first Continental
Congress began by asking the Almighty for the wisdom
that would enable them to settle things on the best and
surest foundation. And when our Founders provided
that sure foundation in the Declaration of Independence,
they declared it a self-evident truth that our right to
liberty comes from God.
And so we pray as a nation for three main reasons. We
pray to give thanks for our freedom. Freedom is our
birthright because the Creator wrote it into our
common human nature. No government can ever take
a gift from God away. And in our great country, among
the freedoms we celebrate is the freedom to pray as
you wish, or not at all. And when we offer thanks to our
Creator for the gift of freedom, we acknowledge that it
was meant for all men and women, and for all times.
Second, we pray for help in defending the gift of
freedom from those who seek to destroy it. Washington
prayed at Valley Forge. Franklin Roosevelt sent
American troops off to liberate a continent with his
D-Day prayer. Today, we pray for the troops who are
defending our freedom against determined enemies
around the globe. We seek God's blessing for the
families they have left behind, and we commit to
Heaven's care those brave men and women he has
called home.
AUDIENCE: Amen.
THE PRESIDENT: Finally, we pray to acknowledge our
dependence on the Almighty. Prayerful people
understand the limits of human strength. We recognize
that our plans are not always God's plans. Yet, we know
that a God who created us for freedom is not indifferent
to injustice or cruelty or evil. So we ask that our hearts
may be aligned with His, and that we may be given the
strength to do what is right and help those in need. We
who ask for God's help for ourselves, have a particular
obligation to care for the least of our brothers and
sisters within our midst.
During the funeral for Abraham Lincoln, Bishop
Matthew Simpson relayed a story about a minister who
told our 16th President that he hoped the Lord was on
his side. Lincoln wisely replied that he was more
concerned that he was on the side of the Lord,
because the Lord was always on the side of right.
Freedom is a divine gift that carries with it a
tremendous human responsibility. The National Day of
Prayer is a day that we ask that our nation, our leaders
and our people use the freedom we have been given
wisely. And so we pray as Americans have always
prayed: with confidence in God's purpose, with hope
for the future, and with the humility to ask God's help
to do what is right.
Thank you for coming. May God bless. (Applause.)
END 9:32 A.M. EDT
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