Forty Days of Prayer & Fasting for America

THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION!!!  You who are closest to me in spirit are the ones whom God specifically called me to write to this afternoon!
     Tomorrow, there will be a huge (we pray) gathering of Christians in Philadelphia for the purpose of calling this nation, especially the Church in America, to prayer and fasting for our country....

• Not for a political rally...although there may be political ramifications
• Not for a media event...although there will be media
• Not for a prayer meeting....although there will be much prayer

     This gathering is a response to the immense grief stricken heart of God, Who cries out to His people here in our beautiful land.  It is the response to the overwhelming sense of the judgement of God which awaits us, indeed may have already began, on a land that has turned it's face from Him.
     The Old Testament stories of Gods relationship with Israel tell the same story, over and over again. Unimaginable favor followed by joy, then complacence, then apathy, then participation in the rejection of their Benefactor. We seem to be on the same track....allowing the enemy to get the upper hand in our culture, our families, our local, state, and federal governments, our media  and even in our churches.
God, who is full of grace (read Jonah) is reaching out one more time.  Will it be the last?

     As I sat in my chair this morning, asking the Lord what and how He would have me participate, this is what He put on my mind:

1. Tune in tomorrow to a live-streaming (God TV)of the Philadelphia event....join them in prayer.
2. Fast one hour of evening TV, spending an additional hour each evening to pray.
3. Contact my Christian contacts via this blog and email, encouraging them to participate for the entire forty days, praying for ways in which each can fast and pray.
4. Use a daily prayer guide:  found at   www.40daysofprayer.charismamag.com 
5. Along with confessing, worshiping, and petitioning, intecede against the  spiritual strongholds  with the authority and spiritual weapons (Word) that I have in His Name
6. Pray earnestly for the event tomorrow....safety, Holy Spirit annointing, wisdom, guidance, purity, and participation.

     Perhaps the Lord would have you also do some or all of these things.
     Check out  www.charismamag.com.  The October issue has been totally devoted to this matter and is being distributed to everyone who attends the Philadelphia meeting tomorrow.  It contains all kinds of articles to encourage and instruct you in your prayers over the forty days.

AMEN AND AMEN!

      And PLEASE PASS IT ON!
             .

What did they see?

     Things are cooling down a little this month, at least in the evenings and during the nights.  This means that the buildings have a chance to cool down overnight and we start the day with lower temperatures.  I, too, feel that I am beginning to revive and enjoy Arizona a little more as I venture more into the outdoors. 
     The newly acquired energy will be welcome as we get ready to launch a new group for widows and single women here that will meet twice a month at my home, along with a welcoming "coffee" before the first meeting each month.  I'm very excited and looking forward to introducing the "Bouquets from My Beloved" message to a whole new group of women.  Set-up will be easier at my house and, since most women of the church live withing one to five miles from here, the location will be very convenient and a little more intimate than in a church room.
     Another of my summer activities is winding down as the "Little House on the Prairie" rewinds has run its course in the four evening  hours of each week night.  I have so enjoyed this wonderful series this summer and, the romantic that I am, I loved the romance between Laura and Almanzo.  I guess last night's chapter was in the back of my conciousness when I began my quiet time this morning.
     Listening on my IPOD and singing to a beautiful piece where the scene from Revelation 4  stimlated my imagination, I wondered with the singer what the twenty four elders saw that caused them to fall on their faces and what did the angels see that caused them to sing "Holy, Holy, Holy".  Then I thought of the word, "GLORY", the glory that surrounds God's holiness, His indescribable completeness.
     And if you know me, you know that the Holy Spirit once described God's glory to me this way:  Picture the delight on the face of a father, full of joy and love as he looks down at his child who has just won the race of his life, or a mother about to burst with pride and love when her baby takes her first steps.
     This picture gives us a hint as to the Father's delight, pride, joy, and love which fill His heart and emanate from Him...His Glory...when His creation pleases Him with obedience and returns His love.  This is why we were created!
     Back to Laura and Almanzo. They are now engaged after many ups and downs and Almonzo buys a piece of land for them.  He is so overjoyed that he races into town, grabs her away from the schoolhouse where she is assistant to the teacher, his sister, tears out of town, taking her to the piece of property. He runs up the hill, and spreading his arms open wide, his face grinning from ear to ear, and convinces her that this is where their future home will be built.  When she finally gets it, Laura leaps from the wagon, and with great joy runs up the hill and throws her arms around him. The camera switches to a birds' eye view of their hug as Almanzo swings her around and around, both of them  throwing back their heads in laughter and contagious joy. As the lens zooms farther and farther out, we are drawn into their joyful embrace and dance of delight.
    This picture seems to answer at least part of my question about the elders and angels.  The immensity of God's joy, His delight and His love for His bride, His church, as she enters into their betrothal (our response to His salvation) is so bright so intense so overwhelming that all in heaven can only respond by falling to their faces and expounding on His holiness.  They see the results bourne out from The Lord's holiness, His ability to create and nurture His people, knowing that in His perfect wisdom they will respond.  They see the complete redemption story!
     One day when the veil is dropped from our eyes, we, too,will see with perfect clarity God's joy, His delight, His love for us.  We, too, will fall on our faces and cry, "holy, holy,holy". He is there in heaven with His arms wide open, just waiting  to pick us up and swing us around as our joy brings more joy, more glory to the Father. We, too, will join that dance of pure delight!