Presidential Election Intercessions

Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. Psalm 127:1

Thinking about the future of America can make your head swim. What lies ahead for this country which now seems light years from the days of "In God We Trust?"

The OT records ways in which God gave His people what they thought they wanted (think King Saul) and how He used foreign nations to rebuke His wayward children (think Babylon). However, we also read about God's great mercy of withholding deserved judgment when people repented (think Ninevah) and how He invited and listened to the prayers of His people (think Moses praying for the righteous in Sodom & Gomorrah).

We know that God is working out something far greater than our tax rate...more important than our dependency on foreign oil...and more lasting than our national security.

He is busy gathering to Himself those who will accept His forgiveness and love.

He is saving souls.

When we go to the polls we can do so in confidence. We may not know what the outcome will be, but we know the One who knows the outcome. Whether or not our future is easy or difficult, comfortable or unsettling, peaceful or frightening, He was and is and will continue to be faithful.

As the nation around us debates which candidate has the superior plan to revive our economy, we remember that ultimately God is our Provider.

As questions are raised about each candidate's approach to the war on terror, we take comfort in knowing that ultimately God is our Defender.

As voters wonder which candidate offers the most hope for our country's future, we are confident that ultimately God is our Hope.


INTERCESSIONS:
That our countrymen will soon come to know the amazing love and kindness of God and turn to Him (AND that Christians will turn from sin, as well!) (Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? Rom 2:4)

That God's people will view their vote as a way to honor and bless Him (And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. Col 3:23, 24)

That on the day that our new President and Vice President take office, they will love, serve, and follow Jesus (You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Deut 6:5)


"We need to stand up for what is right and what is righteous, and God will use us as a means to achieving His purposes...the purposes God knows. And He's determined the end, but we're instruments to that end." - John MacArthur

WELCOME to this blog!

Hi! If this is your first time visiting Salvation for the Nation, welcome! While I am no longer adding new posts, you can still use this site very easily to pray for our nation. And our nation still needs prayer!

Simply start at the beginning (the oldest archived post) and then follow the weekly intercessions. The posts are numbered by weeks, so it is easy to keep track of where you are.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at 1sttimemama1@gmail.com

Blessings!!!

Prayer for Week 25 (Beginning 6.16.08)

The Salvation for the Nation prayer blog actually began from another prayer group called "For the Sake of 10."

In a quick rundown, the story is that I was studying Abraham's intercessory prayer for Sodom, and read how God said for the "sake of 10" righteous people, He would not destroy the city. For the sake of the righteous, He was willing to withhold judgment on the wicked. The words kept ringing in my ears until I decided to ask 9 women to pray with me for our country. I knew that we were not righteous on our own but that, as followers of Christ, His righteousness covered us.

And so an email went out to the 9. Some women were family; some women I barely even knew. We covered various states, ages, and demographics...but we all committed to pray for our country for one month. I sent out a weekly email on Mondays with a verse or topic of focus just like the ones I post here.

The purpose of this post is to encourage you to start a "For the Sake of 10" prayer group. Ask 9 people to pray with you for a month. If you don't know 9, ask 2, or 3, or 4. You can use the intercessions from my past posts, or write your own.

When I read about the depravity of Sodom, I couldn't help but believe that America rivals that city in wickedness. But, while Sodom was destroyed, the wicked city Ninevah in the book of Jonah was not because they repented!

For the sake of 10. For the sake of 10 righteous people, God was willing to withhold judgment on a city deserving destruction. What amazing grace our God has...and I believe He is eager and willing to show us more...if we will care enough to pray.


Note: I believe this may be my last post. I'm not 100% sure, but I have been praying about it. If you think about it, please pray for clarity of God's will for me. Thanks!

Prayer for Week 24 (Beginning 6.9.08)

The following verse shares Jesus' promise of the Holy Spirit:

"And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment..." John 16:8

A commentary by John MacArthur states that, while the word convict has two meanings, the "act of convincing" works best in this passage since the purpose of the Holy Spirit is "not condemnation but conviction of the need for the Savior." In regards to the word "sin", MacArthur points out that the singular indicates a specific sin is being referenced; i.e. that of not believing in Jesus as Messiah and Son of God. What ultimately condemns people is their unwillingness to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.

INTERCESSIONS: (taken from the above verse)
- that this week the hardness of unbelieving hearts will be shattered as the Holy Spirit convicts people of their need for the Savior Jesus Christ.

Side note: Thanks to those who emailed for encouragement in studying the Bible...hope you received my response and are enthusiastically seeking God!

Prayer for Week 23 (Beginning 6.2.08)

“The critical question...is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?” - John Piper

Tim Challies responded to Piper's question by stating that "Too many Christians look to heaven for its benefits to us without understanding that the greatest benefit of all will be the presence of Christ."

When Jesus states in Luke 10:27 that the greatest commandment is to "love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind" it isn't because God needs our love and is somehow incomplete without it. God knows that absolutely nothing is as good for us or as satisfying to us as He is. NOTHING...believe it or not...NOTHING. Not even the "benefits" of heaven compare to the glory of God Himself. So why do we settle for less???

Do you love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength? Or do you think that a deep passionate love relationship with Jesus is possible only for pastors, missionaries, and special people like Mother Teresa? God's love is for YOU...IF you want it.

So if we know God is wonderful and satisfying and that He loves us with an unfailing love, why does it sometimes seem so difficult to love Him? Well, I was thinking about this in context of my friend Rebecca. We met through blogging and began corresponding by email and blog comments. As I was diligent in reading her words, I began to know her more...to care about her more...to love her more. Had I never invested time and let my life intertwine with hers, our friendship would have fizzled. I love her because I know her...and I know her without having seen her face or heard her voice.

To get to know God, we need to spend time with Him...we need to read His Word. It is there that He communicates to us who He is, His love toward us, His will for our lives. As we are diligent in seeking to know God, our love for Him will grow.

INTERCESSIONS:

- that this week you will be diligent in seeking God through His Word (But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deut 4:29)

- that as you read God's Word, your love for Him will grow (We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19)

Side note: I am blessed to attend a church that teaches from the Bible. In our services people's Bibles are out and open for reading along, taking notes, marking for further study. I realize that many people do not attend churches that teach from the Bible or encourage personal study and, as a result, they may not be familiar or comfortable with reading the Bible themselves. If this describes you and you would like suggestions/encouragement in reading God's Word, please feel free to contact me at 1sttimemama1@gmail.com

Prayer for Week 22 (Beginning 5.26.08)

When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me. Hosea 13:6

INTERCESSIONS: (taken from the verse above)

That the people of the United States will

- acknowledge that God alone can satisfy and surrender completely to Him

- humble ourselves before God and acknowledge that He alone is our Provider

- be mindful of His constant presence with us...loving, thanking, and praising His always


HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY! With grateful hearts we celebrate the men and women who have served, do serve, and will serve our nation. May they know the true freedom that is found in Jesus Christ alone.

Prayer for Week 21 (Beginning 5.19.08)

Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city." Acts 18:9,10

Below are excerpts from the biography of a man named Raul:

I remember this whole experience, him [Raul's father] hitting me and beating me when I was growing up...By the time I was 8 or 9 years old, my goal was to kill my dad. That was my life.

At the time I was eighteen...I was given a choice, either go to prison or go into the military. Well, at that time, Vietnam was going on, I said, “I’ll just go to Vietnam. It’s a license to kill..."

I spent the next six months of my life under psychiatric care, group therapy counseling, because I was so violent.

The first thing I did was start pushing Sharon [Raul's wife] around, kicking her and punching her. Pretty soon, I was choking her...When I realized she was going to leave me, I decided that nobody would ever have her or my kids. The best way to do that was to execute her and my kids, and kill myself.

When I got home, she had already gone to church...I got my rifle and loaded it with eighteen rounds....I began to destroy my whole house...I went next to the TV and I was just standing there. I was so angry and so mad inside; I took the butt of the rifle and hit the TV. When I hit it, it came on. And when the TV came on, there was this bald headed guy talking about Jesus...

I was listening and I wanted to shoot him with my gun, but I couldn’t pull the trigger. It seemed as ...he was talking directly to me...All of a sudden, I found myself on my knees, listening to him...I just began to cry out to God, “God if you’re really real, and you are a God that can save people, as you saved my wife, I want you tonight, right know, to come into my life.” And you know what blew me away? I didn’t see lightening or hear a voice, I just, by faith, prayed a prayer. And I felt a complete change in my life. As I got up from my knees, I wiped off my tears and put away my rifle. I got in my car and went looking for my wife, to tell her what had happened to me. I couldn’t find her. As I entered the church that she attended, they were giving the altar call. So I just went up to the altar, and when they got done counseling me, I went home.

Raul not only gave his life to Christ, but he now serves as the senior pastor of a church in Golden Springs, CA.

INTERCESSIONS:

- There are people in your city that need your prayer. They may be people you don't even know and, if you did know them, in all honesty you might not like them. Addicts, abusers, those angry enough to kill. But God loves them. May His love for them fill your heart as you pray...even though they may remain nameless and faceless to you. In humbleness before the God who brings beauty from ashes, please pray for the lost in your city this week. May He bring new life to those for whom we pray just as He did for Pastor Raul. And may He be glorified!