“… and wondered that there was no intercessor …”

By: Steve Huston

And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor —
Isaiah 59:16a (KJV)

The Importance of Prayer.

Yesterday at noon I was joined by eight others as we prayed for our children, families, for the upcoming elections, for the soul of our nation.

It was our third week as we are pledged to continue at least through the election on November 4. We gather together at noon. We sing a hymn, read a portion of Scripture and launch out into a time of prayer (12:00-12:30).

Are you involved in this nationwide movement of prayer?
http://www.precept.org/site/PageServer?pagename=gen_PrayerForOurNation

Consider these words.

“God wondered.” (Isaiah 59:16). This is a very striking thought.
God wondered that there was no intercessor. ….

Oh, how great must be God’s wonder today! For how few there are among us who know what prevailing prayer really is! Every one of us would confess that we believe in prayer, yet how many of us truly believe in the power of prayer? …

And what of those churches where the old-fashioned weekly prayer meeting is retained? Would not “weakly” be the more appropriate word? C.H. Spurgeon had the joy of being able to say that he conducted a prayer meeting every Monday night “which scarely even numbers less than from a thousand to twelve hundred attendants.

My brothers, have we ceased to believe in prayer? If you still hold your weekly gathering for prayer, is it not a fact that the very great majority of your church members never come near it? Yes, and never even think of coming near it. Why is this? Whose fault is it?

“Only a prayer meeting”! How often we have heard the utterance! How many of those reading these words really enjoy a prayer meeting? Is it a joy or just a duty? Please forgive me for asking so many questions and for pointing out what appears to be a perilous weakness and a lamentable shortcoming in our churches. We are not out to criticize, far less to condemn. Anybody can do that. Our yearning desire is to stir up Christians “to take hold of” God as never before. We wish to encourage, to enhearten, to uplift.

We are never so high as when we are on our knees.

Criticize? Who dares criticize another? When one looks back upon the past and remembers how much prayerlessness there has been in one’s own life, words of criticism of others wither away on the lips.

But we believe the time has come when a clarion call to the individual and to the church is needed, a call to prayer. ….
[Taken from “The Kneeling Christian” an unknow Christian – published by Zondervan]

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Here are a few of the concerns we are praying about:

As we look to the upcoming elections, pray for wisdom as each of us studies the candidates to determine their individual worldview. Then, ask God for the direction to take to get involved in the campaigns of those deserving of our support through contributions, volunteering and voting. Finally, in talking with young people, ask God for guidance on how best to explain to them the importance of their cherished right to vote and the particular importance of this election.

May God bless your prayer involvement and your efforts.

*** National election – 87 days until the November 4th election.

*** The efforts in Arizona, California and Florida to protect the institution of marriage

*** That the Church in America would begin to experience revival

*** Persecuted Christians worldwide

*** Our President, country, leaders in government

*** Citizens of California: As California families fight tooth and nail to preserve marriage in November, the state’s attorney general made no secret of which side of the debate he was on when he launched a surprise attack on the language of Proposition 8, the initiative defining marriage as the union of a man and woman.

*** “Television is…teaching whether you want it to or not.” Unfortunately, the majority of networks aren’t teaching kids the values that most parents would prefer they learn. Primetime vulgarity is skyrocketing, as are lawsuits to keep the FCC from regulating it. While liberals focus on shutting down the government’s watchdog, the Parents Television Council (PTC) is doing its best to warn families about the latest trends in programming. The newest research shows that the networks have very little to be proud of. This week, PTC announced the findings of its latest study, “Happily Never After: How Hollywood Favors Adultery and Promiscuity over Marital Intimacy…” In the first month of the 2007-08 television season, PTC watched over 207 hours of “scripted entertainment” on ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and the CW. It became obvious that “network TV likes sex, but not in marriage.” The glorification of adultery and other misbehavior was almost universal. On every network, PTC found that the references to non-marital sex outnumbered the references to marital sex by nearly 3 to 1. Hollywood’s assault on morality wasn’t reserved for late-night viewers either. “The Family Hour-the time slot with the largest audience of young viewers-contained the highest frequency of references to non-married sex (3.9 to 1). On NBC alone, the remarks about “incest, pedophilia, partner swapping, prostitution, threesomes, transsexuals, bestiality, and necrophilia combined outnumbered references to married sex by a ratio of 27 to 1.” Is it any wonder that we’re fighting to save marriage when most Americans are ingesting a steady diet of Hollywood’s contempt for it? The networks’ fascination with this sexual revolution should bring nothing but sexual revulsion. [Family Research Council, August 6, 2008]

Sample letter to advertisers

Dear:

There have been many programs that have brought concern to American consumers. The one you are currently sponsoring is perhaps the very worst program ever aired on network television.

CBS’ “Swingtown” is a show where the entire premise is bent on legitimizing ‘open marriage’ and group sex. The message propagated over and over is that ‘everyone’ has an open marriage – it isn’t adultery – it will improve one’s marriage.

I can’t imagine a corporate decision maker discovering the perversion that this show presents continuing to advertise on this damaging, disgraceful CBS program.

Sincerely,

Advertiser list includes: Meijer, Victoria’s Secret, Ace Hardware….

Ace Hardware Corporation – Ace Hardware
David F. Hodnik – President
2200 Kensington Court
Oak Brook, IL 60523-2100
Phone: 630-990-6600
Fax: 630-990-9838
website link

Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation – Burlington Coat Factory
Monroe G. Milstein – Chairman, President, and CEO
1830 Route 130
Burlington, NJ 08016
Phone: 609-387-7800
Fax: 609-387-7071
website link

Columbia Pictures
Amy Pascal – Chairman
10202 W Washington Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232
Phone: 310-244-4000
Fax: 310-244-2626

EchoStar Communications Corporation – Dish Network
Charles W. Ergen – Chairman and CEO
9601 S. Meridian
Englewood, CO 80112
Phone: 303-723-1000
Fax: 303-723-1399
website link

Walt Disney Studio Entertainment – Miramax Films
Robert A. (Bob) Iger – President, CEO, and Director
500 S Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521-9722
Phone: 818-560-1000
Fax: 818-560-1930
website link

Direct Holdings Worldwide, L.L.C. – TimeLife
Michael A Brennan – CEO
8280 Willow Oaks Corporate Dr.
Fairfax, VA 22031
Phone: 703-663-4500
Fax: 703-663-4545
website link

Victorias Secret Stores Inc. – Victoria’s Secret
Grace A. Nichols – President and CEO
4 Limited Parkway
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068
Phone: 614-577-7000
Fax: 614-577-7047
website link

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Alan Horn – President
4000 Warner Boulevard
Burbank, CA 91522
Phone: 818-954-6000
Fax: 212-954-7667

Meijer, Inc. – Local Advertiser
Hank Meijer – C0-Chairman and CEO
2929 Walker Avenue NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49544-9428
Phone: 616-453-6711
Fax: 616-791-2572
zimmermj@meijer.com

Watsons Superstore – Local Advertiser
Chad Coyle
3640 29th Street SE
Kentwood, MI 49512-1812
Phone: 616-285-2900
website link

Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc. – Murine Ear Wax Drops – Local Advertiser
Mark Pettie – Chairman and CEO
90 N. Broadway
Irvington, NY 10533
Phone: 914-524-6810
Fax: 914-524-6815
website link

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Could it be that God is calling others into more communion with Him for our nation, families, churches, Biblical convictions.

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American Decency Association
Bill Johnson, President
P.O. Box 202
Fremont, MI 49412
ph: 231-924-4050
https://americandecency.org

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