In Ezekiel 14, God declares if “a nation sins” it will face judgment. Collective, corporate, national judgment. He is the “governor among the nations.”  “He increases the nations … destroys … enlarges … and straightens them again” (Job 12:23). Edward Payson declared, “ … the perfection of God’s moral government … extend[s] to nations and communities, as well as to individuals.” James Hervey noted, “How then shall He that is Ruler among nations, maintain the dignity of His government over the kingdoms of the earth, but by inflicting national punishments for national provocations?” Spurgeon said, “National sins demand national punishments.”  Let’s draw from that, another conclusion, “National sins demand national repentance.” Multiple times, the nation of Israel called a Solemn Assembly. They repented, fasted, sacrificed, and together, turned away from sin. When they acted, God acted, forgave their sins, and sent revival.

Solemn Assemblies have been critical in America history as well. Presidents have frequently issued national calls to prayer in the face of emergencies. John Adams declared, “The safety and prosperity of nations ultimately and essentially depend on the protection and blessing of Almighty God.” Lincoln said, “The awful calamity of civil war … may be but a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins. … We have forgotten God. … We have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become … too proud to pray to the God that made us!”

For such a time as this, God has called us to prepare our hearts for this Solemn Assembly in Washington DC.  Let’s humble ourselves and ask God to reveal any ‘wicked ways’ in us personally, then let’s repent of what He reveals.  As He cleanses and transforms us, we will be better prepared to pray for Him to cleanse and transform our nation.

]]> http://summons2012.com/the-solemn-assembly/feed/ 0 http://summons2012.com/50-day-prayer-calendar/ http://summons2012.com/50-day-prayer-calendar/#comments Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:29:23 +0000 jamesrstahler http://summons2012.com/?p=431 As we move toward The Summons in Washington D.C., please pray specifically, focusing on the seven points of prayer for each state.  As we pray, day by day, and state by state, let’s pray for the Spirit of God to sweep through our nation like a ‘mighty, rushing wind’!

Month of August

 

Month of September

Please also pray for the U.S. Territories:

• District of Columbia – Population 600,000
• Puerto Rico – Population 3.7 Million
• Northern Mariana Islands –Population 54,000
• U.S. Virgin Islands – 106,000
• American Samoa – 56,000
• Guam – 159,000

The mission of the National Day of Prayer Task Force is to mobilize prayer in America and to encourage personal repentance and righteousness in the culture.

The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people of all faiths to pray for the nation. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. Our Task Force is a privately funded organization whose purpose is to encourage participation on the National Day of Prayer. It exists to communicate with every individual the need for personal repentance and prayer, to create appropriate materials, and to mobilize the Christian community to intercede for America’s leaders and its families. The Task Force represents a Judeo Christian expression of the national observance, based on our understanding that this country was birthed in prayer and in reverence for the God of the Bible.

]]> http://summons2012.com/national-day-of-prayer-task-force/feed/ 0 http://summons2012.com/international-house-of-prayer/ http://summons2012.com/international-house-of-prayer/#comments Tue, 05 Jun 2012 03:59:54 +0000 jamesrstahler http://summons2012.com/?p=223 On May 7, 1999, the International House of Prayer of Kansas City (IHOP–KC) was founded by Mike Bickle and twenty full-time “intercessory missionaries,” who cried out to God in prayer with worship for thirteen hours each day. Four months later, on September 19, 1999, prayer and worship extended to the full 24/7 schedule.

IHOP–KC is an evangelical missions organization that is committed to praying for the release of the fullness of God’s power and purpose, as we actively win the lost, heal the sick, feed the poor, make disciples, and impact every sphere of society—family, education, government, economy, arts, media, religion, etc. Our vision is to work in relationship with the Body of Christ to serve the Great Commission, as we seek to walk out the two great commandments to love God and people.

Since 1983, Family Research Council (FRC) has advanced faith, family and freedom in public policy and public opinion. FRC’s team of seasoned experts promotes these core values through policy research, public education on Capitol Hill and in the media, and grassroots mobilization. We review legislation, meet with policymakers, publish books and pamphlets, build coalitions, testify before Congress, and maintain a powerful presence in print and broadcast media. Through our outreach to pastors, we equip churches to transform the culture.

Strategically located in Washington, D.C., FRC is the leading voice for the family in our nation’s halls of power. FRC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

The National Prayer Committee (NPC) was founded in 1979, and has given birth to many united prayer initiatives, both in the United States and within other nations (especially through its development of the International Prayer Assembly). The NPC actually began as a subcommittee on prayer at the International Congress on World Evangelization held in Lausanne, Switzerland. Out of the Lausanne gathering came the U.S. Lausanne Committee, now Mission America, and America’s National Prayer Committee. Members of both Mission America and the NPC adhere to the Lausanne Covenant.

The current Chairman of the NPC is David Butts, founder and president of Harvest Prayer Ministries. Previous Chairmen have included NPC founder, Mrs. Vonette Bright, Co-Founder of Campus Crusade for Christ International, Dick Eastman, International President for Every Home for Christ, and David Bryant of Proclaim Hope!.

The NPC fosters a number of projects including the Taskforce on Theological Education, Pray! Magazine, the Denominational Prayer Leaders Network, and others.

Members consist of leaders from a wide spectrum of the Church. Primary oversight and direction of the business side of NPC activities is entrusted to the Executive Committee.

First and foremost, Harvest Prayer Ministries is Teaching–weekend seminars, local church prayer conferences, Church Prayer Leaders Network national and regional conferences, Learning to Love to Pray seminars. In all of these places and events, the staff of HPM is teaching about prayer, helping churches, families, and individuals do a better job of talking to and listening to the Father.

Second, HPM is Resources. Our desire is to place effective resource tools in the hands of individuals and churches. PrayerShop Publishing develops and produces books, booklets, prayer guides and teaching DVDs and CDs. Our Prayer Resource Store makes available the best of prayer resources. Currently more than 600 prayer resources are available in our store. We also produce the bestselling 40 Days of Prayer materials, a devotional series teaching about prayer.

Third, HPM is Networking and Partnering. The Church Prayer Leaders Network (CPLN) helps connect local church prayer leaders with each other, with incredible teachers, and with great resources. Our cooperation and partnership with America’s National Prayer Committee, the National Day of Prayer, the Global Day of Prayer, and OneCry forms bonds with Christians worldwide. Our Greater Calling division empowers people to meet together over the telephone by offering free teleconferencing services to churches, ministries and other non-profit organizations.

Harvest Prayer Ministries was founded in 1993 by David and Kim Butts. A longtime pastor, Dave and Kim felt the call into full-time prayer ministry, particularly focused on teaching churches and individuals to pray more effectively for missions. What they soon found was that people and churches needed more basic teaching than just praying for missions, so the teaching ministry of Harvest was launched.

In 1995, Harvest purchased 65 acres in rural Indiana and launched the Harvest Prayer Retreat Center. Each year, hundreds of individuals experience spiritual refreshing and a deeper connection with Jesus Christ as they spend concentrated time with Him in prayer at this facility.

It was prophetic that HPM chose to call itself Harvest Prayer Ministries, rather than Ministry. Starting in 2000, the infusion of multiple ministries under the Harvest mantle began . . . and the expansion of its own ministries.

Today, HPM gives oversight to the Church Prayer Leaders Network, Prayer Connect magazine, PrayerShop Publishing, Great Calling and the Strategic Prayer Initiative.

Intercessors for America (IFA) is a 501(c)(3) ministry organization and got its start in 1973 when God impressed upon the hearts of a group of godly, respected men the necessity of prayer and fasting. The nation was experiencing a plethora of problems. The Watergate scandal, Vietnam War, Arab oil embargo, Roe v. Wade, a growing acceptance of drug use, and other challenges were changing the way Americans lived and thought.

A group of Christians had been placed together at a teaching conference in Florida focused on “prayer for the nations.” Challenged by the fresh and extraordinary teaching of the conference leaders, Derek Prince and Ern Baxter, a half dozen men were chosen to steward the movement of prayer and fasting for the nation. This group would become Intercessors for America. One of the first activities of the organization was at a large dining table where John Talcott and his wife, Roselyn, wrote and assembled a prayer letter mailed to a group of like-minded people who recognized the need for God to intervene in U.S. governmental and cultural issues. From these beginnings, IFA has grown to impact the masses. Our leadership is comprised of staff and board of directors, some of whom have been with the ministry since its inception.