[Faith-talk] FW: [thefamilyoffaith] National Day of Prayer...An American Tradition by Kenneth Copeland

[Eric Calhoun]

Please remember that today is the National Day of Prayer!


Original Message: 
From: "Donna" <whitedove57 at att.net>
To: <thefamilyoffaith at yahoogroups.com>, <APRAYERCLOSET at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [thefamilyoffaith] National Day of Prayer...An American Tradition
by Kenneth Copeland
Date: 
Thu, 5 May 2011 08:17:09 -0400


National Day of Prayer.An American Tradition 

by Kenneth Copeland 

>From the very beginnings of our nation, those in leadership have known
the value of calling for national days of prayer, particularly in times of
trouble. Today national prayer is vital to our country during this critical
time. 

This year the theme for the National Day of Prayer is, "A Mighty Fortress
Is Our God," taken from Psalm 91:2: "I will say of the Lord, 'He is my
refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'" I encourage you to join
me and millions of prayer warriors all across the country, Thursday, May 5,
2011, to participate in the National Day of Prayer, to pray for our nation
and leaders as never before. Don't take this opportunity lightly. It is a
privilege to have the freedom to pray without fear of persecution, and it
is also our responsibility as Americans and as Christians. 

And as President George W. Bush reminded us in his 2001 National Day of
Prayer Proclamation, it is part of our heritage: 

Turning to prayer in times of joy and celebration, strife and tragedy is
an integral part of our national heritage. When the first settlers landed
on the rocky shores of the New World, they celebrated with prayer, and the
practice has continued through our history. In 1775, the Continental
Congress asked the citizens of the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a
Nation.. The faith of our Founding Fathers established the precedent that
prayers and national days of prayer are an honored part of our American way
of life. 

Historically, President Truman signed a joint resolution by Congress in
1952 establishing an annual, National Day of Prayer. Then in June 1988,
President Reagan signed a bill enacting the permanent National Day of
Prayer to be set as the first Thursday of May. Each year the president
signs a proclamation encouraging all Americans to pray on that day. 

Every year millions of Americans participate in National Day of Prayer
observances across the nation. And each year President Ronald Reagan's 1982
National Day of Prayer Proclamation con-tinues to resonate: 

Prayer has sustained our people in crisis, strengthened us in times of
challenge, and guided us through our daily lives since the first settlers
came to this continent. Our forbearers came not for gold, but...in search
of God and the freedom to worship in their own way.. Today, prayer is still
a powerful force in America, and our faith in God is a mighty source of
strength. Our Pledge of Allegiance states that we are "one nation under
God," and our currency bears the motto, "In God We Trust.." One of my
favorite passages in the Bible is the promise God gives us in 2 Chronicles:
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and
pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear
from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." That
promise is the hope of America and of all our people.



The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want. Ps 23:1