To the Editor:
The National Day of Prayer is Thursday, May 2. The National Day of Prayer was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman at the urging of Rev. Billy Graham. In 1988, the law was unanimously amended by both the House and Senate and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan designating the first Thursday of May as a day of national prayer. Every president since 1952 has signed a National Day of Prayer proclamation. See www.nationaldayofprayer.org.
The National Day of Prayer Task Force says, prayer brings people together. Prayer builds bridges between opposing persons and even political parties. Prayer reminds us that we are created in God’s image and He desires for us to represent him everywhere we go. Prayer brings unity. This year in 2019 the theme is “love one another.” The theme comes from the words of Jesus in John 13:34, “Love one another. Just as I have loved you.” They want prayer for the church in America to love one another. They want prayer for every family, every workplace, every community and every city in America to choose love. They want prayer for all people in America to love one another. They want prayer for God’s love to surround America.
Christians need to use every opportunity such as the National Day of Prayer to cry out to God with one voice for love in our churches, unity for our nation, for our leaders, for revival to sweep our land. Love and unity, repentance, prayer and revival are needed in America as never before. Prayer is Christians’ GPS, guidance, protection and strength. Perry Stone (www.voe.org) said, “God calls America to repent from its stubborn unbelief and ignorant self-worship.” Evils that cause disunity are pride and selfish self-centered people. Christians are givers, lovers and Jesus-centered. 1 John 3:14 says we know we are Christians if we love the brethren (other Christians). Christians must cry out to Jesus for revival for our nation and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our churches. The presence of the Holy Spirit is the one essential aspect of all revivals. God wants to do again what he did to start the church in Acts and bring a worldwide outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our end time churches that are in one accord. Pray for another outpouring. An outpouring of the Holy Spirit will bring love and unity in the church and healing, boldness to preach the gospel and win souls as never before. A great Christian movie, “Breakthrough,” at movie theaters now, recounts the true story of a teenage boy who is considered dead after he fell through an icy pond. Shock treatments and CPR had failed and after 45 minutes with no pulse he regains a pulse after his mother prayed for him at the hospital. Doctors called it a bona fide miracle. The actress who played his mother said, “hard to deny the power of prayer.” A recent article on www.christianheadlines.com said, “Medical Journal publishes study showing prayer healed teenager of a chronic illness.” Some time ago I also read on www.christianheadlines.com that 1500 medical studies show a direct positive connection between prayer and church attendance and better health and longer lives. The evidence of the power of prayer to God is so overwhelming it caused the conversion of an atheist to have faith in the one and only God, Jesus. Researcher Tom Knox is one example of an atheist who became a Christian after studying medicine and faith. Knox said, “What I discovered astonished me. Over the past 30 years a growing and largely unnoticed body of scientific work shows belief is medically, socially and psychologically beneficial.” There’s a seven-year difference in life expectancy between those who never attend church and those who attend weekly,” Knox said. Dr. Harold G. Koenig said, “Studies have shown prayer can prevent people from getting sick — and when they do get sick, prayer can help them get better faster.” This proves you can’t out give God. Any time you spend in prayer or in church, God will give it back many times over. We need it, our families need it, our community needs it, our nation needs it. Spend more time with the One who loves you most — Jesus!
In these last days before the return of Jesus, the Bible commands Christians to not forsake attending church, to be sober and pray, and above all things have fervent love among yourselves. There’s more persecution of Christians and attacks on churches than ever before. However most in other countries aren’t reported by the American media. In France alone, two Christian churches are vandalized every day. On Easter, 290 Christians were killed in bombings by Muslims in Sri Lanka. We must pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters. The growing and powerful reprobate mind (Romans 1) hates the word of God the Bible, hates the Holy God of Israel, and hates anyone who believes in and loves Jesus. Although we are living in dark days marked by great moral decline and evil ambitions the Bible says God is able to do much more than we could ever ask or imagine. Serious challenges call for serious prayer. John Newton said it best in 1779. Thou art coming to the mightiest King large request with thee bring, for His grace and power are such, none can ever ask too much!

D.D. Nave
Elizabethton