Call to Prayer by Gulf State Leaders

Received this from a friend -- Let's join them in Prayer on June 27th! Historically in America, whenever there has been a crisis, our civic leaders have called our cities, states, and even our nation to prayer, asking for God's help and guidance. They understood that help would come only through calling out for God's intervention. Today, the Gulf Coast States face a crisis with the oil spill that has threatened health, homes, and jobs, in addition to a number of other problems - and there doesn't seem to be a successful solution close at hand. So the elected leaders of the Gulf Coast States - Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida - are calling for a day of prayer in their states this coming Sunday, June 27. We are including links to their prayer proclamations below and we encourage you to print them off and take them to church with you this Sunday, encouraging your congregation, friends and family to join with others in this critical time of prayer. Even if you are not in one of the states along the Gulf, we're urging everyone across the nation to join with these states, asking for God's hand to be on all the decision-makers and lawmakers, that He would give them discernment and guidance, and that a solution would be forthcoming. I John 5:14-15 says, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." Please join with these states in petitioning God for a quick work in the Gulf Coast Region! Texas - Governor Rick Perry's Prayer Proclamation Louisiana - Governor Bobby Jindal's Prayer Proclamation Alabama - Governor Bob Riley's Prayer Proclamation Mississippi - Governor Haley Barbour's Prayer Proclamation Florida's Prayer Proclamation

Important Words on Prayer

Of course the preacher is above all others distinguished as a man of prayer. He prays as an ordinary Christian, else he were a hypocrite. He prays more than ordinary Christians, else he were disqualified for the office he has undertaken. If you ministers are not very prayerful, you are to be pitied. If you become lax in sacred devotion, not only will you need to be pitied, but your people also; and the day cometh in which you shall be ashamed and confounded. All our libraries and studies are mere emptiness compared to our closets. (Charles Spurgeon)

Pray continually. (Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Prayer should be the breath of our breathing, the thought of our thinking, the soul of our feeling, and the life of our living, the sound of our hearing, the growth of our growing. Prayer in its magnitude is length without end, width without bounds, height without top, and depth without bottom. Illimitable in its breadth, exhaustless in height, fathomless in depths and infinite in extension. (Homer Hodge)

If during meditation our thoughts move to persons who are near to us or to those we are concerned about, then let them linger there. That is a good time to pray for them. Do not pray in general, then, but in particular for the people who are on your mind. Let the Word of Scripture tell you what you ought to pray for them. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

What the church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use – men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men – men of prayer. (E. M. Bounds)

The potency of prayer has subdued the strength of fire; it has bridled the rage of lions, hushed anarchy to rest, extinguished wars, appeased the elements, expelled demons, burst the chains of death, expanded the gates of heaven, assuaged diseases, repelled frauds, rescued cities from destruction, stayed the sun in its course, and arrested the progress of the thunderbolt. Prayer is an all-efficient panoply, a treasure undiminished, a mine which is never exhausted, a sky un-obscured by clouds, a heaven unruffled by storm. It is the root, the fountain, the mother of a thousand blessings. (John Chrysotrum)

If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. I have so much business I cannot get on with spending three hours daily in prayer. (Martin Luther)

I must secure more time for private devotions. I have been living far too public for me. The shortening of private devotions starves the soul; it grows lean and faint. I have been keeping too late hours. (William Wilberforce)

Amesbury, Mass

This past week I had the privilege of participating in the Provincial Council and College of Bishops meeting of the Anglican Church in North America. Big on the agenda for me was two events -- my being elected the first bishop of Anglican Diocese of the South and the privilege of being able to teach the College of Bishops Bible Study.

In Procession with Bishop Keith Ackerman

Foley, Allison, Roger Aimes, Gretzy Aimes, David Anderson

I have been overwhelmed at the encouragement and affirmation from so many folks about the Lord opening the door for me to be a bishop. I am walking in faith that this is what he wants me to do, and I am excited about the vision he is beginning to give me regarding this sacred ministry. More reflections to come.....

Bishop Bill Murdock installed as the Bishop of the Diocese in New England in All Saints' Cathedral

June Newspaper Column

June's newspaper column is now posted. See http://awordfromthelord.org/page.asp?pg=June%202010