Category Archives: America

April 2, 2015 · 9:43 am

Thursday’s Prayers for America (4/2/2015)

Jesus looked at the Word believers in His day – the Pharisees – and said, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red;’ and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.” (Matthew 16:2-3)

Looking at the riots that happened in Ferguson, the uproar from the religious freedom law passed in Indiana, and the general lack of character displayed by America’s political leaders, shouldn’t we understand something by now? God is not working like He did in past times because, for the most part, He is not using government leaders to deliver us from our problems.

We need to hear a new word from heaven now!

Today, I prayed:

Lord, forgive us American believers for holding onto our traditions and old ways, hoping to breathe life into dead bones that will never be raised from their graves. Help us to hear what the Spirit is saying to the American churches for today. (Based in part on Revelation 2:7)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you?

Join with me on Thursdays to fast and pray for America.

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March 19, 2015 · 8:30 am

Thursday’s Prayers for America (3/19/2015)

Do I like fasting?

Heavens no!

I like eating Oreo cookies, pizzas, French fries, ketchup, lemon meringue pie, spaghetti, sweet and sour pork, burritos, potato chips, donuts, and so on and so forth.

Why do I fast?

I know fasting works. Because of fasting, I have seen people healed of diseases and delivered from demons. I have seen oppressive attitudes removed from organizations. I have seen breakthroughs in my life and in others. Over and over again, I have seen the benefits of fasting.

Not only that, the Bible agrees with me:

“Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke? (Isaiah 58:6)

Why do I fast for America?

I absolutely have no hope in America’s political leaders, in our government, in the direction the traditional church is heading, in our economic system, in our national defense, and in the readiness of believers for the days that await us in the future. We are in a free-fall with no parachute to cushion our landing.

Do I really believe I can make a difference for America with my fasting?

Jesus fasted, and thus, must have thought that He could make a difference for Israel with His fasting. I’m hoping to do the same for America.

Today, I prayed:

Lord, raise up believers in America who are willing to be Repairers of the Breach and Restorers of Streets to Dwell In so that the foundations of our nation are restored and the waste places rebuilt. (Based on Isaiah 58:12)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you?

Join with me on Thursdays to fast and pray for America.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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February 12, 2015 · 11:00 am

Thursday’s Prayers for America (2/12/2015)

The late Bob Jones told this story about himself:

It seems that in the 1980’s the Lord told Bob Jones and Paul Cain ahead of time about Jimmy Swaggart’s visits with a prostitute. When the story broke in all the media outlets, Bob Jones reacted by rejoicing with all of his Christian friends. They were happy that Swaggart was brought down and his sin exposed for all to see.

Paul Cain reacted to the same media stories by weeping and fasting and praying before the Lord for Jimmy Swaggart and the Body of Christ.

Bob Jones used this story to reveal the wrong and the godly way of responding to the Lord’s shaking of His people and His church.

Today, I prayed:

Lord, I pray for us American believers to love our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ as You love them, even in their ugliest hours, so that all will know we are Your disciples by our love for one another. (Based on John 13:35)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you?

Join with me on Thursdays to fast and pray for America.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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February 5, 2015 · 12:35 pm

Thursday’s Prayers for America (2/5/2015)

Let’s say I walked into Goshen in 1450 B.C., four years before Moses arrived back in Egypt and said to the Israelites, “I have great news for you. God is going to deliver you out of your slavery and place you in a land filled with milk and honey. You will end up being one of the most prosperous nations of the world and will enjoy peace from all of your enemies.”

How do you think the Israelites would have reacted to my words?

They probably would have hoisted me onto their shoulders and carried me off to the local Do Drop Inn for pickled gefilte fish and cups of dandelion wine.

Now, let’s say the dandelion wine loosens my tongue and I proceed to tell them about their five hundred year journey to when the Temple is finished and King Solomon procures peace and prosperity for Israel. “All of you will die as rebels in the wilderness and curse the day you left Egypt. Your children will fight wars and suffer extreme sacrifices with many of them being killed by Philistines and other nations…”

I would probably not be able to speak much more than this before they tarred and feathered me and then rode me out of Egypt on a rail.

We believers of today – white, black, or whatever race – have much the same attitudes toward prophetic words. We love hearing about the end results, but hate learning that the journey will be filled with years of pain, sacrifice, and humbling by God until we become the people who fulfill the prophetic words.

Today, I prayed:

Lord, I pray that the inner cities of America desire to follow You, that they deny themselves, take up their crosses daily, and follow You into the divine destinies that You have planned for them. (Based on Luke 9:23)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you?

Join with me on Thursdays to fast and pray for America.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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January 20, 2015 · 12:08 pm

Tuesday’s Prayers for America (1/20/2015)

The phone rang and I answered it. “Hello.”

“Larry, my pastor has just had a massive heart attack. Will you pray along with me for him to be healed?” the caller asked.

I usually would have agreed with the caller and prayed for healing, but the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart: “I’m taking the pastor home. Don’t pray for him to be healed. Pray for him and his family to have peace.”

Doesn’t the Lord always heal according to our faith and prayers? The simple answer: Maybe.

You see, I believe the Bible is filled with absolutes and guidelines.

The absolutes include such revelations as one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. These absolutes are perfect truths that never ever have one exception to them. Period.

Now, as far as the guideline principles in the Bible go, we have to pray and believe them by faith, but even at that, the Lord still has to agree with our petitions. He is the final Judge.

So, in the pastor’s case above, the Lord had a reason for taking the man home. The Lord never told me His reasons nor did I ask Him. I trust that God is a good God and knows what He is doing.

Today, I prayed:

Lord, I pray for American believers to contend earnestly for the true faith that has been entrusted to us and that we do not settle for a compromised, perverted faith which resembles a cloud without water. (Based on Jude 1:3, 4, and 12)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for America.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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October 28, 2014 · 8:23 am

Tuesday’s Prayers for America (10/28/2014)

Once a week, a simple-minded Christian friend dropped by a particular used car dealership where I was employed. He walked onto the sales lot and I went out to greet him. He asked questions about each car. I did my best to tell him what I knew about the vehicles. He had no money to buy one, but even so, he didn’t have a driver’s license. It was just a fun game of make-believe for him.

One morning, after my friend left, I walked back inside the dealership just in time to hear a salesmen make fun of my friend. The other salesmen guffawed along with the jokester.

The Holy Spirit came upon me at that moment. “Don’t you ever make fun of my brother again,” I proclaimed in a loud voice.

“What? He’s your brother?” asked the jokester.

“Yes! He’s my Christian brother and don’t you ever make fun of one of my Christian brothers again!”

“Even Jerry Falwell and Jimmy Swaggart?”

“Yes, they’re my brothers, too. Don’t you ever make fun of them again. Do you hear me?” I proclaimed.

Every salesman turned around and walked into his office. No one ever made fun of a Christian around me again at that dealership.

Today, I prayed:

Lord, help us American believers to be patient with our brothers and sisters in Christ, to make allowances for each other’s faults because of Your love, and to make every effort to keep ourselves united in the Spirit. (Ephesians 4:2)

What do you think and did the Lord speak to you today?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for America.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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October 7, 2014 · 2:43 pm

Tuesday’s Prayers for America (10/7/2014)

The saying, “divide and conquer,” is attributed to Emperor Julius Caesar, but it is even older than that. It goes back to the Garden of Eden when Satan convinced Eve that she would not die if she ate the forbidden fruit and would instead be like God. She was deceived and ate the fruit. Adam sinned and did the same.

Satan’s ploy worked. A division formed between God and man.

Since the Garden of Eden, Satan has used his “divide and conquer” tactics over and over again with us believers. I now believe it is the number one reason we Christians have no prayer power to execute righteousness in our cities and over America.

Today, I prayed:

Lord, I pray for us American believers to walk in humility and gentleness with patience, and that we would bear with one another in love and be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Based on Ephesians 4:2-3)

What do you think and did the Lord speak to you today?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for America.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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July 4, 2009 · 7:07 am

Proud To Be an American

A Civil War officer had disobeyed an order. “I believe I’ll sit down,” said Secretary Stanton, “and give that man a piece of my mind.”

“Do so,” said President Abraham Lincoln, ” write him now while you have it in your mind. Make it sharp. Cut him all up.”

Secretary Stanton did not need a second invitation. He left and returned later with a “bone-crusher” of a letter that he read to the President.

“That’s right,” said Lincoln. “That’s a good one.”

“Whom can I send it by?” asked the Secretary.

“Send it!” replied Lincoln, ” send it! Why don’t send it all. Tear it up. You have freed your mind on the subject, and that’s all that is necessary. Tear it up. You never want to send such letters. I never do.” (The Wit and Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln, 1994, Barnes & Nobel Books)

I’m proud to be an American.

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May 25, 2009 · 7:43 am

Swimming Upstream: “Thanks Uncle Phil”

My Uncle Phil flew on a B-24 Liberator during World War II. His ten-man crew survived thirty-five bombing missions over Germany, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and Austria.

Survived? Each time the crew took off from their base in Venosa, Italy, they knew one third of the planes would not return. One in three – not good survival odds when you factor in thirty-five missions, right?

On one particular mission, Uncle Phil’s B-24 came under heavy anti-aircraft fire. A piece of flak ripped a hole in the hydraulic reservoir, causing oil to spray all over the cabin area. If left unfixed, the bomb bay doors would remain open and the wheels could not be lowered into landing position.

Valuable seconds ticked off. Something had to be done, or the plane had to be ditched, forcing the crew to use parachutes. A dangerous last resort over enemy territory.

Captain Tom shouted at Phil, “See if you can fix it!”

Looking around, Phil found a small broom. He broke off the handle and made his way toward the hydraulic tank.

Now, under normal conditions, the trek to the rear of the plane was precarious because there was no aisle, just an eight-inch wide catwalk which spanned the twelve-foot aluminum doors. But on this day, the bomb bay doors were wide open and everything was covered with slippery hydraulic oil. Plus, the B-24 was at twenty-eight thousand feet and the temperature was a chilly forty degrees below zero.

Phil unhooked his parachute pack and edged sideways out over the catwalk, much like a high-wire walker in a circus. He reached the leaking tank and shoved the broom handle and a part of his leather glove into the gaping hole. It worked; the leak was fixed.

Did Uncle Phil receive a medal for this act of bravery? No, and to be honest, he did not care. His attitude was, “Somebody had to do it and it turned out to be me.”

To his fellow B-24 crew members, Uncle Phil was the right man in the right place at the right time, a nineteen-year old hero from Waterloo, Iowa.

Thanks Uncle Phil; and thank you to every armed forces soldier that has served and is now serving our nation. We Americans owe you a debt of gratitude for the freedoms which we enjoy today.

Swimming Upstream appears at this blog site on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s a little of this and a little of that, all written to encourage and exhort believers in their Christian journeys.

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April 16, 2009 · 9:37 am

Where’s Honest Abe Now When We Need him?

Every once and while, it’s good to look at a politician who framed his decisions based on his character and personal values rather than on public opinion polls or self-enhancing agendas. Thus, the following article about President Abraham Lincoln.

In passing upon a case of a lad condemned to death for falling asleep upon his post, Lincoln said: “I could not think of going into eternity with the blood af that poor young boy on my skirts. It is not to be wondered at that a boy raised on a farm, probably in the habit of going to bed at dark, should when required to watch, fall asleep; and I cannot consent to shoot him for such an act.”

The impressive sequel of this act of mercy was brought to light when the dead body of this soldier boy was found on the field of Fredericksburg, and next to his heart a photograph of the President, across which he had written, “God bless Abraham Lincoln.”

This article was taken from “The Wit and Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln”, edited by Anthony Gross, published by Barnes & Noble, inc., 1994.