Tag Archives: Fasting

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Many years ago, I had a meeting with a black pastor in his office. My reason for the meeting was that I was leaving his church, a congregation consisting of half whites and half blacks. I explained my reasons for leaving.

He then took off his shoes and held them up for me to look at them. “Larry, you couldn’t walk in my shoes or any black man’s shoes,” he said and quickly dismissed me.

My reason for leaving was a doctrinal disagreement and had nothing at all to do with our skin colors. Yet he was not able to see past my white skin and hear what I was really saying.

I walked out of his office, totally confused and hurt by our conversation. I thought our relationship was built on our love of Jesus, our fellowship with each other, and the many family meals we shared together.

But I was so naive and wrong.

You see, I didn’t see the hundreds of years of bitterness buried in his heart.

…For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. (Matthew 12:34 NLT)

How many calamities like Dallas, Ferguson, Baltimore, and others must America endure before we realize that the poisonous roots of bitterness are destroying our nation?

My prayers today:

Lord, I come boldly to Your throne of grace asking for sufficient mercy and grace to help us Americans so that no one shall fall short of the grace of God and end up in bitterness. (Based on Hebrews 4:16 and Hebrews 12:15)

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

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

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“I will never quit…If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates…I am never out of the fight.” (Philosophy of the U.S. Navy SEALs)

I am never out of the fight.

Although the quote relates specifically to the US Navy SEALs, it also could describe senior citizens, even a seventy-year old guy like me.

Yes, our knees may be creaky, our backs may be temperamental, our energy may be equal to that of a twenty-year old cat on a rainy day, and so forth and so on. And it’s possible some of us may end up using canes, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs, or even lie totally paralyzed on beds. But yet, as long as we can open our mouths or think thoughts, we can pray. And because of that —

We are never out of the fight.

I believe with all my heart that the Lord is searching for groups of senior citizens who believe they are never out of the fight until their hearts stop beating and who are willing to turn their backs on their pasts and devote themselves to prayer.

(Excerpt from Unhinged Geezer by Larry Nevenhoven,  ©2015, Amazon eBook)

My prayer today:

Lord, pour out Your Spirit on senior citizens so that we set our hope in You and continue in supplications and prayers night and day for America. (Based on 1 Timothy 5:5)

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

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

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How prepared are we Americans for calamities and terrorists’ attacks?

Probably about the same as the ones Jesus described in His passage about the return of the Son of Man —

“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all. And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business—eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building— until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. (Luke 17:26-29)

We American believers do not have to live a “business as usual” life and then be caught by terrible surprises. We are sons of light and sons of the day. We are not supposed to be destined for wrath, but for His salvation.

My prayer today:

Lord, awaken us American believers out of our spiritual indifference so that we are alert, sober-minded, self-controlled, calm, wise, and prepared for the days ahead. (Based on 1 Thessalonians 5:6 Amplified)

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

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

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For 3.3 million Americans, the holy month of Ramadan began on June 6 and will continue through July 5. The month-long fast and celebration commemorates the time when Allah handed the Koran, the holy book of Islam, to Prophet Muhammad.

The Muslims are allowed two meals per day. One before sunrise called suhoor and one after sunset, which is called iftar. The most pious Muslims do not even drink water during the daylight hours. All are expected to fast except the elderly, the young, and the sick.

My prayers for today:

Lord, I pray that You use this Ramadan fast as a time to open the eyes of Muslims, so that they turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place for those sanctified by faith in You. (Based on Acts 26:18)

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

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