PROPOSAL FOR PRAYER

Proposal for Prayer

The issue at hand

We are under judgment.
Society at large is grossly wicked and evil.
The church is powerless to do anything about the onslaught of hell.
Famiies, what I consider to be the last sound structure in society is eroding away quickly.
Massive amounts of souls are departing from this world without Christ and into an eternal hell.
Time is of the essence for response. Every day pushes closer to a catastrohic event.
Prevailing prayer is the answer to all these things, but it is not determined to be the course of action taken by leadership.

The Proposal

An immediate call to prayer.  Set times and leading for specific praying of confession over the sins of our nation, the church, families and individual sins.  We cannot adapt a 'one and done' mentality here.  But a sustaining prayer practice in the church.  It needs to be demonstrated; it needs to be maintained; it needs to be labored over. 

Who? - Every state convention; every assocation; every church and every Christian soul.

When? - This should be determined for a weekly time of prayer among the church.  For assocaitons and state conventions, a gathering together once a month.  Or perhaps setting aside the first or last Sunday of every month to be given to this great need of prayer.
Overall, for us collectively we are closing out this year.  We have roughly only 1 and 1/2 months left.  We do not have much time to fool around with this.  A time should be spent in getting ready for this.  I simply suggest that the last full week of December be used as a spring board for the New Year.  Especially, for churches to do a watch night on December 31.  But seeing Decebmer 31 is Saturday and a night of prayer would impact Sunday services, perhaps having prayer on December 30.  Using January for its full heart given to pray and seek Him.

Why? - For our God is merciful.  He will have compassion upon us.  'Who knows if He will return and repent and leave a blessing behind Him?'  To seek Him is our only hope.  To forsake this moment is to usher in greater judgments and destruction.  Prayer has always been the means that God has moved, raised up and honored for such times of awakening and revival.  It never came from the majority of religious people, but a small remnant that was faithful.  All humanistic approaches of means and methods have failed and given rise to the darkness.  These methods have eroded away a pursuit for holiness and negated faithfulness among God's people. 

What? - There are two prayer initatives coming at the first of the year, that I believe can help us in this pursuit. 
1.  OneCry.com - starting in February, 2012, Life ACtion and other groups are coming together to join in a cry for God's mighty moving across our land and in the church; 
2.  Awake 2012 - a 21 day prayer guide by Claude King;  Louisania State Convention is starting the first of January and having 3 weeks of praying and then concluding with a week leading up to a Solemn Assembly;

The substance of prayer is to be specific and direct in its approach.  There is the need to cry out for God to come down in power by His Spirit upon the church.  We know that God is willing to do this, but sin hinders Him from doing it.  Confession needs to be worked through for our nation, our states, our churches, our associations, our families and our own personal lives. Third, the time of adoring and knowing Who we are praying to is important.  A spirit of worship of the Almighty is to get our minds on things above.  Too know that the problems we are currently facing is not too big for our Lord.  They are for us, but not for God. 

A sustainted period of resolve by all involved is needed.  To think that we simply may all particpate in January and then be done on January 31 is not looking at this right.  We begin on January 1, but no one stops until revival comes.