A Word from the Pastor                                                                             May 2010

God honors the prayers of His people!  If you sense that there is turmoil in some area of life, perhaps the nation, your family or church, your job or school, it is time to pray about it.  It is Biblically wrong and morally weak to simply ignore the plights that exist.  Before taking any action, however, let us be committed to taking the situation to the Lord in prayer.

On a gloomy day in 1857 a man in New York City by the name of Jeremiah Lanthier scanned the morning newspaper as he rode to his office.  He was distressed to read that the depression gripping the nation was causing fear and panic among the people.  Factories were stopping production and thousands were unemployed.  Although Lanthier was not a big industrialist, but only a clerk, he had one important distinction.  He was a man who had great faith in God!

Concerned with the grim economic situation, he sent a note to all his business acquaintances, telling them that each day at noon a prayer meeting would be held in his office.  with high hopes he arranged 2 chairs in a circle, but the first day no one came.  All alone he prayed fervently that God would bring about a great change in him and in America.  The second day he was encouraged, for a few friends joined him.  A  short time later a similar gathering was started on Wall Street, another on Williams Street, and finally a fourth on Broadway.  Then like wildfire the movement spread to all parts of the country.  Hundreds of thousands began to pray with a burden for these United States.  The moral tone of the nation was affected, and there was a great upsurge in the spiritual life of the people.  Some historians say that this effort of united prayer and faith was an integral part of the improvement in the economy which soon followed.

The Bible says in Ephesians 6:18 "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints." Whatever "it" is that seems to be the matter, let's commit to pray together about it!

God bless you and yours,

Bro. Brandon