The LORD's Day, July 6, 2008, Fourth of July Weekend

Praying For America

Daniel 1


On March 2, 1863, Senator John Harlan of Iowa introduced a resolution in the Senate, asking President Abraham Lincoln to proclaim a national day of prayer and fasting. The resolution was adopted on March 3 and later signed by President Lincoln on March 30.
At the top of the resolution were these words: A Day of National Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer in The United States of America on April 30, 1863.

Here are a few sentences from the early part of the resolution:
WHEREAS, the senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and Just Government of Almighty God, in all the affairs of men and of nations, has by a resolution, required the President to designate and set apart a day for National prayer and humiliation.
...We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has every grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us It behooves us, then to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.

Here we are, on another July 4th weekend. This is our 232nd birthday.

We began Daniel this week. It is a book that testifies to the fact that God does judge nations for disobedience. Israel found out it was no exception and the same will hold true for the United States if we do not listen to God’s Word and learn from both Israel’s history and our own.

One of the themes of the Bible is that during judgment, God’s people are kept by Him, even if they do suffer, Jesus comes and stands with them. From Noah in Genesis to John in Revelation, including Lot and Joseph and Daniel and the prophets. Daniel was in Babylon because of the sins of his fathers. God had warned the nation to turn from their wicked ways. He had given them a solution through Solomon. They did not listen. So they were removed from the land God gave them. This was God’s judgment.



1. Why Exactly Did God Judge Israel?
Hosea 7.1-11
Deceit, crimes of thievery, adultery, arrogance, they never called on God
8.5-6 They were making idols for their people to worship

9.1 They had been unfaithful to God

10.1-4 They were self consumed. The more their riches increased the further from away from God they grew. Lawsuits abounded.


2. Pray that people will cry out to God in repentance.

There are certain things the LORD looks for. He is looking for sincerity. He looks for people whose hearts are towards Him.

He is moved when people call out to Him in humility and desperation.

Exodus 22.22-23
1 Chronicles 16:34-36
II Chronicles 20.9
Isaiah 19.20

3. Join in With Repentance with the national sins. 9.1-19

Daniel did. Look at this prayer It is a model for us.

He started with God’s Word. (vs.1-3) It will keep you from praying for symptoms and take you to the heart of the matter.

He prayed with a heart for his people. (vs.4-6)

He understood the calamity was God’s judgment. (vs.7-14)

He prayed for God’s glory and the honor of the Name of the LORD. (vs.15-19)

We know God heard his prayer and answered it.