GET TOGETHER- PRAY FOR REVIVAL
Ec 3:1-11 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace. What profit has the worker from that in which he labors?
I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end
It was a bright November day much like today. That day being Friday November 22nd 1963. We were taking a Civics test in Mr. Auxford’s Ninth Grade Civics class at Dora High School when the sound came over the intercom for all of the teachers to come to the office. I guess it was about ten minutes later when Mr. Auxford came back. He told us to tear our papers up. We were in the basement classroom and there were windows in the classroom. At first I thought that he might have been looking in the window to see if someone was cheating. He then told us that the President has been shot. I will never forget that moment in time.
We were dismissed from school early that day, but for those of us who rode the bus we had to wait for the buses to go to the elementary school and come back to get us. I walked down the hill and across the street to get a haircut at Mr. Bobo’s Barber Shop. I was sitting in the barber’s chair when the voice came over the small brown electric radio in the corner of the barber shop saying that President John Fitzgerald Kennedy had just died from the wounds that he received from an assassin’s bullet.
The nation went into a period of national mourning. The college football games and most pro games were cancelled that weekend. All our extracurricular activities at school were cancelled for several days All of the TV stations devoted their coverage to this time of National Mourning. I pray that our nation never has to endure another day like that again in its history.
The first time that I ever heard the passage from Ecclesiastes was when we were watching the President’s Funeral on Television. I can still see the Catholic Priest reading the scripture as the President’s wife Jacqueline Kennedy and her two young children Caroline and John F. Kennedy Junior looked on at his grave in Arlington National Cemetery.
Our nation needs prayer in a big-time way. My hope for our nation is not in a political leader. My hope is in Jesus Christ. I pray for all of us today that we would pray for this nation to turn to Jesus Christ. My prayer is that the church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will win people to Christ. That the Holy Spirit of God will help us not try to beat people, but be used to win them.
One of my favorite verses in that passage is verse 11 ¶ “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” There is no pain, setback, or issue in our lives, or in this nation that God cannot turn the tables on the evil one and work for His glory, and our good and make it beautiful.
He has given men and women a desire to live forever. He has put eternity in our hearts. There is only one way that a person can do that and that is through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
So, as we look to this Thanksgiving weekend. Give God thanks that we live in this country. Also, pray for the Holy Spirit to bring revival and awakening to this nation. Pray for those that disagree with you. Pray for those that blatantly hate you. And remember that He makes all things beautiful in His time.
Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus as we look forward to this Thanksgiving weekend we are thankful for the times that You have brought this nation through national tragedy. As Christians we pray today that those who might despise us would see Your love in us in such a powerful way that they would know that You are alive and at work right here on planet earth. We pray protection today for our current President and all of our elected officials as well as for the President Elect and all of the officials that will be taking office all across this nation in all political parties as well as Independents. Protect this nation so that the Kingdom of God can be advanced here and abroad through Your people.
In Jesus Name
Amen
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Your Friend/Kinfolk
Preston
