It's Time To Pray

New Castle Courier-Times Christian Perspectives Article for Saturday, August 6^th, 2011

    

Colossians 4:2 - Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

It's time to pray.

I don't know anyone who likes what has been going on in Washington D.C. I don't know anyone whose heart has not been touched by the scenes from Japan in the aftermath of the tsunami. More than a year later people are still concerned with the desperation found in Haiti after the January 2010 earthquake. Families with relatives in Afghanistan, Iraq, South Korea, and elsewhere pray every day for their sons, and daughters, and mothers, and fathers serving our country.

2011 marks the driest 7-month period in Texas in recorded history; in Louisiana this is the second driest year ever; Arizona is experiencing menacing dust storms. Locally, farmers have either received just enough rain to save this year's crop, or are looking at losing the whole season's harvest.

It's time to pray - and you have several opportunities to join people across this community, and across the country, for times of prayer. Your first opportunity is today, Saturday August 6^th.

From 11 o'clock this morning until 6 o'clock this evening people will be fasting and praying for our nation - many are gathering at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. In view of the condition of our nation, this solemn gathering is a response to the biblical book of Joel, chapter 2. Ministry and ethnic leaders from around the nation are supporting this prayer event, as are the governors of Texas and Maine.

It's time to pray - a call from New Castle Prays.

New Castle Prays is a group of individuals who pray regularly for our city. They gather at the courthouse at 7 am on the first Thursday of every month to pray; consider this your invitation to be a part of that prayer time. If you would like to get e-mail prayer updates just send a request to Tisha Sledd at tishasledd@yahoo.com.

New Castle Prays is also sponsoring "Pray the Price for Henry County Schools" on Sunday, August 28th. They are calling people to pray at the elementary schools at 2pm and then everyone will meet at the New Castle High School to pray at 3pm. In addition, they are asking churches to join in a day of fasting - choosing one day between August 22 through 28 to fast as a congregation. Let Tisha know if your church is interested in joining them.

It's time to pray - on September 28^th for See You At the Pole.

Students from around the country will gather in prayer circles around the flag pole before school on that Wednesday morning. Teachers and school staff are welcome to attend, but the prayer times must be student led. If you are a student who wants to organize a See You At the Pole event at your school you can get more information at www.syatp.com.

Or you can do what people have done around the world for generations - just pray. Pray for our President, and Governor, and Mayor. Pray for our legislators and judges. Pray for our newspaper editors and TV and Radio news producers. Pray for our families. Pray for our teachers. Pray for our pastors. Pray for other Christians.

The tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks on our nation is coming up in a few weeks - pray for our first responders and those serving in the military. Then write or call them and tell them you are holding them up in prayer.

It's time to pray. What will your response be?

Questions or comments? Write me at curt@smdcog.org.

You can find me on FACEBOOK at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719). Here's a link to my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/) Thanks for reading!

It’s Time to Pray – Two Years Later

Christian Perspectives Article – Courier-Times – September 22, 2007

It’s time to pray. It’s always been time to pray. This time it’s the youth’s turn.

That’s how I started my article two years ago. Not much has changed.

On Wednesday, September 26, 2007 students all across the country will gather again outside their school around the flagpole to pray for their school, their teachers, their principals, their fellow students, as well as the nation.

At first glance, our nation appears to be experiencing an extended period of peace. It’s been six years since terrorists have launched an attack on this land. It’s been eight and one-half years since the Columbine shootings. And the war in Iraq has not directly impacted most of the country. We don’t feel like we’re at war.

But a closer look still reveals several raging battles with new battle lines being formed every day.

The drug abuse problem in Henry County is still destroying families, causing financial heartache, and robbing the future of too many of our young people. Alcohol abuse on our high school and college campuses is so pervasive that many college freshmen think that “keggers” are one of the most significant parts of college life.

Modern media outlets, including movies, television, and popular music still promote a sexually experimental lifestyle that threatens our students with Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and emotional abandonment. Entertainers are now open hostile toward Christ and the church and receive praise for their verbal attacks.

Just this week a State Senator in Nebraska filed a lawsuit against God for terroristic threats and untold damages from natural disasters. And because our courts have lost their way with regard to abortion, there are over forty-eight-million fewer citizens of the United States who are thirty years and under. In this war, we have had enough infant casualties to fill more than forty-eight cities the size of Indianapolis.

Two years of “recovery” from the damage caused by Katrina still reveals racial and class divisions that are deep and growing deeper. A friend of mine from Louisiana believes that racial hatred is strong in New Castle. Is he right?

Our political system has been reduced to deceptive power plays and character assassination. We no longer look for the best candidate or nominee, but the person what will do our biding. There are few statesmen, and precious little leaders with personal or professional integrity. Gone are the days where we can have honest debates over the facts and refrain from personal attacks. Negative attack ads and “October political surprises” are the norm.

Even the church is showing signs of moral failure and battle fatigue. National religious leaders continue to be caught in scandals, whole denominations are rejecting the authority of the Word of God, and faith statements are now being used as political tools. Have we forgotten that St. Anne’s Catholic Church was burned on the morning before Easter Sunday? Are you aware of the spiritual crisis that many churches in Henry County are experiencing?

I want to believe that our youth know what is required in times like these, but the unity we experienced two years ago is waning. Many of them led the way that summer with Project 4.12 when they spent one week working to make our community a better place to live. They invested hundreds of work-hours cleaning, painting, raking, and ministering. They set an example that few adults have followed; and now I fear the youth themselves have become jaded.

This Wednesday morning they will again have the opportunity to lead the way by gathering across denominational boundaries and praying for our community. Many will sing songs of praise with fellow students who worship weekly in different buildings with distinct liturgies. Some will shed tears for friends and teachers as they intercede for them before a Holy God. School administrators will be lifted up in prayer, as well as city, state, and national governmental leaders.

If you know of a student in the school system, encourage him or her to discover more information about See You at the Pole and how it will be observed at their school. If no student in your school has begun planning for this year, it’s not too late. Go to www.syatp.com to find out how your student can organize a morning prayer time around the flag pole.

Is there any reason to petition God to intervene on behalf of this nation? Do we need to pray for this community? Are we too busy to talk to God about our youth?

It’s time to pray. It’s always been time to pray. The See You at the Pole event starts at 7:00 am at your local school flagpole. Parents and other interested individuals are encouraged to gather off school property and participate in their own prayer time.