We live in a country that gives us – among many freedoms -  the right to vote for those who govern us and the right to worship the Lord as we chose.  These are privileges we should not disregard.  Many other countries do not have such freedom!  So as we worship daily, may we pray fervently for our nation.  May each citizen act responsibly as a twenty-first-century steward of this nation that our God-fearing forefathers envisioned and designed.
 
John 7:17-18       “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.  He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seek the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.”
 
Lord,
We live in a nation that is free to elect those chosen for public office.  We confess that the servants who are chosen are there with Your approval.  Let us faithfully support those elected to office, giving honor to their position.  Let us help them fulfill the obligation and responsibility for our nation.  With prayer and understanding, let us unite ourselves to the one purpose of living a life in which “In God We Trust.”
Amen

Again and again in the Scriptures, God hears His people’s prayers and acts on their behalf.  So why do we hesitate to approach Him?  When we live with uprightness in our hearts, coming to God in prayer can become a more natural and a more regular, even daily, practice.  Let our prayer life be the center of everything we choose to do, especially in the days ahead.  And, on a grander scale, may our nation repent, turn to God, and become a people of prayer.
 
1 Chronicles 29:17              I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness.  As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things; and now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here to offer willingly to You.
 
Lord,
We cry out to you with hearts that need Your blessings.  Give us wisdom to make the right decisions that will bring honor to You and will purify our hearts.  Let the words that we speak draw us closer to Your presence.  We recognize, O Lord, that You are in control of all things.  Help this nation to hear Your voice, protect us from evil, and lead us in the path of righteousness for Your name’s sake.
Amen

The word blessed appears in the Bible more than seventy times, and on many of those occasions God uses that word to clearly tell us how we – as individuals and as a nation - can be blessed.  In each case, God reminds us that all blessings come from Him and that He bestows His blessings on each of us who makes Jesus the Lord of our lives.  May this nation come to God – may America make Jesus the Lord of this land – as we humbly ask for His strength and seek His direction.
 
Psalm 1:1-2          Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
 
Lord,
Your Word has given us counsel on how we should relate to and act toward one another.  May we be steadfast and immovable in our commitment to You and to one another.  Let our roots go deep into Your Word to praise and glorify Your name.  May our weakness be Your strength and our purpose in life be to honor You.
Amen

We will never know how much the Lord “loads us with benefits” every day.  We don’t, for instance, know all that He protects us from.  We too easily take for granted many of the blessings we do see – such gifts as food, shelter, friends, family, health, and even life itself.  We should find it hard not to praise Him!  This truth applies not just to individuals but to our nation as well.  Great is God’s faithfulness to our straying nation.   May God use the prayers prompted by this book to draw our country back to Him.  Let us not hesitate to share God’s blessings with others and daily serve our risen Savior so that others might know and accept the One who lives us unconditionally.
 
Psalm 68:19        Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation!
 
Father,
We humbly ask for Your blessing.  Help us listen to Your counsel when we are alone with You.  Speak to our hearts each moment, for You are the anchor of our souls, and we will rest in Your presence.  It is You alone we desire; no one and nothing can take Your place.
Amen

David asked God to teach him His statutes, and God readily answered his request.  Today we would be wise to make the same request of the Almighty.  After all, on God can teach us how to make truly wise decisions, how to discern which candidates to vote for, and how to get along with one another after the voting results are in.  America is known throughout the world for our patriotism, pride, and honor.
 
Psalm 119:26,33                I have declared my ways, and You answered me; Teach me Your statutes…
Teach me O Lord, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end.
 
Lord,
We hunger for Your Word.  Teach us the way that we should go, and help us walk in Your truth each day.  May Your praise always be on our lips, and may You fill our hearts with the joy of Your love and blessing.  You are a gracious and loving God whose mercy is new every morning.
Amen 

The Bible teaches us to praise the Lord and share with others the blessings He so richly pours out upon us.  He does not want us to hide our faith, but instead wants us to openly tell others of the blessings He graciously gives us daily.  We in this country have been given many freedoms: freedom to live where we wish, work for whom we choose, associate with anyone we want, and worship where we so desire.  Therefore, let us be bold and share our faith openly as God leads us to.
 
Isaiah 12:4                Praise the Lord, call upon His name; Declare His deeds among the peoples, Make mention that His name is exalted.
 
Lord,
You are the Creator of the universe – we praise Your blessed and holy name!  You alone are the provider of all things, and with You all things are possible – may You always be lifted up!  Let us live each day in the center of Your will and live for Your glory.  If we say nothing, the rocks will cry out Your magnificent name.  let all men praise Your holy name, for You are a marvelous God, and Your light shines over all who choose to call You Lord.
Amen

The Word of God tells is that the Lord is our strength and our shield, so we have nothing to fear.  God has promised to walk beside us and go before us when we choose to live in a committed relationship with Him.  Each of us faces adversity in life, but God is our strength.  In times of trouble, let us run to Him who has promised to be our Comfort and Refuge, our Redeemer and Friend.  Every nation also faces adversity; may ours find God as her strength.
 
Psalm 28:7-8               The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.  The Lord is their strength, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed.
 
O Lord,
Today we face many hardships in a time when our faith is continually tested.  But we know there is nothing to fear because You, Lord are in control of all things.  You are our Strength and our Defender; there is nothing too hard for You.  Therefore, let us be confident in our faith and bold in telling others of Your marvelous unconditional love.
Amen

Jesus openly offers us the fountain of living water that springs up to everlasting life.  To drink from that fountain, we must first turn away from all that separates us from God’s love and then turn to Jesus, recognizing Him as our Savior and naming Him our Lord.  The One who refers to Himself as the “Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End” freely and without hesitation offers us living water.  We drink that life-giving water as, each day, we walk hand in hand with Him.  His promise is unconditional love, unshakeable joy, and peace that passes all understanding.  These are ours when we say yes to God.  As more of us say yes to God, may our nation come to say yes to Him as well.
 
Revelation 21:6               He [who sat on the throne] said to me, “It is done!  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.”
 
Lord,
Your loving-kindness is new every day.  May we forever trust in You with all our hearts and find rest in the shelter of Your love.  The very life we live comes from You alone.  Bless us, O Lord, with the light of Your presence, and place within us the desire to share Your light so that others may come to know the saving grace of our Lord and Savior.
Amen

Throughout the Bible, God calls His people to meditate on His law, His work, His precepts, and His Word.  In His Scripture, God shows us how to live in the fellowship with Him that He desires to have with us.  Our meditating on God’s truth sensitizes us to His presence.  We notice He is speaking to our hearts, embracing us with His love, and guiding us so that we might bring glory to His name.  the more people who listen to God’s voice, receive His love, and follow His guidance, the better off our nation will be.
 
Joshua 1:8           This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.  For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
 
Father,
In Your Word You have given us a guide for life and have asked us to meditate on Your Word day and night.  Place that desire within our hearts.  Give us a sincere hunger for Your Word, that we may know You better and know more clearly how you want us to live.  Keep us feeding on Your Word, that we may honor You in all we say and do.
Amen

When we make praising the Lord a habit, our lives will change.  Everything we do will be different as pleasing God becomes more important and knowing more about Him becomes a priority.  When we choose to live as the hands and feet of Jesus, we daily declare the love of Christ – and that can bring light and hope to our country.  The more we praise God with our lives as well as our mouths, the more He comes alive in us – and that can attract others to start following Him.  So may we – as the psalmist modeled – open our lips in praise to almighty God!
 
Psalm 63:3-5                       Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise you.  Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.  my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
 
O Lord,
Let us never forget to praise Your holy name.  You are a wonderful God.  You are slow to anger and patient, with unconditional love that has no end.  Let us bless You each day and lift up our thanks in praise for the wonderful things You have done for us.  May we forever give honor to Your name, for without You we are nothing.
Amen