We have been given the privilege and responsibility of representing the love of God and sharing His truth with all the world.  May we not neglect doing so in our own nation.  We need God to enable us to lead a winsome life that reveals the love of Jesus Christ and compels people to want to know Him.  This kind of life begins when we are in fellowship with God.  He has promised to bless the righteous with His favor and surround us with a shield; therefore, let us allow nothing to interfere with our commitment to live as a Christian nation that honors God in all that we say and do.
 
Psalm 37:30-31                  The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks justice.  The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide.
 
Father,
True wisdom is a gift that only You, Father, can give.  Mat we always be in right standing with You.  Let the words we speak honor You, and let us never speak Your name in vain.  Let us stay steadfast and live in such a way that You light will shine through us wherever we go.  Thank You, Father, for Your mercy and love.
Amen

The Founding Fathers came together, unified in their work, toward one goal and one purpose: to establish a government that allowed freedom and justice to reign.  Two important freedoms were those of speech and worship, and for more than two hundred years we have enjoyed these gifts our forefathers established as foundational to life in these United States.  May we Americans continue to stand together, bearing one another’s burdens, protecting our freedoms, and praying for this land.
 
Psalm 55:22        Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
 
Father,
You are so wonderful.  Thank You for caring about our burdens.  Open our hearts to Your Spirit and let us listen to Your voice.  Strengthen us, O God, with confidence in You, that we may live for You and glorify Your name.  Father, we praise You for all the gifts that You have given us.  Draw us close to You that we may see Your glory.
Amen

In times of crisis, this country has always gone boldly before the throne of God seeking His divine mercy and grace.  Each time God has responded to our prayers with grace, mercy, and love.  Today we face significant decisions, if not borderline crises.  Will we, as a Christian nation, stand together with the one purpose of honoring God in all that we say and do?  We can only be one nation under God if He is our guiding light.  May nothing keep us from walking in step with the One who is the Author of history, the God who guides, judges, and blesses.
 
Hebrews 4:16    Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
 
Lord,
There are so many times when we have burdens almost too heavy to bear.  Our nation faces hardships and pain; we need Your wisdom and help in all areas.  Strengthen us as a people and lead us in the way that will bring honor and glory to You.  Lord, You have promised that if we humble ourselves and seek Your face and pray, You will heal our land.  May we forever be humble in Your sight, and may we experience Your blessings in the midst of our great need.
Amen

From the beginning of this remarkable nation, in both good times and hard times, prayer has been the key component in every gathering of Congress and presidents.  God has provided a unique opportunity for each and every one of us – and us collectively as a nation – to go to Him in confession, praise, thanksgiving, and supplication.  The Lord has promised to listen to those prayers, to respond, to reassure, and to enable us to glorify Him however He chooses to answer.
 
Job 33:26             [A repentant man] shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, For He restores to man His righteousness.
 
Lord,
We come to You with open hearts and ask that You speak to our spirits with words of wisdom and direction, that we may know how You wish for us to pray.  Help Your humble servants to speak words of praise and adoration, for You are the King of kings and the lord of lords.  Teach us, Lord, that we may know You and the power of Your resurrection.  Fill us with Your presence and forgive our shortcomings.  Lead us, O Lord, to a higher place, that You might be lifted up and draw all men to You.
Amen

We are not perfect people; every human being throughout time has, does, and will need forgiveness – from God but also from one another.  If we are to come together as a nation with one voice and one purpose, we must learn to forgive each other as God has forgiven us.  Unity means strength, so may nothing cause disunity and weakness.  May we as believers seek to be all that God has called us to be.  May we as a nation seek to be all we are privileged to be.
 
Mark 11:24-25   Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you will receive them, and you will have them.  And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
 
Father,
Help our nation with its unbelief!  Lead us into a renewed relationship with You!  Forgive us when we find fault in our brothers.  Help us look beyond their shortcomings and look deeper within ourselves to become better people.  Forgive us when we fall short of doing all that You’ve called us to do, and when we fail to demonstrate love and forgiveness toward those who wrong us.  Thank You for the blessing of knowing that we are forgiven – no matter what.
Amen

God has blessed this nation with economic and material prosperity.  He allowed us to become the most powerful country in the world and, through the years, enabled us to overcome staggering obstacles.  God has placed His hand upon us and has been pleased to bless us as we honor Him.  Let us never forget or stop thanking God for the bountiful blessings that He has so graciously and generously bestowed on us.
 
1 Chronicles 17:25-27      You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build him a house.  Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray before You.  And now, Lord, You are God, and have promised this goodness to Your servant.  Now You have been pleased to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You have blessed it, O Lord, and it shall be blessed forever.
 
Lord,
We are so blessed that each day You come to us with the gift of Your Spirit to help us and strengthen our purpose for Your glory.  Continue to work in us, O Lord, and help us grow to be the people You wish us to be.  Thank You for Your continued goodness even when we stumble; thank You that You are ever present to hold our hands and lift us up.  Your unconditional love has been promised forever.  Thank You for Your gracious mercy to us each day.
Amen

The Bible clearly tells us that our strength comes from the Lord: “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9).  May we look to the Lord with all our hearts for strength and courage to stand up for biblical truth and Christian morals.  God has promised that He will always be with us and will always go before us.  Therefore, let us stand firm in our faith, trusting that our powerful God has this nation in His hands and choosing to believe that one day the Christian principles in which we believe shall guide this nation.
 
Psalm 16:8 – I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
 
Father,
We recognize that there are those who would speak evil against You when hardship knocks at their door.  Let us forever stand firm in the foundation of our faith.  Let us live in the center of Your will.  We will come to You each day for strength and endurance.  Help us, O God, to be the people You wish us to be, for we trust in You.
Amen

The psalmist modeled what God desires from us.  He was committed to blessing the Lord at all times, to praising Him continually, and telling others of His great love for all of humanity.  When we magnify the Lord and lift Him up, we find ourselves blessed by a more real sense of His presence with us and a genuine joy in His love for us.  Imagine a nation united in seeking to magnify the Lord, a nation committed to blessing the Lord in word and deed.  What a blessed people they would be!  What a blessed people we would be.  Let us seek God with fervency and confidence.
 
Psalm 34:1-3       I will bless the Lord at all times;  His praise shall continually be in my mouth.  My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.  Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.
 
Father,
We praise You for Your grace, mercy, and loving kindness.  May we as a nation look to You with thanksgiving in our hearts for the blessings You have poured upon us.  Let us forever rest in the shadow of Your wings and shout for joy with praise, for You are a most gracious God, and You bless us even beyond our understanding.
Amen  

God has extended to us an open invitation to go to Him in prayer, and he has promised that when we knock, the door will be opened.  But we must persevere in our prayers.  We are to keep knocking, we are to pray daily and throughout each day, and when the answers are slow to come, we are to continue laying our heartfelt requests before Him.  He has promised to provide wisdom and direction when we seek His good and perfect will for us and for our nation.
 
Luke 11:9-10       “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who ask receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
 
Father,
We thank You for hearing our petition.  Strengthen us by the power of Your Spirit to live in such a way that glorifies You.  Forgive us when we do things that displease You and separate us from Your presence.  Lead us each day, that we might live lives that are pleasing to You.  May You be forever praised.
Amen

Throughout the Bible the Lord’s people cry out for His mercy.  Today we also greatly need mercy from our heavenly Father.  God’s mercy – like His grace and love – is available to all of us who humble ourselves before Him and turn our hearts toward Him.  We as a nation will not survive without God’s direction and His gracious redemption.  He has promised to listen when we go to Him in Prayer.  So let us pray that God prompts His people, guides His people, and give the elected leaders the wisdom they need to lead this great nation on the right path in the days ahead.
 
Psalm 4:1             Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!  You have relieved me in my distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
 
Father,
You are so wonderful!  Through Jesus Christ we have an open invitation to come to You in prayer.  We give thanks for this blessing and each day find joy in all that You give us.  What a blessed people we are to know and embrace Your unconditional love.
Amen