Written by Pastor Myles Holmes, REVIVE Church in Collinsville

All believers are called to pray at all times and in all situations.

We are to pray without ceasing.

Jesus taught us to pray for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth just as it is in Heaven.

The prophet Samuel said to the people of Israel, “…far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you.”  1 Samuel 12:23

In Luke 18:1 Jesus told us we … “should always pray and never give up.” 

In Jeremiah 29:7, the people of God were told to pray to the Lord for the Babylonian city while they were in captivity…”for its welfare will determine your welfare.” 

American believers in Jesus have a great responsibility to pray, and fast and pray, as this nation was founded on Godly principles and is drifting far from those moorings.

God’s Word and God’s truth is being mocked, scorned, ignored and disobeyed in Washington, DC and in Springfield, IL. 

Truth lies fallen in the streets (Isaiah 55: 14). We now have leadership in our state and our nation who do not know what a baby is, do not know what gender is, do not know what a marriage means, do not know what a border or an economy is, and have absolutely no grounding in any semblance of reality or decency or morality, let alone truth. 

We must fervently pray for an awakening to truth, a revelation of conviction and repentance that can only come from a mighty sweeping of the Holy Spirit through our culture.

We must fervently pray for our churches and pastors to boldly rebuke the wickedness and the darkness and proclaim the good news of the Gospel and the light of God’s truth.

At the very moment that our culture, politicians and media are shouting their love and embrace of every kind of evil and debauchery is precisely the time the church is told to be silent about all these issues.

May God in His mercy deliver us from timid preachers and quiet pulpits.

We must fervently pray for families, and for marriages to demonstrate the grace and the goodness of God.

We must fervently pray for these elections on November 8, both for our state and our nation, that Americans would realize the absolute necessity of voting for individuals who represent Godly, moral, righteous values, who support life and liberty, the U.S. Constitution, freedom of speech and freedom of religion. 

Pray with me now.  

“Our Father in Heaven, God of history time and eternity, we come to You in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord and our Savior.

We repent of our rebellion and wickedness and the mocking of your Word and Your Name.

We are ashamed of how far we have fallen from Your truth.

We turn from sin toward Your mercy. 

Your people ask You humbly for a mighty revival, a sweeping move of your Holy Spirit to bring millions to the foot of the Cross.

We ask for Your anointing to grant us boldness and courage to speak up and to speak out for Your truth and morality.

We pray for our children and grandchildren, that they might know Your mercy and Your power in this generation.

Grant that we might be found faithful to our calling and Your mandate on our lives to be ambassadors of your Good News.

We pray that whatever the future calls us to, we would be found honoring Your truth and Your Word, so that You always have a witness of Your power on this earth. 

May Christ be glorified in our lives, our work, our families, our ministry, and our voting.

In the Mighty Name of Christ we pray, Amen.”

Pray, Pray, and Pray Some More

• FOR STATEWIDE CANDIDATES: Regardless of political party affiliation, let us pray that God will work in the hearts and minds of each candidate running to represent the people of Illinois in Washington D.C., including: Tammy Duckworth and Kathy Salvi, and the following list of candidates for U.S. House of Representatives:
  • Jonathan Jackson and Eric Carlson in the first district;
  • Robin Kelly and Thomas Lynch in the second district;
  • Delia Ramirez and Justin Burau in the third district;
  • Chuy Garcia and James Falakos in the fourth district;
  • Mike Quigley and Tommy Hanson in the fifth district;
  • Sean Casten and Keith Pekau in the sixth district;
  • Raja Krishnamoorthi and Chris Dargis in the eighth district;
  • Jan Schakowsky and Max Rice in the ninth district;
  • Brad Schneider and Joseph Severino in the tenth district;
  • Bill Foster and Catalina Lauf in the eleventh district;
  • Chip Markel and Mike Bost in the twelfth district;
  • Nikki Budzinski and Regan Deering in the thirteenth district;
  • Lauren Underwood and Scott Gryder in the fourteenth district;
  • Paul Lange and Mary Miller in the fifteenth district;
  • Elizabeth Haderlein and Darin LaHood in the sixteenth district;
  • Eric Sorensen and Esther Joy King in the seventeenth district;

• In addition to those federal candidates, we of course want to pray for those who are running for statewide office. This includes praying for J.B. Pritzker and Juliana Stratton;  Darren Bailey and Stephanie Trussell and those who serve in their campaigns.

• There are also two seats up for the Illinois Supreme Court. Those two seats are located in the suburban counties outside of Cook County. In district two, please pray for Elizabeth Rochford and Mark Curran as they run for this seat. In district three, please pray for Mayr Kay O’Brien and Michael Burke.

• Finally, please pray for these statewide candidates and those contenders running for local offices near you:
  • Kwame Raoul and Thomas DeVore running for Attorney General
  • Michael Frerichs and Tom Demmer running for Treasurer
  • Alexi Giannoulias and Dan Brady running for Secretary of State
  • Susanna Mendoza and Shannon Teresi running for Comptroller
  • YOUR local State Senate Candidates
  • YOUR local State Representative Candidates
  • YOUR local Judicial Candidates
  • YOUR local County Board Members

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
The God of my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation,
My stronghold and my refuge;
My Savior, You save me from violence.
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.
~2 Samuel 22:2-4

Labor Day is approaching, and summer will soon give way to autumn. Many of us look forward to the change of seasons, watching the leaves change color, breathing in the crisp morning air, and picking apples with our kids or grandkids.

We surmise too that many, like the IFI staff, look forward to a strong pendulum swing in the election on November 8th. Political pundits admit that their predictions of the overall outcome are imprecise this far out. We know that over the next two months attitudes and interest levels could change. For those reasons, there is no doubt that Christians should be praying fervently for God’s mercy on our state and nation now and through the election, especially for God-fearing, pro-life candidates to prevail.

The national sin of abortion is front-and-center once again. While we praise God for the Dobbs decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, striking down the federal so-called “right to abortion,” we see the enemies of life working diligently to open new abortuaries in blue states as close as possible to red states with significant restrictions and/or abortion bans in order to “serve” the surge of patients already traveling across state borders to terminate the lives of unborn babies.

For example, CHOICES, based in Memphis, Tennessee, is opening a clinic in the college town of Carbondale. On the Wisconsin-Illinois Border, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is teaming up with Planned Parenthood of Illinois for an abortion mill in Waukegan. And according to a July 11th article by MyStateLine.com, a death clinic is in the works for Rockford.

These three facilities are in addition to the recently established clinics in Fairview Heights, Flossmoor, and Skokie, which have opened up over the past 5-6 years.

Nationally, we see a similar trend. Red River Women’s Clinic, which was North Dakota’s sole abortion clinic, is planning to relocate across the river to Minnesota. Planned Parenthood is working to open a new clinic in Ontario, Oregon, to serve the women expected to leave neighboring Idaho in search of abortions. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Mississippi clinic at the center of the Dobbs case overturning Roe v. Wade, is moving to Las Cruces, New Mexico just 20 minutes from the Texas border.

Our prayers must include an acknowledgement of the wickedness of innocent blood being shed in our state/nation and an earnest appeal for God’s forgiveness and mercy. We need to pray for women in crisis pregnancies and for sidewalk counselors and prayer warriors who stand vigil in front of these facilities. May their faithful witness turn hearts away from death to the Author of abundant life! (John 10:10)

We must recognize that prayer is where we start. We must lend our voice and actions to the pro-life goal of turning Illinois into a state that values human life at all stages of development. We must pray that God would soften the hearts of our friends, neighbors and family members while we work to lovingly persuade those same people with the truth of what abortion is and does. We all must engage in educating, equipping and exhorting the culture around us. We must shine the light of truth to those who hear only the lies of Big Abortion, Inc. and their allies in the media.

God is infuriated with the shedding of innocent blood (Psalm 106:38; Proverbs 6:16-17) and the apathy of so many Christians who remain on the sidelines in the face of evil (Ezekiel 12:2; James 1:22-25). Make no mistake, He sees what is going on in Illinois. But God gives us insight into why it appears He may have overlooked this grave evil.

The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. ~2 Peter 3:9

God wants us to repent, and He is sovereign. He wants to work through us to change everything–even the hearts of those who work inside these clinics. Let’s not forget that God specializes in hard cases. (Jeremiah 32:37; Luke 1:37; Ephesians 3:20; Luke 18:27)

We are to pray for one another too (Ephesians 6:18; James 5:16), because we tend to grow weary and discouraged. Therefore, we should be praying for the strength and resolve of those who are on the frontlines of this battle as we also pray that God would remove all fear and timidity from Christians who have not yet engaged in the battle for truth, righteousness, and the sanctity of human life.

Here are some additional prayers to lift up before our holy God through the name of Jesus over the next several weeks:

Thank God

• Praise the Son of the Living God, our Creator and our Guide. Praise Him for His great faithfulness, day in and day out. Praise Him for encouraging us to approach Him in prayer and for being our Helper. Thank Him for being Jehovah Jireh, the One who provides for all our needs. We serve and worship the King of kings, and Lord of lords, Jesus, the Name above all names.

• Praise and thank our holy and righteous God for the religious and civil freedoms that we still enjoy today in the United States. Pray that future generations uphold these freedoms and defend them. (Luke12:42-48)

• Thank God for His countless blessings in our lives, families, communities, and nation. Thank Him for the trials and challenges that draw us closer to Him. Thank God for the patience, strength, and faith to wait out the storm. (Psalm 92:1-2)

• PRAY for revival. (Psalm 85:6; John 8:32; James 5:16)

Please Pray:

• That God will open the eyes of policymakers and candidates running for office to the sanctity of life. Pray that they will become defenders of innocent human life and not enablers of sexual immorality and death.

• That in the 2022 election season, pro-life candidates will have the time, energy, and funding needed to saturate their districts with their campaign messages and materials.

• That God will work in the hearts and minds of our state lawmakers and governor and that He will draw them to Him and His truth. (Proverbs 21:1-8)

• That efforts to indoctrinate children in government schools will fail and that local school boards will reject the left-wing agenda for their students in kindergarten through 12th grade that include false and destructive critical race theory, sex-education, and LGBTQ advocacy.

• That God will stir up Christian parents, grandparents, and church leaders about exiting public schools and to instead consider what they can do to pass on the Christian faith through discipleship and biblical character training.

Pray for the Sanctity of Life:

• Lift up all pregnancy resource centers and those diligently reaching out to vulnerable mothers who feel as if abortion is their only option. Please pray for God’s hand of protection on those who work at these ministries and that any planned attacks would be thwarted.

• Pray for a cultural awakening about abortion. Scripture teaches us that the image of God dwells equally in all people [Gen. 9:6], yet far too many in our culture believe that killing pre-born human beings is a legitimate choice. Many so-called “progressives” advocate for this under the banner of “reproductive rights” for women. Yet these narratives deny God’s truth about the sanctity of life and when it begins.

• Please pray for God’s forgiveness for our culture’s wickedness and complicity in the destruction of human life. Though God commands, “You Shall Not Murder,” we have instead legalized it and subsidized it with our tax dollars and have failed to treat all human life as sacred to the Lord. We deserve God’s judgment, but please cry out to God for his MERCY on our state and nation. Thankfully, God’s mercies are new every day. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

• Pray for a softening of hearts and minds. May God give us opportunities to minister to those who are hurting and may our conversations be filled with His grace and love.

• Pray that the church steps up to teach and defend God’s truth regarding the sanctity of life. We are already seeing an increase in abortion traffic into our state as people come to abortion facilities in Illinois. The opportunities to be salt and light at prayer vigils, as sidewalk counselors, as friends and neighbors, are increasing. Pray that we recognize these opportunities and ask God to work through us to help would-be mothers and fathers avoid the sin of abortion.

Pray for Families:

• PARENTS: Pray that God will give us wisdom and the strength to raise godly children. Help us see the challenges we face as opportunities to train our children toward right thinking and right actions. May God help us to focus on teaching our children the Christian faith, to love the Word of God and to seek to obey His instructions. Help us to disciple our children.

• GRANDPARENTS: Pray that God would use grandparents to fearlessly proclaim the Word of God regarding sin and God’s love. Pray for their role in the training of their grandchildren and wisdom on how to instill a biblical worldview.

• FAMILIES AS SALT AND LIGHT: Pray that God would help your family to be faithful in family worship, in fostering sweet unity and cooperation, and in using your family to spread the truth and light of the Gospel.

Pray, Pray, and Pray Some More

• FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY:  Pray that God will work in the hearts of key federal officials, including President Joe Biden, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and U.S. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

• For the next several weeks, please pray for the political leaders listed below. Of course, this includes praying for Governor J.B. Pritzker and Juliana Stratton and those who serve in their administration.
  • U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois)
  • U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois)
  • U.S. Senator Patty Murry (D-Washington)
  • U.S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York)
  • U.S. Representative Drew Ferguson (R-Georgia)
  • U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-Illinois)
  • U.S. Representative Mike Bost (R-Illinois)
  • State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Highland)
  • State Senator Brian Stewart (R-Freeport)
  • State Representative Lance Yednock (D-Ottawa)
  • State Representative Keith Wheeler (R-North Aurora)
  • YOUR local County Board Members

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short
That it cannot save;
Nor is His ear so dull
That it cannot hear.
~Isaiah 59:1

We recently read a great little sermon illustration in which a young boy asked his father, “Dad, I was watching a TV show about marine biologists. Why do scuba-divers jump backwards into the water?” His father wittily responded, “Because if they jumped forward, they’d still be in the boat!”

Scuba divers jump out of boats to investigate marine life in the coastal waters and oceans of the world. It is a way of visiting another ecosystem on our vast planet. Whether it is sunken wreckage, lost treasure or coral reefs, I can see how these diving excursions are great ways to escape the stresses of daily life.

Yet today, there are many people in our culture, in our families and even in our churches who might be tempted to jump out of the boat when things get stressful, depressing or uncomfortable. Those of us who still live in Illinois understand the added frustration of wicked and foolish political leadership. The temptation to move out of this state and into “calmer, peaceful waters” is very real.

Yet we should consider what Scripture has to say about escaping trials and tribulation. Right before He was arrested, Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. He prayed John 17:14:

“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.”  

Jesus could have easily prayed that God would deliver us out of the troubled waters of our world, but He didn’t. He prayed that we would remain in the world and that we would be protected from the evil one. Why didn’t He pray for our complete rescue? His prayer continues in John 17:18:

“As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.”

Our Lord and Savior, the Son of God, prayed that we would remain so we could be on mission in this world for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

Yes, our state and our culture is in trouble. But these troubles are a reminder that we are called to be salt and light to a dying world.  David Jeremiah once said, “Today is the day to be a light shining in a dark world, fueled by the joy of the Lord.” May we be that salt and light to a dark and decaying world, all to the glory of God.

PRAYER ALERT

We cannot stress the urgency of your fervent prayers this week as our state lawmakers return to the Capitol for the second half of the Veto Session. There are a number of bad proposals pending in Springfield. Prayer and action are vitally important.

Appeal to God for His Help

• Praise God that many pro-life activists and pastors are headed to Springfield to speak out against the efforts to repeal the Parental Notice of Abortion Act and the repeal of the Health Care Right of Conscience Act. Please pray that these activists would be seen and heard by lawmakers. Pray that their presence and dialogue would help them understand the importance of parental rights and conscience rights. (Read more HERE.)

• Pray that our state lawmakers would understand the wisdom in keeping qualified (or limited), immunity for police officers in Illinois. Pray that the anti-police agenda to dismantle, dishearten and make defenseless would fall short.

Abortion

• Pray for the members of the U.S. Supreme Court as they will be hearing arguments regarding significant abortion regulations in Mississippi and Texas. Pray that God would touch the hearts of the nine Justices on the Court. Pray too, as the debate rages, that eyes and ears would be opened to the abortion industry’s murderous barbaric practices.

• Please pray for the last week of this year’s 40 Days for Life campaign, which ends on Saturday, Oct. 30. Pray that many prayer warriors would take advantage of this opportunity to be a silent witness against the murderous practice of “choice.” Pray that workers at these abortuaries would have a change of heart about their work and leave.

• Pray that every leader in our nation would come to realize that these are real human babies in the womb who deserve protection.

• Pray that the agenda of Satan and his wicked disciples to kill pre-born babies in the womb and encourage immoral sexual activities to innocent young children in government schools would be exposed and stopped.

Public School Exit

• Please continue to pray for our Rescuing Our Children initiative to encourage an exodus from government indoctrination centers. Rev. Ceasar LeFlore, our field director for this project, is meeting with pastors throughout the City of Chicago and suburbs and has been getting favorable responses.

• Pray for Illinois Family Institute and our annual banquet which is scheduled for Friday evening. Pray that the event would be a success, and that our keynote speaker, Dr. Erwin Lutzer, would encourage and challenge us to live up to the high calling of our faith in Christ Jesus.

For Those in Authority

For the next several weeks, please pray for the political leaders listed below. Pray that they would seek God’s wisdom when they make decisions that affect the people they work for. Pray that God would turn their hearts to Himself. (Proverbs 21:1)

Of course, this includes praying for Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, JB Pritzker and Julia Stratton and those who serve in these administrations. Pray also for our two U.S. Senators, Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth.

Please pray for the nine members of the U.S. Supreme Court: John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.

In addition, please pray for the following officials:

• • U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal Bennet (D-Connecticut)
  • U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (R-Missouri)
  • U.S. Representative Bobby Rush (D-Illinois)
  • U.S. Representative Peter Aguilar (D-California)
  • U.S. Representative Rick Allen (R-Georgia)
  • State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign)
  • State Senator Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro)
  • State Representative Lakesia Collins (D-Chicago)
  • State Representative Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur)
  • YOUR local City/Village/Township Officials

These last several weeks have been pretty tough for our nation. In addition to observing the 20 year anniversary of the September 11th attacks, we’ve seen flooding in Tennessee that left over twenty people dead and we’ve witnessed the devastating effects of Hurricane Ida in Louisiana and parts of the northeast. We are devastated at the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan which resulted in the death of thirteen special heroes and countless Afghani allies. Friend, while our hearts grieve over these headlines, each one should be a reminder to pray.

There is a God on His throne who is not surprised.

When Jesus was about to be arrested and face an unfair trial that would ultimately lead to His death, He told Peter, James and John to pray. But the long day got the best of them and they fell asleep. During this crucial time in our Lord’s earthly ministry, His own disciples were asleep.

In Jonah, chapter 1, we see the Prophet Jonah on a boat in the middle of a storm. On deck the captain, crew, and others were terrified, but Jonah was fast asleep in an inner cabin far below. When the captain implored Jonah to “Arise, call upon your god!” Jonah was silent.

Friend, we are in a very interesting time in human history. People are afraid. The streets of our communities are in shambles. There is turmoil throughout the world. The Church of Jesus Christ cannot fall asleep or be silent. Vance Havner once said, “If the church would only be the church– if Christians would only be Christians– nothing could halt our onward march.”

This week, let’s choose to be a people of prayer and begin to turn this world upside down for the Glory of God!

Praise and Thank God

• Praise God that many parents and grandparents are choosing to get their children and grandchildren out of government schools. The number of families deciding to home school has spiked and enrollment in private Christian schools is up significantly.

• Praise God for our First Amendment rights to freely exercise our religious beliefs, our right to free speech, our right to peacefully assemble, and our right to petition the government when they move in the wrong direction. Pray for those First Amendment attorneys and the clients they represent who have filed lawsuits against unreasonable government over-reach and mandates under the guise of “health” or “protection.”

Public School Exit

• Please continue to pray for our Rescuing Our Children initiative to encourage an exodus from government indoctrination centers. Pastor Ceasar LeFlore, our field director for this project, is meeting with pastors throughout the City of Chicago and suburbs and has been getting favorable responses.

Abortion

• Thank God that the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) refused to hear the Texas Heartbeat law that bans abortionists from dismembering living babies inside the womb once a heartbeat is heard, leaving the previous favorable court ruling intact. While this law is the bare minimum in regard to human decency, the courts have been blocking its enforcement since 2017. Praise God that five justices saw wisdom in leaving the law untouched. With a nation that appears to be growing colder and more blind to the horrific reality of abortion, pray that eyes would be opened to the abortion industry’s murderous barbaric practices.

• There are opportunities for faithful Christians to pray to Almighty God while silently witnessing for the sanctity of human life in Flossmoor, Chicago, Downers Grove and Aurora (to name 4 of the 10 Illinois locations). Please pray for this year’s campaign, which runs from Sept. 22  thru Oct. 30, and consider being one of the praying faithful during the 40 days.

• Pray that every leader in our nation would come to realize that these are real human babies in the womb who deserve protection.

• Pray that the agenda of Satan and his wicked disciples to kill pre-born babies in the womb and encourage immoral sexual activities to innocent young children in government schools would be exposed and stopped.

SCOTUS

• Despite SCOTUS’s refusal to hear the case in order to reverse the favorable ruling, the Biden Department of Justice is challenging the Texas Heartbeat Abortion Ban. Pray that they will not succeed. Pray instead that this law will be a strong precedent for other states, and that it would be used to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

• Pray that the agenda of Satan and his wicked disciples to kill pre-born babies in the womb; teach immoral sexual activities to innocent young children in government schools; and brainwash them with Marxist ideology leading to an increased hatred of America and escalating violence in our neighborhoods would be exposed and stopped. (Proverbs 6:16-19; Ephesians 5:11)

Each Other

• Pray that the Holy Spirit will prompt us, our family members, and our church family to stay rooted in God’s Holy Word, reading it daily so that we are fully equipped for what God calls us to do.

• Pray that the eyes of our hearts be enlightened, that we may know what is the hope to which He has called us to, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might that He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 1:18–20)

For Those in Authority

For the next several weeks, please pray for the political leaders listed below. Pray that they would seek God’s wisdom when they make decisions that affect the people they work for. Pray that God would turn their hearts to Himself. (Proverbs 21:1)

Of course, this includes praying for Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, JB Pritzker and Julia Stratton and those who serve in these administrations. Pray also for our two U.S. Senators, Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth. In addition, please pray for the following officials:

• • U.S. Senator Michael F. Bennet (D-Colorado)
  • U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee)
  • U.S. Representative Tom O’Halleran (D-Arizona)
  • U.S. Representative Jerry Carl (R-Alabama)
  • State Senator Christopher Belt (D-East St. Louis)
  • State Senator John Curran (R-Lemont)
  • State Representative Kelly M. Burke (D-Evergreen Park)
  • State Representative Tim Butler (R-Springfield)
  • YOUR local City/Village/Township Officials

...you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of,
knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood
you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation
through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete,
thoroughly equipped for every good work.
~2 Timothy 3:14-17

Shortly after Dallas Seminary was founded in the early 1920’s, it came to the point of bankruptcy and almost folded. On the morning it was to be foreclosed, the founders and leaders of the school met in the president’s office to pray that God would provide.

Harry Ironside was present at that prayer meeting. He boldly prayed, “Lord, we know that the cattle on a thousand hills are Thine. Please sell some of them and send us the money.”

Around the same time, a tall Texas cattle rancher walked into the seminary office, said to the secretary, “I just sold two carloads of cattle over in Fort Worth. I’ve been trying to make a business deal go through, but it just won’t work. I feel God wants me to give this money to the seminary. I don’t know if you need it or not, but here’s the check,” and handed it over.

The check was for the exact amount they needed. The seminary president looked at Harry Ironside and said, “Harry, God sold the cattle.“

Friend, let’s be honest: we don’t ask God for those bold, big prayers as much as we should. We pray for God to “watch over us and keep us safe” and ask Him to “bless this food for the nourishment of our bodies” and that we would have “traveling mercies.” That’s great and all, but we tend to stay there. When was the last time we were bold enough to ask God for something that only He can do?

In the book of Acts, King Herod arrested the Apostle Peter. Acts 12:5 says, “So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.”

The word earnest means intense and serious. While Peter was in prison, the people of the Church were banging on the doors of Heaven until the hinges came off. At that moment, an angel woke Peter up in his prison cell. Peter’s chains fell off, and the angel walked him through a series of locked doors and sleeping guards. Peter was a free man.

What would it look like if the Church today was earnest in prayer and bold enough to ask God to shut down every single abortion clinic in this country? What would it look like if we fervently prayed for the salvation of every single cabinet member of the White House? What would it look like if we were bold enough to ask God to bring a revival among the lawmakers of Illinois?

E.M. Bounds once said, “The little estimate we put on prayer is evident from the little time we give to it.”

Friend, this month, let us be intentional in prayer. Let us be bold and not afraid to ask God to do something that only He has the power to do. After all, if and when it happens, it would be so big that only He can get the credit!

Praise and Thank God

• Praise God that we live in the freest nation in the world. Thank God for the faithful generations that went before us, who sacrificed more than we will ever know to keep and make America the exceptional place that compels people from all over the world to come to our republic.

• Praise God for our First Amendment rights to freely exercise our religious beliefs, our right to assemble, our right to free speech, our right to peaceably assemble, and our right to petition the government when they move in the wrong direction. May we utilize these freedoms for the spread of the Gospel and for His glory and honor.

Please Pray

• FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY: For the next several weeks, please pray for the political leaders listed below. Of course, this includes praying for Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, JB Pritzker and Julia Stratton and those who serve in these administrations.
  • U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin)
  • U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyoming)
  • U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois)
  • U.S. Representative Alma Adams (D-North Carolina)
  • U.S. Representative Robert Aderholt (R-Alabama)
  • State Senator Omar Aquino (D-Chicago)
  • State Senator Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro)
  • State Representative Dagmara Avelar (D-Bolingbrook)
  • State Representative Thomas Bennett (R-Pontiac)
  • YOUR local City/Village/Township Officials
    

Please Pray for the Sanctity of Life

• Pray that lawmakers in Washington D.C. would uphold the Hyde Amendment, which protects taxpayers from having our federal dollars used to fund abortion.

• Pray that lawmakers in Springfield would understand the importance of the Parental Notice of Abortion Act, and choose not to repeal this important safeguard.

• Pray that the medical and scientific communities would stop engaging in political shenanigans by redefining the terms “conception” and “pregnancy.” Human life begins when sperm fertilize an egg, and should be protected in law and in practice.

• Pray against those who are promoting the anti-Biblical message of population control. Human beings are the greatest resource this would will ever know, and we are not even close to overpopulation.

General Prayer Bullet Points:

• Pray that those who consider themselves followers of Jesus would repent for not following Him wholeheartedly. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

• Pray that Christ followers would fear God and expose evil. (Job 1:8; Ephesians 5:11)

• Pray for God’s forgiveness for the failures of pastors and church leaders to boldly speak the entire Truth of God in the public square. (Jeremiah 23:9-40)

• Pray that Christian leaders would teach, preach, and advocate for God’s people to turn back to Him and to seek Him with all their hearts. (Deuteronomy 4:29)

• Pray that pastors and church leaders would do whatever is within their power to recue the children in their churches from the wicked indoctrination taking place in government schools and help to provide them with solid Christ-centered education. (Matthew 18:6; Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 9:10)

• Pray that the Holy Spirit would send a true revival, turning the children’s hearts back to the fathers and the father’s hearts back to the children; less God strikes the land with total destruction. (Malachi 4:6)

• Pray that the agenda of Satan and his wicked disciples to kill pre-born babies in the womb; teach immoral sexual activities to innocent young children in government schools; and brainwash them with Marxist ideology leading to an increased hatred of America and escalating violence in our neighborhoods WOULD CEASE because God’s people have repented. (Proverbs 6:16-19; 2 Chronicles 7:14)

• Pray for the president and defense officials to seek God’s wisdom and help as they evaluate how to respond to threats and instability in China, Russia, and the Middle East. (Psalm 68)

• Pray for God’s protection for our peacekeepers, military personnel, and law enforcement officers here and abroad who put their lives in harm’s way daily. (Matthew 5:9)

• Pray for righteous God-fearing leaders at all levels, including school board members, mayors, county officials, and federal officials all the way to the President’s Cabinet. (1 Timothy 2:2)

• Pray for wisdom, courage, and boldness for those working to root out corruption at the highest levels in government and within church denominations. Pray that Christians would install leaders who fear God, love righteousness, and will not give into the fear of man, even if it means standing alone for what’s right in alignment to God’s Word. (Isaiah 1:4)

• Pray that God would see our repentant hearts and tears and hear our cries for mercy. (Psalm 34:17)

• Because God speaks to mankind through His Word, pray that every Christ follower in your family and in your church would be convicted by the Spirit to strengthen their faith and their Christian worldview through daily Bible reading and prayer.

Whom do I have in heaven but You?
And with You, I desire nothing on earth.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.
But as for me, the nearness of God is good for me;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
So that I may tell of all Your works.
~Psalm 73:25-28

King Jehoshaphat was the ruler of Judah for 25 years from 873 to 848 BC. He had his good and bad moments as a leader, but ultimately, his desire was to honor the Lord, despite his spiritual fumbles during his reign. According to 2 Chronicles 20, the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites gathered to attack Jehoshaphat and his kingdom.

How would he respond to these enemy forces coming against him?  His response is found in 2 Chronicles 20, verses 3 and 4:

“Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.  And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.”

He sought the Lord and made a proclamation in his kingdom that everyone should fast and seek the Lord.  Yes, the King feared the great multitude coming against him, but he was more in awe at the power and majesty of God than at the calamitous force of his enemies.

Friend, our enemies are coming into our nation and stepping on our morals and our Constitution and are changing the very DNA of our nation.  It’s time to seek God and plead with Him on behalf of our great country. Imagine how God would move if millions of Christians would fervently pray toward this end everyday through November 3rd?

The great preacher of yesteryear, Charles Spurgeon, once said,

“Prayer pulls the rope below and the great bell rings above in the ears of God. Some scarcely stir the bell, for they pray so languidly. Others give but an occasional pluck at the rope. But he who wins with heaven is the man who grasps the rope boldly and pulls continuously, with all his might.”

Friend, we’re just a handful of weeks away from one of the most important elections in the history of our country.  It’s time to ring the bell of prayer so loudly that every single Seraphim and Cherubim hears us cry out to our Heavenly Father. It’s time to groan, weep and intercede for this great land.

Here are some prayer points to pray through as we fervently seek God’s mercy for the days ahead:

Please Pray:

• FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS: We must pray for God’s mercy on our state and nation. While our culture ignores God’s commands, the faithful prayers of the righteous can move God to (once again) extend His mercy to us. Pray that Christians throughout the state and nation will not only be convicted to pray, but also to cast their votes for pro-life/pro-family candidates for local, state and federal offices.

• FOR UNREST ON OUR STREETS: Every week we hear about gang violence in our urban areas. This summer in Chicago, it has been common to hear of 40 to 50 people shot and a dozen killed. The epidemic of fatherlessness is a major factor in the formation of gangs and their illegal activities, including turf wars. Pray that godly men in these communities would step up to mentor and disciple fatherless youth before the gangs get a chance to recruit them.

• FOR THE CHURCH: Pray that Church leaders will be diligent about leading prayers in their congregation for our nation and the upcoming elections. Pray that Church leaders would better understand how to heed His call to be salt and light to a lost world during this election cycle and beyond. Ask that He will embolden pastors and entire churches to reach out to the surrounding community, shining bright lights within the darkness.

• FOR JUDGES AND THE COURTS: Pray that they will seek the wisdom that comes from above rather than any personal or political agendas.

Pray for Families:

• STUDENT WELFARE: Please pray for parents who have to their children in government schools and have to contend for their children’s safety in locker rooms and bathrooms at school. Whether in-person or online, Illinois schools are continuing to make decisions about transgender-themed school policies, so pray that God would keep parents vigilant amidst the chaos and embolden them to speak up against policies that will have a negative impact on their children. Please also continue to pray for students struggling with gender identity issues, asking God to place godly people in their lives who will both share and live out His redemptive truth and love with them.

• GRANDPARENTS: That God would inspire and encourage grandparents to be the mortar in the bricks of their children’s families, filling in gaps and helping to cement bricks together. Pray that God would give them a vision for their role in the training of their grandchildren and wisdom on how to instill a Biblical worldview.

• FAMILIES AS SALT AND LIGHT: Pray that God would use your family to spread the truth and light of the Gospel.

Pray for the Sanctity of Life:

• ABORTION: That God would have mercy on those who are considering abortion. Pray that He would convict the hearts of mothers to choose life for their babies. Pray that God would provide a strong and visible support system for these women.

• PRC’s: Lift up all pregnancy resource centers and those diligently reaching out to vulnerable mothers who feel as if abortion is their only option. Please also ask that God would put into place legislators who value the sanctity of life and will work to pass laws that help protect the life of the unborn.

• 40 DAYS FOR LIFE: Pray for the success of 40 Days for Life which starts on September 23rd. Pray that Christians throughout the state of Illinois would be stirred and commit to taking a one hour a week shift (for 6 weeks) in silent peaceful prayer against the wickedness of abortion. The prophets made it very clear what happens when the unborn are not protected:
  

  Because they have forsaken Me and have made this an alien place and have burned sacrifices in it to other gods, that neither they nor their forefathers nor the kings of Judah had ever known, and because they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent … I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies and by the hand of those who seek their life. (Jeremiah. 19:4-7)

Pray for the Government:

• CORRUPTION: Pray that the federal government’s investigation into political corruption at various levels of government in Illinois would root out self-serving wicked incumbents and government employees.

• FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY: Pray for the political leaders listed below as they continue to make important decisions about how to respond to the COVID-19 health crisis, the lock-down and the resulting economic downturn:
  • U.S. Representative Bobby Rush (D-Chicago)
  • U.S. Representative Rodney Davis (R-Springfield)
  • State Senator Antonio Munoz (D-Chicago)
  • State Senator Jim Oberweis (R-North Aurora)
  • State Senator Omar Aquino (D-Chicago)
  • State Senator Dan McConchie (R-Lake Zurich)
  • State Representative Aaron Ortiz (D-Chicago)
  • State Representative Margo McDermed (R-Mokena)
  • State Representative Theresa Mah (D-Chicago)
  • State Representative Eva Delgado (D-Chicago)
  • State Representative Bradley Stephens (R-Rosemont)
  • State Representative Delia Ramirez (D-Chicago)

Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace,
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
(Hebrews 4:16)

We take very seriously the trust you place in Illinois Family Institute when you send a gift.
We understand that we are accountable before you and God to honor your trust. 

IFI is supported by voluntary donations from good people like you.

This year has been a very, very interesting year. Some will say it has been a difficult year. Others will say that it’s been a frustrating year. But all would agree that it’s been an unforgettable year.  My last message to my Church before the “shutdown” was a prophetic one, without even knowing it.  It was one that God knew that I and our Church family needed to hear.

It was from James 4:13-15, which says,

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.

In 1899, Charles H. Duell, Commissioner in the U.S. Office of Patents said, “Everything that can be invented has been invented.”  Yet, since then, the world has witnessed the advent of airplanes, automobiles, manned space travel, computers, cell phones, and literally countless of other devices and products that we use and take for granted every day.

Our view of the future is so limited.  We are able to look backward fairly clearly on the past, but we cannot fully see into the future. People spend millions of dollars per year calling psychics and visiting palm readers to no avail. Our view and understanding is limited.

With the upcoming elections, civil unrest in our streets, and the brokenness in our communities, we have no idea what the upcoming days will hold.  We don’t know what tomorrow will hold… but we can know and fully trust Who holds tomorrow.

Now, more than ever, we need to seek the face of God.

Here are some things to petition the “Holder of our tomorrow” in the days ahead:

Please Pray:

• FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS: To be clear – our hope does not reside in Washington, but in the Lord. But what takes place in Washington does affect us as believers.  Let’s pray for God’s will to take place in the November 3rd General Election – which is 82 days away. Pray for the General Election and for godly candidates who must find ways to get their campaign messages out during this time of social distancing. Pray that a large wave of pro-life/pro-family candidates would be triumphant in their race for local, state and federal offices.

• FOR UNREST ON OUR STREETS: Behind every riot and act of looting, there is a deeper need.  As you watch the news and see the headlines, let us pray for each and every lost soul who desperately needs to experience the healing power of Jesus Christ.  True healing is ultimately in Him.

• FOR THE CHURCH: Pray that we seek God’s face on a daily basis and that we be serious about His call to be salt and light to a lost world, powerfully sharing and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As the early Church “turned the world upside down,” let’s get back to the mission. Please pray that God will draw more and more people to Himself during this time of fear and uncertainty.

• FOR JUDGES AND THE COURTS: Let’s pray that they will seek the wisdom that comes from above rather than any personal or political agendas.

Pray for Families:

• FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS: One silver lining of the COVID-19 lock-down has given us the opportunity to grow closer together as families. Pray that Christian fathers seriously take responsibility to be spiritual leaders of their own home, teaching their children about God and His Word every day, so they will know God’s perfect love and His standards.

• EDUCATION CHOICES: Various news reports tell us that many parents are leaving government schools and instead choosing home schooling and private school options. Please pray for those moms and dads (grandmothers and grandfathers) who are embarking on home education. May God pour out His wisdom, discernment and patience to them. Pray also for our friends at Illinois Christian Home Educators as they assist the influx of new families who are exploring home education to instruct, equip and train their children to thrive as independent and productive adults. Pray that IFI’s homeschooling webinars will reach the right people at the right time.

  Pray for Christian schools across the country who are navigating an influx of new students and how to welcome families new to Christian schooling. Pray for God to protect these schools and families from arbitrary government regulations that are still a risk and for God to prevent obstacles that hamper the growth of school choice for families. Pray also for government leaders to recognize the benefits of educational choice and the constitutional limits of government.

• GRANDPARENTS: That God would inspire and encourage grandparents to be the mortar in the bricks of their children’s families, filling in gaps and helping to cement bricks together. Pray that God would give them a vision for their role in the training of their grandchildren and wisdom on how to instill a Biblical worldview.

• FAMILIES AS SALT AND LIGHT: Pray that God would use your family to spread the truth and light of the Gospel.

Pray for the Sanctity of Life:

• ABORTION: That God would have mercy on those who are considering abortion. Pray that He would convict the hearts of mothers to choose life for their babies. Pray that God would provide a strong and visible support system for these women.

• EVILDOERS: Pray that Planned Parenthood and other abortion organizations would financially fail and be deprived of achieving their objectives to terminate the lives of OUR innocent pre-born neighbors. Pray specifically for the closures of the newest abortion mills in Flossmoor, Fairview Heights and Waukegan. Pray Psalm 34:16, which says “The face of the Lord is against evildoers, To cut off the memory of them from the earth.” 

• U-TURN: Pray that employees at your local abortion mills would see their work for what it is, have a change of heart and mind, and be converted by faith to God Almighty, the Author of life and Perfecter of faith. Pray that abortion mills cannot fill positions and are forced to shut down.

• PROTECTION: Please pray for protection for Christian medical professionals who are facing conscience challenges in the workplace. Pray for courage for those who find themselves called to take a stand for the sanctity of life. We pray for pro-life and Christian healthcare professionals to be empowered to unite their voices together and effectively stand for religious freedoms across the nation. We also pray for nonprofit, faith-based hospitals that find themselves pressured to provide medical procedures that destroy life and conflict with their faith.

Pray for the Government:

• CORRUPTION: Pray that the federal government’s investigation into political corruption at various levels of government in Illinois would root out self-serving wicked incumbents and government employees.

• LIBERTY: Pray that government officials in every branch of government will not only recognize the God-given liberties identified in the Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence, but that they would work diligently to uphold and protect religious liberty, conscience rights and parental rights.

• FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY: Pray for the political leaders listed below as they continue to make important decisions about how to respond to the COVID-19 health crisis, the lock-down and the resulting economic downturn:
  • U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-Deerfield)
  • U.S. Representative Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro)
  • State Senator Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago)
  • State Senator John Curran (R-Lemont)
  • State Senator Kimberly Lightford (D-Chicago)
  • State Senator Sue Rezin (R-Morris)
  • State Senator Paul Schimpf (R-Waterloo)
  • State Representative Keith Wheeler (R-North Aurora)
  • State Representative Tom Demmer (R-Dixon)
  • State Representative Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island)
  • State Representative Fran Hurley (D-Chicago)
  • State Representative Steven Reick (R-Woodstock)
  • State Representative Andre Thapedi (D-Chicago)

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brought them out of their distresses.
He caused the storm to be still,
So that the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad because they were quiet,
So He guided them to their desired haven.
(Psalm 107:28-30)

We take very seriously the trust you place in Illinois Family Institute when you send a gift.
We understand that we are accountable before you and God to honor your trust. 

IFI is supported by voluntary donations from good people like you.

written by Pastor Rob Gallion, Petersburg First Baptist Church

I was in college, embarrassingly enough, when I crashed and burned in one of the most spectacular single-bicycle accidents never caught on camera. Pedaling along at full speed on my royal blue ten-speed Huffy with no particular place to go, I suddenly found myself hurtling over the handlebars through the summer air and face-planting squarely in the right lane of N. Robb Street.

How it happened I do not know. I will say, however, I have made it a rule to never again ride a bike while wearing flip flops.

Somehow I managed to un-crumple myself from the pavement, get back on the bike and ride home with three broken front teeth and bloodied face, hands, knees and feet. Normally brothers would have a good laugh at each other’s brutal fails, but Dan quickly assessed my helpless estate and drove me to the Emergency Room where I received the medical care I sorely needed.

My parents weren’t home at the time, but at least Dad got to help out later by paying the bill.

Spiritually speaking, I think there are multitudes of people in our nation just like me in this illustration. They’re cruising along life’s highway at full speed, either not knowing where they’re going or just going along with the flow, when suddenly they hit a bump in the road or get a foot caught in the gears, and the next thing they know they’re spitting asphalt out of their mouths and trying to stop the bleeding. And they have no idea how they got in such shape.

In our generation we’re witnessing, it seems, a culture crashing and burning. As those who truly desire God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, we rightly lament the societal tide which seeks to abolish godly values and accomplish man’s will instead. We rightly speak out the truth in love on specific issues that impact our homes, schools, communities, and country.

But listen to me. When I limped home that day, I didn’t need my brother laughing at my failure, lamenting over my troubles or lecturing me on how I should have worn proper bicycle safety gear, as opposed to, say, wearing flip flops. I needed him to get me to the doctor as soon as possible.

When Jesus saw the crowds He saw people who were harassed and helpless, clueless and confused, wrecked and battered. More specifically, He saw those who had been crushed by the devastating effects of sin in this world, whether those wounds were self-inflicted or simply infected by sin’s penetrating curse. And our Savior had compassion on them each.

In fact, Jesus was always moved with compassion by the effects of sin in people’s lives. He illustrated his compassionate heart in the parable of the prodigal son. He shed tears over the city of Jerusalem who rejected him. Even as he hung and bled and suffered on the cross, our Lord looked with compassion upon his tormentors and prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

It’s the sick who need a doctor, and Jesus is the Healer who came to call sinners to repentance. He’s already paid the price for our salvation by His blood shed on Calvary’s hill. Our mission is to get the sick and dying, the broken and the bleeding to the Great Physician for the spiritual healing they so urgently need.

Jesus then gave His disciples this word in Matthew 9:37-38: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

We need to be on our knees with compassionate hearts pleading with our Lord for the salvation of lost souls. We ought to be pounding on the door of heaven to raise up men and women from our pews to go out into the harvest fields with the message of eternal life in Christ Jesus for whosoever believes (John 3:16). We should be standing in the gap begging of the Lord on behalf of our families, our schools, our cities, and our nation.

Charles Spurgeon echoed Christ’s compassion and issued this challenge:

“If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for.”

May the Lord awaken and compel our souls to compassionate, purposeful, powerful prayer as we seek to lead sinners to the healing arms of the Savior.

Written by Pastor Joe Denner

What is your primary strategy for bringing about the kinds of changes you’re looking for in your church, community, family, or life?

I recently participated in an executive retreat with an organization that was discussing change and the topic of conversation centered around, “What is most important right now?”

I think that is a question we should all be asking, as pastors, as business people, as parents, as citizens. I am sure there are many answers we could come up with, but one of the answers this leadership team came up with resonated deeply with me.

“Prayer should be our strategy,” stated one of the senior members of the team.

Unfortunately, prayer often isn’t at the top of our list when we think about strategy. Don’t get me wrong, many of us pray. But how many of us have prayer as one of our most important strategies, bringing a focus of prayer into multiple arenas in our lives?

This leader’s answer makes me think of Paul’s words, “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

As a husband, father, pastor, and business owner, I am becoming more and more convinced that prayer is one of the absolute most important aspects of all of my roles. There isn’t a single responsibility in my purview that shouldn’t be bathed in and have as its source of direction a regular and consistent conversation with God.

There are many ways and many areas that this strategy could be implemented, but I would like to challenge you to make it a consistent practice in one specific area – your marriage.

My wife and I have been praying together daily for over a decade and we would both tell you that it is one of the most intimate practices you and your spouse can enjoy together. Not only do we believe that, but we would also say it is one of the most powerful practices we enjoy together.

A couple that regularly and consistently stands together in prayer is a powerful weapon in the hands of Almighty God. Because of this, the enemy of our souls, the devil, will pull out all the stops to prevent this from happening. But we must persist. We must be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (Eph. 6:10) so we can prevail in this fight.

The stakes are too high not to fight. And God is too faithful not to prevail on your behalf if you will surrender to Him in this area.

Paul urges the people of God to make the most of our time, because the days are evil (Eph. 5:16). Praying together as a couple is a key way to make the most of our time.

I truly believe that if we will yield to the Spirit and allow Him to form us into praying couples, that we will see a movement of God in our day that is unprecedented.

Remember the words of Nehemiah, “And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” (Nehemiah 4:14)

Specific Prayer Items:

• Pray for President Donald Trump and both of our U.S. Senators, Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth.

• Pray for the Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court:  Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justices Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, Ruth Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito, Sonai Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Neil Gorsuch. Please pray that they would uphold and preserve religious liberty as they consider the Masterpiece Cakeshop case later this year.

• Pray that lawmakers in Washington, D.C. would continue to work toward defunding Planned Parenthood and repealing Obamacare.

• Please continue to pray that Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner will veto HB 1785 and HB 40, proposals that would legalize transgender birth certificates and taxpayer funding of abortion in Illinois.

• Pray that devout Christians throughout the state would respond to the call to public service and run for office on the local, state and federal levels. Pray that moral and fiscally responsible candidates would have the support they need to prevail in the March 2018 elections. Pray that God would remove from office those corrupt political officials who enable reckless and immoral legislative practices to continue.

• Pray for boldness in our pulpits and for strong, unwavering church leadership plus a willingness to engage the culture.

• Pray that God would bless and prosper the work of IFI and IFA.  Pray for the success of our upcoming fall events and the wherewithal to do the work necessary on behalf of life, families, marriages, and religious liberty.

Thank you for being a prayer warrior alongside us!

Joe Denner is the President of Alliant Leadership and the Pastor of Dover Bible Church. He and his wife and their nine children live in Dover. Illinois.

You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter and subscribe to his YouTube channel. Check out his blog too!

Praise the LORD!
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,
for His steadfast love endures forever!
Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,
or declare all His praise?
Blessed are they who observe justice,
who do righteousness at all times!
~Psalm 106:1-3

With just weeks left in the regular session of the General Assembly, we are still working to stop a number of bills that are making their way through the legislative process.  Almost two dozen great activists traveled to Springfield on Wednesday to join IFI’s full time lobbyists in the hopes of meeting with key lawmakers to discuss bills of concern.  The bills we are working include:

HB 40 – Taxpayer Funding of Abortion.  This bill passed the Illinois House by a vote of 62-55 two weeks ago.  It is now going through the process in the Illinois Senate and is expected to pass and be sent on to Gov. Rauner.  UPDATE: Yesterday afternoon, the Illinois Senate passed this life-destroying legislation by a vote of 33-22.  It will now go to Governor Rauner.  Please PRAY that Gov. Rauner will follow through on his pledge to veto.  Pray for the pro-life lawmakers who are working behind the scenes to see this legislation die.

HB 1785 – Transgender Birth Certificate.  The sponsor of this legislation, Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), has not called his bill for a vote yet because he does not have the necessary 60 votes to pass it out of the House.  While this is indeed good news, we know that Rep. Harris, Equality Illinois, the ACLU of Illinois, and others are working hard to convince a handful of lawmakers to vote in favor of the bill.  Please PRAY that God would convict the hearts and minds of on-the-fence lawmakers to vote against this fraudulent proposal.

ERA – The Equal Rights Amendment. Two weeks ago, this constitutional amendment passed out of an Illinois senate committee and is pending a vote of the full senate.  Because it is a constitutional amendment, it requires a three-fifths vote in both chambers; 36 in the Illinois Senate and 71 in the Illinois House. Again, proponents seem to be short the votes necessary to keep the bill moving. However, we know how quickly things can change in the General Assembly.  Please PRAY that lawmakers see through the politically correct appeals from the Left and understand how this legislation hurts women. Pray that the sponsors of this dangerous legislation would not be able to put together enough support to advance it.

SB 316 (Amendment 1) – Marijuana Legalization. On April 18^th, State Senator Heather Steans (D-Chicago) and State Representative Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) announced that they would begin the discussion about legalizing recreational marijuana in Illinois.  Although they said they would not call the legislation for a vote this year, IFI understands that we must intentionally seek to be part of the conversation, as the media often refuses to give the conservative perspective a platform.  Please PRAY that lawmakers in Springfield are not ready (and remain that way) to legalize another vice for the people of Illinois.  Pray that they understand how addictive, damaging and even deadly it can be.

Other Specific Prayer Items:

• Pray for our federal officials: President Donald Trump, the Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, and both of our U.S. Senators, Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth.

• Pray for all 18 of our U.S. Representatives: Bobby Rush, Robin Kelly, Dan Lipinski, Luis Gutierrez, Mike Quigley, Peter Roskam, Danny Davis, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Jan Schakowsky, Brad Schneider, Bill Foster, Mike Bost, Rodney Davis, Randy Hultgren, John Shimkus, Adam Kinzinger, Cheri Bustos and Darin LaHood.

• Pray that lawmakers in Washington, D.C. would continue to work toward defunding Planned Parenthood and repealing Obamacare.

• Pray for boldness in our pulpits and for strong, unwavering church leadership plus a willingness to engage the culture.

• Pray that God would continue to provide the needs and resources for IFI to do the work necessary to work on behalf of life, families, marriages, and religious liberty.

Thank you so very much for your willingness to partner with us in prayer!

We normally send out prayer alerts to the IFI Prayer Team – to those 800 plus people who have opted into this special publication.  But in light of a new presidential administration and new legislative sessions in both Washington D.C. and Springfield, it is important that this message be viewed by as many Christians as possible, as we exhort each reader to prayer – fervent prayer, if I may be so bold. (Learn more about IFI’s Prayer Team HERE.)

Today, Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45^th President of the United States.

Last week, state lawmakers were sworn into office in Springfield to begin the 100^th General Assembly (a two year session).

Two weeks before that, on January 3, 2017, our federal lawmakers were sworn in, starting the 115^th Congress (also a two year session).

All of these government officials have a tremendous duty before them to uphold the State and U.S. Constitutions and serve the general welfare of the American people. As Christians, we have an obligation to pray for them because it benefits us, our families, our neighbors, and society as a whole.

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” ~1 Timothy 2:1-2

POTUS

Pray for President Donald J. Trump. Pray that God gives him an abundance of wisdom, discernment and understanding of the issues before him. Pray that god-fearing advisers surround him.  Pray that his administration would do good, seek justice, defend the oppressed and do the hard things to establish sound moral and fiscal policies. Pray for his spiritual and physical safety and well-being.

Pray for Vice President-elect Mike Pence. Pray that God would use him in great ways to advise President Trump. Pray that he will have many great opportunities to share the truth of the Gospel and to disciple those within the administration. Pray that he would continue to seek God in prayer in all things. Pray for his spiritual and physical safety and well-being.

Let’s pray fervently for God’s hand of blessing and direction on Donald Trump over next 100 days!! May he learn to lean on the Holy Spirit in his new capacity.

U.S. Congress

We also urge you to pray regularly for U.S. Senator Richard Durbin and your particular U.S. Representative.  In addition, there are three federal lawmakers elected to new positions this session that we should also lift up in prayer.  They are U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth and U.S. Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (D- Schaumburg) of the 8^th District and Brad Schneider (D-Deerfield) of the 10^th District.

Illinois General Assembly

Likewise, for our lawmakers at the State Capitol in Springfield, we must pray regularly for Governor Bruce Rauner and your own state senator and state representative. We also have a new Illinois Comptroller, Susan Mendoza. It would be wise to pray for her as she is in charge of the state “checkbook.”

In addition, we have twenty-three new elected officials who are in need of our prayers.  Here is the list:

Illinois State Senate:

Omar Aquino (D-Chicago)

Christina Castro (D-Elgin)

Paul Schimpf (R-Murphysboro)

Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg)

Illinois State House of Representatives:

Teresa Mah (D-Chicago)

Julia Stratton (D-Chicago)

Melissa Conyears (D-Chicago)

Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago)

Nick Sauer (R-Barrington)

Steve Reick (R-Woodstock)

Tony McCombie (R-Savanna)

Michael Halpin (D-Rock Island)

Ryan Spain (R-Peoria)

Daniel Swanson (R-Woodhull)

David Welter (R-Morris)

Jerry Long (R-Ottawa)

Lindsay Parkhurst (R-Kankakee)

David Olsen (R-Downers Grove)

Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville)

Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville)

LaToya Greenwood (D-East St. Louis)

Dave Severin (R-Marion)

Although we may disagree with the politics and worldview of many of the officials above, Christians have the privilege of going “above their heads” to appeal to an omnipotent God who is able to turn the heart of a king like a stream of water (Proverbs 21:1).

Pray that God would accomplish His purposes through these elected officials for the welfare of our state and nation.

Finally, pray that Congress will move to defund Planned Parenthood quickly, and that our state lawmakers will reject HB 40 — the bill to have our tax-dollars pay for thousands of abortions every year.

May God be pleased to answer our prayers!

Join IFI at our Feb. 18th Worldview Conference

We are excited about our third annual Worldview Conference featuring world-renowned theologian Dr. Frank Turek on Sat., Feb. 18, 2017 in Barrington. Dr. Turek is s a dynamic speaker and the award-winning author of “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist”

Join us for a wonderful opportunity to take enhance your biblical worldview and equip you to more effectively engage the culture:

Click HERE to learn more or to register!

America is not like most other nations around the world. We have a different history and heritage. America is a nation that was founded on prayer. That is something we should not forget during this election year.

A History of Prayer in America

In December of 1621, Gov. William Bradford and the Pilgrims in Massachusetts called for a day of thanksgiving and prayer to Almighty God for His provision and protection.

During the Revolutionary War, Congress issued a total of 15 official proclamations, calling for times of fasting and prayer.

On the celebration of the first national Thanksgiving Day, President George Washington declared:

“Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor. . . Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November [1789] . . . that we may all unite to render unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection.”

The most visible signer of the Declaration of Independence, Gov. John Hancock, proclaimed in 1790:

“[I] appoint . . . a day of public thanksgiving and praise . . . to render to God the tribute of praise for His unmerited goodness towards us . . . [by giving to] us . . . the Holy Scriptures which are able to enlighten and make us wise to eternal salvation. And [to] present our supplications…that He would forgive our manifold sins and . . . cause the benign religion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to be known, understood, and practiced among all the inhabitants of the earth.”

In an appeal for prayer, Benjamin Franklin said to his colleagues in the Continental Congress:

“All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of superintending providence in our favor. To that kind providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance? I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth-that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the Ground without his Notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without his Aid?”

All throughout the history of our nation, our leaders have called for prayer to Almighty God.

It’s Time to Seek the Lord

In this election year, many people are expressing fear and anger. Both of these emotions come from a similar place. Things feel out of control. Our future seems uncertain. People are desperate for something that can stop the freefall our nation seems to be in.

The fact is, our greatest problems in America all have moral and spiritual roots. We cannot, as a nation, turn our back on God, and pretend that we don’t need Him, and then expect His blessings.

Ronald Reagan’s words at the 1982 National Prayer Breakfast ring so true:

“I also believe this blessed land was set apart in a very special way, a country created by men and women who came here not in search of gold, but in search of God. They would be free people, living under the law with faith in their Maker and their future. Sometimes, it seems we’ve strayed from that noble beginning, from our conviction that standards of right and wrong do exist and must be lived up to. God, the source of our knowledge, has been expelled from the classroom. He gives us His greatest blessing, life, and yet many would condone the taking of innocent life. We expect Him to protect us in a crisis, but turn away from Him too often in our day-to-day living. I wonder if He isn’t waiting for us to wake up.”

I believe now is the time for us as Americans to wake up, and hear the call for repentance and humility. Rather than the anger and arrogance that has typified much of this election season, let’s approach our Maker with bended knee, and seek His mercy and pardon for our wayward hearts. Only then can we expect the needed rebuilding and restoration of our country to begin.

“Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me,
and I will hear you. You will seek Me and find Me,
when you seek Me with all your heart.
I will be found by you, declares the LORD.”
~Jeremiah 29:12-14a