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II Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.”

Psalm 27:8 “When thou sadist, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.”

Psalm 105:4 “Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.”

I Chronicles 16:11 “Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.”

The 119^th Congress started their term yesterday at this tenuous time in our nation’s history. Their lawmaking activities have an oversized impact on the direction of this nation and our well-being. Yet, there is an ever-present physical reminder of their responsibility to the ultimate authority as they deliberate in the House of Representatives chamber.

As the Speaker of the House presides over the law-making activities of the lower chamber, he directly faces a depiction of the law giver – Moses – who looks down on Him and the legislative body from the upper portion of the opposite wall. In many ways, the frontal depiction of Moses is a representation of the face of God.

Seeking God’s face is a fundamental component of national revival and healing as described in II Chronicles 7:14. We aren’t just to seek His face temporarily nor occasionally. We are to seek it evermore and continually.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE 119^TH CONGRESS TO DISCHARGE THEIR DUTIES WELL AND FAITHFULLY. As they make laws, may they be ever mindful of the One who gave the law. As they do and as we hold them accountable, may we all seek His face evermore and continually.

Romans 8:31 “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”

Psalm 31:15 “My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.”

Matthew 16:17-18 “And Jesus answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

The London Company established James Fort, also known as Jamestown, as the first permanent settlement in the New World. A rotation of guards was a necessary feature of the outpost, and their vigilance was required for the safety and security of the population. At each changing of the guard, they recited the following prayer:

“We know, O Lord, we have the devil and all the gates of Hell against us, but if Thou O Lord be on our side, we care not who be against us. And seeing by Thy motion and work in our hearts, we have left our warm nests at home, and put our lives into Thy hands, principally to honor Thy name and advance the Kingdom of Thy Son, Lord give us leave to commit our lives into Thy hands, Amen.”

These guards were wise to acknowledge the pressing and pervasive threat of the devil and the gates of Hell. Yet, they were astute in relying on the protection of the Lord whose presence would be the deciding factor in their success or failure. They had bravely and faithfully left the safety of home to put their lives into His hands in order to honor His name and advance the Kingdom of Christ.

As Christians in America stand watch today, we would be wise to acknowledge the pressing and pervasive threat of the devil and the gates of Hell. Yet, we must be astute to rely on the protection of the Lord whose presence will be the deciding factor in our success or failure. We must bravely and faithfully leave our comforts and put our lives into His hands in order to honor His name and advance the Kingdom of Christ.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO STAND WATCH FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST IN OUR SOCIETY WITH COURAGE, FAITH AND VIGILANCE. He is the deciding factor in our success or failure.

ADMIN: The James Fort prayer is described in “The Power of Faith” by Woodi Ishmael.

Luke 2:10-14 “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

Philippians 4:6-8 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Isaiah 9:2 “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s 1944 Christmas proclamation included the following:

“The Christmas spirit lives tonight in the bitter cold of the front lines in Europe and in the heat of the jungles and swamps of Burma and the Pacific islands. Even the roar of our bombers and fighters in the air and the guns of our ships at sea will not drown out the messages of Christmas which come to the hearts of our fighting men.”

In the midst of the chaos of World War II that was raging around the planet, President Roosevelt stressed the piercing peace of God and the prevailing power of His presence. His Spirit existed on the front lines, amidst the drowning sound of conflict, and in the beating hearts of personnel in the heat of battle. His Spirit lived on for them regardless of location or circumstance, even when surrounded by an environment of chaos and turmoil.

His Spirit does the same for us today, regardless of our location or circumstance, even when surrounded by an environment of chaos and turmoil. Fear not! Instead, embrace the gift of His good tidings of great joy. He freely offers the peace of God, which passes all understanding, and manifests a great light in the darkness.

PLEASE PRAY THAT WE WOULD ALLOW THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT TO COMFORT AND CONSUME US DURING THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON. The Christmas Spirit lives as we serve on the front lines for Him.

Hebrews 4:14-16 “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Titus 2:13-14 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

On December 17^th, 1777, General George Washington and his 12,000-men revolutionary army entered Valley Forge. They would spend the next several months in this camp as they endured the long, cold, hard wintertime while spending time professionalizing the force to reverse the steady stream of military losses they had suffered during the previous two and a half years. He strove to provide a message of hope.

On that day, General Washington published a brilliant two-paragraph General Order to institutionalize the culture he expected in the camp. Yet, he wasn’t just going to tell them what to do, but was going to do it alongside of them:

“These cogent reasons have determined the General to take post in the neighbourhood of this camp; and influenced by them, he persuades himself, that the officers and soldiers, with on heart, and one mind, will resolve to surmount every difficulty, with a fortitude and patience, becoming their profession, and the sacred cause in which they are engaged: He himself will share in the hardship, and partake of every inconvenience.”

In a stunning sign of servant leadership, the commanding general publicly committed to “share in the hardship, and partake of every inconvenience.” In doing so, he followed the example of the greatest leader in human history – Jesus Christ.

On Christmas, we must remember that Jesus is far more than the cute baby in the manger. He was the fleshly appearing of our stunning Lord and Saviour. By coming to this earth, He amazingly committed to “share in the hardship, and partake of every inconvenience” for us. He did so not just to demonstrate and model proper servant leadership, but to prove a profound love for all of humanity, and for you and me. His glorious appearing gives us a blessed hope.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO EMBRACE THE EXAMPLE, THE LOVE, AND THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST’S GLORIOUS APPEARING. Spend time this season marveling at a God who came to share in the hardship and partake of every inconvenience for us.

Psalm 85:6 “Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?”

Matthew 7:12 “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”

Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

II Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

A few weeks ago, Baltimore Sun partial owner Armstrong Williams wrote an articulate article entitled “America needs a spiritual revival.” Indeed it does!

Armstrong Williams: America needs a spiritual revival | STAFF COMMENTARY

Williams starts with the following: “A spiritual depression stalks the United States. It cannot and will not be alleviated by elections. We have become reptiles with no moral compass. Our gratifications have become entirely hormonal, not spiritual: We crave power, money, fame, sex, and creature comforts.”

He goes on to encourage justice, self-discipline, restraint, wisdom, selflessness, moral courage, honesty, and common courtesies. Realizing that it is a rightful but unattainable goal, he calls for spiritual perfection to be inculcated, valorized, honored, and featured. He goes on to encourage public rebuke of anti-social characteristics. The ideas contained therein are laudable, good, and right. Yet, something is missing.

Armstrong Williams is urging for a secular, spiritual revival. There is no mention of God or any higher power. Apart from the use of the word “spiritual,” it oozes with traits from the Age of Reason and the elevation of man’s self-sufficiency. In doing so, he misses the root cause of our shortcomings – a society and a culture that is increasingly untethered to the truths of the supernatural.

We need God to revive us again. In order for the Golden Rule to be possible, we need a subservience to Godly authority. As we train up our children, we need to yield to our Heavenly Father. It begins with humility, prayerfulness, urgent searching and repentance.

PLEASE PRAY FOR A TRUE SPIRITUAL REVIVAL IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CENTERED AROUND OUR SUBSERVIENCE TO THE LORD OUR GOD. There can be no such thing as a secular, spiritual revival.