Today’s Devotional Verse

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. John 17:21‭-‬23 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.17.21-23.KJV

Why Unity Matters: The Heart of Jesus

Day 4 of 5 Days of Prayer for My Nation.

In one of the few recorded prayers we have of Jesus, He prayed specifically for unity of His future followers: “I pray that they will all be one …” (John 17:21). Why did He want that? He went on to pray, “May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me” (John 17:23).

First Timothy 2:1–4 indicates that God’s desire is for all people to be saved. And that happens best—according to Scripture—when His people are in unity, working, fellowshipping, and praying together.

Looking historically at revival and spiritual awakening in the United States, we find that a key element that launched those moves of God was unity. Churches started praying together, seeking God for their communities and nation. In the prayer meeting revival of the late 1850s, believers from many different churches started meeting in noontime prayer meetings across cities, not caring about the “tribes” with which they shouldn’t mingle. That had a common goal and vision.

God is at work to tear down those walls that divide the denominational (and nondenominational) tribes for the sake of the gospel. Pastors need to be less concerned about what intermingling might do to theological purity and be more concerned with what unity will do for the sake of lost souls.

Give thanks to the Father: I praise and thank you, Lord Jesus, that in you “we are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other” (Romans 12:5)

Listen for the Holy Spirit’s prompting for confession: Forgive me, Lord, for not crossing barriers to love beyond my comfort zone; extend your life and love through me to those unlike me.

Join Jesus in prayers of petition: Father God, help us to keep our focus on eternal priorities, that in them we might “all agree and that there be no divisions among [us]” (1 Corinthians 1:10).

Proclaim promises from His Word: Holy Spirit, make my life an answer to the high-priestly prayer of Jesus: “Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are” (John 17:11).

Engage with other Jesus-followers in a lifestyle of prayer: Visit nationalprayeraccord.com and see how you can be involved in this unified prayer rhythm. Then look for ways to pray with pastors and believers from other tribes.

Day 3 of 5 Days of Prayer for My Nation

Our Nation is Broken

Prayer is imperative because our nation is broken. Division is undeniable and unity is missing. Racial tension is alarming. Lawlessness abounds. Reconciliation appears impossible. Government cannot fix us. Politics will not heal us. We need God now more than at any time in our generation.

It is prayer that precedes and forwards the advancement of the gospel. It is prayer that precedes any great movement of God. In fact, it is prayer that will precede the revival of the church and the next great spiritual awakening.

In this desperate and urgent hour, when turmoil and division are evident in our nation and security threats are very real, it is imperative that we do all we can to mobilize unified public prayer for our nation.

Paul writes, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). The present spiritual crisis is calling us to pray for and take all the necessary actions to come together as a nation. God is the only one who can bring unity, harmony, and oneness to our country; therefore, we look only to Him in prayer.

Call upon God to empower us to make every effort to live in unity, call for unity, and to promote unity in our nation continually.

Give thanks to the Father: Father, we have been abundantly blessed by your hand upon our nation; I rejoice and give thanks for the divine favor and protection that you have provided.

Listen for the Holy Spirit’s prompting for confession: Forgive us that we have too often received your grace and favor in vain; we repent of looking for manmade solutions to struggles that need your divine touch. Turn our eyes and hearts back to you, beginning with me.

Join Jesus in prayers of petition: Continue to pour out your grace; hold back your judgment as you unite your people in prevailing prayer for revival in your church and spiritual awakening in the nation.

Proclaim promises from His Word: Open eyes to see and hearts to embrace that “God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance” (Romans 2:4).

Engage with other Jesus-followers in a lifestyle of prayer: Become actively involved in the ministries of the National Day of Prayer, encouraging your pastor and church to become fully engaged.

Today’s Devotional Passage

Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? Therefore also now, saith the Lord , turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord , weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord , and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people. Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen: But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things. Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things. Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. Joel 2:1‭-‬32 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/jol.2.1-32.KJV