National Day of Prayer

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Today is the National Day of Prayer. Let me ask you something: Have you prayed yet today?

Have you told God how much you love Him? Have you told Jesus how thankful you are to Him? Have you praised God for the things He's done in your life--and the things He's doing in your life?

Have you thanked God for your family? And have you thanked Him for your friends? Have you thanked Him for His love?

Prayer is important. It links us to our Creator, Savior, the King of Kings, our best Friend, the God of the Universe.

Have you prayed yet today?

1 Thess. 5:17, NIV: "¹⁶Be joyful always; ¹⁷pray continually; ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Phil. 4:6, NIV: "⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Psalm 122:6-7, NIV:
"⁶ Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

'May those who love you be secure.

⁷ May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels.'"

Matthew 5:43-45, NIV: " ⁴³'You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor^a]">[a] and hate your enemy." ⁴⁴But I tell you: Love your enemies^b]">[b] and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."

Luke 6:12, NIV: " ¹²One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God."

Luke 6:27-28, NIV: " ²⁷'But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."

Matthew 6:5-13, NIV: "⁵'And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ⁶But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ⁹'This, then, is how you should pray:
"Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹Give us today our daily bread.
¹²Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one."'"

I'm thankful to live in a nation that openly proclaims a National Day of Prayer.