IN GOD WE TRUST
There is a great need for there to be trust in our society for us to function effectively, but we tend not to trust in God. Then who or what can we trust? Can we trust politicians, scientists, or a vaccination jab? Can we trust a phone call or text ? It may be a scam. Some in our society cannot trust the church or Christians because of past experiences or because of what they have heard or read. Building up trust in individuals, institutions including churches or politicians, or Jesus, can take a long time. Sometimes it can happen quickly, but it can just as easily be shattered by a challenging experience or insensitive words. Sometimes the Holy Spirit opens doors which leads to trust. God has taken many of His servants through tough times before they learnt to trust Him implicitly. Even parents can sometimes find it hard to get their children to trust them. It does take time for pets to trust their owners or horses to trust their riders. God may need to challenge us or our nation before we learn to trust Him. The fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. (Pb 29:25) We can taste and see that the LORD is good and find we are blessed as we take refuge in Him.(Pb34:8). Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. (Ps 20:7)
“In God We Trust” needs to be more than words on American dollar notes. Trust needs to be based on the reliability of people and confidence and belief in them or their ideas otherwise, it could be merely a desire or an expectation for a particular thing to happen . Thank God that He will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because we trust in Him.” (Is 26:3) Let us trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. (Ps 37: 3)
Let’s pray:
* That the God of all hope fill us, our families and our nation with all joy and peace as we trust in Him, so that we may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom 15:13)
*And cry out to the Lord with deep compassion for our nation as Abraham did for the city of Sodom and trust that the Lord of all the earth will do right (Gen 18: 25) and be in control of what happens in our nation.
* That we trust in the Lord with all our hearts and not lean to our own understanding . In all our ways acknowledge Him and allow Him to direct our paths and those of our nation.(based on Pb3:5-6)
GOD WILL GUIDE US
Our nation is under pressure and uncertain as to the way forward. Our leaders are doing their best but without the guidance of God it is easy to take wrong turns. This is where our role as Intercessors kicks in. Proverbs 16:9 says “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” In other words our leaders can make their plans but God determines the outcomes based also upon the input of the prayers of the saints. God can overrule the decisions of Kings, Prime Ministers and Premiers and re-route them when necessary. If we do not believe that there is no point in praying for our nation. Hear the promises of God to nations undergirded by prayer “The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring”. To those who pray “you will be known as a re-builder and a restorer”. (Isaiah 58:11-12) .
With that knowledge let us pray with confidence:-
* asking God to overrule the decisions of our leaders, that where they do not align with the purposes of God, that He would intervene to determine our steps as a nation in line with His perfect will.
* that the heart of the people of our nation will more and more closely align with the heart of God so that His hearts desires will be prayed in by His people as a protection against the excesses of Governments and leaders who do not align their heart with His.
* that God would re-build and restore our nation taking it back to His original plan that our nation would be known as part of the Great Southlands of the Holy Spirit.
WOMEN IN POLITICS SEEK TO SAFEGUARD ABORTION
All eight state and territory Women’s Ministers are seeking a national approach to abortion laws, to make abortion accessible to every Australian woman in the name of good health and freedom of choice. The ministers met face to face in Adelaide recently, weeks after the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs Wade. Abortion is legal throughout Australia and medical abortions are available until nine weeks gestation nationally. But each state and territory has different rules about when, where and how women can access surgical terminations after nine weeks. Queensland Minister for Women, Shannon Fentiman, said that having a national agreement form all states and territories would mean it would be less likely for laws to be wound back following a change in government. MSI Australia – the leading provider of abortion services – estimates one in three women living in Australia will have an abortion in their lifetime.
Please pray:
“I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like a child, will rank high in God’s kingdom. What’s more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the same as receiving me.” Matthew 18:2-5 MSG
* Jesus, Lord, Your words remain the most powerful words ever uttered and You clearly state how much You love children. Yet our leaders are proposing to make it possible for every woman to have access to abortion. We pray for these leaders and ask You to forgive them and give them Your wisdom.
* Pray as you feel led for our state and territory governments and for the Federal government, in relation to these proposed abortion laws.
* Let’s pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit over our nation, so that we can turn back from our wicked ways. And let’s pray that we believers do indeed become more simple and elemental in our trust in our Lord and our reliance on Him and His word.
PRAYING FOR ISSUES IN THE NEWS
* Already different arguments are being put forward in relation to the Government proposal for an Indigenous voice to Parliament. Even some Indigenous leaders are saying they will vote against the proposal at a referendum as it will divide our nation on the basis of race. As the debate begins let us pray that all aspects of the proposal will become public before Australians are asked to vote so that any change that may occur as a result of the referendum is known and understand fully by the Australian people before they vote.
* The Federal Government is proposing to scrap the cashless welfare card which was designed to ensure recipients spend the vast majority of their welfare payments on food, clothing and other essentials rather than alcohol, gambling and drugs. Their reason for doing so is to give welfare card recipients, predominantly Indigenous people, equality of spending rights with the rest of the community. Opponents of withdrawing the card warn that such a decision will unleash an alcohol and drug-fuelled “tsunami of trauma” in remote Indigenous communities. At the centre of this ideological dispute are the lives of real people. Pray therefore that God by His Spirit will guide the decisions made in this matter and that whatever the outcome people will not have to unnecessarily suffer to appease the decisions of an ideologically driven Parliament.
PRAYING FOR OTHERS
This week let us pray for Laos. Praise God for the courage of local missionary organisations as they put their safety at risk to reach persecuted Christians with Bibles and Christian material.
Source: Australian Prayer Network
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