If My People Pray
Pastor Don Carpenter / General
Memorial Day / Freedom; Prayer; Oppression / 2 Chronicles 7:13–14
Please join me for the singing of the National Anthem:
Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
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What did we just sing? The land of the free?
Free… yet in the state of Illinois as they move to phase three, stores, restaurants, and bars can reopen… but churches are still limited to gatherings of 10. Sam’s club is allowing 300 at a time, but the local Bible preaching church is limited to 10! Thank God that in Connecticut it is 50!
In other states officials want the names and addresses of all who attend religious services in order to track them “for possible infection”
Neighbors are being asked to report other neighbors if they are violating these new anti constitutional, anti American rules.
Land of the free?
First Pentecostal Church in Holy Springs Mississippi refused to shut down. So it was burned to the ground with the message “Bet you stay home now Hypocrites”.
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Defiant New Jersey pastors plan to reopen churches: Gov. Murphy’s order ‘doesn’t trump … Constitution’
?By Caleb Parke | Fox NewsFacebookTwitterFlipboardCommentsPrintEmail
Chicago fining churches for defying statewide stay-at-home order:
Three Chicago churches will receive fines for holding services with more than 10 people, authorities tell Fox News; Matt Finn reports.
A handful of New Jersey pastors say they are reopening in defiance of Gov. Phil Murphy’s stay-at-home orders to stop the spread of the coronavirus, because of their religious convictions and constitutional rights.
Charles Clark Jr., co-pastor of Solid Rock Baptist Church in Berlin who has been preaching for 45 years, made the announcement Wednesday at the South Jersey house of worship.
BALTIMORE PASTOR RIPS UP CEASE-AND-DESIST LETTER MID-SERMON: ‘WE’RE GONNA DO IT GOD’S WAY!’
“We’re not breaking the law by going to church,” Clark Jr. said. “The people telling us we can’t go to church are breaking the Constitution of the United States. It’s illegal…It’s just ridiculous in this country.”
His son, Charles Clark III, doubled down on his father’s comments.
“The liquor store has been open the entire time. The grocery store has been open. Walmart is open, the pet store is open, the bicycle repair shop is open, and all are considered essential, but the church has been closed,” Clark III said at the press conference. “And the church has been considered non-essential. We strongly disagree with that.”
CHICAGO FINES CHURCHES FOR HOLDING SERVICES IN VIOLATION OF STATEWIDE LOCKDOWN ORDER
Clark’s attorney sent a letter to the Democratic governor demanding the status of churches in the Garden State be switched to essential given the First Amendment.
“Governor Murphy’s executive order does not control the rights of the church,” he said, “We understand the executive order has the power that it does for the time period necessary but it doesn’t trump the power of the Constitution and it cannot go on indefinitely.”
The pastor said they will take all health and safety precautions above and beyond what businesses already open are doing, including social distancing, deep cleaning, and temperature checks at the door.
NEW YORK PASTOR THREATENED WITH $1,000 FINE FOR HOLDING DRIVE-IN CHURCH SERVICE
Andy Reese, pastor of Bible Baptist Church in Clementon, already reopened last Sunday and said he realizes he may face legal backlash holding a service Wednesday night as well.
“We’re prepared to stand for what is right, for what is true, and we’re prepared to face whatever consequences these are,” Reese said. “If necessary, go to court.”
Murphy has made it clear that until there’s a vaccine or a treatment, mass gatherings, including worship services, will remain restricted, ABC 6 reports.
“Inside, no ventilation, close contact, it’s a hard nut to crack,” Murphy said. “We’re just not there yet.”
A month after issuing the original order, Murphy amended it to allow drive-in services after being sued by a North Caldwell Catholic priest in federal court. The pastors are asking for another change in the order.
“I ain’t afraid to go to jail. I don’t want to go to jail, but I ain’t backing down, our church ain’t backing down, and there’s churches all over this country that aren’t backing down,” Clark Jr. said.
It is unclear if the churches will face any push back from law enforcement or fines as churches have in Chicago and elsewhere.
Land of the free? But THANK GOD in some places believers are showing that it is still the home of the brave!
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This kind of oppression is not new. Evil has existed since the beginning. God however, has existed since before the beginning! In our text this morning we read where king Solomon had consecrated the Temple as the central place of worship for the people of Israel. In his opening prayer, the King asked that when the people of Israel were faced with a national crisis, that they could come to this place and petition the God of Heaven for deliverance form that crisis. God heard the King’s prayer and answered with a promise not only to the people of Israel, but to believers of all nations, anyone who is called by His name. Here was God’s response:
If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
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.
God has a solution that is dependent upon the actions of His people. He can and will deliver from all kinds of threats to a nation. He has a simple condition…
IF MY PEOPLE PRAY
If My People Pray I Will Deliver From Economic Disaster.
If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
If My People Pray I Will Deliver From Diseases and Plagues
If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
If My People Pray I Will Deliver From Opression
Psalm 119:134 KJV
Deliver me from the oppression of man: So will I keep thy precepts.
Psalm 74:20–23 KJV
Have respect unto the covenant: For the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.
O let not the oppressed return ashamed: Let the poor and needy praise thy name.
Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: Remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.
Forget not the voice of thine enemies: The tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.
Psalm 12:5 KJV
For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, Now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.
Psalm 103:6 KJV
The LORD executeth righteousness And judgment for all that are oppressed.
If My People Pray I Will Empower My People to Stand.
Esther 4:16 KJV
Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
Esther 8:11–12 KJV
Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,
Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
The deliverance was not the death of the enemy or the cessation of the problem, but the ability to stand up for themselves and liberate themselves from powerlessness.
If My People Pray I Will Deliver Them From Religious Persecution.
Acts 12:4–11 KJV
And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
Thank God we have not yet been called to risk jail to go to church, but some brothers and sisters in this country are facing that very thing. We must pray! Pray the prison doors open. Pray the wicked mouths be shut. Pray the evil leaders be stopped. God promised that power against religious oppression is unleashed IF MY PEOPLE PRAY!
If My People Pray, I will Protect From Governmental Overreach.
1 Timothy 2:1–3 KJV
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
Here is the ultimate Libertarian prayer… that the authorities leave us alone to just live a godly life.
God is still on the Throne! He still hears prayers. Those who have trusted Jesus as Savior are His people called my His name.
If we humble ourselves and pray, seek His face, turn from our wicked ways…
- God will deliver us from economic collapse
- If God’s people pray – He will deliver from disease
- If God’s people pray – He will deliver from oppression
- If God’s people pray – He will deliver us from powerlessness and allow us to stand for what is right.
- If God’s people pray – He will deliver from religious oppression.
- If God’s people pray – He will protect us from governmental overreach so that we can be left alone to live a quiet, peaceable, and Godly life.
- God tells us that these things can happen IF MY PEOPLE PRAY