One Voice, United in Prayer

By Gary Keith, Lead Pastor

On May 1, 2014, LBF will once again gather to observe the National Day of Prayer. My hope is to gather several Upland Churches together in one location and pray together for the needs of our nation and our cities and us.

Why gather? Why pray? It was our first President, George Washington, who said, “The twin pillars of morality and religion are essential to support a successful society.” And it was John Adams, our second president, who said, “The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were…the general principles of Christianity.” 

But it is not hard to see that today our nation has drifted far away from the statements of our first two presidents. Are we a Christian nation? I would say “no.” We are a nation of tolerance towards all religions with a growing hostility towards Christianity and a removal of our religious freedoms.

So what should we do? I think we should gather to pray. And when our nation marks out a specific day to gather and pray – I think it would be good to take advantage of this time and participate with millions of people around our nation and pray.

God says He saw the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). God is omnipresent and there are no accidents because all things are according to the guidance of His will (Ephesians 1:11). Do we believe that? Do we believe it when tragedy strikes or we see a nation falling far from God? Do we believe that God is sovereign like David believed? Check out David’s words in 1 Chronicles 29:10-12.

With all of this in mind I want to encourage us to not let our prayers diminish. Instead, let us come together with a strong belief in God and His love and provision for our nation, our city, and our personal lives. Let’s come together to pray and send God our requests as a gathered church and maybe a gathered community.

Let me end with the words of Paul: “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because  you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Hope to see you on Thursday, May 1 for a time of prayer at 7 p.m.!

Pray For America

By Gary Keith, Lead Pastor 

I want to invite you to join people from all over our nation for a time of prayer. On Thursday, May 2, LBF will be joining many across the nation to pray. For the last 62 years the first Thursday in May has been set aside by our nation for prayer and I believe this day of prayer can have a significant impact on our country.

We have a great opportunity to see the Lord’s healing and renewing power made evident as we gather to humbly come before God in prayer. The theme for this year is “Pray for America.” The goal is to emphasize the need for people to come together and through prayer make their requests known as they place their faith in the unfailing character of God who is sovereign over all governments, authorities, and men.

The organizers of this national event have chosen Matthew 12:21 as their key verse. This is a great passage as it restates a prophecy from Isaiah about Jesus Christ. In talking about Jesus it says:

“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. 

“He will not quarrel; or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. 

“In His name the nations will put their hope.” 

Please consider taking some time (no more than 90 minutes) to come and join me and others from LBF in prayer for our nation. Let us call on our only hope – Jesus Christ. You’ll be glad you did!

Identify With the Attitude of Jesus

By Gary Keith, Executive & Teaching Pastor
Thursday, May 5 has once again been identified as the National Day of Prayer. The idea of an annual National Day of Prayer was introduced by the Rev. Billy Graham, who suggested it in the midst of a several-weeks crusade in the nation’s capitol. Members of the House and Senate introduced a joint resolution for an annual National Day of Prayer, “on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals."
In a 1983 declaration about the National Day of Prayer, Ronald Reagan said, “From General Washington’s struggle at Valley Forge to the present, this Nation has fervently sought and received divine guidance as it pursued the course of history. This occasion provides our nation with an opportunity to further recognize the source of our blessings, and to seek His help for the challenges we face today and in the future."
This year LBF is planning to provide a time of prayer on Thursday, May 5 in the Worship Center. This event will be organized by our Thursday night Intercessory Prayer Team. After meeting with two of the team members recently, I was challenged to look at this prayer time a little differently than in the past.
Traditionally we gather and pray for our politicians and other civic leaders. While that is a good thing, this year we desire to pray for them as one of the intercessory team members said, “with a love that is willing to humble self and enter into their condition.” We want to pray by connecting with them through a common point of identification. As we pray, we will consider their needs as we identify with the roles they have.
For example, as we pray for our governmental leaders, we realize that each of us is a leader in some capacity. And in that capacity we know the pressure and the responsibilities of being a leader. We know from our personal experience that leaders are attacked by others and that leaders receive their authority from God and are accountable to God. We also know that all of us have failed and require forgiveness and mercy from God to be a leader. So as we pray we will take some time to identify with these people and ask for the same things we would ask for ourselves.
My desire is that we don’t just have another event to go to, but a night of meaningful prayer that changes and empowers us, as well as makes a spiritual impact on our nation. I hope you plan to join us on Thursday, May 5 @ 7 p.m. in the Worship Center as we humble ourselves (Philippians 2:3-4) and pray for the needs of this nation.