Walk Toward the Light

The invitation I received simply said,

Members of the Congress

Of the United States of America

Request the pleasure of your company at the

58^th Annual National Prayer Breakfast with

The President of the United States

And other national leaders in the Executive,

Judicial and Legislative Branches of our government

Thursday, February 4, 2010

At eight o’clock

Hilton Washington International Ballroom

Washington, D.C.

What an honor to be a part of this bi-partisan annual event which brought together not only the President of the United States, but the Vice President, the Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and numerous members of Congress from both the Democratic and Republican parties.

My heart was deeply touched as I listened to their individual expressions of faith in God as the basis of their lives.  My heart resonated with theirs as I heard of their early days in Sunday school, learning scripture, and their deep appreciation for our prayers on their behalf.

At the same time I was acutely aware of the powerful political undertow that pulls on the lives,  thoughts, and speech of these public servants. Washington, DC is the high profile beachhead where these opposing tides meet head-on, where the biblical strength of personal faith is tested against the human urge to believe that the honest cultural beliefs of all others deserve an equal place: The ground is level at the feet of good intentions, whether from the Bible or the Bhagavad Gita.

Yet Jesus said, How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? (John 15:44). The biblical standard shares no level ground. It is a singular Truth that sets all men free.

These clashing currents are not new, they are why God urges us to pray for those in authority, to help set them free from those forces that are all too human.

Even as I received a personal invitation to attend the National Prayer Breakfast, every one of us has also received a personal invitation to “stand” in the place of prayer on behalf of “all those in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence… for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.”
1 Timothy 2:2

We are living in critical times and our voices need to be heard in heaven on behalf of all those serving in governmental leadership. Every day they face the cultural undertow. Our nation desperately needs a moral and spiritual awakening.

Aglow’s Targeted Prayer for Governments

When I asked the Lord about the purpose and significance of my being there I felt He said, “You are representing the collective prayers, anointing and authority of the Aglow ministry to the seat of the United States government. Your presence represents a higher authority, the authority of heaven.”

This year, each U.S. Regional Director will be taking a group from their respective regions into Washington DC to spend several days praying for this nation and for the government of the United States.  We must cry out for a move of God amongst the leadership of this nation on both sides of the aisle.

Our leaders and prayer warriors in other nations are fully engaged with the U.S. effort in praying for their national leaders, and have received miraculous favor with governmental officials in the past.

How the National Prayer Breakfast Began

It will interest you to know that the National Prayer Breakfast traces its roots back to 1935 in Seattle, Washington, with a local vision similar to that of the Aglow ministry which started in 1967.

Twenty-two years earlier, 19 business executives met together in Seattle to face a critical situation in the life of their city.

These businessmen turned to the 2,000 year old story of Jesus of Nazareth when Jesus invited a few of His friends to join him on the shore of the sea of Tiberius. There He demonstrated the generosity of God with an abundant catch of fish, the love of God in his reconciliation with Peter who had denied him; and the importance of sustaining relationships by gathering together around a meal to fellowship and pray.

Even after the critical situation that brought these Seattle executives together was over, they continued to meet regularly over breakfast. As with Aglow’s beginnings, like-minded individuals from other cities heard the news from Seattle soon other groups began to spring up.

Ultimately, breakfast groups were founded within the United States Senate and House of Representatives and have since become recognized internationally.  This year, 140 nations were represented at this Washington, DC prayer event.

This is a time for Aglow to bring our collective prayers, anointing and authority to bear for those who are in authority over us if we wish to reap the benefits of good government, which is a prized gift from God for the church’s welfare and advancement of the gospel.

Thank you for your faithfulness.