I Kings 11:9-12 The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord's command. So the Lord said to Solomon, "Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen."

Sovereign King, Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. When I look into it, concentrating on it, I marvel at the miracles You have done and the judgments You have pronounced. King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other nations of the earth. World leaders sought an audience with him to hear the wisdom You put on his heart. Though You put him in power, gave him inconceivable riches and a renowned reputation, he cherished his foreign wives and their fraudulent gods more than You. His haughty attitude came with a high price resulting in holy justice. Not only did You divide a dynasty, but You also caused a whole lot of adversity, anxiety, andanimosity for future generations. Yet, in perfect mercy You kept Your faithful love promise to his father, King David, by allowing Solomon to retain his wealth and position for the rest of his life. Rather than ripping everything away from him, You graciously allowed a remnant of his line to remain in order to accomplish Your greater purpose. You are the Lord my God, and Your divine judgments are in all the earth! You remember Your faithful love covenant forever, the word You commanded for a thousand generations. It is "we the people" who break the covenant. As a nation, we are in many ways similar to Israel both in our righteousness and transgressions. Though You have made us the richest, wisest, and mightiest nation on earth, we have pompously forsaken Your moral law in order to please foreigners and the fraudulent gods they have freely brought into our beloved land. I pray that our leaders will seek You while You can be found, and call on You while You are near. I ask that You stir up righteousness in their hearts quickening them to renounce their disdainful ideas, and turn to You the only Living God. When we are again one nation under God, following Your rules for prosperity, wisdom and power, we will be wildly blessed--beyond our enemies. These are the words from Your mouth. They will not return empty. In these present days, will You accomplish what You desire and achieve the purpose for which You sent them for the glory of Your name? Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly! Amen.

Pray for our leaders so that we don't end up in the same predicament as Israel did under Solomon's reign. Unless "we the people" willingly turn around and follow God completely, we will someday have to pay an exorbitant cost. God's character is unchanging. His Word brings both hope and judgment. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. I Chron 16:11

Matthew 1: 1, 6-11 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: King David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:

Sovereign God of all my ancestors, Let Your name be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to You. You change the seasons and the years. You take presidents, kings, and prime ministers away, and put new ones in place. I praise You that whenever power changes You remain unchanged. As much as I find genealogies BORING, I thank You for preserving ancient history so that we can see how You order governments, principalities, and dynasties for Your glory. I believe the kingdoms of the world are Yours, and You appoint whomever You want to rule them. I'm grateful that I can look back and see that there really is nothing new under the sun. Both good and bad leaders are in the lineage of the Messiah. Likewise good and bad leaders will be in place until You return. Precious Lord, knowing You guide the future as You did the past, gives me hope and confidence to believe that this journey will have a joyous end. I pray that our governmental and church leaders today may know that You are the ruler over everyone. You give power, strength, and glory to whomever You choose in order to accomplish Your heavenly purposes here on earth. Yet, You are not a dictator. Give our leaders a Spirit of wisdom and revelation that they may know You personally and intimately. Open the eyes of their hearts to recognize that everything they have comes from the storehouses of heaven. In awe of who You are, may they willingly choose to bend their knee to Your absolute authority, and lead with righteousness, justice, and mercy. Thank You for the blessed hope that You are coming, and possibly quite soon, to rule and reign on earth with righteous, justice and mercy forever! Even so, come Lord Jesus! Amen.

There really is nothing new under the sun. I have spent a good bit of time in God's Word trying to understand why He would allow unscrupulous politicians to rule in power, not only in our nation, but throughout the world. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Just as He allowed atrocious leaders in the very bloodline of the pure and perfect Messiah to accomplish His purposes, He will do the same to usher in Christ's return. May this give you hope and confidence in the days ahead; days, which may become quite difficult. As He protected those who were wholeheartedly devoted to Him in ancient history, like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, He will protect those of us who seek Him wholeheartedly today. Guaranteed! The time to seek Him is NOW! The time to pray for our government and church leaders is NOW. Prayer can change history; but most importantly prayer will change your heart. To help me understand the genealogy of Jesus and the ancient kings God used to fulfill prophecy, I created the following synopsis. David, a shepherd boy and a man after God's own heart, was also an adulterer, deceiver and murderer. Solomon, the richest and wisest man who ever lived was not satisfied with what God gave. He preferred innumerous wives and permitted their idols to be brought into the temple. Rehoboam, led by blind ambition sought the counsel of immature friends over the counsel of God and his wise elders. Abijah sounded regal and like a true man of God, but he was no more than a resounding gong, because he did not worship the Lord. Asa, reputed for being a good king, did not finish well because relied on insight from the king of Syria rather than the High King of Heaven. Jehoshaphat, a relatively good and godly man, aligned himself with the vile King Ahab of the northern kingdom and his wicked wife Jezebel. Worst of all, he accepted Ahab's daughter, Athaliah, as a wife for his son Jehoram, an alliance that would bring deadly consequences. Jehoram reigned for eight years and nothing good came from him. Uzziah was a great administrator and popular politician whose downfall was pride. Jotham did just about everything right. Consequently, he became mighty because He prepared his ways before the Lord his God. Yet, still he accomplished little during his 16 year reign. Ahaz was known as the epitome of evil. Hezekiah's track record is just as impressive as his father Ahaz's was ignominious. Just as Ahaz's sin nearly enslaved his people, so Hezekiah's righteousness redeemed his. Manasseh, the wickedest monarch, reigned longer than any other king in Israel's history - 55 years. He blatantly worshipped idols and publicly practiced pagan rituals. He caused his children to walk through fire, used enchantments, and witchcraft, as well as wizards which provoked the Lord's anger. Amon did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father ... but trespassed more and more. His plans were cut short when his own officials conspired against him and assassinated him. Josiah, for as wicked as his father and grandfather were, was exceedingly righteous. Not only did he tear down the altars of the Baals, smash the Asherah poles, and purify and repair the Temple, but he also found the Book of the Law, read it to the people and made a covenant to observe it. More than anything, however, Josiah, like Hezekiah, brought salvation to his people. After finding the Book of the Law, Josiah sent his officials to consult with the prophetess Huldah, who delivered this message: "Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place ... [But] Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God ... Behold I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace."   Click here to learn more about these kings.

Hosea 10:12-14 Sow righteousness for yourselves,     reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground;     for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes     and showers his righteousness on you. But you have planted wickedness,     you have reaped evil,     you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength     and on your many warriors,  the roar of battle will rise against your people,     so that all your fortresses will be devastated-

O Great and Mighty God whose Name I adore, How much America is like Israel! How much longer will You tolerate us? You have blessed the sweet land of liberty with prosperity which we have used to make American idols. Because Your people do not know You or the precepts You have established for our benefit, we defied You and voted against righteousness. Many, who call themselves by Your name, did not vote at all, which is a vote for godlessness. Since there is a hefty price for apathy, we should not be surprised when we are incapacitated by government grid lock, debilitated by a devastating load of debt, or incarcerated for sharing our faith. Days of distress and difficulty should not stun us. Without Divine intervention, our indifference to immorality will immobilize the mission of the church. O God, who is slow to anger and full of steadfast love, forgive us for turning the fear of the Lord into a free-for-all frolic to suit our fancy. Precious Lord, surely, it's time for this bemused nation to seek Your face! Remind us that real freedom is not in a constitution penned by founding fathers, but is written in the precious blood of Jesus on human hearts at the foot of the cross. Using Your strong arm, break up the fallow ground in the hard hearts of not only our leaders and legislatures, but also the church that bears Your name. Rain down righteousness so that the seed of Your Word can begin to take root in our lives. As we read our Bibles to examine Your laws, let them propagate our souls. Fill our minds with wisdom and understanding of Your ways so that as a nation, we will return to our Christian roots and reap the fruit of unfailing love and mercy. God, despite our rebellion, please bless America, the beautiful land that I love. Stand beside her, and guide her thru the night with a light from above. Restore her to Your glory for Your name sake. Amen.

Polls suggest that only 26% of registered self-proclaimed evangelical Christians voted in the past Presidential Election. That means 74% of the church was indifferent. That's reprehensible. As a church we need to confess our irresponsibility and apathy, and plead with God Almighty to have mercy on our nation. God makes it quite clear in His Word that we will reap what we sow. The time to seek the Lord is today.

Daniel 11:32 By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action. NASB

O Sovereign Lord of Heaven's Armies, Your words are truth, and You have promised these good things to Your people. In the days ahead, mad men like Antiochus Epiphanes may come into power and corrupt our churches by mandating political correctness. They may completely prohibit us from congregating to worship. Forcing us to change our Scriptures, accept sexual immorality, and teach our children government approved propaganda is a strong possibility. Anticipating the abolishment of our rights, and the associated atrocities is causing many Christians angst. Their attitudes and actions show that they do not know You. Lord, I pray that you will arouse the complacent church from her sin-induced stupor. We have become a desolate sanctuary stoned on rituals and routines, high on prosperity and pleasure, entangled in emotions and entertainment. The time to sober up and surrender our whole hearts, minds, and souls to seeking You is NOW. We need much more than a Sunday social, even if the preacher is powerful teacher. We need to KNOW You personally and intimately in order to draw on Your power inwardly in the day of distress. You promise that those who KNOW their God will display strength and take action. Today, I want to display strength and show action. I want to be a Daniel and risk standing up for righteousness, expose the exploits of evil, endure persecution when necessary, triumph through suffering, and accomplish great things for Your glory. Since there is no other way to have spiritual power except through the knowledge of You, I ask that You stir in my heart an unappeasable appetite for righteousness, and an unquenchable thirst for Your Word. I want to live courageously as a faithful follower filled with ALL the fullness of Christ. O Lord, lean down and listen to me. Open Your eyes and see our despair. See how the church that bears Your Name is swaggering and about to be swallowed up by smooth talking swindlers. I make this plea, not because we deserve Your help, but because of Your mercy and because I revere Your Name. Amen.

We too can have the spiritual power of Daniel to do God's will and to make a positive impact on the godless world in which we live. As our knowledge of Him increases and our friendship with Him becomes more intimate, He makes His power more readily available to us. The people who KNOW their God will display strength and take action. They will be full of faith instead of fear, believing God will save their soul. When you read your Bible, look for truths about God's character, and promises He makes to those He has chosen. Write them on a sticky note or index card that you can carry with you. Think about God frequently throughout the day by pondering your truth card. In each new situation ask yourself, "How would I respond if I really knew (believed) this truth about God?"

Psalm 119:49-55 Remember your word to your servant,     for you have given me hope. My comfort in my suffering is this:     Your promise preserves my life. The arrogant mock me unmercifully,     but I do not turn from your law. I remember, Lord, your ancient laws,     and I find comfort in them. Indignation grips me because of the wicked,     who have forsaken your law. Your decrees are the theme of my song     wherever I lodge. In the night, Lord, I remember your name,     that I may keep your law.

Lord, My God, My Holy One! Thank You for writing Your Words of hope on the tablet of my heart. My comfort in these troubling times is this: Your promise, to those who say with their mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in their heart that You raised Him from the dead, preserves my life. No matter what happens in this nation or in the world, I will not die! Jesus is the most wonderful life-giving, life-saving, almighty Name. In Him, I am safe, sound, and secure forever. I am absolutely confident that NOTHING can come into my life without first going through You, then through Jesus, and when it gets me, it finds me full of Him. The arrogant who mock You unmercifully will also hold me in utter contempt, but I will not turn from your righteous instructions. Puffed-up, self-promoting politicians with people pleasing agendas make me mad. Living large and loving it, this nation is like a cemetery full of stiff, cold cadavers. Lord, in Your wrath, remember mercy! Etch Your ancient words on my mind so that I can quickly recall them and remain calm when You unleash Your fury. While this country is corroding, and corruption is erupting all around me, I believe You are filling the whole earth with the knowledge of Your glory. According to Your promise, You work ALL things for the good of those who love You and are called according to Your purpose. I believe You love me and have called me; therefore, though the economy fades, my financial portfolio collapses, my job is eliminated, and the government steals my money to subsidize slackers, I will sing joyfully because I know Your Name will triumph in the end. To You be the power, honor, and glory forever and ever. Amen.

As the days get darker, in the pitch black of night, the name of Jesus is my light and my salvation. Knowing His powerful name is my hope, my joy, and my peace. The name of Jesus means, "God saves." Jesus is the very Word of God. (John 1:14) Difficult as it is for a middle-aged woman losing her mind, I have finally memorized powerful, promise-packed Romans 8 in its entirety. I recite it every single day - when I get up in the morning, when I'm driving my car, when I lay down at night, when I'm cleaning the kitchen and walking the dogs. When you see me out and about with my lips moving and wonder what in the world I'm saying, know that I am standing on the promises of God. Next up Psalm 27 ... The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom will I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom will I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh; when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. The one thing I ask of the Lord, and this is what I seek - that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to seek him in his temple and gaze upon his beauty so that in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle, and set me high upon a rock. Then, I will be exalted above the enemies who surround me. At his tabernacle I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. Are these not vibrant, life-giving words of hope? Will you join me on this journey, beloved? God's Word is our only hope, joy and peace.

Philippians 2: 10-11 At the name of Jesus every knee should bow,     in heaven and on earth and under the earth,   and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ   is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, There's just something about Your Name. It carries ALL authority and ALL power in heaven, in earth, and under the earth. There is no place where the power and authority of Your Name does not reach. If I go up to heaven, it is there. If I go down to the grave, it is there. If I ride the wings of the morning, it is there. If I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there Your Name is proclaimed. Kings and kingdoms will pass away, but Your wonderful life-giving, life-saving almighty Name will endure forever. In this nation, we have profaned Your Name. Contemptibly, we have made gods to suit our own interests. We sneer at Your design for marriage. We laugh at Your idea of life. We do whatever pleases us. Searcher of hearts and minds, You are not deceived. Those who reject Your Name, neglect Your law and make a fool of Your sacrifice on the old rugged Cross will not get away with it forever. Jesus, my solace is in knowing Your wonderful, life-giving, life-saving, almighty Name. Exalted to the highest place, You are the Majestic Righteous Honorable Judge, seated on the Great White Throne of Justice. One day, possibly quite soon, all mockers - kings and great men of wealth, along with the drunk and men of little stature, will regretfully stand together to face You. Before being cast into the eternal Lake of Fire each will bow before You and confess that You are Jesus Christ the Lord. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, O how I love Your name! Jesus, Jesus, Jesus for as long as I live I will sing glory to Your wonderful, life-giving, life-saving, almighty Name. Amen

In these dark days when immorality is increasing at record pace and injustice seems to be prevailing, we can take solace in knowing that one day, possibly quite soon, the mockers, great and small, will bow their knee and confess the Name of Jesus. You may be among those who have refused to make that confession, but the Day of Judgment will come and you will then declare that Jesus Christ is Lord. I guarantee it. The tragedy is that if you wait till then it will not be a confession unto salvation, but of condemnation. If you say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved from the punishment of sin. Romans 10:9

Romans 13:1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

High King of Heaven, Honor and thanks be to You forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the prominence and the power, and the greatness and the glory, and the majesty and the splendor for everything in heaven and on belongs to You. Sovereign King, You are renowned ruler of everything, and honored as head over all. There is no authority except that which You have established. In Your hand are wisdom, and knowledge, and strength that we are not meant to understand. Since we are just sojourners in this land keep our hearts loyal to You. We need to remember that government is a temporary institution serving Your intentions. Since You command us to respect the governing authority, please help us by Your Spirit, to swallow our pride, set aside our differences and walk across the aisle in order to graciously bear witness to the rebellious powers, inviting them to abandon their death-dealing policies, and resume alignment with Your life-giving purposes. While "the powers" are not often able to "hear" critique because they are guided by self-interest and self-preservation, this does not release us, the church, from its hope-filled and lifelong mandate to expose the powers and invite them to restoration. Help us, dear Lord, to live as responsible citizens who are worthy of Your name. May we be faithful witnesses to Your ongoing mission to order all creation according to Your purposes. We give You thanks and praise Your glorious name! Amen.

No matter who leads our nation, Republican or Democrat, Jesus is and will always be our King. He commands us to submit to governing authorities. That doesn't mean we sit back complacently and go along with every immoral idea. Rather, we stand up for righteousness, respectfully expose the powers, and invite them to restoration. Pray for our leaders, and respect their authority.

Ephesians 1:19-21 ...his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

O Lord, I am so thankful for the peace, comfort, and encouragement conveyed in Your Word. America is on the brink of a crisis facing the most critical election in her history. Many believers are fretting the outcome. Though I am confident that You are in control, I am surrounded by a few of Your frantic, frazzled followers. Please dear Lord, give the Church a Spirit of wisdom and revelation that we may know You better. Enlighten the eyes of our hearts that we may know Your incomparably great power that is available to those who believe. It is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, and seated Him by Your hand in heaven - a seat of power far greater than that of a President. No one in this world or the world to come can take His place of authority. He is the Leader of the present and the future. No matter what happens in this nation or in this world, Christ is the one and only Anointed and Appointed King. As His followers, we can be confident that He has won the victory, and is in control of everything. We need not fear any President or nation, or even death or Satan himself. Christ has signed and sealed the contract with His irremovable blood. NOTHING can separate us from Your love! Jesus, You are my light and salvation; whom shall I fear? You are the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me and my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear. Though war breaks out against me, even then I will staunchly stand firm in Christ Jesus, trusting in His unrivaled strength. Thank You, Lord, for sealing me safely in my Savior, Christ Jesus. Amen.

As followers of Christ, we need to stand firm on God's promises, stop trusting man, and believe in God's mighty power. Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long;     we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Do you believe God?

Hebrews 10:35-38 Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while,    "He who is coming will come and will not delay.     But my righteous one will live by faith.    And if he shrinks back,       I will not be pleased with him."

King of Eternity, You are Lord of my heart! I know that soon, and possibly quite soon, You are coming back, and that makes my heart want to sing: "Hosanna! Glory to the King of kings!"  Lord, as the days become increasingly darker and pitch black with terror, prepare me to enter the final round of life's last contest.  When I can't see through the gloom and doom please give me courage and confidence to stand my ground! I know my stuff, and I know YOU. Don't let me shrink back in fear or throw away my faith just before Satan is forever vanquished. Help me to: Draw nearer to You with an honest heart fully trusting that my guilty conscience has been sprinkled with Christ's precious blood, and I've been made right and ready to hail Your glorious entrance. (10:22) Hold on tightly without wavering to the blessed hope of heaven, expecting You to keep Your promise. (10:23) Think of creative ways to love others and do good deeds, and motivate others to do the same.  (10:24) Frequently spend time with other believers for encouragement and endurance, especially now that the day of Your return seems so imminent. (10:25) By doing the right things, I will have nothing to fear or dread because I'll remember that beautiful blessings await me.  You are absolutely sincere and will richly reward me for waiting through tribulations. With a wink of the eye, You'll whisk me away in the wind, taking me to the home I've always longed for. Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest! Amen.

Are you ready for the final round of life's last contest? Soon, and possibly quite soon Jesus will suddenly show up on the scene. Hebrews 10:22-38 tells us exactly how to prepare. I encourage you to be ready!

Proverbs 22:11 He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the King for his friend.

Jesus, You are my King and Beloved Friend! A pure heart is what I seek! As I read Your Word, speak to me softly showing me how to stay wholesome. Teach me Your rules for clean-heart living. I'll recite them and rejoice in them more than riches. Reflecting on every morsel of wisdom from You, I'll relish everything You tell me about life in order to resist doing wrong. I'll give You my fullest respect by being submissive. Please write Your Words on my heart, O Lord, so that I can live decently as Your cherished friend. Anoint my lips with grace so that the words that flow from them will bring dignity and honor to You. I want to speak softly and tenderly proclaiming truth, humility and righteousness. Tame my tongue to talk pleasantly and peacefully. I only want to express things that are good and helpful to build others up and bless them. With love and forgiveness on my lips, I will praise You, my King. O King of my heart, I know that You love what is good and hate what is wrong. Create in me a clean heart. Give me a gracious tongue. Your throne endures forever and I want to be known as Your forever friend because of Jesus. Amen.

Do you have a pure heart and gracious speech? Jesus says, "For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks." What are you putting into your heart? This verse made me think of a little childhood tune: O be careful little ears what you hear O be careful little ears what you hear For the Father up above is looking down in love So be careful little ears what you hear. O be careful little eyes what you see O be careful little eyes what you see For the Father up above is looking down in love So be careful little eyes what you see. O be careful little tongue what you say O be careful little tongue what you say For the Father up above is looking down in love So be careful little tongue what you say.  O be careful, dear reader, what you hear, see and say! Fill your ears and eyes with things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy then what comes out of your mouth will please the King. To learn how to have a pure heart, I suggest reading Psalm 119:9-15. To learn how to have gracious speech, I suggest reading Ephesians 4:29-32.

Isaiah 51:15 For I am the LORD your God,        who churns up the sea so that its waves roar-        the LORD Almighty is his name.

Lord God Almighty, You are indeed the Sovereign Lord who tosses the sea and makes its waves rumble. From Your throne on high, You saw the earth quaking as millions of people watched in terror the near-apocalyptic destruction from the most catastrophic storm in our lifetime, Hurricane Sandy, desolate New York City. At Your command, the city that never sleeps was suddenly sedated by the mere threat of the strong surging sea. You have shown this nation repeatedly that power, prestige and possessions cannot save one single soul. In the end, the storm destroyed everything in its site regardless of stature or status. Everyone from the Wall Street elite to the homeless on the street is left equally powerless. Stripped of everything, You are the only One thing left to cling to. Gracious God, I lift up the many people who were terribly affected by the storm. In Your mercy draw those who narrowly escaped death near to You. Save them by Your mighty hand. Enlarge their hearts so that they will see You in the midst of their losses and crosses. May they find healing balm for every wound in Your Almighty Name. We are a nation perplexed and anguished by the damage from the raging sea. Use this violent storm to awaken those who need to repent of their sins and give their lives wholly and completely to You. Turn government officials and families back to reading the Bible and praying. Give them an eagerness to know You personally and a readiness to follow You for the rest of their lives. I see You coming in great power and glory. Your kingdom is near! Heaven and earth may pass away, but You will last forever -Lord God Almighty. I believe You because of Jesus. Amen.

While we can see the devastating storms of nature, there are also unseen storms of the heart that cause turmoil and wreck havoc in our lives. What storms are you facing? Do you know the Lord as Jehovah, Lord God Almighty? Can you let go of your "stuff" and fully rely on His power? Recognize that you are powerless. He is the Only thing that matters.