Editor’s note

The General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God declared September 8 as a day of prayer. Following is the resolution.

Whereas, our nation has been the recipient of the choicest blessings of heaven —we have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown — but we have forgotten God; and

Whereas, we confess we have failed to recognize and give thanks to God for the many blessings He has bestowed on this nation and have vainly imagined in the darkness of our hearts that these blessings were products of our own superior wisdom and knowledge; and

Whereas, today we face some of the gravest threats in the history of our nation as evidenced by terrorist activities from within and without, by a climate of materialism and hedonism contrary to the precepts of God’s Word, and by massive displays of greed and dishonesty in corporate leadership; and

Whereas, God has raised up many national leaders who are godly people in their personal and public lives; and

Whereas, some of these godly people include members of our own Assemblies of God family such as Attorney General John D. Ashcroft; Chief of Naval Operations Vernon Clark; Congressman Todd Tiahrt; and Congresswoman JoAnn Davis; and

Whereas, God’s Word admonishes us, "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For the powers that be are ordained of God" (Romans 13:1); and

Whereas, the Bible further exhorts, 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 (I Timothy 2:1,2); therefore be it

Resolved that the General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God calls for Sunday, September 8 to be set aside by every Assemblies of God congregation as a day of prayer for our nation and its leaders in all branches of government, specifically that God will

• Grant our leaders His wisdom and guidance in the many decisions before them
• Strengthen them spiritually and physically as they seek solutions to problems that beset these United States
• Grant His protection from physical danger as evil persons seek the lives of our leaders
• And, above all, that God will pour out His Holy Spirit on our land in a genuine revival of repentance, contrition, and commitment that will turn sinful people to God.