American Reformation Church Prayer Journal 6
ARC Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting
Tomorrow night will be the last ARC prayer meeting for the year 2023. Old things are passing away and new things will appear on the horizon as we swiftly approach 2024. This past year brought about great changes and through it all our faith has been strengthened in the faithfulness of God.
It would be good to gather together as a church family to ring in the New Year with prayer and intercession. The old wine skin of the previous year needs a new wine skin filled with new wine to handle the challenges of 2024.
More changes are coming for the world, our nation, our culture, the church, and our families. The next weeks, months, and years ahead will bring about profound changes. The battle between the forces of darkness and the Kingdom of God are intensifying. Some things will come to a head and be settled as far as future direction is concerned.
There is much at stake in this process and it behooves the church to seek the Lord like Habakkuk, the prophet of old. He lived in an uncertain time like us. He struggled with the age old dilemma of “why do the wicked prosper” in their schemes.
He asks pointed questions of the Lord, “Why do You show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds (Habakkuk 1:3, 4). Does that not seem familiar in our day?
The prophet waits to hear God’s answer to his righteous complaint. The Lord instructs him to write the vision and make it plain. Though the earth is filled with darkness, corruption, violence, bloodshed, idolatry, and oppression, the Lord assures Habakkuk, “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14).
In response, the prophet prays, “O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy” (Habakkuk 3:2b).
With the birth of the Savior, we are assured in Holy Writ, God will settle accounts in time and history. The Lord will right, wrongs. Where injustice raises its ugly head, God’s justice will crush it. When darkness seeks to prevail, the light of Christ will shatter the darkness. Where sin abounds, God’s grace will much more abound.
In Mary’s Magnificent, she proclaims, “He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty” (Luke 1:51-53).
Brethren, I pray you had a Merry Christmas and may you have a blessed New Year in God’s Kingdom.
