A NATIONAL DAY OF THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER

Yesterday citizens of this country celebrated our annual day of Thanksgiving. Families gathered to embrace each other in the exuberance of love and connection. But I am sad to report that many of us who prepared great feast to share with those that we love have no idea of the real meaning of this special day. Even among the people of God in America  many of us don't know why this day is known and celebrated as Thanksgiving. Reading the statements of many believers on Facebook at times we seem conflicted by a day of thanks because we are directed by the Word of God to live our lives in thanksgiving. Several of my Facebook friends wished me a happy thanksgiving and then admonished me to remember that every day is a day of thanksgiving. So if we as Christians celebrate this one day out of the year as a day of thanks than are we somehow missing the message that every day is a day of thanksgiving. I don't think so. But I do think that the problem with reconciling a day of thanksgiving with a lifestyle of thanksgiving is because we really don't know what this day represent to this nation. So today I want to share with you the reason why the fourth Thursday of November is called Thanksgiving.

This day was proclaimed by President George Washington on October 3, 1789. In that proclamation President Washington was asked by both houses of Congress "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER, TO BE OBSERVED BY ACKNOWLEDGING WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS THE MANY AND SIGNAL FAVORS OF ALMIGHTY GOD..."

The first president of the United States and the members of our first legislative branch known to us as Congress called the nation to set aside a day to give thanks to God. They are many secularist and atheist who are trying to remove the acknowledgement of God from our history. But here in this presidential proclamation President Washington not only recognizes our God but set aside an entire day for Him to be recognized nationally.

Furthermore President Washington wrote, "NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY OF NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being..." This day was set apart to serve God. The original intent of today was declared by the President and the Congress to be a day of service to God.

President Washington also stated in his Proclamation, "that we might then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions..." On this day the first President of the United States asked the citizens of this country to ask God to forgive the national sins of this nation.

Today's Day of Thanksgiving is so far removed from its original intent and purpose but also the presence of our God is far removed from the face of this nation. Materialism and consumerism now fill our holidays and our feed our greed with no satisfaction. Prayer to God is shunned from the market square of our nation. Darkness increases over our land and evil is called good. How far have we as a nation fallen from the sunlight of God's favor but it's not too late to turn and to return to Him who was declared by the pen of the first President. If we return to God as a nation, then the words of George Washington will manifest in our times. "WHEREAS, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor."

As a Christian I enter His gates each day with thanksgiving but as a citizen of this nation I see a great need for this country to return to the original Day of Thanks and Prayer. The Divided States of America need the God of George Washington who does rule nations and exalts nations as well as bring down nations. It's not too late for this Nation to humble itself under His mighty hand and be exalted to shine as a city on the hill.

The picture below is a copy of President Washington's Proclamation that appeared in the Massachusetts Centinel on October 14, 1789.

WATCHMAN ON WALLS INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP

 

 

There has been days when I wasn't sure that I would make it to today. The political jargon, divisive accusations and partisans taunts have grieved the Holy Spirit who lives in me and has caused me to shudder in His leading. Many of those who live, breath and move in the realm of politics, whether they be Republican or Democrats, I'm sure was doing what they thought was best and what was required of them, but the rancor has been over the top and the one thing that I've seen missing is the love of God among His people who have been called out of the darkness into His marvelous light. This year the church has walked more in darkness than in light.

 

Over these last few years Holy Spirit has been calling me to give up many things that I have pursued and enjoyed over these years. I have been called to leave the wild wonderful world of sports. This is no reflection on anyone else and please receive my words in love and not criticism, but there is a spirit operating among sports and it is not the Holy Spirit. I have been called to leave the world of reality television. There is a spirit operating in that industry that is not of God. Most of the television shows that I have watched and enjoyed I have been called to leave. Now that I have been called to leave them I am in a greater place to intercede for the souls that are in these places doing what they believe that must do to perform and entertain mankind.

 

I am lead today to share with you a new work that God has birthed in my life. From the time when I  published and released my first book Do You Wanna Be Made Whole in December 2009 I have sensed a Call on my life to gather others who are Called to create through writing. In my travels throughout my community and across the country I have met many creative artists who have the desire, and the gift to write and release the stories that are moving in the midst of their imagination but many of them don't know where to go and where to find a mentor to help stir the gift that is in them.

 

From my many conversations with writers in my community I sensed that I was being Called to help these wandering artist find their purpose and ignite what God had set in them. So I set forward and attempted to do this through a Writer's group. But I found no one willing to join this community, there was a lot of talk but no action. After a few attempts I gave up assuming that maybe I was in the wrong place or in the wrong time.

 

Last fall I was visiting home which is Cleveland Ohio. My beloved grandmother was celebrating her 90th birthday and I joined the members of my family to celebrate this incredible woman who gave birth to my mother and raised her to be the loving and incredible woman that she was. While home I visited a church that is known for its prophetic ministry. After the services was over I introduced myself to Apostle Joseph Prude and thanked him for his ministry. After a few moments of conversation he said to me, "The Spirit is saying that you are dragging your feet. It's time to raise your banner, they are waiting for you." I thanked the Apostle and left. But that Word didn't leave me. Faith was activated in me to move forward and raise the banner. That fall Sunday in October 2011 Holy Spirit set me on what would be one of the life changing years I have encountered in my life.

 

From that word in the fall of 2011 to now I have been preparing to raise the banner that Apostle Prude declared and finally in September 2012 the Banner was lifted. The ministry that God set in my heart to bring forth is Watchman On Walls International Fellowship. The banner for this fellowship was designed by Apostle Carol Engledow. In Psalms 60: 4-5 in the Complete Jewish Bible it says, "To those who fear You because of the truth You gave a banner to rally around, so that You love can be rescued, so save with Your right hand and answer us."

 

Watchman on Walls, also known as W.O.W. is the ministry that God has entrusted to me to impart the Word of the Lord that will stir the creative gifts that lay dormant in those who are Called to represent the Call of God in the lives of man and to stand in intercession with those who are seeking direction and course from the Lord. The first ministry activity of W.O.W. has been weekly prayer Calls offered on Mondays at 9:00 p.m. EST. The first Call was held on Monday October 1, 2012 and we have been meeting every Monday since. This Call is specifically for those who are writers and authors in any genre, and although it is a Christ centered Call all are welcome.

 

 

 

And I give God praise for the people that He is gathering and for the Word that He releasing. Gifts and assignments are being activated to write and I sense that many of the spoken Word and written Word artists in this group are going to release great works that reveal the glory of the Lord in the earth.

 

All of the teaching that I have given are available on W.O.W. facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/watchmanonwallsinternationalfellowship. If you visit the page please like it so that you can receive more information about what this ministry is doing. I have so much more to share with you and I will. If you want more information about the weekly Prayer Call please email me at watchmanonwalls@yahoo.com.

 

When you vote today pray for this very divided nation and pray for the church, which is just as divided as the country. Shalom.