Think of the saints through history who lived during times of distress. Puritans, dedicated in their faith, endured a hard trip across the Atlantic and harsh winters and lack of food in this new land. But those Pilgrims were resolute in their faith in God.

Think of those who lived sometime in the two hundred years of persecution during the Roman Empire. Think of those who were painted with tar and set on fire, thrown to wild animals, or crucified. Think of their families and friends who witnessed it.

Think of the early church who faced threats and imprisonment and martyrdom. But they asked God for boldness to speak and He answered. We can almost imagine the troubles, hardship, and persecution of the prophets.

One of the good things about history is that we can take courage from people like us who lived during different times, remained firm, and were bold. It is something we desire for ourselves. It is something the world needs to see in us.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We’re living in a mess right now. But You are bigger than all of it. Like Hezekiah, who laid out the threatening letter from Sennacherib, King of the Assyrians, before You and called on Your Name for deliverance, we do the same. Here it is:

Threats and violence are everyday occurrences in our country and around the world. We are facing restrictions that don’t belong in a free country. We see places like Australia who are essentially under house arrest with even children being removed from homes for highly questionable reasons. People in restricted nations are taking to the streets in protest of socialist rules or communist leaders. Many people are living in fear, a fear generated by lying voices that change reports and numbers and rules at will, and, in so doing, keep the fearful unsteady. Free thought is censored so that even if someone wants to hear another view, it takes work to uncover it. Churches have shut down and reopened to far fewer numbers than they saw before. Christians are discouraged. And there is more – The UN, big pharma, the Davos group, worldwide trafficking, to name a few. Lucifer, that great deceiver, is behind this.

So we ask for boldness. The kind of boldness that ignores the assumptions and judgments of others. The kind of boldness that stands tall in a storm. We ask for boldness to strip every deception from our own minds and fix our eyes on You and Your Word. To acknowledge truth regardless of its source. We ask for boldness to speak truth and stand with others who do so. We are determined to not fear the terror of the night nor the arrows that fly by day.

We are Yours and we stand on Your side. We are watching Your hand. We plead with You to move in our nation and in us to reveal evil, to crush evil, to raise up righteousness, and to affect Your will on earth as it is in heaven. And we stand with You to do so.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen

Acts 4:29-31 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.; Isaiah 37:14-20; Psalm 91:5; Image: Pexels, Alexas Fotos

Back in the day, my Grandpa would, from time to time, include the phrase, “Keep yourself puuure” in his sermons. Considering some of those sermons were directed to college students, we can guess what one of the implications of that sentence was or, at least, how it might have been interpreted.

Yet purity is multifaceted. Pure often refers to a physical state. We all want clean clothes, clean air and water; some people even practice clean eating (now where’s my donut?). But we also know that if something is pure, it is free of additives. If only everything we add to our lives was for good. I think we can acknowledge that our spiritual life as well as social behavior might benefit from a some sorting, throwing out, and scrubbing – a good cleaning.

The reason we do something merits significance in the same way as what we do. In regard to a pure life, for instance, our efforts to do what is right are best done without thought of personal gain or attention. Our encouragement of others is purest when we think solely of the one encouraged, not whether they will think well of us or even remember us. Time spent in private prayer is rewarded most.¹ Ditto fasting.² Ditto giving.³ (Virtual signaling selfies, anyone?)

As we maneuver this time in history, let’s attend to keeping ourselves puuure. Pollution isn’t something anyone wants.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We repent of mixed motives. The thought of the filthy rags we wear compared with Your brilliance disgusts us. We desire purity. Make us pure, for you are the only One who can completely cleanse us. We consider again the beauty of the cross because of Christ’s sacrifice and Your forgiveness, and turn away now from all that doesn’t belong. And we know that the fire of Your Holy Spirit will continue to purify us as we look at the cross and its terrible price. We aspire to live our Christianity not for the good impression of others, but with You as our only audience. We desire a pure inner life regardless of our surroundings. Dearest Father, make us pure so that we might see You.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

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References: Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ; Matthew 6:16 When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ; Matthew 6:3-4 But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. ; Image: goodfreephotos