| From the Church on the Hill by D. Eric Williams Pastor, Cottonwood Community Church pastor@CottCommChurch.com Our gracious heavenly Father we thank you we may come before you and prayer in good times and in times of trouble. Your Scripture tells us you are a loving gracious God; your Scripture tells us you are a just and righteous God. And Almighty God, your word says, O Yahweh, the God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth! (Psalms 94:1). Lord, we are instructed to leave vengeance in your hands. When we see injustice and ungodliness all around us, it is not our duty to take vengeance; it is our responsibility to live according to your word in all aspects of our sphere of influence and to come before you in prayer without ceasing. For you have said, Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.' (Deuteronomy 32:35). Truly Lord, you are the God of vengeance and in your just retribution we see your glory. And so we ask dear Lord, that you would Arise, O Judge of the earth. Give the proud what they deserve (Psalms 94:2). Those who deny you are proud; they refuse to submit to the creator of the universe. They – as all rebellious humanity – deserve judgment. Almighty God we ask that you would bring vengeance upon those who deny you and who oppress your people. And yet Lord God we know you do not desire the death of any man and so we pray your spirit would draw them unto you and make them a new creation. This, O Lord is a killing of the old man and the raising up of new life in Jesus Christ. This we pray first, and knowing your will shall be done. Now Lord, we must ask you, How long, O Yahweh? How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat? (Psalms 94:3). We see our nation rapidly descending into a totalitarian state. We see the moral fiber of our nation torn to pieces. How long Lord God – how long must we endure their oppression? How long will they speak with arrogance? How long will these evil people boast? (Psalms 94:4). You are aware They crush your people, Yahweh, hurting those you claim as your own (Psalms 94:5). Moreover, They kill widows and foreigners and murder orphans (Psalms 94:6). They claim to care for the downtrodden and the needy. But those who have political power have no concern for the vulnerable. They consider the weak to be pawns, used to further their totalist regime. Everything they give comes with chains of oppression. And, dear God, the ruling elite hates you and so they love death. This is evidenced by the ongoing slaughter of the unborn. Almighty God, we cry out for vengeance on the behalf of the murdered children. Men in women in power mock you. To them you are myth. Even if they – in their foolishness – claim there is a “higher power” their actions reveal they believe that “Yahweh isn’t looking,” they say, “and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.” (Psalms 94:7). We your people respond; Think again, you fools! When will you finally catch on? (Psalms 94:8). Yes, the fool has said in his heart there is no God (Psalms 14:1). Lord, do not let their arrogant denial of you continue. We cry out to you Yahweh, Lord of heaven’s armies. Reveal yourself to these fools. Show yourself strong by upending the machinations of those who seek to oppress the people. Give strength and wisdom to all those who submit to the Lord Jesus Christ and enable them to bring their life and arena of activity under his Lordship that we might be your bulwark against the advance of wickedness. We pray these things, with confidence, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, Amen.
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