Listen to the words of God to a man called Job in chapter 38 beginning at verse 3, "Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. 'Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding…To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?'"

You know my friend it's so incredibly unwise for any nation or people to deny the existence of God. The Apostle Paul tells us that the workings of the heavens and nature itself plainly declare the reality of a divine hand. In this country we're taking the minds, and abilities, which God has given to us and we're using them to deny the fact that He lives.

My friend, it's time to pray!

No matter where you stand politically, we can agree that there was a lot of hostile rhetoric during the recent midterm elections. No matter who won or lost – God still is in control. For our part, we are now called to pray for those in authority over us. Let's do that, believing that God can turn the hearts of the kings, and bring this country to a place of repentance; that He will convict of sin, and bring our wayward sons and daughters back home.

Father, we lift up, oh God, this nation, the United States before You, and we ask Lord that Your Holy Spirit will begin to brood over our places of government and bring the conviction of sin, of righteousness, and of the soon-coming judgement of everything that stands in opposition to God. Grant a humility to our leaders, oh God, may they experience Your presence in a way they have ever known You before. We appeal, oh God, for your mercy and we thank You for hearing us this day, in Jesus' name.

Listen to the words of Jesus in Matthew chapter 24, verses 37 and 38, "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark."

Now eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage is not an evil thing. Really what Jesus is saying is that society will be carrying on as if there are a thousand years ahead of them. Most people will be completely unaware of the day that they are living in. They will not know that the end of all things has come upon them; that is the age Jesus said we are currently living in. Folks, are we aware of the time that we are living in? Are we ready? Are we just going through life forgetting the words of Jesus? This should be a frightening thought. Let's not waste any more time. Let's reach someone with the love of God.

It's time to pray!

Psalm 67, "God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously and govern the nations on earth."

The Psalmist asks for mercy and favor for God's people. For the soul purpose that God made through our prayers become visible to those who don't yet know Him. He asks that the wholeness that we receive as new creations would lead many others to places of prayer and praise and relationship with God. In other words, the Psalmist is saying, bless us oh God, and make our lives a testimony for the sake of others.

It's time to pray!

Esther chapter 4, verse 16, the queen said these words, "And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!"

There comes a point when we have to go beyond our doubts. God is not offended at our doubts. He is not offended with our questions, but there is a point where we move beyond our questions and beyond our doubts and we pray a prayer something like this, "Whatever it costs me, whatever it costs me in the future, if You are with me I know that I can get through it."

Esther wasn't going to the king for herself, she was going for the sake of others who would have no hope if somebody didn't stand for them. If we don't go to the throne in this generation, multiples of millions of people are going to suffer in the days ahead. You and I are the bride of the King. We have access to the throne. It's time to use our voices. It's time to cry out for the benefit of others.

It's time to pray!

Psalm 66 beginning at verse 17, "I cried to Him with my mouth, and He was extolled with my tongue. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. But certainly, God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me!"

Oh, the incredible mercy of God when we turn towards Him with sincere hearts and words of prayer. Just like the story of the wayward son; when we do pray we find God running towards us to embrace us, even in our failure; to cover us, even though we feel ashamed; to empower us so we can live in true satisfaction, and to invite us to walk with Him. So, the question comes to mind, what are you waiting for? God is waiting to hear the voice of your cry.

It's time to pray!

Every Tuesday night at 7PM we have our Worldwide Prayer Meeting here in New York City. We receive many, many prayer requests. Today I am asking you to join with me to pray for an urgent request that came in last night from the UK.

"Times Square Church: urgently pray for a two week old baby fighting for life, after being raped in Belfast. Lord have mercy on this poor baby and heal. God, raise a standard."

Father we are distressed, we are sickened at heart, when we hear reports like this of what our society is potentially becoming. We ask You, Lord, to have mercy on this child, oh God, and let this baby be healed and have mercy, Lord, on the perpetrators of these kinds of crimes. Oh God, deliver our children, Lord, from these oppressions. Let righteousness reign as a mighty stream again and send a spiritual awakening into this land. God, we believe for it and we hold to it in Jesus', name.

Judges chapter 6, verses 36 and 37, "So Gideon said to God, 'If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said-look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.'"

Here was his prayer, plain and simple. "God, I want to be sure that it is You who is calling me to do this." You know, God is not offended with that prayer. If He starts speaking to your heart about something He wants to do through your life, He is not offended! If you're aware of your weakness, if you are aware of your own inability to accomplish it, yet there is a persistent voice speaking to your heart calling you to a place you've never been before, He is not offended. God wants this honesty. It is the very heart of prayer.

It's time to pray!

In Psalm 65 and verse 2 King David cries out these words to God, "O You who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come."

You know, what a privilege it is to pray. Scripture tells us that one day, "every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." It will be a time of prayer and petition, but sadly, too late for the many who failed to seek God while living on this earth.

For those of us who can pray now, we can greatly reduce this scene of lost-ness and heartache by crying out for their souls now! Verse 5 tells us that, "By awesome deeds in line with the character of God, that our prayers will be answered."

My brother my sister, if we ever we prayed, it's time to pray now!

Psalm 150, "Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in the mighty firmament! Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with the stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord."

This Thanksgiving as you get together, whether you are alone, whether you are with a group of friends, or whether you are with your family; in spite of all that is happening in the nation around us today, God is in total control, promises to be your shelter, your tower, your life, your provision, the peace that's in your mind that passes all understanding. Everything is in Him and through Him. If ever there were a time to praise Him and thank Him, it's now.

It's time to pray!