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1:19Let me just go to the Lord in prayer and just ask Him to guide us, guide our thoughts as we turn our hearts to make requests before Him. Heavenly Father, we Do recognize that the only reason we could come into your presence is because of your great grace displayed upon the cross that has granted us access. We by no means come on our own merits, in our own strength, nor do we come as those who feel that you owe us something, quite the contrary. Father, you have given us so much in this land.

2:03And Father, and what we have done with the blessings, the way we, as a nation, have stewarded your blessings, Father, is frightful. So, Father, we come before you, just asking for your mercy, thanking you for the privilege to come in and even talk to you. And so, Father, we just ask you to guide our time tonight, awaken our hearts, stir our minds, and let us be sincere and honest in our prayers, Father, and help us to grieve for the things that you grieve over. Forgive us for our indifference and our hard-heartedness.

3:07So, Father, guide this time tonight. In Jesus' name, amen. Well, in Daniel chapter 9, I want to read to you. I'll be looking at the first 20 or 18 verses, 19 verses. We'll go through them pretty quickly. Let me just read the first few verses of chapter 9, that amazing chapter. In the first year of Darius, the son of Assirus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans. By this time in Daniel's life, he had experienced God's sovereignty over the nations. He had witnessed that firsthand. You remember in John, I'm still in John. I can't get John out of my mind, right? But in Daniel chapter 2, 21, remember before Nebuchadnezzar, he said, Nebuchadnezzar, it is he who changes the times and the epics. He removes kings and he establishes kings. No matter what happens this week or in the future of America, We know who sets up kings. We know who changes the times and the epochs. Daniel very much understood this. He saw the fall of Jerusalem. He was among that deportation of choice men. As a young boy, he was taken captive. He saw what no one could imagine would ever happen to Jerusalem. He saw, he saw Nebuchadnezzar in his power and his glory. He also saw Nebuchadnezzar cut down and made to go and run around like an animal. He saw Nebuchadnezzar completely humbled. He saw Nebuchadnezzar cry out to the Lord and say, Now I exalt the Lord, for he is king over all kings, and he can humble those who walk in pride. Daniel was there at the fall of Belshazzar. He saw the handwriting on the wall and he read it.

5:43He said, Belshazzar, you have been weighed in the balance and you have been found lacking. That night, the Babylonian Empire came down. Daniel, by the time he says, in the first year of Darius, He has seen kingdoms come. He has seen kingdoms go. That winged lion that represented Babylon in Daniel 7 had come and it had gone. And now that bear had raised up with three ribs in its mouth, and now it was having its time. The Medes and the Persians were now upon the scene.

6:27And it's in this context. Daniel says this in verse 2. In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely 70 years. So I gave my attention to the Lord to seek him by prayer and supplications with fasting and with ashes, sackcloth and ashes. And then he enters into his prayer. He understood his times. He had been informed by the scriptures.

7:12And so then he sets to pray. I just want to walk through, beginning in verse 4, this prayer. May it prime our hearts to pray for our nation. I love this land. I love America, even with all her warts. America is a wonderful country. And even as we prayed tonight, or even as we sang tonight, the song America Beautiful is really a prayer, isn't it? There's never been a time when our alabaster cities gleam undimmed by human tears. That's a dream. That's a desire that righteousness and justice would prevail upon this land from sea to sea, that there would be brotherhood, a kind of brotherhood that can only be brought about by changed hearts, reconciled together in Christ. That's the dream. That's the patriot dream. This isn't just an experiment. It's a vision. And I'm not ready to give up on the vision. So may we pray for our nation tonight, and may the Lord awaken our hearts to the things that we should specifically pray for as we look at Daniel's prayer. First thing Daniel does is he confesses national sins. He confesses the national sins of his people. He does this in verses 4 through 6. Just start walking through it. Verse 4, I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed.

9:00And said, Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant and loving kindness for those who love him and keep his commandments. He starts his prayer with a declaration of who God is. Great, awesome, you keep your covenant. You are faithful to those who desire you, who love you, and who keep your commandments. Listen, keeping God's commandments is not about sinlessness. Keeping God's command is dealing with sin according to his commands when it happens.

9:44He understood people were going to sin. He understood that in the law. That's why there was a provision for sacrifice, a provision for atonement. He understands and he has made a proper atonement. And so for those who keep his commandments, it isn't just somebody who lives perfectly, it's somebody who knows how to go before the Lord as the Lord commands and then learn to grow and walk in his ways. So he begins his prayer by declaring who God is. And then he really jumps in and confesses who he is, who Israel is, in light of who God is. Look at what he begins to say in verse 5. We, we have sinned. We have sinned. Notice his solidarity. I don't think there's been anybody like Daniel that has lived in the history of humanity. You talk about an upright man.

10:50You talk a man of unquestionable, impeccable character. It's Daniel. And look what he says. We have sinned. Do you see this solidarity? He was standing with Israel. He was part of Israel. Listen, we are part of this nation, America. There's no detachment. He's not over there saying, you know what, you know what they did? I'm sorry on behalf of what... No, it's we are part of this country. Just as Daniel was part of his country, he stood in solidarity, and when he stood before the Lord, he stood before the Lord as an Israelite. And he confessed his sins as an Israelite.

11:40He didn't pass the buck. He says, we have sinned. That is, we have missed the mark, we have erred. And then look at what he says. He goes in to describe just how we have sinned. We have committed iniquity. That is, we have twisted justice. We have distorted truth. We have perverted what is right. That's what the word iniquity means. We have committed iniquity. We have acted wickedly. That is, we have behaved in a morally corrupt manner. We have rebelled. That idea is revolted against you. Even turning aside from your commandments and ordinances. That is, we have turned aside. We've changed our orientation. That's really what it means. We have turned aside. We have changed our orientation away from your authoritative commandments and your ordinances. That is, your definition of right and wrong. We have reoriented ourselves away. Moreover, so verse 5, he says, we've sinned. And then he says, Moreover, we have not listened. It's bad enough what we did, but then we wouldn't listen to your servants, the prophets, who spoke your name. We wouldn't even listen. We were so set in our sin, we would not listen. Who spoke your name to our kings, to our princes, to our fathers, and all the people of the land. It's the whole nation, leadership, and people.

13:23So he begins by confessing the national sins. And then in verses 7 and 9, he confesses the national. Guilt. Not only does he confess the sins, but then he goes on to the guilt of those sins. Verse 7, he begins by declaring God's character again. Righteousness belongs to you, O God. You are right in all of your judgments. Everything that has come upon Israel, all the desolation that Israel experienced in the Babylonian deportation, and all, you remember, Daniel is over there in Babylon at this time, far away from his home, because the Lord had brought armies against Israel and ransacked Jerusalem, leveling it to the ground, destroying it. And so he says, Righteousness belongs to you, O Lord, but to us, open shame as it is this day.

14:24Righteousness to you, but to us, shame. To the men, and look at who all he's talking about again: to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all of Israel, those who are nearby, those who are far away, in all the countries to which you have driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against you. Again, he leaves no one. All of Israel is culpable. Open shame, verse 8, belongs. To us, O Lord, to our kings. Our kings did what was shameful. Our princes have done what is shameful. Our fathers and we have sinned against you. Whether sins of commission or whether sins of omission, doing what is wrong or not doing what is right.

15:22Sin upon, sin is upon the whole nation. I feel like there's not any one of us that can escape our culpability either for the situation that's in our country. So he confesses national guilt, and then he goes through it, he does this again. Look at verse 9. He again declares God's character. To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness. Now that's a wonderful way to start confessing your guilt, right? Lord, first of all, you are right, righteousness. Whatever comes upon this land, you are righteous.

16:20But also, we know that you are compassionate, compassionate, and you are a forgiving God. And so, Daniel then orients. His thoughts around God's compassion, forgiveness, and he goes on, for we have rebelled against him, nor have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God to walk in his teachings, which he set before us through his servants the prophets. God gave his word, he gave his law that they may know him, that they may walk with him, and they did not.

17:00How many of us really honestly live, walk in truth? How many of us are growing in that direction? He set these before us so that we wouldn't play church, but that we would really embrace and be the church, walking in his teachings, letting them shape us, shape our thinking, shape our actions. And he goes on in verse 11: Indeed, all Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, not obeying your voice. So the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which was written in the law of Moses, the servant of God. You know what Daniel's talking about there? He's talking about Deuteronomy 28 and 29. God told him this is exactly what would happen if you do not walk in my ways, if you walk in walks. You pervert truth, go after foreign gods, the curse. And what is that curse going to look like? The curse is going to be scattered. Judgment is going to come upon you, and what that's going to look like is God is going to turn himself against the land, and he is going to bring desolation on the land, and he is going to scatter Israel, and he's going to bring them out and put them into captivity. This is exactly what he said would happen, and what Daniel is saying. This is exactly what has happened, and you're right to bring it about because to us, open shame. We did everything you told us not to do. He says, That's the national guilt, national guilt upon the nation of Israel. And I look at our land. We have national sin.

19:02Talk about an equality of life endowed by our Creator and yet the slaughter of millions. We slaughter millions in the name of freedom. It's an industry. You talk about guilt upon a nation. You talk about open shame. You talk about perverting the land. You talk about perverting justice. We're professionals. And our legal system protects, defends, and has gotten very skilled at it. Friends, this cannot go on. It won't go on. We could talk about many other things. You can see this. You don't have to look around to see the sins of our nations. of our nation.

20:01So then he confesses. He goes on to not only confess national guilt, but then he goes on to a confession of God's faithfulness and judgment. It's what he says in verse 12. Thus he has confirmed his words which he has spoken against us and against our rulers who ruled us to bring on us this great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been anything like what was done to Jerusalem. As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to your truth. So even now, after all this has happened, after the decline, after God brought these judgments over and over, still the people were not turning and seeking God.

20:52That's what happens. And that's what I hope at least we will turn, right? Be like. Daniel, as Americans. Daniel wasn't American, of course. But as a representative of his country, he stood in solidarity with his country and he prayed on behalf of his country as a fellow countryman. And yet, verse 14, therefore, the Lord has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us, for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all his deeds which he has done, but we have not obeyed his voice.

21:36God will do what he said he would do in judgment. And that's what Daniel does in these verses. He said, You are faithful to judge. You said you were going to judge. Guess what? You're going to judge. God has appointed a day of reckoning for every nation, and he promises to judge, and he is faithful to judge, and he does what is right. And he does what he says he will do. And so it's time for God's people to obey his voice, to turn to him, to seek his favor, to ask his favor, to turn his eyes upon our land and heal it. But then Daniel goes on in verses. 15 and 16, and he confesses God's faithfulness in salvation. So, not only did, in verses 12 to 14, he confesses God's faithfulness to judge and to do what he said he was going to do, in verses 15 and 16, he confesses God's faithfulness to save. Look at what he says: And now, O Lord, our God, who have brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as it is this day. We have sinned, we have been wicked.

23:10O Lord, verse 16, in accordance with all your righteous acts, let now your anger and your wrath turn away from your city, Jerusalem, your holy mountain, for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people has become a reproach to all those around us. So here's Daniel saying, Lord, remember, you saved us once. You pulled us out of Egypt. We ask you to restore us and revive us again. Listen, the God who saves is also the God who restores.

23:56And so that's what Daniel says. He confesses, God, you are also faithful. Faithful to save, just as your word said. When you get to Deuteronomy 30, guess what? He says, If you'll call upon me from the lands in which I have dispersed you, I will hear, I will answer. And so here's Daniel humbling himself. And so then in verses 17 through 19, Daniel pleads the Lord to act. And he pleads the Lord to act for God's namesake, not for Israel's namesake. Look back, verse 17. So now, our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his supplications, and for your sake, O Lord, let your face shine on your desolate sanctuary.

25:02Turn, may your face shine upon the place that you said would bear your name. O my God, verse 18, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by your name. For we are not presenting our supplications before you on account of any merits of our own, but on account of your great compassion upon us. On the place you have chose to bear your name. It's because of your name, Lord.

25:39People need to know you, Lord. And then he says in verse 19, O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and take action for your own sake. O my God, do not delay because your city and your people are called by your name. Do not delay for the sake of your great name. One of the things I've seen around the world as I travel, America is thought of as a Christian nation. And yet, what we export is anything but Christian at times.

26:34Much. And so I pray, I mean, when you look at this, the founding of this country, it was a Protestant nation searching for religious freedom. It came out of a Protestant worldview, born out of a sense. And desire for freedom to worship God according to the dictates of His Word. And so, I want us to take a few moments and pray. I've asked several men to come forward, one right after, and pray. And I'd ask for you all to pray and be in agreement, pray with the person praying, listen and be part of that. And then, in the exchange, I ask you to keep your head bowed and keep praying. And then I'll come up here and close this out here in just a moment.

28:02Oh, great and mighty God, Lord. We humble ourselves tonight, coming to you, Lord, with much grief and anxiety over the days that we find ourselves in. Lord, we appeal to you on behalf of the small Church that began this land, that left their church in Scrooby, England. They found themselves persecuted because they had a high view of Scripture and wanted to worship you according to your word. And they went to Holland and formed a church in Leiden, and after several years realized that they needed to find a new land where they could begin anew.

28:59And 400 years ago, this very night, on a ship bound for this land, tossing and turning, those men and women were determined to begin a land that would be founded in your name and for your glory. Lord, we appeal to you in the spirit of that dedication to glorify you in our nation. Lord, since that day, you have blessed this land mightily through so much abundance, material blessings, victory in war, continued growth and prosperity. And Lord, with every step of prosperity, we have drifted further from you that we find ourselves here 400 years later, where we come before you in open shame.

30:00For the sins of our nation. Lord, we ask that you would hear our repentance. Lord, that you would turn the hearts of the people of this nation, beginning in the church, beginning with us, Lord, as we come before you in sorrow for turning our backs on you and not living fully the calling which you have brought us to this land and blessed us with. Lord, we know that we have followed the way of Israel, the way of the harlot, the way that you have shown us in Scripture. Our nation is guilty. And Lord, we appeal to you to heal our land.

30:45And Lord, as we face this election, we know that this is just one of many in a long line of elections. Although this one seems more dire than those past, Lord, we know that you're in control and that you're sovereign and that you're not wringing your hands. But Lord, we simply come before you and ask humbly that you would turn our hearts toward you, and Lord, that you would be glorified in our nation once again. Lord Jesus, we.

31:31Come to you with gratefulness and thankfulness because, Lord, we without your grace, indeed, Lord, this nation will not and cannot survive. Lord, you know our sins. We're all in this room very aware of our national sins, sins within our own state, even within our own local community. And Lord, we know that we have been so incredibly blessed as a nation. We can reflect on the very first-century Christians, Lord, that the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. The Christians were apparently led by youth by a vision to get out of the city just in time. We know, Lord, that the Christians in the first century had pure hearts in many ways compared to the centuries of our day.

32:35They endured incredible persecution. They were, Lord, facing lions, literally in arenas. And, Lord, we know that both the Apostle Peter and the Apostle Paul were killed by Nero in Rome. And we know, Lord, that Nero took the Christians and tied them to stakes and rapped. Wrapped animal skins around them, soaked in oil, and set them aflame for entertainment for his guests. Lord, we have not had to face anything near to that. But Lord, dark days may be approaching if we do not turn.

33:20We pray for repentance, we pray for turning. Lord, we pray for the coming elections nationally. We know that you can harden hearts and soften hearts. We know what you did with Pharaoh. And so, Lord, we pray that you would soften the hearts of our leadership nationally and locally and in the state situation, Lord. And, Lord, I was asked to pray for our state officials. And so, Lord, we lift up these state officials, Lord. We lift up our governor, Greg Abbott. We lift up our Lieutenant Governor, Dan Patrick, our Attorney General, Ken Paxton, Glenn Hager, Comptroller of Public Accounts, George P. Bush, Commissioner of General Land Office, Sid Miller, Commissioner of Agriculture, Wayne Christian, Commissioner of Railroad, Christy Craddock, the same organization, Brian Sitton, the same organization. Lord, we especially lift up our judges.

34:33May they judge righteously. We have a Supreme Court judge, Nathan Heck. We have Jimmy Blacklock. Lord, we have Deborah Lehrman, John Devine, Paul Green, Jeff Brown, Jeffrey Boyd, and Eva Guzman. Lord, I don't know these people, but Lord, you know them. You know their hearts. I know some of them are up for re-election. I have no idea your will in each of these elections, but I pray your will be done. And I pray, Lord, that you indeed bring them, draw them to you.

35:15And Lord, if they do not know you, I pray that, Lord, you would divinely intervene to bring people to them that would lead them to the light and to the truth. And Lord, we pray that, Lord, this state would indeed recognize you, that you are the ultimate fount of all authority, and that law and order must flow from you and from your word. And I know that's very unpopular in many circles today, but Lord, it is the truth.

35:51And it is this truth that has made us a great nation and a great state and local community. I pray for our. Local officials, our local mayors and Bryan and College Station, the city councilmen. And Lord, we pray that they too will come to know you. I thank you, Lord, that they have not abandoned you to the degree that I see going on in many of our large cities where open sin is actually said to be a good thing.

36:26And Lord, I pray that you would continue to raise up Christians, Lord, to reach out to these people, to, Lord, love them, hold them accountable, and share the gospel with them. And Lord, I thank you that you have preserved us from so many disasters that other nations have had. But Lord, I know that you're no respecter of persons, and you're no respecter of nations. If we sin, if we abandon you, Lord, we will indeed face judgment.

37:02And so, Lord, I pray that we soberly contemplate this. And, Lord, all of us would constantly confess the nation's sins as we pray and pray for our officials. Your word tells us to do this. And, Lord, I admit I have not been as faithful in this area as I should have been, but I pray. Lord, that this situation would convict me to be more mindful of the fact that you really do not choose amongst political parties. You choose for hearts that are humble and, Lord, desire to serve you and to follow you.

37:53And so, Lord, we pray that there would be true revival amongst our government officials. We pray, Lord, that Christians would stand for the word and not compromise the word. We see so many pastors and Christian organizations getting involved in things that are not of you, Lord, that are popular fads. Lord, may we stand on the word and the word alone and let it lead us where it leads us and not where we desire to go. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

38:47I've been asked to pray for our local leaders, and just pray with me. Heavenly Father, we thank you for letting us live in this country. Just pray for the sins of our country. Pray that you would give our country mercy. During these times, we've sinned in so many ways, as Daniel said. We pray that you will hear and will take action and just pray that your will be done, Lord. Just but again, ask for mercy for our country.

39:13I pray for our state leaders. As Tom mentioned, we started out as a Protestant nation. So many of our institutions started as Christian institutions. Even here in the state, our state legislators, the number is based on the number of psalms, the number of state senators based on the number of proverbs. And we've gotten so far away from all that. Just pray for all of them, the ones that Pat just mentioned. Here locally, Lord, I pray for our County Commissioner's Corps, for Judge Peters and the County Commissioners under him, and just that you would move their hearts to move towards what your commandments are, what your word leads them to do.

39:52Pray for our cities. Pray for Mayor Nelson and Brian that you would be with Andrew and give him your wisdom as he guides our city and be with Shelly, his wife, as she helps him and gives him support on the side. Pray for the council members. Pray for Brent Harriston as he recovers from his motorcycle accident and deals with a wife with cancer and just give him strength to deal with whatever lies ahead for that. But especially just that you would move them to act in your ways. Pray for Mayor Mooney and College Station and the city council members with him that you would move them to follow your word, Lord. And pray for the city managers and both. Cities that are carrying out the orders or the plans of the city council. And Lord, I especially lift up the people in law enforcement. Pray for Chief Buskie and Brian, for Scott Jones, and all the wonderful men and women that are there protecting and serving all of us. Pray for Chief Couch and College Station and the men and women in law enforcement there and incoming Sheriff Wayne Dickey that you would be with him as he takes over. The Sheriff's Department, just be with all the constables, be with the campus police and all the different people in law enforcement. That you blessed me with the ability or being able to work with so many of them all over the state. And I thank you for that, Lord. And you also put me there to help with families that have lost loved ones in the line of duty. And that's one of the most difficult things I've ever dealt with. And just pray that you would be with those families. And again, protect our officers, Lord, as they're out there protecting and serving us.

41:27And they've become targets in so many of these cities around the country. Pray that you would give them safety and protection. And just I pray that you would be with our judges, with Jim Wadd, and Kyle Hawthorne, and Andrea James, and all the judges here in this area, and with District Attorney Jarvis Parsons, who does such a magnificent job in his job, and just with all the people working for us in the county and cities. Just pray that you would be with them all, Lord, and just, again, pray that you would turn their hearts to follow you. And again, for our nation, just ask for mercy again, Lord. Ask all this in your name, Jesus.

42:11And Father, as we are reminded that you said you would establish your church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. Father, we are reminded that you have established in this land, we do not have a temple that bears your name, but we have living, breathing bodies of believers that you have chosen to be that you have chosen that would bear your name. Father, it is your churches. Father, and I pray for the churches in this nation.

42:48Pray for the church as a whole. Father, that error would be removed, that truth would prevail. Father, I look at so many of our denominations that are relics of what they used to be. Father, having abandoned the truth, Father, I see the inclination that we have, as even as people who confess your name, the tendency to depart. Father, to be preoccupied with other things, to let prosperity and other pursuits be close to our heart. Father, we see so many departures and defections.

43:29Father, and we don't want That to be us. Father, I pray that you would strengthen your church. Raise up a generation of preachers. Father, that your word would be abundantly preached. Raise up a generation of teachers and leaders and teachers, ministry leaders, churches. May they be filled, Father, with lovers of truth. Raise up a generation that will not be satisfied with the status quo and not be tempted to defect, but would find their delight in you. Father, that your word would be abundantly proclaimed in one-on-one settings, in public settings. Father, that you would restore a delight in your word across the church in the United States and use whatever means to get us there.

44:35Father, but we desire a church that is holy and purified before you. Lord, we don't want to go through persecution. We ask you to be as gentle as you can, but we do ask that you refine this church in this land. People need to know your name as Daniel prayed for you to turn your eyes upon your sanctuary because the nation Need to know your name, so we are so mindful of that in our country, Father. May you turn your eyes upon your church, restore the church, may revival, true revival from you again be upon this land because people need to know who you are. The nations need to know who you are.

45:24And so we pray for your healing in your church. And Father, I pray for the churches in our area. Father, there are many empty buildings. There's a decline, and even in our own Baptist Association, that is staggering when one understands the numbers. And Father, I pray for a true awakening among our Baptist Association and like-minded churches, whether they're in the Baptist Association or not. But, Father, I pray for a newness. And Father, for this church, Emmanuel, that bears your name, Emmanuel. God with us. May you truly be God with us. You have established such a unique name upon this congregation.

46:20May it be true in every sense of the word. And may the nations, may those in this community, all walks of life, Know that you are here among us. So, Father, I just thank you for the people that you have brought to this body. And I pray now, Father, that you would bless them, that you would stir their hearts, Father, and they would be reminded of your promise that you have established your church. The gates of hell are not going to prevail, and it is our privilege and our duty and our joy to be able to proclaim the good news in our community.

47:10Father, revive us and glorify your name. And we ask you to do whatever means that you need to do to make this a reality. Do whatever you need to do in our body, in our hearts, to bring us to be a people who are truly yours. Please do it as gently as possible. But we ask nonetheless for you to have your absolute way in this body. Thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.