Shirley Dobson

In today's tumultuous times, we all have moments where we are afraid, anxious, and worried. But there's an antidote for this anxious age. It connects us to the greatest source of peace, hope, and security that we could ever imagine. The cure is the remarkable gift from our loving and merciful God. It's called prayer.

Though many may call the twenty-first century the Age of Anxiety, our current troubles are not new. Mankind's future has always been uncertain. Since the days of Noah and his family, Moses and the nation of Israel, the persecuted early Church, the Pilgrims, and America's Founding Fathers, the answer for people facing adversity has always been the same: Almighty God.

Simply put, there is no security apart from Him. When problems threaten to engulf us, we must do what believers have always done - turn to the Lord for encouragement and solace. We never need to face the fury of life's storms on our own. He keeps His promise: "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). He stands just to the side ever watchful, waiting to embrace us the moment we ask His presence. His words to Jeremiah apply to us all: "Call to me and I will answer you" (Jeremiah 33:3).

Prayer is our pathway not only to divine protection, but also to a personal, intimate relationship with God. The Lord desires a personal, two-way conversation with me and with you. You are His child. He wants you to seek Him, to love Him, and to spend time daily with Him. When you do, He hears and responds (Matthew 6:6). Your prayers never go unanswered. Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes it is no, and sometimes it is wait. But our heavenly Father is there even in the most troubling of circumstances.

Are you ready to renew or increase your commitment to prayer? Do you want contentment in your heart and peace in your world? If your answer is yes - or even maybe - keep reading and discover God's remarkable gift called prayer. It will change your life, the lives around you, and even the course of history.

- Shirley Dobson, Chairman

Dr. Jack Graham

Our world is in turmoil... unstable... full of pressures and uncertainties. And sometimes the problems can seem so overwhelming we wonder if there are any answers to the needs, to the troubles, to the tribulations we face. But there is an answer. And that answer can be found in prayer. In fact, God is looking for people like you and me who will so connect with Him in prayer, that He can unleash His power through us. It is a power to overcome any trial, any difficulty, and any challenge. It's a power that can change our nation, and our world!

Join me as we pray for America on the National Day of Prayer, Thursday, May 7th!

Dr. Jack Graham, Honorary Chairman of the National Day of Prayer:

 Read the National Prayer by Dr. Jack Graham 

Shirley Dobson

Jesus said, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father” (John 14:13). How should those words affect our prayer? Tony Marshall Anderson addressed that question in Prayer Availeth Much:

 

Jesus revealed His purpose in answering prayer when He said, “…that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” In order to achieve His exalted purpose to glorify the father, the son has bestowed on His redeemed people the inalienable right to ask anything in His Name. In the clear light of this remarkable truth…the possibilities in prayer are as great as the purpose of the Son of God.

 

Pray daily that the Father might further be glorified in the Son through your life, too.

 

P.R.A.Y. for Today

 

Praise and thank God for allowing you to be His partner in ministry in this world;

 

Repent of any failure to step out boldly in ministry, empowered by Him;

 

Ask that the father may be glorified in the Son through your ministry;

 

Yield to Him by expanding your outreach at this time, in dependence upon Him.

 

- Shirley Dobson

Merry Christmas!

Season's greetings and Merry Christmas from beautiful Colorado! Like many others, I love this time of year – the cold, snowy weather and the bright, crisp air add to the joy of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. As we reflect on His incarnation, I pray you and your loved ones make some wonderful Christmas memories and draw ever closer to our Lord.

This special time of year always brings to mind the lengths to which our Savior went to secure an eternal relationship with us. Scripture reminds us again and again that God desires to interact with us on a personal basis – and that He remains ready and willing to respond to our petitions. As Dr. Bruce Wilkinson comments in the foreword of my book Certain Peace in Uncertain Times, “…God wants to hear from you – your praises, your confessions, your innermost thoughts, your urgent requests. He is waiting for you to open your heart to His love and leading – and He’s poised to answer your prayers in ways you’ve never before imagined (Ephesians 3:20).”

I’ve personally witnessed many incredible answers to individual and corporate prayer during my tenure. And I am extremely thankful for your role as part of the faithful network of saints who are committed to praying for God's hand of blessing and protection upon our nation. Though we are undoubtedly living in tumultuous times, a ready store of grace and mercy flows from above when we lift our voices before the Lord’s throne.

As we strive to further the cause of prayer, we are thankful for the many ways in which God has provided for our ministry and allowed us to expand our efforts. As we rejoice in what has been accomplished and look expectantly to the future, may I ask you to prayerfully consider partnering with us financially in this ministry to our nation? Your tax-deductible donation would be greatly appreciated at this crucial time.

Thank you for your devotion to prayer for this ministry and our great land – you are impacting eternity! May this year’s commemoration of Christ’s birth fill your heart and home with great joy and the “peace that passes all understanding.” God’s abundant blessings to you!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Shirley Dobson
Chairman, NDP Task Force

Shirley Dobson

It has been an incredible year here at the National Day of Prayer Task Force. In our 2014 Impact Report, we want to share with you just a glimpse of what God has done through this ministry as a result of your support and there is still much to be done. This past May we witnessed the largest day of prayer in U.S. History with over 43,000 prayer gatherings taking place from coast to coast. More than 250,000 people participated in the National Observance watching live in 90 countries. In addition, our team launched a second Pray for America Bus Tour, where we mobilized prayer groups in 15 key cities concluding the tour in Hollywood, California for a 5-day solemn assembly.

We trust that Christ will equip us to spread His powerful message of hope to others as they see the difference faith makes in our lives. Millions of people are experiencing moral fatigue and confusion and are yearning for leaders who will rebuild our society on compassion, decency, authenticity, and character. As these individuals look for answers and leadership that will provide help for their families, communities, and nation, many may realize for the first time their need of spiritual guidance.  And we have the privilege of pointing them to the Source of all wisdom and power, their Heavenly Father.  What an exciting moment in history to be involved in calling America to repentance and prayer!  I believe God has established and blessed the National Day of Prayer for “such a time as this.”

With these things in mind, our theme for 2015, Lord, Hear Our Cry (based on I Kings 8:28, “Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day”), conveys a powerful reminder to us that only in contrite humility before Him will we see the change we are crying out for.  God stands ready to refine us as gold for His glory, and prayer provides the impetus for change! In the words of E.M. Bounds, “How vast are the possibilities of prayer!  How wide its reach!  It lays its hand on Almighty God and moves Him to do what He would not do if prayer was not offered.”

As we strive to further the cause of prayer, we are thankful for the many ways in which God has provided for our ministry and allowed us to expand our efforts. As we rejoice in what has been accomplished and look expectantly to the future, may I ask you to prayerfully consider partnering with us financially in this ministry to our nation? Your tax-deductible donation would be greatly appreciated at this crucial time.

Thank you for your devotion to prayer for this ministry and our great land. You are impacting eternity!  May God’s grace and peace be yours in the busy months ahead.

- Shirley Dobson, Chairman

Shirley Dobson

I learned to depend on the Lord early in my childhood. During those turbulent years, my mother held our little family together. Though she wasn’t a Christian at the time, she knew she needed all the help she could get as she raised her children. So she sent my brother and me to church every Sunday, and it was there that I was introduced to Jesus Christ and invited Him into my heart.

As I learned how to pray and began speaking to the Lord, I sensed His love and care for me. Amid the chaos of our disintegrating family, this little girl found hope and comfort in Jesus. I’ve been praying and relying on Him ever since.

Prayer is our pathway not only to divine protection, but also to a personal, intimate relationship with God. That’s why I am so honored to be in my 23rd year as chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. I count it a privilege to play a small part in calling people of faith to their knees.

I remember vividly the day when I was called to lead this prayer ministry that is actively engaged in praying for our nation’s leaders. Bill and Vonette Bright had invited my husband, Jim, and me to their home in 1989. Vonette, who had been the chairman of the National Day of Prayer for eight years, turned to me and said, “Shirley, I feel that the Lord wants you to succeed me as the chairman.”

I was shocked! “Oh no, Vonette,” I said. “I just couldn’t take on anything of that magnitude.” I had my hands full as the wife of a busy husband, and I was also a member of the board for his international ministry. Besides, who could fill the shoes of Vonette Bright?

So, initially, I turned her down graciously. But as I was driving home, I sensed God saying: “Shirley, you didn’t talk to Me about Vonette’s request. You haven’t even prayed about it. America’s leaders need prayer.”

So I committed to pray about it. And I asked that if the Lord really was directing me to take on this load, Jim would be in favor of it.

I expected Jim to say, “Shirley, we have all we can handle, and it would be very difficult for us to add anything else right now.” Instead, he stunned me with his response. He was sitting at his desk, and he leaned back in his chair, clasped his hands behind his head, looked straight at me and said, “Shirley, what more important ministry could you be involved in than calling the nation to prayer?”

In September of 1991, I started the new position. Looking back over the years, it is amazing to see how the Lord has blessed and grown the National Day of Prayer. This year, on the first Thursday of May, we had some 42,000 prayer gatherings across the nation.

The Lord Jesus demonstrated the significance of prayer. He “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16). He “went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God” (Luke 6:12). He even told His disciples the parable about justice for the persistent widow “to show them that they should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1).

If Christians would pray as Jesus instructed us, it would change our lives—and the course of history. Our nation’s leaders are openly asking for prayer from the public. As a matter of fact, members of both houses of Congress met recently in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda for a time of prayer and reconciliation. In the midst of our tumultuous times, God may be preparing hearts for a new openness to seeking Him through the lifeline of prayer.

The Apostle Paul urged that “petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior” (1 Timothy 2:1-3). Let’s please God by actively seeking, through prayer, “peaceful and quiet lives” for our nation and its leaders.

Indeed, we must remain in fervent prayer for those who serve as representatives of the people, even if we do not agree with all the decisions those in authority are making—which is all the more reason to pray for them.

I have spent a great deal of time over the years with our nation’s leaders. It has been an honor and a privilege to pray with them. Often their personal lives are under constant attack, with little balance between work and family time. The demands of their positions are great, and rarely do they receive thanks from the individuals they represent. They are regularly burdened and live in a perpetual state of urgency because of the far-reaching implications of their decisions. Loneliness and feelings of isolation are common.

Not long ago, my team and I spent five days going office to office just to pray with congressional representatives and their staffs. Many expected us to present an agenda with a list of demands. Instead, the walls came down as we shared our gratitude and our desire to bless them with intercession, showing authentic concern for their well-being.

One of our team members shared with me that they had gone to the office of a senator from New York. He was leaving for a very important meeting for which he was already late, so he couldn’t stop to talk. Our team explained that they were simply there to pray and bless him and his staff. The senator smiled, exchanged a few pleasantries and swiftly exited. Our team then engaged the senator’s staff and began to pray with them.

At that moment, the senator returned to the room and dropped to his knees. He said he couldn’t proceed with the decisions of the day without the blessing of Almighty God to guide him. Our prayer team gathered around him and asked God to give him wisdom and discernment.

He hugged the members of our group and then headed to a debate on the sanctity of human life. Our team had no idea what was before him when they entered his office that morning. But out of obedience to pray for our leaders, they went. As a result, a radical abortion bill was defeated in the Senate that day.

Prayer works, and it is transforming homes and communities across the globe. If God’s people will lift up every person who leads our churches, cities, states and yes, even our nation, God will hear and will heal our land. Are you ready to know certain peace in uncertain times? Good. It’s time to pray. ©2014 Shirley Dobson

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Shirley Dobson is the wife of psychologist and author Dr. James C. Dobson and has served as chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force since 1991. Several million people participate every year in this call to prayer for our nation, its leaders and citizens. To learn more or to get involved, visit NationalDayofPrayer.org.

In Keep in Step with the Spirit, J. I. Packer lists four elements of spiritual prayer:

1. First it is a matter of seeking, claiming, and making use of access to God through Christ (Ephesians 2:18).


2. Then, the Christian adores and thanks God for their acceptance through Christ and for the knowledge that through Christ their prayers are heard.


3. Third, they ask for the Spirit’s help to see and do what brings glory to Christ, knowing that both the Spirit and Christ himself intercede for them… (Romans 8:26-27, 34).


4. Finally, the Spirit leads the believer to concentrate on God and His glory in Christ with a sustained, single-minded simplicity of attention and intensity of desire…supernaturally wrought.

May each of this bring you new spiritual intensity.

P.R.A.Y. for Today

Praise God for accepting you through Christ; Repent of any failure to use your access to God through Christ; Ask for His Spirit’s power in living this day in integrity; Yield to Him by doing what is right wherever you’ve been tempted to do otherwise.

- Shirley Dobson, Chairman

Jesus once told a story about a widow who repeatedly asked a judge for justice against an adversary:

“For some time [the judge] refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!” And the Lord [Jesus] said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?” (Luke 18:4-7)

Scripture says that Jesus told the disciples this parable to show “that men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1, KJV). Let us never faint from the privilege of bowing before God in prayer!

Prayer Focus: Praise God for His patient teaching on prayer; Repent of any “fainting” you’ve done when you’ve failed to persevere; Ask for His help to be faithful in prayer in the midst of life’s stresses; Yield to Him by joyfully persevering even when you’re tempted to give up.

- Shirley Dobson

On a small ranch in Wyoming a man went out to protect his cattle from an approaching tornado as his wife and child looked on. With a sudden turn, the tornado moved directly toward him. His wife excitedly turned to their son and said, “Johnny, quick! Get on your knees and pray!” Johnny instantly fell to his knees and began to say: “Now I lay me down to sleep…” It was the only thing he had ever said to God! This fictitious story should remind us of the importance of teaching our children to pray. Without proper understanding, they cannot pray effectively. Many of them learn to recite a model, but don’t comprehend how to communicate with Jesus Christ. We need to help them realize that God desires a relationship with them and it is not just our children who need to understand the power of prayer. The foundation of nations is built on prayer, therefore we as adults need to learn how to pray for our church – our land – is need of revival as perhaps never before and only in prayer will we find restoration and revelation.

Relationship is the core of effective prayer. Each of us has been given the ability to come before God’s throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16) at any time to communicate with our Creator. This is one of the truths that makes our faith unique, but it can be difficult for young minds to grasp. On an earthly level, we are not accustomed to this kind of unlimited access to those in authority, but God is different. We can approach Him in an instant. He wants to hear from us and is pleased when we call! He will never put us “on hold,” tell us He will respond later, His “phone” off the hook or let an answering machine take our message.

Jesus Christ wants a relationship with us that is built on time spent in His presence and through reading His Word. On a personal level, we can speak to Him about anything and everything. And yet, although prayer is simple, its principles must be learned. Even the disciples asked their Master to teach them to pray.

There is no underestimating the importance of prayer in a family or its influence and vital importance in our nation. I feel this very strongly because it was so decidedly absent from my own early childhood experience. The little girl that I once was grew up in a troubled home where daily prayers were unknown and the sounds of joyful praise were never heard. I’m aware of what family-centered spiritual training can mean to a child because I “discovered” it for myself when I was about eight years old. What a contrast to the rich spiritual heritage of my husband’s family! He has often told me how his grandmother used to gather the six children around her for daily devotions. She prayed, “Lord, it is my most urgent request that each of these children will come to know You personally. If one of them fails to make that commitment, it would have been better that I never had been born.” This is the priority she gave to her spiritual responsibility. Her prayers made such an impression on Jim’s dad that he referred to them throughout his life. This is the example our children need to see in us. But it is more than a model. Prayer and reverence for God must permeate every aspect of our lives and become a natural part of our life.

We need to learn how to become a people of prayer once again. Then and only then will God hear us from heaven and restore and heal our land. This past weekend, we held a 27-hour concert of prayer with over 60 of the foremost teachers on prayer. If your schedule allows, please take time now to view the many sessions of prayer and prayer teaching that took place. Together, they challenged, inspired and motivate us to be united as one voice as perhaps never before. Click here to watch now

- Shirley Dobson, Chairman

Shirley Dobson, Chairman of the NDP Task Force

As we celebrate Easter, I'm comforted by the reminder that our Savior remains as present in our world today as He was when He walked the earth more than 2,000 years ago. This is a wonderful time of year to reflect on the unfailing reality of "God with us" and to rediscover our adoration for the Lord.

Psalm 89 says, "I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations."

Easter is a time of reflection and to count our blessings, to show our appreciation for each other, and most importantly for appreciating God. These moments remind us that Jesus has given us everything through his life, death, and resurrection. We have all we need in Him!

Author Ruth Myers writes, "I find that my worship is richer when I offer the Lord praise and thanks for three things: who He is, what He does, and what He gives." At this very moment, what can you say about each of these? I urge you to review often the questions of who God is, what He does, and what He gives. I pray that your answers every day will be a little richer, a little stronger, and a little more powerful in the grip they hold on your heart's affections.

He is Risen Indeed!