25 Days of Prayer and Praise - July 1, 2026

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:06

Welcome back to the Everyday Faith Podcast from Eastside with today's Faith Rooted Principle. Hey there, welcome back to the podcast. I'm Isaac Johnson. Today's July the 1st. We are into July now and coming up quickly on our nation's birthday, our 250th birthday. And we are continuing on with our 25 days of prayer and praise. I want to read a letter today to you, and then we'll make a few comments and have a word of prayer. But this letter was written in November of 1862. In fact, November the 15th of 1862, which was during uh the height of the Civil War, and it says the president, which of course was Abraham Lincoln at that time, commander in chief, the president, commander in chief of the army and navy, desires to enjoin the orderly observance of the Sabbath day by the officers and men in the military and naval service, the importance for man and beast of the prescribed weekly rest, the sacred rights of Christian soldiers and sailors, a becoming defense to the best sentiment of a Christian people, and a due regard for the divine will demand that Sunday labor in the army and navy be reduced to the measure of strict necessity. The discipline and character of the national forces should not suffer, nor the cause they defend be imperiled by the profanation of the day or name of the most holy. At this time of public distress adopting the words of Washington in seventeen seventy six, men may find enough to do in the service of God and their country without abandoning themselves to vice and immorality. The first general order issued the father of his country after the Declaration of Independence indicates the spirit in which our institutions were founded and should ever be defended. Quote, the general hopes and trust that every also officer and man will endeavor to live and act as becomes a Christian soldier defending the dearest rights and liberties of his country. Now uh Abraham Lincoln was quoting there at the end, uh the general quoting Washington. And uh Washington uh had given those orders uh February twenty-sixth and july ninth, similar orders uh during the Revolutionary War. And uh that's what he was quoting uh George Washington, that officers, man will endeavor to live and act as become Christian soldiers defending their dearest rights of liberty of his country. And uh they recognize the fact of what God has given us in his word, uh, and that has to do with the Sabbath and the day of rest and the day to come apart. Uh, and so it's kind of interesting, again, just the small little aspects that have influenced our country over time, the Sabbath day being that, the day of rest, and of course, that came straight from the Bible. And so, aren't you thankful uh that uh even there was an order to observe the Sabbath day by President Abraham Lincoln and President George Washington? Let's pray. Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, again, thank you so much for the opportunity that you have given us to live in America. And God, thank you for the rich heritage that we have. And uh, Lord, even uh leaders early on that recognized the importance of things that you have given us in your word, such as the Sabbath day, a day of rest. And God, I pray that you uh would help us as Americans, Lord, turn back to your word. Lord, I pray as Christians we would take a stand. Lord, we would pray for our country. Lord, we would uh desire to see change, we would stand for change amongst amongst the winds of change. God, may we be prayerful. God, may we be pure ourselves. God, may we be uh proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. And God, I pray that you would help us as well to be persistent in all of it. God, I pray that you would bless uh our America's birthday and continue to bless America. Thank you again for all of the ways that you have blessed America. May you continue to do so. In Christ's name I pray. Amen. Thanks for joining us for today's rooted principle, right here on the Everyday Faith Podcast. If today's conversation has encouraged you, be sure to share it with someone who might need it. And don't forget to follow and subscribe so you never miss an episode. We'll see you next time, right here on the Everyday Faith Podcast.