Weekly Watch Focus: Pray for Las Vegas

Friday, October 6, 2017—On Monday the U.S. awakened to the horror of the worst mass murder in our history. We join our hearts and prayers with all those whose families are suffering in the wake of the shooting which killed 59 people and injured 527 others in Las Vegas. In his address to the nation following the tragedy, President Trump said:

Hundreds of our fellow citizens are now mourning the sudden loss of a loved one, a parent, a child, a brother or sister. We cannot fathom their pain, we cannot imagine their loss. To the families of the victims, we are praying for you and we are here for you. And we ask God to help see you through this very dark period.

Scripture teaches us the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. We seek comfort in those words, for we know that God lives in the hearts of those who grieve. To the wounded who are now recovering in hospitals, we are praying for your full and speedy recovery, and pledge to you our support from this day forward…

We call upon the bonds that unite us, our faith, our family, and our shared values. We call upon the bonds of citizenship, the ties of community, and the comfort of our common humanity. Our unity cannot be shattered by evil, our bonds cannot be broken by violence...

May God who is “a very present help in trouble” be close to all those who mourn, come to the aid of the injured, and overshadow those whose loved ones were killed, including the family of the perpetrator of this tragedy. We pray for the Lord to bring wisdom and insight on behalf of investigators. We bless the many first responders, including many brave bystanders whose quick action and care for their fellow man saved many lives at much peril to their own. We bind back fear and trauma and pray for healing and restoration for America.

Part 2: Feast of Tabernacles

We are in the days on the Hebrew Calendar of Sukkot or Feast of Tabernacles. Come to this Feast in faith, accepting Jesus’ wonderful invitation to us all, “On the Great Day of the Feast” on which He said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his belly will flow rivers of Living Water’” (Jn. 7:37-38).

Ask the Father for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit for our nation resulting in a grand revival similar to the days of Wesley, Finney and Azusa. May that outpouring result in an economic recovery and in a recovery of our Judeo Christian values. Pray God’s supernatural rivers flow as never before to bring in a great harvest, confirmed with signs and wonders. Let us bless Israel so that the God of Israel will be gracious to our land.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Psalm 91:5-6, “You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday”

John 16:33, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

John 7:2-3, “Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him, 'Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing.'”

John 7:37-38, “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water.'”

Lev. 23:33-36, “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it.’”

Zech 10:1, “Ask the LORD for rain in the time of the latter rain. The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone.”