How to hear God’s voice: A guide to making today’s National Day of Prayer the most significant yet
The Daily Article
The Denison Forum
4.9 • 576 Ratings
🗓️ 1 May 2025
⏱️ 8 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
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Since 1775, our nation has asked its people to join together in prayer for the battles ahead, and the National Day of Prayer continues that legacy. As you join others in prayer today, remember that prayer isn’t performance; it’s participation. God isn’t looking for the right words but a receptive heart. Learning to listen when we pray is one of the most important aspects of communing with God. Unfortunately, it’s also the part of prayer that can feel most difficult.
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Today's Daily Article was written by Dr. Jim Denison and narrated by Chris Elkins. You can read this article on our website. You may also receive it in your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter.
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Denison Ministries' First15 ministry also offers guided prayers and devotionals on a number of topics.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | It's Thursday, May 1st, 2025, and this is Denison Forum's Daily Article Podcast. Welcome. |
| 0:09.5 | Today's daily article is written by Denison Forum's senior editor for theology, Dr. Ryan Denison, |
| 0:15.2 | and narrated by Chris Elkins. In the summer of 1775, just a few months after the shot herd round the world signaled the start of the American Revolution, the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to decide how their fledgling army would try to defeat the strongest military in the world. |
| 0:35.2 | So, shortly after selecting George Washington to lead their forces, |
| 0:39.1 | Congress chose to appeal to a different kind of strength as well. The result was what we might |
| 0:44.7 | call the first National Day of Prayer, a call for the colonies to join together in, quote, |
| 0:50.8 | a day of public humiliation, fasting, and prayer, that they may with united hearts and voice, |
| 0:58.1 | unfeignly confess their sins before God, and supplicate the all-wise and merciful disposer of events |
| 1:05.5 | to avert the desolation and calamities of an unnatural war. |
| 1:10.5 | End quote. Since that time, 36 of our nation's 47 presidents have proclaimed a National Day of Prayer |
| 1:17.7 | as the need arose. However, the practice became more formalized in 1952 when President Truman |
| 1:24.9 | signed a bill, making it an annual event. |
| 1:28.0 | President Reagan then designated the first Thursday in May for the yearly observance starting in 1988. |
| 1:35.8 | And given the controversies, divisions, and general angst in our culture today, |
| 1:40.3 | the timing could not be better for another call to join with believers around the |
| 1:45.7 | country to pursue that same humility, confession, and supplication. So where should we start? |
| 1:52.5 | A great place to begin is National Day of Prayer.org. The site includes links to help you find |
| 1:58.5 | a local gathering of Christians with whom you can pray, |
| 2:01.6 | digital tools for guided prayer, and a national prayer written by National Day of Prayer Task Force |
| 2:07.4 | President Kathy Branzel. Our First 15 ministry also offers guided prayers and devotionals |
| 2:13.9 | on a number of topics. Find a link to them in today's podcast episode notes. |
| 2:19.7 | When it comes to prayer, however, it is crucial that we treat such resources more as guides |
... |
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