This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. 1 John 5:14

The Iranian church is the fastest growing church in the world. On February 15th, I was asked by a group of ministry leaders to write a letter to the Iranian church with the assurance that it would be delivered through their extensive networks. After prayer and fasting, I felt led to write the letter that included a prayer. I submitted it on February 16th, very compelled that time was of the essence to get it out immediately. And then the satellites shut down all communication. With God’s help it has filtered into the hands of Iranian house churches, with reports coming back that it is being memorized and passed from person to person.

After rewatching the video conversation with Henri Aoun and listening to his challenge to pray for the Muslim world, I felt it was time to post the letter in order to encourage all of us to pray for the Jesus followers in Iran who are living during a time of enormous danger and uncertainty.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH ANNE READ THE LETTER

The letter is as follows…

To God’s elect, scattered throughout Iran, who are beloved by God the Father, saved through faith in His only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Grace and peace to you in abundance.1 

You, the Iranian Church in 2026, are in the hearts of God’s people all over the world. We know you are suffering in all kinds of trials. The cries of your hearts have echoed in ours as we claim these promises from God’s Word for you: …He will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in His sight.2 We know you have lost friends, family members, and neighbors in recent days. Heaven is keenly aware of their deaths as we cry out on your behalf. 

As our cries reach Heaven’s throne, the following words of Jesus come to mind: Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in Me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.3 Jesus is coming! He has opened Heaven for you! Your future is secure! And until the day you see His face, as you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He is with you!  He is for you! And in the end, He will bring you through to dwell in His heavenly Home forever! 4 

This is His promise: So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.5 

This is a testing time for you…and a trusting time. His Word tells us that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything,6 as you grow spiritually into the fullness of the character of Jesus Christ.7 

Why were you born in this generation? Why specifically were you placed in Iran? Could it be that you are there for such a time as this? Does God want to use you to proclaim the good news that He loves Iranians, and that He offers them a personal relationship with Himself through faith in His only Son, Jesus Christ? Would you tell them: 

• If they confess they are sinners and have done wrong things  

• Be willing to turn away from their sin  

• Believe that the death of Jesus Christ makes atonement for their sin 

• Ask Him for forgiveness  

• Believe in their heart that God has raised Him from the dead 

• Ask Him to give them eternal life  

• Invite Him to come live within them in the person of the Holy Spirit, 

• Surrender their lives to Him as their Savior and Lord8 

• Then commit to follow Him one step at a time, all the way to Heaven! 

They can be saved! Saved from God’s judgement to be born again into God’s family! Could it be that the troubles you are experiencing are the means God will use to ignite revival fire through your witness in Iran? Let it be so! 

Therefore, we urge you to not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere…For in just a very little while, He who is coming will come and not delay. But My righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him. But you are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.9  

For this reason, we bow our knees in prayer on your behalf… 

God in Heaven. Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are the Eternal I AM.  The One who is age to age the same. There is no shadow of turning with You.  You are fully present in every generation—past, present, and future.  National boundaries are no hindrance to You. They cannot bind You in nor keep You out. You go where You choose. You stride the winds of the earth. The clouds are the dust of Your feet. You are the All-Mighty.  Your power has not been deleted or depleted over the millennia of human history. We know that You so loved the world that You gave us Heaven’s treasure when You sent Your only Son to die, so that anyone and everyone who places their faith in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.10 

In this present worldwide climate of unbridled evil, we are desperate!  Nations are unraveling.  Wars are raging. There are rumors of more wars breaking out. Kingdom is rising against kingdom. The innocent are dying. Our lives are at risk. Our young are losing hope. Our spirits feel the turmoil and agitation that surely is a reflection of the warfare being waged in the invisible realms.  We need You!  For everything!   

We look to You. You alone are the One who makes us to dwell in safety.  You alone are the One who makes us secure. You alone are God.  And You alone are our God.  We turn to You, boldly confident of access into Your most holy presence through the blood of Your Son and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.11 You alone are The LORD.  No one is higher than You.  No one is greater than You. Again and again, You have been the salvation of Your people. You alone are able to shatter our enemies. In the greatness of Your majestic power, You overthrow those who come against You. We now call on You to rise up and be all that You are to Your followers in Iran. 

We acknowledge that You are big enough to save each one, yet You are small enough to live in our hearts and manage the details of our lives. You are our hiding place. You are our refuge and our fortress. Your faithfulness is our shield. Your love is our comfort and our security. Your promises are our hope. 

We praise You as One who has made Himself available night and day. You are attentive to the cries of Your children…right now! So, dear God, we humbly, boldly cry out to You on behalf of the Iranian Church. We pray that you would strengthen Your people with all power according to Your glorious might so that they may have great endurance and patience…You have rescued them from the dominion of darkness and brought them into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom they have redemption and the forgiveness of sins. 12 

You are a prayer-hearing, prayer-answering, miracle-working, covenant-keeping God. Our eyes are on You. We run to You. We cling to You. We humbly ask You to defend, guard, protect, keep, comfort and bless the Iranian Church. Heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds.13 And during these days of oppression and persecution, we boldly ask that You would multiply the church. Pour out Your Spirit in revival power! Give your people boldness to share with others the hope that is within them…hope that is found in a personal relationship with You through saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t let Your followers be ashamed to testify about You because they know whom they have believed, and are convinced that He is able to guard what they have entrusted to Him for that day.14  

For the glory of Your great name…Jesus, 

Amen 

Please be assured, dear Iranian brothers and sisters, that we will continue to carry you in our hearts and on our knees until God answers our prayers.  

Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord before all ages, now and forevermore!15 

May the love of God the Father, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of His Holy Spirit be with you all.16 

1 1 Peter1:1-2
2 Psalm 72:12-14
3 John 14:1-3
4 Psalm 23:4, 6
5 Isaiah 41:10
6 James 5:3-4
7 Ephesians 4:13
8 Romans 3:23, 6:23, Acts 3:19, I John 1:9, 10:8-10, John 1:12, Revelation 3:20
9 Hebrews 10:35-39
10 John 3:16
11 Hebrews 10:19
12 Colossians 1:11, 13
13 Psalm 147:3
14 2 Timothy 1:8, 12
15 Jude 24-25
16 2 Corinthians 13:14

As I look ahead into the new year and beyond, I wonder…is this the year of His return? In the next ten years, will the world experience the rapture of the church? The seven years of tribulation? The glorious return of Jesus? And the beginning of His millennial kingdom on earth? Everything seems to point to the reality of this possibility.

While we may not know what the new year holds, we are confident of Who holds it. So today, it seems very fitting to pray for the future.

Join me as we pray together**…

Lord of eternity,

You are the great I Am…the same yesterday, today, and forever.

As we embark on the new year, our apprehension is overcome by our expectation. Could it be that we are truly approaching the end of human history as we have known it? In the next ten years will we experience the beginning of Your Kingdom on earth? Are we soon to hear the trumpet blow, and the loud voice of the archangel calling us Home? The intense yearning in our hearts cries, “Yes. Please. Let it be so.”

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You rule over the nations. You are the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. While no one can understand Your ways, we are confident that You have a plan and are working it out for our good and Your glory.[1]

Yet we honestly confess: when Christ-followers are persecuted to the death; when gunmen open fire in churches; when religious leaders are not safe in their own homes; when floods, tornadoes, and storms ravage our land; when derogatory expletives and vicious name calling replace respectful debate and dialogue; when our political leaders put their own interests before the people’s; when our business leaders lie; when our spiritual leaders contradict Your Word; when our social leaders divide; when our allies become our enemies and our enemies become our allies…what’s going on?  Where are You?

We are tempted to think You are…

Distracted…disengaged…disinterested,

Inattentive…inactive…impotent,

Out-maneuvered…out-moded…out-classed,

Unable…unaffected…

or even unaware of our fear… our helplessness…our confusion…our outrage. Why do You seem so small while our problems, disasters, and enemies seem so large? Help us to regain our focus.

God of our fathers. Lord of the nations. You are the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. No one can understand Your ways. We turn to You. We return to You. Now. “Are You not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations.  Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can withstand You.”[2]

Did You not establish us as one nation under God? Have we not pledged, “In God We Trust”? But now we find ourselves constantly bombarded with the shrill voices of those who demand we distance ourselves from You; that You are just one of many gods, if you are a god at all; that we cannot risk offending each other by calling on Your name. We hear the enemy insinuating that You are “not fixing this” because You can’t fix this. Our faith is being assaulted.

Our spirits rise up within us and seek to throw off the smothering cloak of spiritual oppression and political correctness. We shout Your Name. You are Yahweh. Jehovah–the personal God.  The great I AM–the eternal God. The All-mighty–the Powerful God. You are Jesus. Savior. Immanuel. God with us, never to leave or forsake us. Your power has not been diluted or depleted over the ages. You are just as powerful…just as much in authority…as You were in Creation; in the deliverance of Your people from Egypt and in the parting of the Red Sea.  You are the One who sends down the fire.[3] Who fells the giants.[4] Who makes wars to cease.[5] Who raises the dead![6]

As we look ahead into the New Year and even further ahead, we choose to place our trust in You.  If “…the kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord,”[7] we trust in You. If “…the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging,”[8]we trust in You. Though …”nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall…,”[9] we in trust You.  When …”the wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright…,[10]” we trust in You. We trust You.  We trust You!

Now arise, O Lord God.  Look on us, Your people who are called by Your name.  Listen to us, as we cry out for the New Year. Do not reject us. Have pity on us.

We feel the encroaching evil.  “See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples…”[13] Darkness and gloom are descending. Those who hate us are infiltrating us.  Those who are dedicated to destroying us are all around us.  Are You at the head of this army? Is this the beginning of the Day of the Lord?  Have we tried Your patience and crossed the line into Your judgment? Are You holding us accountable for our sin and rebellion and defiance, for our profanity and blasphemy and idolatry? “You alone are to be feared.  Who can stand before You when You are angry?”[14] Are You?

Light of the world. “Arise, shine” Your light into the darkness of our own hearts.[15] Most Holy God.  You are righteous.  You always do the right thing. We have done wrong. Your light reveals we are covered with shame because we know better. We have had generations of blessing and prosperity, yet we have refused to thank You and instead give ourselves credit for what has come from Your hand. We have agreed with those who contradict Your Word. We have turned away from Your truth and believed lies. We have treated life casually. We have destroyed our environment selfishly. We have passed by the needy uncaringly. We have demanded entitlements defiantly. We have not listened to those who have warned us of the consequences of drifting from You.  Because we don’t know You, we don’t know ourselves, and wallow in the uncertain twilight of gender non-binary confusion.

And now, as we look into the New Year, we come face to face with a mess. What can be done to save us from ourselves? Even as the question reverberates in our minds, the answer is given: the solution to our spiritual and moral meltdown—to the restoration of the crumbling foundation of our nation—is not politics, nor the economy, nor health care, nor welfare or immigration reforms, nor free higher education, nor the court system, nor corporate or Wall Street regulation. You are the Answer. You are the Solution. Yet instead of turning to You, we seem to be turning farther and farther away from You. But not now.  Now we turn back.  We turn around.  We re-turn to You.  We run to You. We cling to You. We plead with You…

Turn to us! Draw near to us![16] If You do not help us, we will be defenseless.  If You do not protect us, we will be exposed to danger.  If You do not deliver us from evil, we will be overcome by it. If You do not have plans to give us hope and a future, we will slide into the past tense as a nation.[17]  Into oblivion.

Father of all mercies. We believe that this is a year that You care for; that Your eyes are continually on it from the beginning to its end.[18]  As You look on 2026 from January 1st to December 31st, we ask for what we know we don’t deserve.  We ask for Your blessing. Please…

And now, God of grace, as we pray for the New Year, we ask bottom-line that You send down Your Holy Spirit in fullness. Ignite the fire of revival in our own hearts. Protect us. Defend us. Comfort us.  Empower us. Equip us as we put on the full armor of God so that we can stand against the devil’s schemes…so that when the day of evil comes, we may be able to stand our ground…taking up the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God…and pray. With this in mind, we remain self-controlled and alert while we keep on praying until we prevail in prayer.[30] And we keep on watching expectantly. Is this the decade of Your return?  We fervently hope so!  Even so, come Lord Jesus…[31]

For the glory of Your great name…Jesus,

Amen

[1] Romans 8:28

[2] 2 Chronicles 20:6

[3] 2 Chronicles 7:1

[4] 1 Samuel 17:1-50

[5] Psalm 46:9

[6] 2 Kings 4:1-37; Luke 7:11-16; 8:40-42, 49-56; Ephesians 1:17-21

[7] Psalm 2:2

[8] Psalm 46:2-3

[9] Psalm 46:6

[10] Psalm 37:14

[11] Nahum 1:3

[12] 2 Chronicles 6:18

[13] Isaiah 60:2

[14] Psalm 76:7

[15] Isaiah 60:1

[16] James 4:8

[17] Jeremiah 29:11-13

[18] Deuteronomy 11:11

[19] 2 Chronicles 15:1-17

[20] 2 Chronicles 19:4-20:32

[21] 2 Chronicles 34:1-33

[22] 2 Chronicles 19:8-11
[23] Ezra 7:10

[24] 2 Timothy 2:15; 4:1-2

[25] 2 Chronicles 20:12

[26] 2 Timothy 2:21

[27] John 9:4

[28] Ephesians 6:19

[29] Ephesians 3:14-19

[30] Ephesians 6;10-18; 1 Peter 4:7

[31] Revelation 22:20

**This prayer has been adapted from one released January 1, 2016.

When hiking or camping, one of the most important pieces of equipment to have is a compass. It guides a person to the desired destination with the needle that is set to align with the earth’s magnetic field north. No matter which way the compass is turned, the needle points north, and a person can adjust direction accordingly.

From time to time, a compass can get air bubbles or be exposed to extreme temperatures, interference from nearby electronics, or other magnetized objects. These can cause the needle to lose its magnetic pull to the north. When this happens, the compass needs to be reset.

The compass that has guided the United States of America to world prominence and prosperity, helping to navigate us through incredible challenges that have included a civil war and two world wars, has been our faith in God. He is the “north” on our “compass.”  He is the Center-point. We were founded on Judeo-Christian principles. We are one nation, under God. Even our monetary currency declares, In God We Trust. But we seem to have lost our way. It’s time for a reset of our national moral and spiritual compass.

In olden days, when the nation of Judah also had lost her way, God raised up the prophet Isaiah to get the attention of the people. In Isaiah’s opening message, he thundered: Hear O heavens! Listen O earth! For the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 1:2) It was time to pay attention to God’s Word. And what did God say? Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him. (Isaiah 1:4) God pinpointed the primary problem that had caused the nation to go off-course. It wasn’t political. It wasn’t environmental. It wasn’t social or racial. It wasn’t financial. The primary problem was sin. Rebellion against God. Defiance of Him. They had forsaken the God of their fathers. Judah needed a moral and spiritual reset.

God then issued to Judah a gracious invitation: “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18) In order for Judah to reset her moral and spiritual compass, she had to acknowledge her sin and rebellion against God, then turn away from it and ask for His cleansing.

But with God’s invitation came a warning: “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 1:19-20)

As I pay attention to what God is saying, I believe His word to Judah through the prophet Isaiah is very relevant to us also. It’s time for us as a nation—both leaders and people– to acknowledge our sin and rebellion against Him, turn away from it, and ask Him for national cleansing. If we reject His timely invitation, we do so at our own peril.

The choice is ours. What will it be? Will we return to our faith in God? Or will we continue in rebellion against Him on a path that leads to our destruction? If every American’s choice is a reflection of yours, will we as a nation navigate our way out of the destructive course we are on? Join me as together we listen to and heed God’s Word, renew our faith in Him as we reset our compass, then follow His direction seeking to live a life that receives His blessing. As a result, may God truly bless America.

“We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done.” PSALM 78:4

Today our world is in turmoil. Things are changing so fast…what was right yesterday is wrong today. What was wrong yesterday is right today. It can be chaotic and confusing, especially to the next generation. But God’s Word doesn’t change!

Listen in as three generations of Jesus followers share what it means to be intentional about embracing the Truth for ourselves, then passing the Truth to our children and grandchildren. Be encouraged as they share their family stories and invite you to leave your own legacy of faith.

Join Anne, her daughter Rachel-Ruth, and her granddaughter Riggin as they share about what it means to leave a legacy of faith.

This video was filmed in February 2025 for the Legacy Grandparenting Conference.

…Our struggle is not against flesh and blood… Ephesians 6:12 

Less than one week before the inauguration of President Trump a Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast was held on January 14 at Mar-a-Lago. I was given the privilege of being one of the opening speakers, challenging Jews and Christians at this critical time and in that strategic place to return to God in sincere repentance and faith.

I had been asked also to speak a second time after lunch, but the program took a different turn and I was never called on. The following blog is the second message that God had put on my heart at 1:43 a.m. that morning. Because it is still in my heart, I am sharing it with you.

The opening two paragraphs are my additional thoughts today.

On Tuesday, January 21, the first full day in office for President Trump, he attended what was described as a prayer service at the National Cathedral led by Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde. In her remarks, she said, In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families — some who fear for their lives. She went on to defend illegal immigration using God’s name and twisting His Word out of context in order to support her remarks.  To my knowledge, there was no prayer of blessing, no word of encouragement, nothing that would draw the President or those gathered closer to God. If anything, she would drive people away by her spiritual arrogance, divisive condescension and mean spiritedness. 

Rev. Budde is a poster-child for what’s wrong with many American churches—there are false prophets in the pulpit. And what’s wrong in the churches permeates those who sit in the pews until the church has a form of godliness, but deny its power. (2 Timothy 3:5)  

 Anne’s second message —

The basic problem in our nation is not our politics, or health care, or racial prejudice, or inflation, or polarization, or immigration, or enemy threats, or whatever else you can name.  It’s not China or Iran or North Korea. While each of those areas are problems, the fundamental problem is spiritual and moral.  

My beloved friend, Priscilla Shirer, tells a wonderful story from when her third son was young. She had taken him to the Fall Festival at their church which was held in the parking lot. A variety of games were offered for the children at various booths, but the favorite one was in the back of a pick-up truck. It was a version of “whack-a-mole” that can be found at almost every state fair. This one was homemade with a blanket stretched across the bed of the truck with holes cut into it, and various puppets popping up through the holes. A plastic bat was given to the child to “play” the game by hitting the puppets to make them stay down. But as soon as one puppet was hit, another popped up. And so the game went on. The line to the game was very long, and Priscilla’s son became restless and impatient. He suddenly let go of his mother’s hand and before she could grab him, ran up to the truck, jerked off the blanket, and exposed several startled adults lying on their backs with puppet covered hands raised up in the air! In other words, the children had been whacking at what they could see but the real problem was underneath the blanket. 

Priscilla’s story illustrates that America’s basic problem is not one that we can see in the visible world. It is “underneath” in the invisible world. We are in a cosmic battle between good and evil, light and darkness, truth and deception. The apostle Paul makes it clear…For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly (invisible) realms. Ephesians 6:12 

How are we to respond? While we may need to address in practical terms the “pop-ups”, we should not be distracted from what’s really going on “underneath”. At this moment there are two imperatives: 

• Pray. Pray for God’s Kingdom to come, His will to be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Matthew 6:10  Ask God to use you to help reap the spiritual harvest as you share the Gospel. Matthew 9:36-38  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18  Pray for a spiritual awakening in the church. 
• Pick up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17 Read your Bible every day, apply it to your life, then live it out in obedient faith. Ask God to speak to you through it, giving you insight and understanding. Daniel 9:22

As President Trump is selecting and naming his cabinet and staff, I’m reminded that Jesus is also calling you and me to follow and serve Him during these incredibly significant days. We are nearing the end of all things. Will you answer His call? Because make no mistake about it…in the end, Jesus wins! Until that day, may He find us faithful. 

In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them…Isaiah 63:9

My heart is broken. My tears unending. My mind reeling from the images coming out of Western North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The destruction is beyond belief!

So many of you have written, texted, emailed and called to express your heartfelt concern and prayers. Thank you!

Invariably I’m being asked, “How is your family?” “How is your father’s house?” Everyone of my family who live in the area have been accounted for. My father’s house, as I understand, is intact, although the road to it is impassable.

The town of Montreat where I grew up, and which I still consider “home,” has no power, food, water, or internet. The roads are washed away. People cannot get in or out. The town where my sister lives, Black Mountain, is underwater. In pictures, I can just see the top of the train station roof above the flood waters…the same train station where we used to meet Daddy when he came home from his trips. The town where I went to high school, Swannanoa, has virtually been erased. Eradicated. It is no more. The village of Biltmore where my mother loved to go for lunch, and where I still take my daughters and granddaughters, has been virtually destroyed by flood waters that went as high as fifteen to 20 feet. Boone, where my brother lives, has been underwater also, with no food, water, power or cell service. And those are only the places I am familiar with. I can’t imagine people in Georgia, Tennessee, and the mountain coves where people are tucked away and may not be located for a long time. Everyone cut off without power, cell service, food, drinkable water, medicines, baby formula, and the list goes on. God have mercy on us! While FEMA and the government have been absent, my brother’s organization, Samaritan’s Purse, has an army of volunteers on the ground, as well as helicopters in the air. I encourage you to volunteer or donate to Samaritan’s Purse and designate it for Western North Carolina.

Psalm 29:10 has been emblazoned on my mind.  The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever. I know He is in charge. He is in control. He could have contained this flood. If He is Lord over it, why didn’t He? This is one of those times when I simply bow to His sovereignty and trust Him when I have no answers to “why.” But I cling to what His word says: Many waters cannot quench love, nor can floods drown it.[1] I know God loves the people of Western North Carolina. I am one of them. So I claim His promise in Psalm 29:11: The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.

It’s time to pray…

Sovereign Lord,

Words fail me. What can I say? How can I pray? Nothing like this has ever happened to the place and the people that I love. My people. Like Isaiah when King Uzziah died, help me to look up. To see You on the throne.[2] I know You are righteous in everything You do.[3] You don’t make mistakes. Your purpose is perfect. Your love unfailing. You are faithful to every generation. Please! Strengthen Your people. Give them peace in the midst of the mud, destruction and death. Bring them help to cut down fallen trees, rebuild bridges, restore power and cell service, connect people with their loved ones. Energize churches and Your people outside the area to gather and distribute critical relief supplies. Give the volunteers multiple opportunities to have Gospel conversations with those they help. Comfort those who are not only coping with the physical destruction, but who are grieving over family members or friends who have been lost or can’t be found.

God of Mercy, cause the people struggling with the aftermath of Helene to look up. To turn to You. Please. Could this be one reason You have allowed such devastation? Use it to get people’s attention, draw them to Yourself, then show up in power to strengthen, encourage, and help them overcome the massive challenges they face. You have promised that when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, You will be with us.[4] We claim the gentleness and quietness of Your presence, like the mist in the valleys, to settle on Western North Carolina, bringing life, healing, and hope.

PS  Please, dear God, we know You can multi-task. So while you are at work in Western North Carolina, we praise you for giving supernatural, miraculous protection to Israel during the missile barrage from Iran. We know You used the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow air defense systems, but only You could possibly have made the systems 100% effective. Thank You! Now we continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Great Lion of Judah, defend and protect the land and the people upon whom You have placed Your name. Use the enemy attacks to turn the hearts of Your people to You. Open their eyes to see Yeshua as Your Son and their Messiah.

We ask this humbly and boldly in His name,

Amen

[1] Song of Solomon 8:7

[2] Isaiah 6:1

[3] Daniel 9:14

[4] Psalm 23:4

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses… Acts 1:8

Today, on Pentecost Sunday, I am praising God for the fresh enabling  power of the Holy Spirit. Before beginning a very intense week I claimed Romans 8:11…And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal body… God kept His promise in an amazingly supernatural way. In addition to the busyness of travel, meetings, taping and speaking, my AFib was out of control.

The following pictures are in sequence outlining my week from May 12-18.  The week began when I flew to Dallas to give the message at both Mother’s Day services at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, pastored by Dr. Tony Evans.  It was the first time he had invited a woman to speak from the pulpit in the almost fifty years since the church’s founding. I was incredibly honored and humbled. I consider Dr. Evans  currently to be the best preacher in America—a faithful Bible expositor who captivates his listeners with his energetic contemporary style that includes incredible illustrations and relevant applications.

I’ve known Dr. Evans daughter, Priscilla Shirer, for over twenty-five years. She has become like a little sister to me. It was a joy to have some time with her.

The next morning I was videotaped for two hours reflecting on my experience in Bible Study Fellowship, which I taught for twelve years. My reflections included my relationship with the founder/director, Miss A. Wetherell Johnson, whom I consider the premier mentor in my life—outside my family.

Following the taping I had lunch with the current director of BSF, Hollie Roberts, whom I found to be quite a visionary and very delightful.

I flew home, then on to Washington, DC, where I was joined by my family for the unveiling of my father’s statue in the Capitol on Thursday.

Friday I toured the Capitol to observe where my father’s statue was permanently placed. It is in the crypt, which is the most traveled area as it is the corridor that connects the House and the Senate. Only statues from the thirteen original colonies are allowed to be placed there. I pray that those who pass by it, including the president and all the dignitaries on Inauguration Day, will look up, and be reminded of God’s Word and God’s Gospel that are inscribed on the base…John 14:6 and John 3:16.

After returning home, the next afternoon Rachel-Ruth and I spoke under a tent at the annual picnic hosted by Coach Sylvia Hatchell (pictured below with Rachel-Ruth, Morrow and me). The atmosphere was very wet but cozy, with thunder rolling and rain pouring. But the audience was raptly attentive as we shared God’s promises of His presence with us from throughout the Bible, ending with Pentecost and His promise to not just be with us, but to be in us. We were preceded by Phil Ford, a UNC basketball superstar, who gave his moving testimony of the difference Jesus has made in his life.

So…If you are facing an intense week, month, or year with more to do than you can do, ask God to give you a down payment on your resurrection body. Claim Romans 8:11. I did,…and He gave me supernatural power to make it through not just somehow, but triumphantly!

Because God keeps His promises!

Clarifying the Meaning of the April 8 Eclipse 

One week ago today America experienced an amazing total solar eclipse. Two days before, on April 6th, I posted a blog entitled, What does the April 8 Eclipse Mean?  (SEE BELOW)

Thank all of you who warmly received it and posted affirmative comments. In reading through some of the responses, I encountered two issues of disagreement that I would like to address. The first issue was with my statement that the United States was founded on faith in God. I quoted from the Pledge of Allegiance, not because it was a founding document, but because it so succinctly states that we are “one nation under God.” Our very first president, George Washington, immediately following his inauguration on his very first day in office, knelt in prayer along with his entire government and dedicated the United States of America to the glory of God.¹ It was an incredible act that established us as a nation under God. 

The second issue was with this statement: The paths of the three eclipses over our beloved nation form the Hebrew letters that represent the first and last letters of the alphabet… the beginning and the end… the Alpha and the Omega…which is also one of the names the Lord God gives for Himself (Revelation 1:8). I stated the paths of the eclipse represent the Alpha and Omega. They do not spell it out, which is where the confusion lies. The paths of the three eclipses actually spell out Aleph-Tav which in ancient Hebrew means “completed alphabet.” In Hebrew, Revelation 1:8 would read: Ani h’aleph v’tav – I am the Aleph (א) and Tav (ת). ² Or, I am the Alpha and Omega. 

Thank you for caring enough to read the blog and push back on things you believe are not correct. I want to be held accountable. I apologize for not explaining more clearly what I heard the Spirit whisper to my heart when I was in prayer and meditating on His Word the morning of April 6. While no one can know for certain if the three eclipses are a sign and/or warning from Heaven, I believe they may be. What I do know with certainty is that it’s time for us to repent of sin, return to God and get right with Him. Now. While there is still time. 

In my blog below I shared a prayer that could help someone establish a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. For those of us who know we belong to God through faith in Jesus, join me in praying King David’s prayer of Psalm 139:23-24 as you tune your heart to listen…then follow through in obedience… to the Spirit’s answer: 

Search me, O God, and know my heart; 

test me and know my anxious thoughts. 

See if there is any offensive way in me, 

and lead me in the way everlasting. 

[1] https://allianceforreligiousfreedom.com/educate-yourself/america-dedicated-to-god/

[2] https://www.cepher.net/what-is-the-aleph-tav.aspx

April 6, 2024

…And God said, “Let there be lights in the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs… Genesis 1:14

On Monday, April 8, 2024, the United States will witness the third total eclipse within a seven year period. This is the first time in over 1000 years that any nation has seen something like this. The paths of the three eclipses over our beloved nation form the Hebrew letters that represent the first and last letters of the alphabet… the beginning and the end… the Alpha and the Omega…which is also one of the names the Lord God gives for Himself (Revelation 1:8).

Could God be giving us a sign from the sky? Is He giving us a heads-up warning that time is running out for our nation? In a significant way, God is the Alpha of the United States of America. He is our beginning. We were founded as “one nation under God.” Is He now putting us on notice that He is also our Omega? Is He warning us that the end is near for America as we have known her?

While I don’t know the answer to those questions, I do know everything means something.

Jesus prophesied that right before the end there would be signs in the sky that include the sun being darkened (Matthew 24:29). The Old Testament prophet Joel declared the same thing (Joel 2:31). Are we near the end as a nation?

But His warning carries with it implied hope.

God would not warn us if there was not opportunity to change depending on our response to it. Like Nineveh of old, could God be giving us a warning of impending disaster…a warning followed by a window of time to turn away from our sin and return to Him? (Jonah 3:1-10)

While the eclipse is a fascinating natural phenomenon that deserves our attention, I don’t want to miss the sign from Heaven that it may be also. If it is a warning, how will you and I wish we had responded to it when the end comes? I believe it’s time to get right with God as a nation. Now. The prophet Joel, quoted above, says it best as he implored his nation: …Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love…who knows but that He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing… (Joel 2:13-14)

It’s also time to get right with God as individuals. If that’s your desire, pray this simple prayer:

Dear God,

I want to get right with You. I acknowledge that I have done wrong things, and I’m sorry. I have turned away from You and gone my own way. I ask You to forgive me. I now turn to You. I claim the death of Your Son, Jesus, as Your sacrifice for my sin and wrongdoing. I receive the eternal life He rose from the grave to give me. I surrender the control of my life to Him. I invite Him to come into my heart, and choose to follow Him from this day forward, all the way to Heaven.

Amen

If enough of us prayed that prayer, we could save our nation. But even if you are the only one who responds to God’s heavenly sign by getting right with Him, you may not prevent the end from coming, but regardless of what happens, you will be safe…forever!

And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.  Luke 1:38

Merry Christmas!

For more Christmas resources, please visit www.annegrahamlotz.org/this-christmas/

October 17, 2023

An oracle: The word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi. “I have loved you,” says the Lord…”My name will be great among the nations…I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed”.  Malachi 1:1,2, 11, 3:6

Like many of you, the news coming out of Israel over the last few days has left me appalled, angry, astounded, outraged and almost speechless…even in prayer. I seem to have no words, only tears. I feel like Jeremiah who cried, Oh, that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain …. Jeremiah 9:9

My memories have flooded back to 2014 when I was invited to be a member of the National Religious Broadcasters Delegation to Israel, hosted by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. It came at a strategic time when Israel was under missile attack from Hamas in Gaza. The first night in Jerusalem I was asked to join Tony Perkins of the National Family Research Council, Kay Arthur of Precept Ministries, and Jerry Johnson, President of the NRB, for a live television interview on a global satellite television program. It was filmed at a spectacular studio overlooking Mount Zion and the Old City of Jerusalem. When asked why I had come, my answer was that I had come to encourage as many people as I could to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. When I returned home, I issued a 911 Prayer Call for the Peace of Jerusalem to which approximately 20,000 people responded.

As part of the NRB delegation, I had many interesting meetings with officials that included the man who was creating David’s Sling, a missile defense system that would protect Israel from incoming missiles that were higher than those the Iron Dome was capable of taking out. He wept with passion for his assignment, so afraid he wouldn’t have it completed before it would be needed. We also met with the Mayor of Jerusalem at that time, the Honorable Nir Barkat. I personally challenged him to issue a prayer call to Christians and Jews, which he did several days after we left.

But the memory that dwarfs all of the others was when we visited a kibbutz on the border of Gaza in southern Israel. It was a farming community made up of families who lived and worked together. When sirens sounded to warn us of an incoming missile from Gaza, everyone had fifteen seconds to get into a bomb shelter. We ran quickly into one that was nearby and stayed until the all-clear signal was given. When we stepped out of the shelter, we saw the small white “puff” indicating the Iron Dome had taken out that particular missile aimed at the kibbutz.

We were then guided into an underground bunker where we met with the leadership of the kibbutz as missiles rained down overhead. I will never forget the stark terror on the faces of the Israelis. I opened my iPad and read Psalm 91 to the leadership. They had never heard it before and were deeply moved by the expression of God’s care for them. (At the end of this blog I have included a link to a reading of Psalm 91 with a violin solo as the backdrop. It is very moving.)

As we drove away, we could see Gaza in the distance. The sign posted in the foreground warned of landmines planted by Hamas in the area separating Israel and Gaza.

These memories have quickened my heartfelt compulsion to pray for the Israelis…and the Palestinians… caught up in what surely is a satanically inspired attack on the people and the land that God uniquely loves.

My daughter, Rachel-Ruth, pointed me to a remarkable warning in Amos 1:6-7…This is what the Lord says: “For three sins of Gaza, even for four, I will not turn back My wrath. Because she took captive whole communities … I will send fire upon the walls of Gaza that will consume her fortresses.”

Let the entire world be warned, including Russia, Iran, Iraq, Qatar, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, North Korea, China, and any other hostile, antisemitic nation. If you attack Israel, God will take it personally. He will defend her at great cost to yourselves.

Without doubt, this is a time to pray as best we can…

God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Lord of Hosts. God of Angel Armies. Lion of Judah. Show up in extra-ordinary power. Give Your people resounding victory over their enemies.

In obedience to Your command, we pray for the enemies who are coming against Your people.[1] We pray for searing conviction of their sin and demonic cruelty, for them to turn from it, and to ask You for forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ.  But if they do not, we ask that this day You defeat and destroy them. Every single one of them.

We ask that You strip Israel’s enemies of cooperation among themselves so that they are divided and turn on each other, even as You did the enemies of Jehoshaphat.[2]

We ask that their evil plans would be exposed or fall back on their own head.

We ask that the face of every man, woman, child or baby that the enemy has slaughtered, beheaded, or burned be indelibly imprinted on their mind’s eye, filling them with turmoil and robbing them of clear thinking.[3]

We ask, Defender of the Weak, that You would supernaturally guard and protect the hostages. Reveal Yourself to them in the underground tunnels, reassuring them of Your presence, even as You did to Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace.[4]

We ask that You bind the hands, jam the guns, trip the feet of the captors so that the IDF can overcome them and deliver those being held, even as You delivered Daniel from the lion’s den.[5]

We ask that Your fiery chariots would surround the IDF soldiers poised for a ground assault in Gaza, then anoint each IDF soldier with protective power to rout out and overcome the enemy as they proceed.[6]

We ask that You reveal the entrances and exits of the 300 miles of tunnels so that the enemy lurking within has no hiding place.

We ask that the ancient prince of the Persian kingdom and every other demonic force coming against Your people be bound and rendered powerless in the face of the hosts of Heaven.[7]

We ask that the Iron Dome and David’s Sling would be 100% effective against all incoming missiles in the north as well as in the south.

We ask for supernatural wisdom for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his Cabinet, his counselors, and all government and military officials, so that they make decisions in line with Your perfect will.

We ask that You give the government and military leaders shared vision and agreed-upon steps to accomplish victory so that Israel has clear, unified leadership during these horrific times.

We ask that You comfort the mothers, fathers, and children living near the Gaza border, especially those that witnessed atrocities. Erase memories of what they have seen.  Give them an overwhelming, supernatural sense of Your presence.

Comfort those who mourn. Give peace to the terrified. Hope to the hopeless. Save them.  Cover them. Command Your angels to guard them. [8]

You are a great prayer-hearing, prayer-answering, covenant-keeping, miracle-working God. Hear our prayer!  Listen to Your children as we pray. Please! Rise up, great Lion of Judah, and defend Your people. Deliver Israel from her enemies so that all the nations of the earth may know that You alone are God. Answer us, we humbly, boldly plead! Answer us!

For the glory of Your great name…Yeshua! Jesus!

Amen

[1] Matthew 5:43-44

[2] 2 Chronicles 20:23

[3] Romans 2:9

[4] Daniel 3

[5] Daniel 6

[6] 2 Kings 6:16-17

[7] Daniel 10:12-13

[8] Psalm 91

Click to Listen | Psalm 91