JOHN KNOX: A MAN OF FERVENT, EFFECTUAL PRAYER
John Knox was a famous Protestant reformer in Scotland. It is said that Mary Queen of Scots
trembled whenever John Knox went to his knees to pray. She even once said that “she would rather
face the armies of England than the prayers of John Knox"; she "hated and feared" John Knox.
What was it that Mary Queen of Scotts so feared about John Knox? She feared John Knox because
he believed that God worked through prayer. He was a man that acted on his belief, and would
boldly come before the throne of Grace like no other, laying his petitions at the Father’s feet. John
Knox prayed with such power that all of Scotland was awakened. The cry of his heart was: “Lord,
give me Scotland or I will die.” He prayed with such intensity that the LORD answered. "He taught that when monarchs were disobedient to the Word of God, they forfeited their right to reign and the Honors of their court should go to another." When was the last time you heard of any government officials fearing the prayers of an individual or the preaching of a pastor? Here is what John Knox wrote about the Holy Spirit and prayer: “There is no hope that we can desire anything according to God's will. I mean not that the Holy Ghost does mourn or pray, but that he stirs up our minds, giving unto us a desire or boldness to pray, and causes us to mourn when we are extracted or pulled there from." Romans 8:26: “Likewise the Spirit also helps our weakness: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
President Dwight Eisenhower was influenced by a sermon February 7, 1954 by George MacPherson
Docherty at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, the church Lincoln attended, to add the words
"under God" to the pledge. The next day a bill was introduced and President Eisenhower signed it
into law Flag Day, June 14, 1954. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance
May God raise up men (and women) whose hearts are fully disposed toward Him, who are unafraid to
speak the truth at risk of their own peril, and whose prayers and preaching command the attention of
leaders in our government and media.