County residents gather for National Day of Prayer

DAYTON–Columbia County residents gathered at the steps of the courthouse on Thursday, May 2 for the National Day of Prayer led by Undersheriff and Pastor Robbie Patterson, Pastors Tony Sykes of Faith Chapel, Dewayne Ramsey of The Community Bible Church, and Jeff Hall of Abundant Life Ministries with one location in Waitsburg.

The pastors led those gathered in prayer. Pastor Sykes opened with verses from 2 Samuel 22:29-31. "For you are my lamp, O Lord; and the Lord illumines my darkness. For by You I can run upon a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the Lord is tested; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him" He then moved into prayer asking for forgiveness for being filled with fear instead of faith and for not allowing our light to shine to dispel the darkness in the church, the family, education, business, military, government, entertainment, and the media. He prayed for release from darkness all that holds us captive which frees us to walk in newness of life. Through Him, we have courage to rise against the enemy and fight the good fight taking up armor of God. He concluded with Psalm 19 where God reveals Himself to humanity.

Patterson exhorted attendees to take God at His Word over our own opinions or those of the culture where everything is accepted as right except for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He recited 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, which are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." He reminded us of Paul's word to the Romans in chapter 12, verses 9-11 that the answer is sincere love in the form of the cross of Jesus Christ, and to hate what is evil. If you accept any other form of love, you must repent and return to the church and remain in the Body of Christ.

Patterson harkened back to the pioneers and how "we have forgotten the labor of love that they had to break open the hardened ground for revival...they didn't care if they got 'canceled.' They didn't care if somebody called them a bad name." He cited James chapter 5, verse 7 where he told Christians to submit themselves to God and resist the devil and he will flee. He pointed out that to flee means to run in fear. He offered the challenge to pray and to no longer remain neutral regarding evil because we are called to warfare in this fallen world. We are born in sin but are reborn as new creations when we believe in Christ who gives us a new identity. Before ending in prayer, he reminded us that we are to be the light of the world.

Pastor Ramsey then invited others to offer their intentions out loud before turning it over to Pastor Hall for the closing prayer specifically for the local region and the nation.