The 43rd Annual Prayer Breakfast is history and in a sense, made History!

The Ashland Community Prayer Breakfast on the National Day of Prayer
- Joe Lyons

The 43rd Annual Prayer Breakfast is history and in a sense, made history. The Ashland County Community came together at the Convocation Center of the Ashland University on Thursday morning, May 2nd to a “sold out” event.

Nearly 700 people joined together to do exactly what the event intended, prayed together. The purpose of this meeting is to inspire spiritual fusion into the soul of the community. Mayor Miller was encouraging with his story about the prayer room of the late Dr. Charles Stanley. Pastor Stanley had a room totally dedicated to the ministry of praying for people and each sermon he prepared. The great ministry of Pastor Stanley was not the populous of people who attended the church or the multitudes of sermons and lessons taught. He was a great communicator because he spoke with the Living God in a closet of prayer. Prayer moves the God of Heaven to work in the hearts of humanity.

Just before the main speaker, the youth choir from the Kroc Center Salvation Army blessed the audience with an inspiring rendition of, “I SPEAK JESUS.” Many of the audience were moved to tears as they were challenged to stand up and speaking out for Jesus regardless of the circumstances. Whether addiction, fear, sickness, and anxiety, speak Jesus. Jesus will bring His peace, His name alone is a stronghold, a healing, and the defeat of our enemies.

Our speaker was electrifying. Pastor Artur Pawlowski and his wife, Marzena, came to us from Calgary, Canada. Pastor Artur shared his story of speaking up and speaking out during the Covid lock downs of the Canadian government. Because his calling to preach the Gospel and teach people the Word of God, he faced opposition from a Government bound and determined to silence his voice.

Pastor Artur compared himself to the three Hebrew children who would not bow before the statue dedicated to Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel. When no one else would stand, these three young men stood. Stood seemingly alone, but later found out, the God of the Universe stood with them. God stood with them in the fire and they lived to tell about it. (Daniel 3).

In the many attempts to silence the pastor, he was offered money, positions of influence and political clout. All to “shut his mouth.” He would not accept. Then in a swift turning of the tables, Pastor Artur was threatened with numerous imprisonments, solitary confinement, fines and an endless amount of arrests and court appointments. The reason for all of this, “shut your mouth.”

When a man has a Holy Calling from on High to preach the Word of God, proclaim liberty and freedom in Jesus Christ, you cannot silence that message or the messenger. In an amazing turn of events, the last trial the Judge announced without explanation, “you are free to go.”

The result is an international platform to proclaim a message of liberty and freedom in Jesus Christ to both nations, Canada and United States. When government infringes on the freedoms of people, we cannot be silent. We must speak in voice and actions. Many people do not understand this conviction, but it is borne out of the soul. It is call from deep within the soul. The audience must have been moved as they stood for an ovation of appreciation.

2 Timothy 4:2-4 (ESV) 2 “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

We concluded the morning with 9 prayer movements led by our pastoral and ministry leaders of the Ashland County Ministerial Association. These men and women sincerely believe in praying for our business, civic, educational, Law Enforcement officials, Fire, EMS, Medical leaders. Almost 100 of the 229 elected officials in the County attended.

The 43rd National Day of Prayer Ashland Community Prayer breakfast was another spiritual movement in our county for the glory of God and the honor of His Son, Jesus Christ. “LIFT UP THE WORD….LIGHT UP THE WORLD.” 2 Samuel 22:29-31.

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