The late, great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream and, although I don’t put myself in his category, I have a “Hope and a Prayer.” I see the worldwide random acts of violence against Christians by Islamic terrorists pushing normally mild-mannered, peaceful, loving peoples that, if continued, to a level of violence and retribution unseen in modern history and I fear for our children, grandchildren and many generations to come. I have a hope and a prayer!

I hope that you will join me in daily prayer, asking for God’s intervention.

I hope and pray that the community revival being held in our tiny village of Prospect each year in the month of June will sweep this land from village to village, town to town, state to state and finally engulf our nation. I want to see this nation truly “pray, turn from our wicked ways, and seek God’s face, so that God will hear from heaven, forgive us of our sins and heal our land.”

I want to see the houses of God overflowing with the old and the young, all faiths and denominations, all races, creeds and colors. I want to see them seeking God’s face and begging Him to forgive their sins and heal our land.

I want to see them rejecting the sins and abominations to God that are currently being accepted as “normal.” This acceptance is sweeping our land, state after state, community after community and church after church. Our rejection of these practices must take the same paths. I’m getting old and may not see all of this come to fruition, but I believe in my God with all my heart and I know that eventually all of this will come to pass.

Our God is a God of wisdom, love, forgiveness and patience but I don’t believe that His patience is infinite. I believe that God is giving us chance after chance after chance to get our act together and follow His commandments and I believe that if, or when, He is finally convinced that we are truly revived and have turned from our wicked ways, then He will heal our land. I am convinced that if we do not follow His direction that His wrath will be upon us.

I pray that everyone that this message reaches, will stand up and defend our faith daily, turn from our wicked ways, seek God’s face, and ask Him to heal our land. Then, and only then, can we expect our wonderful, loving Savior to heal our land and save His people.

I have a hope and a prayer.

REV. FURMAN JOYE lives in Prospect. His email address is furmanjoye@centurylink.net.