AWAKEN THE SLEEPING GIANT
Conference Call #14
Let Us Continue to Pray for America
Philip Burley
March 22 and 23, 2006
Conference Call Number: 712-432-3000
Bridge Number: 261644
[no longer active]
Good evening and welcome everyone! This is our fourteenth Awaken the Sleeping Giant conference call. Our next conference calls will be on Wednesday, March 29 and Thursday, March 30, 2006.
In order to establish unity and oneness in spirit, let us begin by speaking out our names and cities in unison. On the count of three, please speak out your name and city three times: One, two, three…
Thank you.
Opening Prayer
Dearest Heavenly Father, it is from a place of humility in a country in need of prayer that we begin tonight’s time together. With highest of intention, all of those who have participated in the Awaken the Sleeping Giant prayer have stayed the course and served well and admirably this cause that Jesus started more than three months ago.
In continued humility, bowed before your eternal parental love, we again answer the urgent call to bless our land with prayer for another three months, from this day, March 22, until June 21, 2006—the first day of summer.
Father, please give us the faith, vision, clarity, determination, and strength to serve our fellow citizens and citizens of the world in this most holy effort to bring a spiritual awakening and peace to the United States of America.
Use us, dearest Father, to extend your benevolent will upon and through our people. Let the awakening come not from fear and warring but from a heart of proper self-love with the self-initiated stirring of each one’s spirit, as they hear your voice, in many forms, speak loudly and clearly through the record of suffering in human history and through the present day unfolding realty of America which we all know so well.
When we pass from this earth into the eternal land of existence, we will well remember these times, including that we prayed, why we prayed, and how we prayed for our America. It is our highest and lasting hope that through all of the prayers rising from earth to heaven these days for America, you will hear and heal our land.
Heavenly Father, I offer up this prayer on behalf of all those who have joined this most noble cause, and I give thanks in the Christ Spirit. Amen
Quote
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
Ecclesiastes 3:11Our second quote for tonight is from a reply to a clergyman who said to Lincoln that he hoped "the Lord was on our side." To which Lincoln said,
I know that the LORD is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that this nation should be on the LORD'S side.2
Opening Talk—Let Us Continue to Pray to Awaken the Sleeping Giant
Life seldom turns out the way that you expect it to. More than anything else, if we watch carefully, life teaches us to live in faith. Though I thought the Awaken the Sleeping Giant prayer would last only three months, I am extending it in faith, based on guidance from above and continuing to perceive needs for our land.
Life with God is a great, unpredictable adventure and journey. While we are praying for our country, we do not actually know what lies ahead. We have the conviction that our prayers are heard and that they count, but just how we do not know. This is "that thing or situation" in which we must have faith.
Life Lived in Fear is No Life at All
The life that is lived in fear is no life at all. Fear hems us in and keeps us from the spontaneity of life and new experiences. Helen Keller, the great American woman who was blind, deaf, and mute, nearly from birth, said that she did not let those things stop her or put a damper on her existence. Her words tell us that she stepped out in life—no matter what—to face it fully. Let me quote from her exact words, so that you may hear from a woman undaunted by life who has set an example for us all to follow in our present personal life and in the future. It also applies to the life of this nation.
Here are Helen’s words:
Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.
Don’t you deeply appreciate the way she ends her words with "Life is either a daring adventure or3 nothing"? Helen Keller is the perfect example of one who receives a lemon in life and turns it into lemonade.
1Bible, King James
2http://www.zaadz.com/quotes/topics/prayer
3http://www.zaadz.com/quotes/topics/prayer
To Continue or not Continue the Awaken the Sleeping Giant Prayer
During the unfolding weeks of prayer, when I was preparing the weekly contents and all that goes with our undertaking, I was filled with great joy at God’s trusting us with this responsibility of helping him take care of our nation. I realized that God was allowing us, as co-creators with him, to complete our portion of responsibility. While I carried on this prayer campaign, the original dream of the sleeping giant and Jesus’ appearance loomed much in my mind, though I did not have the time to consider fully the reality of what might lie ahead either for our country or for me.
I felt in my heart that we should continue to be a force of prayer to contribute our very soul’s heart to our land—that we should seek to make even more of a difference by continuing. Why shouldn’t we? After all, so many sacrificial souls died establishing this great nation: Pioneers coming west died in great numbers, as did others who reached these areas of wilderness to eventually overcome, little by little, to make the great cities that America has today. We stand upon the precious toil, prayers, and sacrifices that created a land so beautiful and so free.
Jesus’ Visit
As I prayed, Jesus came to me and asked me what I felt about continuing? He told me to examine my feelings. As I pondered his presence, I was overcome greatly by an inner knowing, more than a feeling, rising into intuition, and beyond intuition. As if coming straight from my gut were the words, “You know you must continue.” I was overwhelmed with a sense of spiritual knowledge and victory about carrying on.
But as the human mind and heart will have it, I still wanted further substantiation about continuing the prayer. After all, I am only one person, and there are more than 300 of you out there who are a part of this undertaking. What about you? My conviction grew to an almost overwhelming feeling that I had no choice, even though I have many other responsibilities. I have not been able to work full time on other projects during the last three months, with over 2,500 emails to answer and the substantial preparation for each week’s conference call. Still, my inner self spoke to continue.
Mountain Vision Parallels Terrorist Threat
Then about a week ago, my wife and I were watching the Ten O’clock news when the anchorwoman spoke of a communication that had been received by the federal government from terrorists saying that Arizona was now a target for destruction. The report went on to say that while people in Arizona were innocent—that is, we did not send troops to Iraq nor were we responsible for the killing of innocents in that land—still we would, as innocent victims, experience the horror and grief of bombings in Arizona where we and our children would die in our homes.
I sat in dismay, sadness, and fear listening to these words. My wife, likewise, was stunned. I sat for a few minutes more and then turned the television off. I needed to reflect, and consider what I just heard and read on the screen about the terrorist’s message. I walked into our bedroom and felt suddenly overcome by the reality of it all. The answer had come full-force: "You have to continue the prayer condition."
In that split second, I recalled what I saw while sitting on a mountainside overlooking Phoenix, Arizona. I shared this experience in the initial letter sent out to all of you. And here I’ll quote from that letter just what I wrote:
After climbing up the mountain some distance, I sat down in the shade of a small Palo Verde tree bathed in the three o’clock sun. From this location, I could see northern Phoenix stretching out far and wide in all directions.
I thought very seriously about what I was looking at as certain questions began to rise in my mind: “These are my people, how much do I really care about them? This is my land, how much do I love it? What would these people do if some catastrophe swept across this valley? What if strategic missiles were zeroed in on these people from other lands or planes came swooping down and blasted neighborhood after neighborhood with bombs? Could this happen to our people?”
…The thoughts continued to stream in: "Are the many people whose existence lies in this valley awakened to future possibilities if our nation does not awaken to its own possible downfall?" These questions and many more flashed through my mind, leaving sobering thoughts. In all my years of spiritual work, I have never had this experience before and I have overlooked many mountain cities from their surrounding mountains. I had had a dream of America being invaded in the past. Was this portending the real thing or possibilities? Were the questions posed in my mind pointing to a future reality?4
My vision—what I saw on the mountain that day, over three months ago—was being echoed by the terrorist’s message of plans to bring destruction to Arizona. How could I not continue to pray, if only by myself? End of story! There stirred within me an energy bigger than myself (and it is still there) to do whatever I can to keep my country and my people protected and safe if only by adding my prayer to the mix of prayers (known and unknown) for this land.
Everything I was feeling brought to mind the words of Abraham Lincoln prior to the beginning of the Civil War when he said:
I know there is a God, and that He hates injustice and slavery. I see the storm coming, and I know that His hand is in it. If he has a place and work for me—and I think He has—I believe I am ready.5
4Awaken Sleeping Giant letter to Philip Burley mailing list,
www.awakensleepinggiant.org/pray_for_america
5http://www.zaadz.com/quotes/topics/prayer
Living for a Purpose Bigger Than Myself
In my case, I am trying to be ready, and I guess I am now more than ready through all that we have put into praying for America. I know it is part of why I was born—not to be some hero or appear to take on heroic proportions but to be of service in God’s unfolding story of our nation and the world.
I was very moved when I happened to come across a quote by George Bernard Shaw that says so clearly what our life is about if we truly realize it:
This is the true joy in life: the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no 'brief candle' to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.6
I don’t know how Mr. Shaw’s words sound to you, but to me they ring so true and speak volumes about being a mature and responsible person to one’s own family as well as to the family of man. It is in this spirit that I will continue to carry on the Awaken the Sleeping Giant prayer. There is no question about it; it is needed, and only time will show the need and wisdom of sending forth such prayer into, over, and around our people. In fact, the new plan calls for a campaign among those of you who continue with us and who can do so, to help get more people involved by a systematic method of reaching out to inform the public.
Public Service is Most Desirable and Needed.
It does my heart good to have a clear conscience and a clear path ahead. As I said in the beginning, we don’t know what life will bring. Life was not daunting to Helen Keller and so many forgotten heroes and heroines of America; and I don’t want it to be daunting to me either. Otherwise, what is my life worth? What really counts? And if our nation should undergo more suffering, as it did on 9/11 or with the horrific hurricanes of 2005, or another terrorist attack on our precious soil, where will I be? What will I wish I had done, if even in a small way, to make a difference and to avert, where possible, further suffering of our people?
Albert Schweitzer, great servant that he was to the people of Africa, knew well from experience just what counted in life, when he wrote:
The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.7
In a time when many are hypnotized by materialism, with the driving need to acquire more and more—a part of what has caused us to not be awakened to the real things of life—it is good to be reminded of just what does count and what will be of lasting value. I believe in the future of America. We are a resilient people who have been sustained through many wars and catastrophes since the founding of our beloved land. We will go on. I hope that many of you will go with me.
6George Bernard Shaw, http://www.zaadz.com/quotes/topics/prayer
7http://www.zaadz.com/quotes/topics/prayer
The Greatness and Beauty of Life
I would like to share with you some words that truly touched my heart and summed up what I think is meaningful in life and in a life well lived. I share this because I do not want to be fear-driven or lose sight of the greatness and beauty of life and what really matters. It is a quote by Andrew Young, a Scottish schoolmaster and poet of the 1870s who wrote The Scottish Highland and Other Poems:
For me, happiness came from prayer to a kindly God, faith in a kindly God, love for my fellow man, and doing the very best I could every day of my life. I had looked for happiness in fast living, but it was not there. I tried to find it in money, but it was not there, either. But when I placed myself in tune with what I believe to be fundamental truths of life, when I began to develop my limited ability, to rid my mind of all kinds of tangled thoughts, and fill it with zeal and courage and love, when I gave myself a chance by treating myself decently and sensibly. I began to feel the stimulating, warm glow of happiness, and life for me began to flow like a stream between smooth banks.8
The Spirit of "Daring to Do"
There rings within my heart a spirit that comes by grace. The following quote from Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe’s The Spirit of Daring to Do speaks so eloquently my exact sentiments:
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man/woman could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.9
And this is followed by equally true words, by one-time-president Calvin Coolidge, that speak of carrying on the noble work of praying for America to awaken to the giant that it is in the world.
Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.10
Won’t you continue to join me for the sake of our families and other families? For the sake of all the people of our land, leaders and followers alike, won’t you continue to join me in being bold and powerful to pray to Awaken the Sleeping Giant? Let us press on to the goal of God continuing to bless America!
8http://www.zaadz.com/quotes/topics/prayer
9http://www.zaadz.com/quotes/topics/prayer
10http://www.zaadz.com/quotes/topics/prayer
You will be receiving a letter regarding the continuation of this prayer condition. We may skip a week, allowing you to continue by praying for one week on your own as we take administrative actions to prepare for the changes necessary to continue to pray the Awaken the Sleeping Giant prayer for America.
Prayer to Awaken the Sleeping Giant
Closing Comments
Thank you all for attending this fourteenth in a series of prayers for our country. Let us all keep the promise and remember to remember to attend to our sacred prayer duty, first for ourselves and secondly for others and our country of the United States of America.
God bless and good night.