“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19

In the mid nineteenth century there was an enormous economic collapse. Hundreds of businesses closed and thousands were unemployed. A quiet and zealous businessman named Jeremiah Lanphier took up an appointment as a City Missionary in down-town New York. Burdened so by the need, Jeremiah Lanphier decided to invite others to join him in a noonday prayer-meeting, to be held on Wednesdays once a week.

Accordingly at twelve noon, September 23, 1857, the door was opened and the faithful Lanphier took his seat to await the response to his invitation. Five minutes went by. No one appeared. The missionary paced the room in a conflict of fear and faith. Ten minutes elapsed. Still no one came. Fifteen minutes passed. Lanphier was yet alone. Twenty minutes; twenty-five; thirty; and then at 12.30 p.m., a step was heard on the stairs, and the first person appeared, then another, and another, and another, until six people were present, and the prayer meeting began. On the following Wednesday, October 7th, there were forty intercessors.

Within six months, ten thousand business men were gathering daily for prayer in New York, and within two years, a million converts were added to the American churches. Undoubtedly the greatest revival in New York’s colorful history was sweeping the city, and it was of such an order to make the whole nation curious. There was no fanaticism, no hysteria, simply an incredible movement of the people to pray.

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of this great revival, a likeness of Jeremiah was cast of him sitting on a bench which appropriately placed on Broadway in front of the American Bible Society, as a reminder of the great revival started by one man.

Our world today needs to return to prayer and revival. One person can make a difference. Might there be another Jeremiah Lanphier today, Might he be you?

Question: What in your life currently depends on faith?

By John Grant
used by permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

FURTHER READING

• Personal Revival
• Revival
• How to Pray

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• Lent is a 40 day period of fasting and prayer leading up to Easter.
• Lent ends on Holy Saturday, just before Easter Sunday.
• The word “Lent” comes from the word “lecten” which is Anglo-Saxon meaning “spring” and refers to the lengthening of days.

The Lenten season has arrived. A time when many Christians observe forty days  (not counting Sundays) of fasting in moderation or self-denial, of repentance, and of spiritual discipline in order to deepen their relationship with the Lord and be spiritually prepared for Easter celebration.

It’s a time for reflection on Christ, His suffering, sacrifice, life, death, burial, and resurrection. It’s a time for deepening one’s walk with the Lord.  A time of cleansing and refreshing. Of soul revival.

For health reasons, I cannot fast from meals, but I can from a particular food, and I have fasted from things.

If we cannot fast from food, what if we dug deep within our souls and found something in there to fast from? Maybe one or more of these things would be hiding there…

Arrogance, pride, worry, doubts, hypocrisy, indifference, anger, hopelessness, fear, perfectionism, judgmental attitude, pity parties, apathy, bitterness, unkindness, ungratefulness, selfishness, desiring more, critical spirit, negative words and thoughts, desiring attention or approval?

Or maybe we would find that lie the enemy keeps slipping under the door of our heart, the one that says we’re not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, or whatever. Maybe we would find something in our schedule that needs to be eliminated…if only for a while. Or maybe we need a vacation from the internet, TV, movies, etc.

Maybe we should fast from one thing each day.

If you are not able to fast food (now there’s a good one to fast from!), make your own list and choose one for each day.

Right now, I’m enjoying reading a new book called 40 Voices: A Lenten Devotional and it’s written by my friend Jean Wise.

In reference to Mark 11:2, where Jesus asks two of His disciples to go to the village and acquire the tied-up donkey for His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jean writes…

“Untie it and bring it here” is Jesus’ command. It is a wonderful statement to bring to our Lenten prayers. What, Lord, do you want me to untie and bring to Jesus this season? What do we need to unravel? What are we clinging to Jesus wants us to bring to him? Jesus knows where our knots are located. He sees the sin that tangles our hearts. He understands the hurts to snarl our beliefs.”

It’s not just giving up something;  it’s untying it from our heart, getting rid of the knot, and relinquishing it.

Surrendering  one thing in order to receive something else. Something so much better.

Untie it. Bring it to Me. Asks Jesus. Such a great thought. Deep  thought. Makes me ask myself, What do I have tied-up within me that I need to release?

What, what if we turned away from certain things and truly fell on our faces at the feet of Jesus, seeking His presence?  On. Our. Faces. Suppose we let loose of those ties that bind and prayed for our heart to be cleansed of all the yucky stuff. What would happen to our lives and the lives of others?

We are to let go, to “turn away from everything wrong, whether of body or spirit, and purify ourselves, living in the wholesome fear of God, giving ourselves to him alone.”
(2 Corinthians 7:1 TLB)

Are you tied to anything that is distracting you and marring your relationship with Christ? Do you need to heed the Lord’s command to “untie it and bring it to Me”?

If you decide to embark on this Lenten journey, I pray the Lord will bless you as you untie all the knots.

By Lynn Mosher
Used by Permission

More Easter Articles

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‘Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people He hath chosen for His own inheritance.’ Psalms 33:12

There has been a lot of debate lately as to whether our country is a ‘Christian nation.’  Officially we are not. After all the establishment of a state religion was one of the reasons the pilgrims came to settle in this new land. But they brought with them their Judeo Christian values and upon those values this great nation was founded. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.

From the doorways of our public buildings to the imprint on our money, we are constantly reminded that in God we trust. The Ten Commandments adorn the chambers of the Supreme Court and the daily sessions of our legislative bodies are commenced with prayer. We pledge to our flag as ‘one nation under God‘.

While we are not officially a Christian nation, we are clearly one nation under God. In the words of President Ronald Reagan –

“If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”

The question is whether we are indeed forgetting that we are one nation under God. We need only look at the worldview expressed by so many today. God is nowhere on their radar screen and Biblical literacy and church attendance is at an all time low. The media, from sit-coms to the evening news mock Biblical values.

Many have given up on the political process, seeing the secular slant that government has taken, but I am reminded of Edmund Burke’s comment that ‘the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing‘.

It is easy to get discouraged when we see our land slipping and sliding away from Judeo Christian values, but as we pause to celebrate the anniversary of our nation’s independence, let us remember that the solution to the ills of this world are not at the bar of the court, or in the chambers of our legislative bodies.

The solutions are at the altar of Christ as we humbly submit to Him and dedicate our lives and our country to Him. The only way for America to return to its Judeo Christian roots is for revival to break out in this land.

‘For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. Let thy mercy O Lord be upon us, according as we hope in thee.’ Psalm 33:21-22
(a thought on life from John Grant))

by John Grant
used by permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

FURTHER READING

The God Who Provides

The Detours of Life

In God Alone 

Personal Revival

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The post America: Who is your GOD? appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Loving God means doing what He tells us to do, and really that isn’t hard at all; for every child of God can obey Him, defeating sin and evil pleasure by trusting Christ to help him”
1 John 5:3,4

I believe that we are on the threshold of witnessing the greatest spiritual revival in the history of the church. I believe that the Great Commission will indeed be fulfilled before the return of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19,20).

Today, however, because of the subtle ways of the world system, there are more carnal Christians than at any other time in history. But the Bible tells us that the tide will turn and that the church will soon enter its finest hour.

We are beginning to see that turning of the tide. More and more Christians are discovering how to live supernaturally in the power and control of the Holy Spirit. The gospel is being spread throughout the world by many committed Christians who are determined, by faith, to help fulfill the Great Commission in this generation, whatever the cost.

I do not know anyone, however, who loves this world system who has ever been used of God in any significant way. There is nothing wrong with money and other material success. However, we are to wear the cloak of materialism loosely. We are to set our affection on Christ and His kingdom, not on the material things of this world.

The Lord left us with this wonderful promise … “every child of God can obey Him, defeating sin and evil pleasure by trusting Christ to help him.” Inviting Christ to help us is our decision to make. It is simply a matter of the will.

Bible Reading: 1 John 5:1-8

Today’s Action Point: I will obey God and trust Christ to defeat sin and evil pleasure in my life, so that I can live a supernatural life and help take His gospel to all men throughout the world.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/blog/2009/05/28/bb_not-hard/

 

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