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For
Those Seeking The Truth & Dynamic Living Christ is Victor |
July/August
2004
Volume
17, Number 4
“The Secret of Revival”
“I will pour upon the house of David,
and upon the inhabitants of
A mere futuristic and prophetic interpretation of some Scriptures has a great appeal to lazy, sleepy-eyed Christians, who want to continue in their professorial arm-chairs. If there is a Scripture that challenges them, they try hard to give it such a connotation or denotation as leaves them outside the scope of its challenge. First as a Christian and secondly as a preacher of the Gospel, I turn to the Scriptures to apply them to my own heart, to measure and straighten out my experience therewith and then to apply them to my hearers.
There is nothing which is more sadly lacking amongst Christians today
than “the spirit of grace and supplications.” Conspicuous amongst
Christians today, however, is the spirit of gadding around. We have made a
virtue of our flights, our tours and our globe-trotting. An account from the
pen of a modern preacher reads like a travelogue and not even the remotest
resemblance to the Acts of the Apostles or the missionary journeys of
While labouring and preaching amongst the
Christians of Europe,
When prayer life is at a discount amongst any company of Christians,
there will be absent the finer points of Christian life, viz. spiritual unity,
oneness in thought, spirit of discernment, guidance, adequacy
to meet and counter every move of Satan, such as we see in Jesus and
Think of our evangelistic efforts today, how massive they have grown! Our organization was never better than it is today. Our gadgets and invaluable “helps”- without which we claim we are so helpless- load us down like Saul’s armour. Poor David felt so stiff and smothered in King Saul’s armour that had he ventured out vain- gloriously thus accoutred, the familiar Goliath story would have had another ending! Woe to the Christian who despises the smooth stones of the brook! Get your sling in order. Let the spirit of supplications possess you! Then you can laugh at any modern Goliath.
Our trust must be in our prayer-answering God, and not in our methods
and techniques. Our Master did not drill his disciples in some special
techniques that consumed all their time in planning the campaign, publicizing
and running around fast and canvassing hard for support. This is our way- the
modern way! You will not, however, find this way in the New Testament. This is
not God’s way. Christ’s way was to teach His disciples prayer and
insist that they should just “wait in prayer in
Do not mistake me, I am not advocating slip-shod and ill- organized endeavours. But let our efforts be galvanized and strengthened with the spirit of supplications. In the revivals that broke out under Finney’s labours, there was manifest a tremendous spirit of prayer. Both the preacher and the people were possessed by this spirit of prayer. Whenever and wherever Christians met, they prayed and they prevailed in prayer. The revival spread like a wild fire. There was a minimum of organization, as we know it today. Yet the results were enduring.
Over in the West I noted with deep disappointment that several when challenged on the lines of prayer and revival were more anxious to discuss revival than to pray through. But wherever they obeyed the voice of God and got on their knees, revival broke out forthwith. This revival awakening is continuing and spreading, although it is a long time since the original revival meetings concluded.
Let us quit playing with God. Let us get alone with God and pray. I am appalled that God should be still mocked by the so-called prayer conferences where 98 percent of the time is wasted in vain talk.
I am reminded of a prayer meeting which I addressed at a hotel in
Beloved reader, put away all sin from your heart and conscience and cry to God and He will pour on you the spirit of supplications.
-Joshua Daniel
“Reality Check”
“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.” Isaiah 55:6
“The Greatest trial” in
George Mueller’s Life
George Mueller (1805-1898) was a man of prayer and strong faith who depended wholly on God through all the storms and trials of life. Here is an account of “the greatest trial” in his life from his own pen.
“In July, 1853, it pleased the Lord to try my faith in a way in which before it had not been tried. My beloved daughter and only child, and a believer since the commencement of the year 1846, was taken ill on June 20th.
“This illness, at first a low fever, turned to typhus. On July 3rd there seemed no hope of her recovery. Now was the trial of faith. But faith triumphed. My beloved wife and I were enabled to give her up into the hands of the Lord. He sustained us both exceedingly. But I will only speak about myself. Though my only and beloved child was brought near the grave, yet was my soul in perfect peace, satisfied with the will of my Heavenly Father, being assured that He would only do that for her and her parents, which in the end would be the best. She continued very ill till about July 20th, when restoration began.
“On Aug. 18th she was so far restored that she could be removed to Clevedon for change of air, though exceedingly weak. It was then 59 days since she was first taken ill. Parents know what an only child, a beloved child is, and what to believing parents and only child, a believing child must be. Well, the Father in Heaven said, as it were, by this his dispensation, “Art thou willing to give up this child to me?” My heart responded, “As it seems good to Thee, my Heavenly Father. Thy will be done.”
“But as our hearts were made willing to give back our beloved child to Him who gad given her to us, so He was ready to leave her to us, and she lived. “Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” (Psalm 37:4) the desires of my heart were to retain the beloved daughter if it were the will of God; the means to retain her were to be satisfied with the will of the Lord.
“Of all the trials of faith that as yet I have had to pass through, this was the greatest; and by God’s abundant mercy, I own it to His praise, I was enabled to delight myself in the will of God; for I felt perfectly sure, that, if the Lord took this beloved daughter, it would be best for her parents, best for herself, and more for the glory of God than if she lived: this better part I was satisfied with; and thus my heart had peace, perfect peace, and I had not a moment’s anxiety. Thus would it be under all circumstances, however painful, were the believer exercising faith.”
“Where Art Thou?”
“And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, where art thou?” (Genesis 3:9)
Where art thou? That’s the question God is asking us today. Adam tried to answer that question in an evasive way. God wants straight answers from us. Oh, man, where art thou? Your answer is going to mean damnation or salvation. Are you proceeding in the right direction or in the wrong?
You cannot walk in two paths at the same time. You cannot have two minds and two different answers to a straight question like this. Some Christians dillydally with Christ. They miss the way and finally blame God. “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8). A friend asked me a serious question; “Daniel, is your eye single?” Ah! I examined myself carefully- if I had in any way come to serve God with a double motive. How many precious souls are ruined by not being single-eyed! My heart is bleeding for them. If you always think in positive terms- that is faith. Jesus Christ was never double-minded. He is always single-eyed. “Lazarus come out” – that is positive. Talithacumi- that is positive! “I will abide in your house today!”- everything here is positive. If you really mean business with God, God will mean business with you. Can you put your whole trust in Him? Then you will see the glory of God.
My great longing is that we should be like the first century Christians. What Christ will give us, is a single eye. He will teach you and lead you to God. When I was first converted God taught me and directed me. How well He led me! When I obeyed Him, I found success all around. Not even a stone would strike against my foot without God’s will. Once when I was going to a certain place a stone struck my foot. I asked the Lord the reason. He said, “Turn back.” There was another road which parted from this road which I had taken and I went along that road. Then I came by a hospital where I was told that a certain friend of mine was very sick there. I went to him and prayed for him and God healed him. See the dealings of the Lord! Four thousand years ago when Abraham talked with Him and walked with him, God was so concerned about him to commune with him about everything that concerned him. Do mean business with God. If your heart is after the world and the pleasures of the world, the path of Christ is quite difficult for you.
Are you entirely on Christ’s side? When I was a student, my mother fell and broke her ribs. There was no hope of her recovery because she had to be taken by boat over a river to reach a hospital and moving her ever so slightly caused excruciating pain. But I whole-heartedly looked to Christ and said, “From the Cross you said, ‘Take care of my mother’. Now my mother is suffering. Please undertake for my mother.” I simply cried out with all my heart. I heard later that there was a sound of bone touching bone and she just got up and began to walk. Overnight God had united those bones!
Where are you? Are you single-eyed? Will you be His, out and out? So many families are miserable. You have the privilege of college education. You can be used of God to help them. But where are you today? In what direction are you moving? Go along the way of life which Christ will show you. You will be a cistern of water for thirsty people to drink from. People will see that Are you willing? Which direction are you taking? Follow Christ and allow Him to be your Master. Are you going in the positive direction of love, faith, holiness, humility and righteousness? Then you will not fail. I wanted to follow Him and choose to be single. But God told me many things that were in His plan and warned me of things not in His plan and I did just what He said. God said, “Marry the girl I show you.” I simply obeyed. By His grace all these years have been years of victorious life in the family. It is Christ who is the Way.
-N. Daniel
“The Only Bible People Will Ever
Read”
It is important to come to church with our hearts prepared. One young man named Bill had wild hair and wore a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans, and no shoes. He was brilliant, a bit esoteric, and very smart. While in college, he turned to Jesus and wanted to follow Jesus and be a true Christian.
Across the street from the university campus was a very conservative church, with many well-dressed and beautifully attired members. They wanted to develop a ministry to students, but weren’t sure how to go about it.
One day Bill decided to go there. He walked in with his jeans, his T-shirt, and of course his wild hair. The service had already started, so Bill started walking down the aisle looking for a seat. The church was completely packed and he couldn’t find a seat. By now people had noticed him, and they all looked a bit uncomfortable, but no one said anything. Bill got closer and closer and closer to the pulpit and, when he realized there were no seats, he just squatted down, sitting right on the carpet.
Although perfectly acceptable behaviour at a college Christian fellowship group, this had never happened in this church before! By now the people were really uptight, and the tension in the air was thick. About this time, the minister realized that from the back of the church, an usher was slowly making his way toward Bill. This usher was in his eighties, had silver-grey hair, and wore a distinguished three-piece suit. He was a godly man, very elegant, very dignified. He walked with a cane and, as he started walking toward this young man, everyone was saying under their breath, “You can’t blame him for what he’s going to do. How can you expect a man of his age and distinction to understand some college kid sitting on the floor?” It took a very long time for the man to reach the boy. The church was utterly silent except for the clicking of the man’s shoes. All eyes were focused on him. You couldn’t even hear anyone breathing. The minister couldn’t even preach the sermon until the usher did what he had to do.
When he was upon the boy he dropped his cane and with great difficulty, lowered himself to the ground and sat down. It is a moment filled with poignancy.
When the minister regained control, he said, “What I’m about to preach, you might never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget. Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read.”
“Parents on their Knees”
John Paton’s life was moulded in his childhood in a little cottage in
Years later, when
John sailed from
For several years, Paton saw little progress, but he persisted in his work. The turning point came when Paton decided to dig a well to provide fresh water for the people. The islanders, terrified at bringing “rain from below,” watched with deepest foreboding. Paton dug deeper and deeper until finally, at thirty feet, he tapped into a stream of water. Opposition to his mission work ceased, and the wide-eyed islanders gave him their full respect. Chief Mamokei accepted Christ as Saviour, then a few others made the daring step.
On
There was never a parent in the Gospels who came to Christ with a burdened heart and went away empty. God, being a Father, has a special interest in the prayers of parents. When those parents are on their knees, their shadows fall over the world, and their influence extends to the ages.
-Selected
This newsletter is produced six times per year by the
Laymen’s Evangelical Fellowship International. It is printed and
distributed in the
This Fellowship
is an inter-denominational missionary and prayer group working for revival in
churches and amongst students in several countries. We invite every layperson
to become God’s ally in changing his or her corner of the world. We train
people in evangelistic work and to be self-supporting missionaries.
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or Wisdom Hall, 37 Persiaran Shahbandar, Taman Tambahan Krian VI, 34200 Parit Bundar, Perak, Phone – (05)
7164100 T.K. Ong
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