Author: John Page 112 of 164

I Kings 19:9-10 “And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine alters, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

Elijah felt alone. He felt that he had been left without allies by the rebellion of God’s own people, the crumbling of God’s own institutions, and the weakening of God’s own prophets. He felt that he was left alone to fend for God through his own faithfulness.

We can feel alone. We feel like we have been left without allies by the rebellion of God’s own people, the crumbling of God’s own institutions, and the weakening of God’s own prophets. We feel like we are left alone to fend for God through our own faithfulness.

We can feel alone in our workplaces. We can feel alone in our neighborhoods. We can feel alone in our social circles. Our kids can feel alone in their schools. Our churches can feel alone in our communities. We sometimes feel like we should retreat into our figurative caves and surrender to the forces around us.

Yet, we must be encouraged by the fact that we are not alone in feeling alone. A Christian in the adjoining workplace is probably feeling the same way. A Christian in the next neighborhood is similarly fighting discouragement. A Christian in overlapping social circles is also sensing despair. Other Christian kids in different classes are weighed down by isolation. Other strong Christian churches in nearby communities are burdened by feelings of hopelessness.

We are bonded together through Christ by our peculiarity and sense of isolation in today’s society. We should sense solidarity through the struggles of our counter-cultural faithfulness. PLEASE PRAY FOR A SENSE OF UNITY WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS THROUGH OUR APPARENT ISOLATION. We may feel alone, but we are not! Instead, we are inseparably tied together with others who feel the same way.

SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re alarmed (by the racism of abortion), set your alarm (to pray for our nation) — more black babies are aborted than born in NYC.

Acts 12:24 “But the word of God grew and multiplied.”

As our minds linger on the exponential growth of the church of Acts, please consider the following thought experiment regarding witnessing and discipleship:

• On the first day of a month, a single witness goes out and leads a single person to Christ. That original witness also spends time discipling this new convert so that he is able to share his faith. By the end of this day, there are two Christians.
• On the second day of a month, each Christian goes out, each leads a single person to Christ, and then disciples each of their new converts. By the end of this day, there are four Christians.
• On the third and following days of the month this pattern is replicated.
• By the end of the month, the number of new converts would exceed the total population of the United States.

How will a period of nationwide revival and repentance happen in America? It will happen if we are individually faithful to guard our testimonies, to share Christ, and to pray. It doesn’t take much to see the gospel spread. In fact, it only requires a single committed witness. It will be all the more powerful if we stand, share, and pray together.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO BE FAITHFUL WITNESSES OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. A single witness is all that is required, but a nation of witnesses will succeed all much the more.

Acts 6:7 “And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.”

The church of Acts saw miraculous growth. The growth rate was large in Acts 2, and accelerated thereafter. In fact, Christian growth was described primarily as additive in the early part of Acts (Acts 2:41, Acts 2:47, Acts 5:14) and primarily as multiplicative in the latter part of Acts (Acts 6:1, Acts 6:7, Acts 9:31, Acts 12:24). They started growing exponentially.

What triggered the change in growth rate from additive to multiplicative? It is tough to pinpoint the genesis of this change. Yet, it happened as the church faithfully endured persecution.

We may be sensing persecution on the horizon for American Christians; some of our fellow citizens are already enduring hardships because of their faiths. We also must recognize that Christians in other lands are being actively and violently persecuted because of their faithfulness.

Should we welcome persecution? No! Should we remain faithful if persecution comes our way? Absolutely yes! It may be a part of God’s plan to trigger an exponential spread of the gospel of Christ. PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD REMAIN FAITHFUL IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION. Our faithfulness in the face of persecution may be what is required to bring about Christian exponential growth in this land.

SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re alarmed (that a woman’s right to choose has caused 30 million US females to be aborted), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!

Acts 2:41 “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”

The faithful perseverance of Adoniram Judson is encouraging and challenging. Not only did he fail to see a single soul saved until his sixth year on the mission field, but he only could claim 18 converts by his twelfth year. Yet, there was a moment where fruit started pouring in to his account. What triggered that moment? We don’t know, though his continued faithfulness was a necessary prerequisite. What would have happened if he quit just prior to that moment? We don’t know, though we can surmise that God wouldn’t have used him to bring about the subsequent nationwide Christian legacy that persists today.

There is a moment where faithfulness produces a disproportionately large reward. It happened in the book of Acts, it happened in nineteenth century Burma, it has happened during American revivals of time past, and it can happen in America today. What will trigger that moment? We don’t know, though our continued faithfulness is a necessary prerequisite. What will happen if we quit just prior to that moment? We don’t know, though we can surmise that God wouldn’t use us to bring about a nationwide Christian legacy that would last for future generations.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO STAY FAITHFUL UNTIL THE REWARDS COME RAINING DOWN. Don’t quit! We may be minutes away from our faithfulness producing a disproportionately large reward.

II Samuel 24:24 “And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt-offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.”

Speaking from first hand experience, Adoniram Judson said:

“There is no success without sacrifice. If you succeed without sacrifice it is because someone has suffered before you. If you sacrifice without success it is because someone will succeed afterwards.”

Things that are valuable and precious come at a cost. So it is with our money and with our ministry. As Christians prayerfully and faithfully serve the Lord in today’s America, we may be sacrificing without apparent success. Dismay not! The price you are paying is valuable to God; the sacrifice you are offering is precious to Him. Moreover, that suffering and sacrifice is paving the way for success even if that success exceeds our limited perspective.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO WILLINGLY SACRIFICE, PAVING THE WAY FOR ETERNAL SUCCESS. Nationwide repentance and revival is going to come at a cost. We must be willing to pay its price.

SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re alarmed (by a land that is diminishing the value of life, from its beginning to its end), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!