Author: John Page 92 of 166

I Samuel 17:51-52 “Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith.  And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.  And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron.  And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.”

There is another reason when you should stay faithful, even when you don’t think you can make a difference (see previous post) – the power of the breakthrough.  Nothing illustrates this point better than the story of Roger Bannister.

In the mid-1950s, the track and field world was awash with interest in breaking the four-minute-mile.  It had never been done, and some were thinking that it could never be done.  After all, the world records had been within three seconds of the notable milestone since 1943, and kept creeping ever closer to the four-minute mark in the intervening decade.  Yet, no one could break that magical barrier.  Even though several men in 1953 and early 1954 were running within a few seconds of the mark, no one could surpass the challenge … until May 6, 1954.

On that day in Oxford, England, Roger Bannister ran a mile in just under four minutes.  It could be done!  Sure enough, 46 days later, Bannister’s record was broken.  By 1958, the record had decreased to below three minutes and fifty-five seconds.  At that point, sub-four-minute-miles had become the standard in the world of track and field.

Roger Bannister’s breakthrough motivated others who were then aware that it was possible to do what was once thought of as impossible.  David’s breakthrough against Goliath did the same.  Similarly, a single breakthrough by us can do the same in our land.

PLEASE PRAY THAT OUR SINGULAR SUCCESSES WOULD MOTIVATE OTHERS.  We may provide the breakthrough that could cause a flood of follow-on victories in America.

Proverbs 28:2 “For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof:  but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.”

Going into the immediate election season, it is easy to fall into the thought trap that a single person cannot make a difference.  In a land of millions of people, what can one man or one woman do?  How much will one vote count?  How can one person sway the massive ship of state?

There are at least two things that we must remember when we start to slip into this line of thinking.  First, we are to do our duty regardless of the outcome.  Life is filled with situations where the results are left up to God.  Our role is to be faithful, regardless of the situation, context, obstacles, or perceived benefits.  Second, we never know when we are in a situation when one person does make a difference, when one man or one woman will have disproportionate results, when one vote tips the election, when one person sways the massive ship of state.  The potentiality of that situation in our next encounter demands that we act as if we are the decisive factor.

PLEASE DO YOUR CHRISTIAN DUTY AS IF THE RESULTS HINGE ON YOUR FAITHFULNESS.  You never know when we are in a situation when a single man of understanding and knowledge will prolong our state.  You may be that single man today.

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hacksaw Ridge, the movie featuring Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Desmond Doss (see prior post), premiers at a time that should remind Christians of an important truth going into election season.  The movie will premier in America on the Friday before election day.

The only explanation for the safety of Doss and his company on the battlefield in Okinawa was that “Doss prayed.”  Nothing else made sense.  Nothing else could explain the outcome.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our prayers for America’s future were the only explanation of a miraculous outcome on election day?  Wouldn’t it be great if nothing else made sense?  Wouldn’t it be sublime if nothing else could explain the outcome?

We need Christians to pray because we need God’s power in this land.  It is the only thing that can save us.  PLEASE PRAY PASSIONATELY FOR AN UNEXPLAINABLE MIRACLE DURING THIS ELECTION SEASON.  May we be bold enough to believe that prayer can change everything.

ADDITIONAL NOTE:
This is my 365^th PLUS post.  Several months ago, continuing on until 365 (enough for a daily devotional) helped motivate me when this ministry was onerous and when I was discouraged.  If I could endure for that long, then I could walk away satisfied that I had done my duty.

Now that I am here, I do not feel that God would have me to stop.  Therefore, I will continue on, both praying daily for our nation and our leaders in my personal life and encouraging others to do the same.  Though over the next few months I will decrease the frequency of my posts, they will continue.  I have a few small but powerful requests, especially during this election season.  Please pray as you should!  Please encourage others to pray as they should!  Please beg them to do so!  And, if the PLUS ministry would be a help to them, then please direct them accordingly.

Thank you for your faithfulness!

James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.  The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

A new World War II movie is expected to premier in America in early November – Hacksaw Ridge.  The movie will highlight the courage of Desmond Doss, a member of the 307^th Infantry Regiment at the end of World War II as it fought for control of Okinawa.  Doss’ stellar service saw him become the first conscientious objector to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor (there have been two others since then).

While I’m sure that Hollywood will highlight Doss’ objections, I hope they will be honest enough to discuss the strong Christian faith that prompted those objections.

As a combat medic, Doss served bravely and brilliantly.  During a particularly intense battle, he tirelessly crisscrossed the bullet-laden battlefield for five straight hours to tend to fellow injured soldiers.  He is credited with saving the lives of 75 men in the face of extreme risk.

Days before in a different engagement, Doss insisted that his company prayed before the fighting began.  Indeed, they did.  During the fighting that ensued, Doss’ Company escaped with no casualties.  When his Company Commander was asked for a written report that explained their success, he could provide no earthly explanation.  Instead, he offered the simple two-word formal rationale – “Doss prayed.”

Are we praying for God’s protection and provision during our battles?  If not, we must!  PLEASE EMBRACE PRAYER AS THE PIVOTAL DIFFERENCE IN THE BATTLES OF OUR LIVES AND IN OUR NATION.  May our success be attributed to only one thing – we prayed!

SET YOUR ALARM:  If you’re ENCOURAGED (that the Hyde Amendment, estimated to have prevented 2 million abortions, turned 40 last week), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!

Luke 18:1 “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint”

One of the most despised acronyms in military flight training is S.I.E. – self-initiated elimination.  It is the official military phrase that describes the situation when someone decides to quit a formal training program.  Individuals S.I.E. for a variety of reasons:  the training is too difficult, they are not doing well, they are not willing to endure the decade-long commitment that will come with graduation, or they don’t enjoy the career field as much as they thought they would.

It is despised for several reasons, including the fact that it severs the camaraderie of trying to complete the year-long training program together as a class.  Yet, the primary reason it is abhorred is that an individual who S.I.E.s was given a great opportunity and failed to use it.  In fact, that individual took a spot in a competitive program that could have gone to someone else who would have appreciated the opportunity and seen it to its conclusion.

American Christians all around us are S.I.E.ing.  In this case, I am not talking about quitting the faith or the church, though that is happening as well.  I am talking about the privilege we have to live in this nation at this time – for such a time as this – and how we are failing to pray as we should.  Indeed, we are seeing fellow Christians faint all around us.  Maybe true prayer has become too difficult for them.  Maybe they are not doing well in their life of faith.  Maybe they are not willing to endure our God-given commitment to pray for “kings and for all that are in authority.”  Maybe they aren’t enjoying the Christian life as much as they thought they would.

Make no mistake, American Christians have been given a spot that others around the world would rejoice in.  Your spot in this country at this time could have gone to someone else.  When we S.I.E., we are failing to live up to that privilege and that responsibility.

PLEASE PRAY AS WE SHOULD FOR THIS NATION AT THIS TIME.  When we S.I.E., then we quit on our comrades and more severely quit on God.