Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:18 “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Psalm 37:5 “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”

I Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

God had miraculously set and nurtured the conditions for revival in Lower Manhattan in 1857, even when the conditions seemed bleak.  To begin with, Jeremiah Lanphier was called into his ministry because of the demographic change in the area that brought in immigrant families who were short on Biblical knowledge and who needed a source of Christ-centered truth.  Then, shortly after the beginning of the prayer meetings, the economy faced a sharp downturn known as The Panic of 1857, a financial crisis that began in New York City and quickly spread throughout the country.  Banks and businesses closed, and people faced severe unemployment.  While the conditions in those days seemed dire, these unique challenges created an urgent neediness for the truths of God, the prayers of the people, and the hope of the gospel.  The economic downturn even gave people time to regularly attend the prayer meetings when a prosperous time would have otherwise deprived them of an opportunity to do so.  God had orchestrated things perfectly for revival in their day, working all things together for good in accordance with His purposes.

In our lives, and in our times, conditions sometimes seem bleak.  Changes in our communities may unsettle some, and economic and health challenges in our land may concern and even impact others.  While the conditions in our day may seem dire, these unique challenges may have created an urgent neediness for the truths of God, the prayers of the people, and the hope of the gospel.  We may even have the time to pray when normal times would otherwise deprive us of an opportunity to do so.  God may have orchestrated things perfectly for this day, working all things together for good in accordance with His purposes.

PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITIES AROUND US TO SERVE THE LORD FAITHFULLY.  Our labour will not be in vain in the Lord; He will bring it to pass!