PLUS

Luke 19:12-13 “He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds and said unto them, Occupy till I come.”

Captain Eric “Winkle” Brown is a friend of mine. He is the British Royal Navy’s most decorated Fleet Air Arm pilot. During his 31-year career, he flew a world-record 487 aircraft types and performed a record-shattering 2,407 carrier landings. His aviation experience is nothing short of amazing.

As World War II in Europe was coming to a close in the spring of 1945, Allied leaders realized that they needed to mobilize in order to acquire notable German aviation technology for subsequent Allied use and to prevent the Russians from doing the same. Eric Brown was ultimately assigned as the commanding officer of the Enemy Aircraft Flight and was tasked with leading the British contingent on their mission. His team entered the rubble of post-war Germany to collect the Luftwaffe’s best technology as Allied ground forces gained German territory. Yet, things didn’t always work out as expected in the chaotic environment.

In one case, Brown flew to Denmark to exploit Germany’s jet reconnaissance bomber. Based on Army intelligence, he expected Allied occupation of Grove Airfield where the jets were based. Unbeknownst to him, the Allies were slow in their advance and Brown’s landing at Grove was instead at an active German airfield. The German commanding officer, convinced that the Allied army was just around the corner, surrendered his 2,000 men to Brown upon his arrival. Allied ground troops didn’t arrive until the next day.

In 21^st century America we may feel like we have landed in enemy controlled territory behind enemy lines. We would feel far more comfortable trailing God’s front line advances instead of acting ahead of the front lines. Yet, we need to realize that such mutual support may not be possible. Instead, we need to occupy territory now while trusting that God’s army is just around the corner. PLEASE PRAY FOR ALL CHRISTIANS TO BE COURAGEOUS, OCCUPYING TERRITORY NOW UNTIL GOD COMES. Our orders from God are to enter the rubble of post-Christian America to occupy ground for Him. We must do so!

SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re alarmed (by our government’s failure to pass an on-time budget for the 19^th year in a row), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!

I Kings 19:18 “Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.”

Elijah was initially wrong in the previous post. He was not alone. Unbeknownst to him, he had thousands of faithful allies in Israel. Not everyone had bowed his knees to idolatry or secularism.

We are not alone. We have thousands of faithful allies in America. I know this first-hand because my work has given me occasion to travel extensively, and I have always been encouraged by the faithful Christian citizens I have met in dedicated churches around this nation. There are faithful men and women in Knob Noster, Missouri and Las Vegas, Nevada. There are faithful Christians in Goldsboro, North Carolina and Santa Maria, California. There are faithful Christian citizens in Prattville, Alabama and Dayton, Ohio. We have faithful allies in Bowie, Maryland and Albuquerque, New Mexico. We have faithful comrades in Niceville, Florida and Lancaster, California. There are steadfast churches in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Bossier City, Louisiana. There are faithful Christians from coast to coast.

Imagine the power of such an army of believers. Imagine the temporal and eternal impact if Christians in just the locations mentioned above would faithfully do one thing – take time daily to specifically and fervently pray for our nation and its leaders. Imagine the signal it would send if we each stepped out of our workplaces at lunchtime to pray. Maybe it would be a bit disruptive. Potentially it would cause a bit of a stir. Undoubtedly it would send an unmistakable signal. Unquestionably it would cause politicians to take notice.  Probably it would make a point more powerfully than the largest protest.  Possibly it would convict Christians who have been carried along by secular culture. Hopefully it would call down the power of God to make a massive impact on this country.

PLEASE GET OUT AND PRAY FOR OUR NATION AND ITS LEADERS. Those who have not bowed their knees to modern-day Baal can make the greatest impact by bowing our knees to the Lord together.

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)!