II Corinthians 12:9-10 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
Philippians 3:7-8 “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”
Exodus 4:10-12 “And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto they servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? Or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.”
The Prayer Meeting Revival of 1857 began humbly in September of that year, but quickly swept the nation with its impact. It is just such a model centered around a call to prayer at lunchtime that was the genesis of the PLUS ministry (https://prayatlunch.us/testimony/). The next several posts will focus on facets of this prayer meeting from yesteryear that still have important applicability today.
Jeremiah Lanphier was a Dutch businessman in New York City in the middle of the 1800s. He had no theological or ministerial training, but was well-regarded in his business and church communities during a time of change in the demographics of his lower Manhattan neighborhood. He felt led to serve Christ more fully with his life, and answered the call to be a lay missionary for the North Dutch Church. On July 1, 1857, he shuttered his business and faithfully followed God’s calling on his life.
Lanphier had all the reasons in the world to ignore the Lord’s call as an untrained layman with skill and success in his business pursuits. Yet, he faithfully surrendered to this calling on his life. His strength was made perfect in weakness; he recognized that when he was weak, then he was strong. The things that were gain to him, he counted as loss for Christ. He yielded to the Lord, trusting the Lord’s promises that He would “be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.” The results were miraculous!
PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO FAITHFULLY FOLLOW THE LORD’S CALLING ON OUR LIVES TODAY. God’s grace was sufficient for Lanphier, and it is more than sufficient for us today.
