Month: January 2022

An outstanding example of the proverb that “prayer is work, but prayer works” is found in the life of Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel. It is interesting to note that the record of Hannah’s prayer of intercession begins with the utterance that an adversary had provoked her. Why is it that many of us have to face some great test or crisis in life before we really pray? Is this the way that the Lord has to bring us to see our inadequacy and insufficiency before we cast ourselves upon Him?

The pressure on Hannah was such that she wept and refused to eat because of the heaviness of her heart. Does God have to permit circumstances like that to come into our lives before He can get us to earnestly intercede? Hannah went to the temple, the place of prayer, and there poured out her soul in agony before the Lord. It was there, in bitterness of soul, that the sacred writer says she wept and prayed and made a vow to God, that if He would grant her petition for a man-child she would give him back to God. This prayer that burst from the inner resources of her being was labor that cannot be defined in words.

Her very persistence in intercession drew the attention of Eli the priest, who, when he saw this woman in agony of spirit with only her lips moving, rebuked her for her drunkenness. Hannah’s condition was not the result of an intoxicant, but of a consuming passion for a son. She desired a son to such a degree that she cared little or nothing about what others thought or said. Have you ever had such a longing for God to give you spiritual sons and daughters that what others said about your dedication in prayer made little impression?

Everything the Lord Jesus did was easy except prayer. In His ministry, He would speak a word and the sick were healed, the hungry were fed, or the dead were raised to life again; but one thing was work, even sweat, tears, and agony, that was His praying.

We might say that Eli, the man of God, should have been able to discern or sense Hannah’s spiritual need. But how alert are we to those in our own homes and among our acquaintances who are in need of a spiritual ministry? We are so taken up with the activities of this life that we are not in a place to discern the hunger of human hearts whom God brings across our paths.

Did Hannah give up in discouragement following the rebuke of the priest? No, of course not. Otherwise she would never have realized that prayer works.

“And he brought him to Jesus … ” (John 1 :42).

By personal work we mean person-to-person work; the individual Christian dealing with the individual needing spiritual help. This personal work of a Christian dealing with one soul may be a great aid to the mass meeting where the preacher preaches to the people as a whole.

Instead of inviting the individual to come to you, in personal work, you go to him. We are commanded to “Go … and teach all nations … ” (Matthew 28:19).

JESUS DID PERSONAL WORK

It was not beneath the dignity of Jesus to deal directly with a single lost soul. In John 1:43, He “ … findeth Philip … ” Jesus Himself won Philip. Philip did not come to Jesus; Jesus went to Philip. Jesus sought for him until He found him. In John 4, His spiritual hunger and thirst were satisfied as He dealt with and won the sinful woman of Sychar! In John 5, He wonderfully healed the impotent man at Bethesda’s pool. In John 8, when Jesus was left alone with a sinful woman after all her accusers had fled, He spoke words that brought salvation to her heart. In John 9, He searched out the blind man whom He had previously healed, and when He had found him, led him into faith in Himself as the Son of God. In the three great parables of Luke 15, uttered by Himself, Jesus reveals His insatiable thirst for individual souls, placing the emphasis on one lost sheep, one lost piece of coin, and the one lost son. He left the many to go after the one, and when He had it, He brought it home rejoicing. Jesus was happy when He won a single soul. He died for the individual sinner. He “…loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). People are saved individually as they believe, not in groups. John 3:16 says, “ … whosoever believeth in him should not perish … ” This literally means, “every one believing in him shall not perish.” Jesus honored personal work.

THE APOSTLE DID PERSONAL WORK

“He first findeth his own brother Simon … And he brought him to Jesus … ” (John 1:41-42). “Philip findeth Nathanael…” (John 1:45). Philip follows his great Master who sought and found him. So he seeks out Nathanael and brings him to Jesus. In Acts 8, we have a Spirit-inspired account of Philip, the evangelist, doing personal work in leading the Ethiopian eunuch to Christ and salvation. What a wonderful example of a Christian, led of the spirit of God, dealing with a lost soul over the open Bible until the soul is gloriously saved for eternity! Though they must part, the new convert goes on his way rejoicing.

WE ARE TO DO PERSONAL WORK

All born again believers are to do personal work! We read of the great persecution against the Jerusalem church in Acts 8, which resulted in a great blessing as “ … they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (verse 4). Notice that they ” … went every where … “! All the church was scattered (verse 1) which certainly means the individual members. With burning hearts and flaming tongues, they did personal work- everywhere! Jesus says, “ … ye shall be witnesses unto me … ” (Acts 1:8). Christ’s witnesses tell lost souls what they know about Christ and His salvation that they may be saved. Surely this is our main business of life!

THE BELIEVER’S SOLEMN RESPONSIBILITY

An old man who was dying called me to his home. He had listened to me as I preached over the radio on the believer’s responsibility.

Tears began to roll down his cheeks. He reached under his pillow, pulled out a dollar bill, and handed it to me as he said, “Preacher, I was raised in the country and spent most of my life there. Only recently when I became ill my boy brought me here to his home to take care of me. He bought me a radio. I never had listened to one much and did not care for it, but he urged me to tune in to your broadcast, so I began to listen. You were preaching on the responsibility of Christians to reach others for Jesus. I had never heard this before. I know I was saved when I was a boy in the little old country church. I thought that all I needed to do was to enjoy my salvation all to myself. Nobody ever told me I should try to win others until these last few days, and now it’s too late. Preacher, I’ve wasted my life! I’m saved, but I’ve wasted my life.”

Oh, it was pitiful to see the anguish of this old man on the brink of eternity! I tell you, next to losing your soul, the most horrible thing I know is to lose your life!

STIRRING CHRISTIANS TO PERSONAL WORK

The preacher must constantly remind Christians of their duty and privilege to win souls by personal contact. Certain truths from God’s Word will shock and awaken Christians to this great work that God requires of us, and to the solemn fact that we must one day give an account of our Christian lives. These truths show us the great shame, the reproof, and the sorrow in store for those who disobey the Master’s orders and refuse to do the work He outlines for us to do. Such themes and texts as the following should awaken the most careless: 1) The judgment of Christ; 2) The awful sin of not doing personal work when God had ordained this means to reach lost souls; 3) “Blood required”! or when God requires the sinners’ blood at the hands of a Christian! 4) Disobedience – the Christian’s sin of ignoring and refusing his Master’s plain command!; 5) Multitudes of Christians who will lose the soul winner’s crown!; 6) The awful punishment for unfaithfulness!; 7) ” … that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten … ” (Luke 12:47); 8) Christians who will shine as the stars forever!; 9) The glorious future and rewards for those who win many to Christ!

What! Is the ship which carried Jesus overtaken in the storm? If there is a providence, might we not expect that, when the Son of God was sailing, the sea should be quiet? Shall the rude winds heave the waves on high, or assail the ship which carries the Creator? Would not human wisdom forbid every rude blast, and command gentle breezes to fill the sails? Not so in the wisdom of Divine providence. Jesus goes aboard, and the howling tempest is let loose: the ship reels, and the yawning abyss threatens to overwhelm all in ruin.

“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (Matthew 8:23-27).

And this was a wise providence. It glorified the Son of God, by giving Him an opportunity of manifesting Himself as the Lord of the seas and of the winds. ” … Peace, be still … “ (Mark 4:39), said the Lord, and the sea was as smooth as a pail of milk. This was the same power that spake the world into existence. This providence was also for the good of the disciples. It increased their faith in the Son of God.

When the Lord’s people sail, they should not fanatically suppose that providence will certainly give them fine weather. If the Son of God experienced a storm, His people cannot plead exemption. But they have ground to pray for a prosperous voyage, and reason to expect that providence will give it, if Divine wisdom has not purpose to serve by a tempest.

The Lord does not put his people to trial without necessity: if He presents dangers before their eyes, it is to excite them to call on Him, and trust in His power and love. Jesus rebukes the fears of the disciples. Where was their faith? Was not Jesus at hand? And is not Jesus always at hand with His people? Let them, then, with confidence call on Him, ” … Lord, save us … “ (Matthew 8:25).

“If my people, which arc called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7: 14).

In these words we have what may he called God’s prescription for a blessing. The reference is primarily, of course, to Israel, but the truths are applicable to us as Christians. As Christians, we need the blessing of God. No church can prosper without it. People may come in crowds; they may bring their substance in abundance; we may bear a testimony, and it may he orthodox; but this is not enough. We must have beside all, the blessing of God. And what is the blessing? I answer, the felt presence of God in our midst, moving in our hearts, molding our lives, and operating with a successful influence for good upon others. We need the· supernatural or, rather, the Divine character as the supreme element in our living.

WE ARE TO HUMBLE OURSELVES

Humility was the one great moral quality of the Son of God. He never exalted himself. His way to exaltation was in the dust. If we are called by His is name, we ought to possess His character. Yet there is a great deal or vain boasting among us as Christians; we have much confidence in self and too little in God.

One of the first steps to attain a true humility is to own our failures. This is so hard and few are willing to say they have failed. They are willing to speak of it in private conversation or in testimony, but if some one else should accuse them of the very evil they have confessed, how angry they would be. It is not so much that we are to own failure in outward confession as to recognize it honestly in the soul as a sad fact. If we will only be real in doing this, God will set before us, with no sparing hand, our very sinfulness, until we are prone to cry out in loathing at the revelation of self. But to this point we must come if we would know anything of God. Only when we are thoroughly demoralized does God come to us. Only in our weakness is His strength made perfect.

PRAYER

There is nothing a child of God so needs to be engaged in as praying. Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath. Prayer tells how near we live to God. A man who is living near to God is in a constant attitude of prayer. A man who is not walking in a state of prayerfulness is always blundering and falling by the way. How little real praying there is among Christians. Prayers are made, and prayers are said, and public prayer is observed; but in many cases it is only an oration to God, or a wailing confession before others, of our secret troubles, or a covert complaint against the providence of God, or an “eloquent” appeal to some listening ear in the audience. How rarely there is any praying in the home circle. Many families have no altar at all; others have suffered theirs to fall into actual neglect. There was a time when faith was new and love was fresh, that the members gathered around an open Bible in the name of the Lord and felt the power of such holy meetings all through the battle of the day. But now the husband has to hurry out to business, the wife is not up, or it is late. One thing after another hinders. The truth is, there is no prayer in the heart, and words of prayer on the lips of a prayerless heart is a crime too terrible to talk about. Many never think of returning even silent thanks above their daily food.

In prayer two things are required: 1) A hungering after God Himself. Many pray for temporal blessings; pray when they get into trouble. How few yearn and thirst in prayer for the felt presence of God. There can be no true prayer until we have this desire for only ” … they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness … shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6); 2) There must be an absolute, real dependence upon God, not a mere abstract belief, but the same familiar confidence in Him as in an earthly parent. Only so can answers come- only when we are abiding in Christ, and His Word in us, is the communication complete between us and God.

We ought not to take a step without prayer, and as frequently and freely as we consult our mortal friends, we should consult our heavenly and eternal Friend. Consult Him in the most trivial matters. Oh, if we only took everything to God in prayer before we stepped out into action, what needless pain we should avoid.

WE MUST SEEK HIS FACE

Jesus Christ is the face of God. Seeking to make Christ the aim and object of our daily living, seeking to incorporate His character into ours is seeking the face of God. Too often as Christians, we take the best we have or can get and use it for ourselves, the rest we give to God. This course is evil- can only end in evil. We must make the honor and glory and service of the Lord first. Consider what He has done, is doing now, and will yet do for us. By all these considerations, our hearts ought to be so fully taken up with Him that we should have room for nothing else.

WE ARE TO TURN FROM OUR WICKEDNESS

We may be outwardly very meek and proper; we may assume humility as a garb; we may pray with a loud voice; we may talk of devotion and speak freely of a “precious” Saviour, but how do we act how are we living? That is the vital point. A man may be very orthodox in his tongue and a very devil in his feet. There is such a thing, too, as a Christian walking in wickedness. David did; Peter did – and they paid terribly for it. So will every Christian who does not repent and tum to the Lord. If the judgment does not come now and here, it will then and there, at the Judgment Seat of Christ in the loss of reward, in the loss of a crown -loss, surely of some sort. We are to tum from everything that has in it the appearance of evil.

If we observe these four rules: prayerfulness, humility, consecration, and godliness, the blessing of God will come to us as individuals and as churches. If we so lived as thus to become the dwelling place of God’s blessing, what a healing power we should be in the land.