Great author and inspirer!

One of my all time favourite authors is Oswald J. Smith. In 1988 I read his book "The Challenge of Missions" and it made an impact on me. In more recent years, I've been blessed by "The Work God Blesses" and - my favourite OJS title - "The Revival We Need." His books appear to be out of print (at least here in Australia), but "The Revival We Need" is available on line at
http://www.gospeltruth.net/OJSmith/revival_we_need.htm I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.
It's VERY inspiring.

Are you as desperate as Rachel?

Poor Rachel. She was all lined up to marry Jacob, but her sister Leah was given to him instead. So when Rachel did marry Jacob, a week later, there were three of them. Not a good situation.

But there was more pain in store for Rachel. Leah turned out to be a fruitful bearer of children. She gave birth to four sons. But during the time Rachel was unable to have children. This was no doubt a source of pain, shame, and anxiety for her. She longed for children, but it just wasn't happening. But out of this pain comes one of the most desperate statements found in the Bible.
Rachel said to Jacob, "Give me children or else I die!" (Genesis 30:1)

I have a question...

Are you as desperate to see people saved as Rachel was to have children?
Am I?

Do we LONG to give birth to spiritual children? This is not simply about "wanting results." It's having a Holy Spirit inspired, passionate longing to see people saved. It's even having the personal heart-cry, 'Lord, please give ME spiritual children!'

Are we as desperate as Rachel?

Could it be?

Dear fellow pray-ers,
COULD IT BE that there are breakthroughs we are praying for - and not yet receiving - which will only come if we move up to prayer and fasting? Do you think that is possible?

Perhaps God is wanting us to up the ante.
Perhaps prayer and fasting alone will bring the breakthrough.
Perhaps a greater sacrifice is needed before the miracle occurs.

We read in Isaiah 58:6, "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?"

When we are praying for a person's salvation, are we not praying that"the bonds of wickedness" will be loosed? Could it be that there are cases where those bonds will NOT be loosed until we move up to prayer and fasting?

It's worth thinking about.

A few can make a difference!

A.J. Gordon said, "A few Spirit-filled disciples are sufficient to save a church." I believe this is true. Just a small remnant of zealous, praying, spiritually-minded, desperate disciples can - through their prayers and influence - TURN THE TIDE in a church! Do you believe this? They can be used by God to stimulate revival.

Why are we not seeing many churches experiencing true revival? Perhaps there is not a remnant! Perhaps there is not ONE church member who is giving themselves to desperate prayer. But with even just one, things can change! Are you that one?

"I am of Paul"

One thing us Christians must beware of, but which we can easily fall into, is pledging allegiance to man. For example:

"I am of Calvin." "I am of MacArthur." "I am of Piper." And the list goes on.

Paul spoke against this. He didn't like Corinthians saying "I am of Paul." He rebuffed this with "Was Paul crucified for you?" (1 Cor 1:12-13). He cleverly exposed the foolishness of what they were doing.

I sense that there are Christians today who need to be reminded not to pledge allegiance to Calvin. Or Calvinism. God hasn't called us to "sign up" to a system of doctrine, and then look down on Christians who have a different view. The same applies to Pre-millenialism, the Pre-tribulation position, the Pentecostal view (or conservative view) of the sign gifts, and so on.

There is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all" (Eph. 4:5-6). May we pledge allegiance to Jesus Christ, not to any mere man or system of belief.

"Thank You God, that You are our Father. Thank You, Jesus, that You died for us all, and that we are all on an equal footing.