PRAYERFULNESS

The believer is "in the world" but not "of the world." Believers are to walk a sanctified, righteous life before the LORD JEHOVAH in a worldly-wise environment.

"By 1853 laymen had founded interdenominational organizations that crossed church boundary lines such as the PACIFIC GARDEN MISSION OF CHICAGO, THE SALVATION ARMY, and the YMCA, which founded twenty-six organizations that provided relief for the poor in rescue missions in the U.S. Americans still had many other problems in their nation, such as greed, poverty, alcoholism, corruption in government, and other evils that trouble society. People began to search for solutions and ask the government for help, but they did not seem to realize that the government can never solve the underlying problems of sin. In 1851 the South African Republic (Transvaal) was established.

In 1854 after coming to know Jesus as Lord, DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY, at age seventeen, testified, “I remember the morning after I had first trusted Christ. It seemed I was in love with all creation. I was ready to take all men to my hart.” By nature a man of great energy and impulse, he soon was involved in serving God. The Holy Spirit touched Moody to give all of his time to minister when he saw a whole class of girls converted because of their dying teacher. God used this to kindle a fire in Moody to see the lost saved by Jesus Christ. Being a Unitarian, he was converted to Congregationalism and in 1856 left his work as a shoe salesman in Boston, Massachusetts, to engage in missionary work in Chicago.

In 1856 THE WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY combined many independent telegraph companies to form a more unified service for the country.

REFLECTIVE PORTION: [[Prayer is the spiritual force that brings God “on the scene” and gives Him an avenue of access into men’s affairs. Prayer is one way of waiting upon the Lord. “Wait” means “to remain in readiness” to hear from Him and then obey Him. When a person seeks the Lord with his whole heart, the Lord will be found of that person. Then, when God speaks, a person should be ready to obey His Word and follow His direction. His direction may be as simple as breathing a “prayer” or the obedience to “draw water” for wine. His direction may seem ridiculous to the flesh, but trust and obedience to Him will bring a miraculous solution to any situation. Isaiah 30:18 informs the believer that the Lord waits in readiness to hear from the believer. “And therefore will the Lord wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.” God waits on man to repent and surrender to His blessings. He waits for believers to care enough to intercede for the abundant life for others. He will not force His grace and mercy on anyone, but He will give His blessings to anyone who meets His terms of faith through Jesus Christ. Jehovah God is a God of judgment, so He cannot bless men contrary to His Word; but He will bless them to the letter of His Word when they fulfill righteousness. Praying is one way to “wait” upon the Lord and fulfill righteousness, a holy Way of life.]]

In 1857 MR. JEREMIAH C. LANPHIER of the North Reformed Dutch Church began to reach out to the people in the heart of NEW YORK CITY. It was a time when the volatile issues of slavery had exploded into open violence…."

EXCERPT from Chapter 20.