C.H. Spurgeon - Prayer Makes History

The memory of Charles Haddon Spurgeon has been cherished among evangelical Christians for over the past 100 years. Many Christian leaders consider him to be the greatest preacher England ever produced. He is commonly hailed as the "Prince of Preachers". Over 63 volumes of published sermons still bear witness to the richness and success of C. H. Spurgeon's ministry. Though known as a great preacher, it was not preaching that made Spurgeon great. Mr. Spurgeon repeatedly acknowledged his success as the direct result of his congregation's faithful prayers. "It has often been remarked that the whole church helped produce Spurgeon." When visitors would come to Spurgeon's church he would take them to the basement prayer-room where people were always on their knees interceding. Then Spurgeon would declare, "Here is the powerhouse of this church."

Spurgeon in his autobiography described his gratefulness for being blessed with such a praying church. "I always give all the glory to God, but I do not forget that He gave me the privilege of ministering from the first to a praying people. We had prayer meetings that moved our very souls, each one appeared determined to storm the Celestial City by the might of intercession." Spurgeon regarded the prayer-meeting as the spiritual thermometer of a church. His church's Monday night prayer meeting had a worldwide testimony for many years. Every Monday night a large portion of Spurgeon's sanctuary was filled with earnest and fervent intercessors.

"In Spurgeon's eyes the prayer-meeting was the most important meeting of the week." It is here many of us find ourselves in conflict with dear Mr. Spurgeon. We love our meetings for preaching and praising and yet sadly neglect those set aside for praying. One of Spurgeon's greatest concerns was that his people learn to truly pray. "He taught his people to pray, doing so far more by his example than by any preaching. People heard him pray with such reality that they became ashamed of their own mere repetition of words." Throughout his entire ministry many hearers remarked that they were moved by his preaching, but yet still more affected by his praying. D. L. Moody after his first visit to England, being asked upon his return to America, "Did you hear Spurgeon preach?" He replied, "Yes, but better still I heard him pray." A close friend of Spurgeon's, commented on his prayer life, "His public prayers were an inspiration, but his prayers with the family were to me more wonderful still. Mr. Spurgeon, when bowed before God in family prayer, appeared a grander man even than when holding thousands spellbound by his oratory."

Spurgeon fully recognized that the Church's greatest need was not to have another, "Prince of Preachers", but to have more princes of prayer. One of his many published sermons expressed his feelings on this. He wrote, "Shall I give you yet another reason why you should pray? I have preached my very heart out. I could not say any more than I have said. Will not your prayers accomplish that which my preaching fails to do? Is it not likely that the Church has been putting forth its preaching hand but not its praying hand? Oh dear friends! Let us agonize in prayer . . . "

There has been much talk lately about pockets of revival springing up in our nation. Many are saying they desire such revivals in our own local churches, and cities. Yet, is it not the prayer-meeting which is still most neglected? If Christ Jesus were to visit us today with real revival power, how could such a blessing be sustained where there is no ground work laid in prayer? To merely exercise our words about revival and not our knees is hypocrisy! It is time to make the prayer-meeting as crowded as our favorite preaching and praise meetings. It is then and ONLY then, that a true revival will come with lasting power! Like Mr. Spurgeon, let us regard the prayer-meeting as our most important meeting!


References Used:

C H. Spurgeon's Autobiography compiled by Susannah Spurgeon and Joseph Harrald

Spurgeon by Arnold Dallimore
From: A Revival Source Center

"Conquered" by A.W. Tozer

Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. --Genesis 32:24-25

The enemy never quite knows how to deal with a humble man; he is so used to dealing with proud, stubborn people that a meek man upsets his timetable. And furthermore, the man of true humility has God fighting on his side--who can win against God?

Strange as it may seem we often win over our enemies only after we have first been soundly defeated by the Lord Himself. God often conquers our enemies by conquering us.... When God foresees that we must meet a deadly opponent, he assures our victory by bringing us down in humbleness at His own feet. After that, everything is easy. We have put ourselves in a position where God can fight for us, and in a situation like that, the outcome is decided from eternity. We Travel an Appointed Way, 14.

"Lord, help me to submit willingly to You, in complete humility, without struggle or wrestling. Then You fight for me against my strong enemy. I'll rest-and revel-today in Your victory. Amen."

When God Shows Off

Tonight on my prayer walk I was amazed to see the most beautiful harvest moon. I had immediate thoughts of Red Moon Rising (a book well worth reading) and the global 24-7 prayer movement that is exploding across the earth.

But the most glorious thoughts that flooded my mind were...God is showing off...showing off His glory! That's what nature exists for.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Psalm 19:1

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. Romans 1:20

Two things jump out of these passages. First, the creation exists simply to show God's glory and share it with us. Second, what has been made reveals attributes of God. God is personal. He loves showing off. He loves us. He loves for us to stand in amazement of His Holy, unique attributes...displayed in what has been made (for His glory).

All this is wonderful in theory-but gets ever so practical when we think about the moon itself. The Bible tells why God made the moon:


And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:16-18

The moon was made to "rule the night"...in other words to display in the natural that God is the true light that rules both day and night! How do we practically join in the displaying this glory that God desires to display through His creation--especially us?

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Cor. 3:18

Like the moon reflects the glory of the sun, we shine forth the glory of the Son simply by beholding Him. Through the Word and through prayer we see Jesus and automatically reflect Him. It's the reason you were made...to behold...to reflect.

We're walking harvest moons...all His children.

SO THAT

As I read the gospels, one thing is clear—the disciples did not get the fact that Jesus was to be crucified and resurrected. Jesus kept telling them over and over, but they had no place for this in their thinking. Even Peter, thank God for old Pete, tried to rebuke Jesus for this kind of talk! Peter’s move was not a childish mistake, but was Satan himself overtaking Peter’s mouth and motives and fears. That’s an amazing thought. How many times does Satan take over our thinking and speech when Jesus is telling us something we don’t want to hear?

How you ever had this thought—I wonder what Jesus is saying to us today that we are just unwilling or unable to hear? I imagine it’s just as simple and straight forward as Jesus’ message of His impending crucifixion. Should the Messiah, the Savior of the world, die such a wretched death? Satan says no and God the Father says yes. I believe it’s in this same vein of thought that Satan is deceiving the church (and even speaking through us) today. Satan reasons that “God’s children” shouldn’t have to suffer such pain, disappointment and daily death. We deserve better. This is exactly how he deceived the first couple on earth.

Satan’s tricks are the same. But let’s move our focus off him and onto HIM! Jesus is speaking a clear, concise message that the church refuses to hear. The message of Phil. 1:29—“For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake” is all but absent from the thinking of preachers and church members alike. We think the opposite. "If God loves you, you will not hurt" is the popular message of today. Those words ruin disciples because they are from the pit of hell. God, on the other hand, has such a gracious purpose for our sufferings—“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Cor. 1:3-4

Our answer is found in the SO THAT of 2 Cor. 1:4! Can you hear Jesus? He has a message for you. (Oh, so does the defeated one)

Destiny Reinforcers

I was half awake and half asleep when I got this revelation..."the closer I move toward God's destiny for me the more the enemy will throw deeply painful roadblocks my way--especially from people I love." As I more fully awoke I began to test this premise by analyzing it as compared to the experience of a few close friends. One, who shall remain unnamed, has made great strides in focusing his ministry toward God's destiny (and many have noticed). Yet the enemy has done his favorite trick...to take those that we love and use them to painfully hurt us...satan's purpose is simply to get us to move away from our destiny. This principle has been true in my own life too. As we have moved more and more to become the house of prayer and to lead others that direction satan has worked overtime to get us to quit. To be a normal church. To quit all this praying. Yet, his attacks only reinforce our determination to pursue God's destiny.

Do you think it's biblical? Remember when Peter tried to rebuke Jesus from going to the cross...and Jesus said those painfully powerful words--"Get behind me satan. You have in mind the things of man not the things of God!" Or when Paul was being sent by the Spirit to Jerusalem and then to Rome--and several key believers (and even a prophet) sought to dissuade him from going this direction. Even though God's destiny was that direction.

What about you? As you pursue God's clear destiny for you do you see the enemy at work? Simply ask God to use satan's attacks to reinforce your pursuit of God's destiny for you!

Tozer on A BIG GOD

Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. --Psalm 34:3

I am positively sure after many years of observation and prayer that the basis of all of our trouble today, in religious circles, is that our God is too small.

When he says magnify the Lord, he doesn't mean that you are to make God big, but you are to see Him big. When we take a telescope and look at a star, we don't make the star bigger, we only see it big. Likewise you cannot make God bigger, but you are only to see Him bigger....

My brethren, God calls us to magnify Him, to see Him big. A meeting is not big because a lot of people are present. A meeting is big because a number of people see a big God in the meeting. And the bigger God is seen, the greater the meeting. A friend of mine has a little saying, 'I would rather have a big, little meeting than a little, big meeting.' There are a lot of big meetings that are little because the God in them is a small God. And there are a lot of little meetings that are big because God is big in the midst of them....

That is the first thing--magnify God. Your ministry will be little, and you will live and die little unless you have a bigger God. Success and the Christian, 36-37,40

What A Refreshing Way To Leave A Legacy

I'm on a prayer retreat and God keeps speaking to me about what's most important to His Heart...LOVE!

As I sit and ponder the amazing legacy my mom has left on earth and in heaven one word rings out clear and loud--LOVE! Mom was not a loud person, but she loved clearly and consistently day in and day out! As I think about her life...year after year and decade after decade--she loved! Some were close to her like family and others were new friends she made wherever she went. Since we know every word of God is true and has been tested to be so--we can rejoice in the enduring legacy of love:

LOVE NEVER FAILS! 1 Cor. 13:8

When we love we always win...and the influence of the love shared has eternal impact! What a great honor to look back on mom's almost 74 years on earth and summarize her life with one simple word--LOVE! Mom expressed her love through sharing, serving, talking, caring and most of all by giving Jesus and His word to all who would listen.

This simple woman with no college degree has left a tidal wave of impact through daily loving those God brought to her.

Wow...what a refreshing way to leave a legacy!

Words...Word

Have you ever read a Christian biography that ravished your soul? I cannot over emphasize how encouraging Christian biographies can be! My favorites include HEAVENLY MAN (about Brother Yun), THE LIFE OF A.W. TOZER: IN PURSUIT OF GOD (by Snyder)and DESTINED FOR A MISSION: The Life Journey of Herman Neusch by Kathy Glover. And a new favorite is GEORGE WHITEFIELD by Dallimore. I am reading it for the second time!!! Did I say that Christian biographies can be SO encouraging?


Here's the line that has literally changed my life: "Finally comes his unique practice of 'praying over every line and word' in both English and Greek, feasting his mind and his heart upon it till its essential meaning has become a part of his very person."

Wow...try that...praying over the Word...every line and word! It will become a part of your very person!

25 Reasons I Am Thankful For our Wreck 25 Years Ago

1. I understand pain is God’s megaphone to wake a sleeping world
2. I know the grueling struggle of persevering in suffering
3. I see that God shapes character through our patient endurance
4. I am glad that God sets the limits to every trial
5. I am thankful that with each trial God provides the grace to overcome
6. I perceive that we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us
7. I experienced the love & prayers of family & friends at unprecedented levels
8. I have been comforted by God in my affliction
9. I can now comfort others in any affliction with the comfort I received
10. I have a marriage that was forged in the depths of pain and founded on Christ
11. I have a best friend in Mary Anne that was formed in the early days
12. I have a theology of suffering
13. I don’t see God and hardship as antithetical
14. I love God more because of the wreck
15. I rejoice looking back because I have been changed by the affliction
16. I have experienced real loss, grief and now know God better because of it
17. I saw and heard amazing miracles associated with the wreck
18. I have the joy of sharing the miracles God did and thus encourage others
19. I know God’s love does not disappoint, even when it looks like it will
20. I have scars that show I have suffered and healed
21. I offer the scars as a reminder we are all wounded healers
22. I see what could have been used for evil has been turned for good
23. I know God gives and takes away
24. I know God makes all things work together for my good
25. I would do it again…it’s been worth all the pain

Loved

When you stop and think of the innumerable things that try to set the agenda for our day it is indeed a miracle when we live to love. Isn't that why were created...to love and be loved? FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON (John 3:16) and WE LOVE BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US (1 John 4:19)...these simple texts are explaining that we have been loved infinitely by God!

A basic psychological theory of self-esteem (stick with me here) is called the LOOKING GLASS SELF THEORY. It states that each individual sees themselves as a reflection of how the most important person in their life sees them. Do you see how this works in our favor? God now sees all believers in His Son (2 Cor. 5:21) and that will never change. Is He the most important person in your life?

Celebrate...

*God love for you is constant--even on your worst day
*Nothing you do can change the way He feels about you
*Embracing His amazing love will free you to be who HE made you to be

And the best part is we get to live a life for the ONE AGENDA--Loving God! We exist now and forever for love.

We have been loved fully...we are loved fully...we will be loved fully!

Now and forever...focus on loving God and receiving His constant love for you.

It makes life!

The Most All Encompassing Promise

People...seriously...wow...take a few minutes to look at the most unbelievable, shocking and all encompassing promise from God I know. It's found in Psalm 1:1-2...


Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.


There are three conditions to walking in this promise:

First--Do not listen to the counsel of the wicked!

Second--Delight in God's Word!

Third--Meditate on God's word day and night!


If you meet these three conditions--and this is only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit--you will be the heir of sucess (the text says you will prosper) IN ALL YOU DO!


DO YOU SEE IT? Obeying the Word of God makes you a success in all circumstances regardless of the outcome in your eyes or anyone elses for that matter.


WOW...Join me in turning off the counsel of the wicked...delighting in God's Word...and in meditating day and night on HIS WORD!

How To P.R.A.Y. for Your Child

P-ray they will love Jesus with all their heart, soul, mind and strength (Mt. 22:37)

R-equest of God that they will grow deeper, wider, longer and higher into the love God has for them (Eph. 3:18-19)

A-sk God to show them why He made them (Rom. 12:4-8)

Y-earn of God for your child to learn to hear and obey God's voice (John 10:27-28)

Where Are The Prophets?

I don't mean those who can foretell the future...I mean men and women of God who have a NOW Word from God for the wayward church of today. A.W. Tozer often said we need prophets in pulpit, not promoters! If you listen today they are hard to find. Men of old...men sent from God (like John the Baptist) came with a Word of truth in love for the body. Oh how the church of today needs men and women who love enough to tell the truth. I don't think it's a matter of when there will be a great falling away, I believe the church in America is currently in the backsliden state desperately in need of men and women of God who have met with God and have a Bible based remedy for our current cancer of self-focused religion.

Pray...it's so easy to fall into pride at this point. That's enemy #1. We must know that judgment begins with the house of God...and God is currently exposing our darkness in order to send us out as lights in a dark world. What can we do if the light has turned to darkness?

Pray...I believe the true church's best days lie ahead...even in the midst of great persecution that is coming soon. The last days church will rise up in the Spirit's power in the midst of great opposition. Great ready, it's here. But our greatest worry is not the oppositon, but self-focused religion where satan comes as an angel of light to deceive even the elect if that were possible.

Pray...We must once again see that our relationship with Jesus is first and foremost. The church must again pursue with reckless abondon the first and greatest commandment of LOVING GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART, SOUL, MIND AND STRENGTH. This is the only remedy to the grave danger facing us. It's not a new program we need, but a new passion for God alone!

Pray...the devil is raging for he knows his time is short (see Rev. 12) and we overcome him in the same simple way that all saints have and will--by the blood of the Lamb, by the Word of our testimony and by not loving our lives even to shrink back from death. These are exciting days. Ask God to overwhelm you with Himself and to send you out with fire in your bones!

A Great Thought and An Amazing Adventure

A GREAT THOUGHT
We just finished an incredible Unceasing Prayer (see www.austinprays.org for more info) luncheon where over 50 prayer leaders, pastors and pro-life workers gathered from 30 different churches! We were so blessed and challenged. I highlighted how the call to LOVE GOD WITH ALL OUR HEARTS, SOULS, MINDS AND STRENGTH through the prayer movement had mobilized us to LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELF through justice ministries (more specifically pro-life causes). Following the lunch I receive several encouraging e-mails, and one that spurred a great thought. Thomas Cogdale, from Austin House of Prayer, asked me what I thought about referring to justice type ministries as 2nd commandment ministries. What a great idea because it roots these “justice” ministries into the two great commandments and frames them in the command to love. I love it!


AN AMAZING ADVERTURE
Last night 19 of us (mainly the 20’s home group along with Ellen Wilkosz) wore crazy and ugly orange t-shirts that say PRAYER TEAM on them and walked 6th Street (yes the party capital of Austin) from 10:30pm till after 1am. What is most exciting about this wild ministry is you don’t have to make anything happen. God makes things happen. You simply walk down the street praying and worshiping and God opens doors for ministry. This is the 2nd commandment that flows out of the first commandment. Every Friday that we go to 6th Street we spend a few hours before in prayer at the NWF prayer room and then at Austin House of Prayer. The first commandment is first but always leads to the great adventure of the 2nd commandment. In the body of Christ throughout out our nation we have many folks who want to be missionaries. One key piece of advice—before you go on missions begin living as a missionary in your home town. If not, there’s no reason to go. Start at home. If you are a member of Northwest Fellowship, begin on 6th Street, feeding the homeless, praying in front of the abortion clinic or get involved in the host of other opportunities to do missions right here!

Testimonies from Haiti

Have you heard some of the positives in the midst of the great suffering in Haiti?

Here's some things I've heard from various ministries...

*If you drive around Port au Prince and stop your car and roll down your window, you can hear worship rising to Jesus throughout the city!

*This time of year Haiti normally celebrates "Carnival", a three day Mardi Gras type event. This year it was replaced with 3 days of prayer and fasting!

*This past week over 10,000 people showed up for a prayer meeting and it lasted for hours and hours...600 unbelievers became believers at this event.

*And I'm sure you heard about the man who was trapped under wreckage for 27 days and was miraculously rescued! What you didn't hear on our news was what he said when they asked him how he survived. He said the "man in the white robe" brought me water everyday! When asked who that was, HE HAD NO IDEA!!!


Believers...pray that the gospel is preached, received and takes deep root in the hearts of the Haitians!

Pray for the workers who are serving the injured and the hurting...for God's grace to empower them with miraculous provisions to love, heal and share Jesus.

Ask Father to multiply the supplies as He did when Jesus fed the 4000 and the 5000 in the Bible!

Can You Imagine

Today...somewhere between being asleep and awake these words rushed clearly into my mind--"HE BREAKS THE POWER OF CANCELED SIN." It was a liberating feeling...unbelievable. Can you imagine if every believer lived AS FREE AS JESUS DIED TO MAKE US? Can you imagine if we all lived with NO LINGERING AFFECTS OF CANCELED AND FORGIVEN SIN?

Then I googled "breaks the power of canceled sin" and the first entry of 844,000 that came up was a blog by a lady named Bonnie B. who on April 2, 2009 had the same thing happen to her right when she awoke!!! Like her I had to google the song...which was written by Charles Wesley...

He breaks the power of canceled sin
He sets the prisoners free
His blood can make the foulest clean
His blood availed for me

Day 106

6 months...that’s what the Doctor said...we had only a few months left with mom. All of us shocked...but the realism of a short window of time was upon us. Lunch at Fuddruckers...normal, but not. We all knew we had entered the final frontier on this earth with mom. I remember mom saying, “That means I won’t make Christmas.” She didn’t...at least not on earth. In fact mom went to heaven 3 months before the doctor projected, but not one moment before God had planned. Painful...and gracious. Sad...but better. Miss her...but all is well with mom.

Yesterday...I got another letter from a woman who mom’s love and life had forever transformed. “She’s the greatest woman I’ve ever known” was what she said about mom. Great words for a humble housewife who lived in the same house for 31 years, never finished college and who lived a very simple life. Simple but not simplistic. There is a huge difference. The power of mom’s life is found in what she did daily. Time with Jesus...day after day...book after book...study after study...prayer after prayer. No one watched...only Jesus. Mom’s time with Jesus enabled her to love like no one you’ve ever met. Daily she loved...dad...us...friends...strangers...new friends...young...old...rich...poor. A life of pursuing simply Jesus...a life of simple love overflowing.

106 days...That’s how long mom has been enjoying the jaw dropping beauty of Jesus and heaven itself. When you lose someone, you so miss them that you try to remember them the way they were and how they are now. I have so many beautiful pictures of mom in my mind...but to imagine who she is now is even more satisfying. The Bible says that no one has ever come close to imagining what we will be when we see Jesus face to face (see 1 John 3). Mom is now enjoying that privilege...one that she sought each morning in her time with the Lord...now that which she sought her entire adult life is her daily joy—seeing...loving...experiencing JESUS.

Forever...Enjoy it mom...I know it gets better every day...And remember we miss you now more than ever!

Think On These Things

Paul tells his son in the Lord, Timothy, to "think on these things" and the Lord will give you revelation! My favorite "dead saintly mentor"--A.W. Tozer--said believers should think twice as much as we read. Why? If we don't, we will become passive readers who simply "read books" or even "enjoy reading" with little to no life change or growth. God's ideas (His Word) embraced transform us!!!

What was Paul talking about in 2 Tim. 2:7 when he said, "think on these things"? Paul had just finished talking about growing stronger in Jesus and making disciples when he gave three illustrations: one on suffering soldiers, another on integrity filled athletes and the final one on rewarded farmers (see 2 Tim. 2:3-6).

We "share in sufferings as good soldiers"; we are athletes who "compete according to the rules"; we are "hard-working farmers who have first share of the crop." As you suffer do not despair...you are a soldier and all soldiers suffer. As you refuse to cut corners do not be proud...you are an athlete and we all compete within the rules. As you are rewarded do not refuse the blessings...you are a farmer reaping the fruit of your labor.

Think on these things.

What Difference Do My Prayers Make?

Many...even established and sincere believers...ask WHAT DIFFERNCE DO MY PRAYERS REALLY MAKE? Listen to what the Holy Spirit says in His Word:


"For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance." Phil. 1:19


"The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." James 5:16


"You do not have, because you do not ask." James 4:2


Paul highlights that the prayers of the Philippians along with the help of the Spirit will work together for his deliverance. Paul could have easily left that out...many of us do or would have. Paul could have simply said that because of the work of the Spirit I will be delivered. But, he didn't. He clearly stated that through "your prayers...and the help of the Spirit"!


James give us two clear admonitions to pray. He clearly says that our prayers, because we are righteous in Jesus (2 Cor. 5:21), have "great power" to work! Isn't Jesus great that when He saved us He also made us righteous so we could pray prayers of power!

James also exhorts us that many of us sit without...without answers...without joy...without provision...without breakthroughs simply because we "do not ask." What are we missing because of silence.


Recently I've asked God for things that I didn't have great faith for at the time...and God moved! I urge you to join me in ASKING, SEEKING AND KNOCKING! What a privilege to pray!