In times past, the church was the central influence in a community. I remember growing up, there was a certain respect for the church that even the vilest of sinners showed. In the 1800s, Charles Finney, a lawyer who sought God, would not stop seeking until he knew he was right with God. After he arrived at the decision that God had called him to preach, he gave up his law practice and set out to make a difference. Under the power of the Holy Spirit, his preaching changed entire cities. One of the great revivals that made history was in Rochester, NY. Finney’s strategy for winning a city was very simple. This strategy was prevailing prayer and powerful preaching.
Finney had two friends who would go with him to Rochester strictly to pray. Their prayers were the fuel for the fiery preacher. His friends Daniel Nash and Mr. Clary rented a room and began to pray. They were rarely seen outside the room as they remained in constant prayer for the city. They would fast for days as they wept for the souls of the city. Finney proclaimed that prayer was the foundation for his ministry and the key to success.
Between September 10, 1830, and March 6, 1831, he preached 98 sermons in Rochester. The messages, bathed in prayer, changed Rochester. Bars closed, shopkeepers closed stores, and notices urging people to attend church services were posted. During the same time period, the town’s population increased by two-thirds, and the crime rate dropped by two-thirds.
My question today is, what has changed? Why do we not have that kind of influence on our cities now? Something has changed, but it is not God. Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Jesus never changes.
Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”
God desires that all men, women, boys, and girls to be saved. It is not His will that any would perish.
I Timothy 2:4 “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
II Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
The only other element in the equation of what has changed is us! You may say well times have changed” and that would be true, but they change because we either allow them to or we change. I believe that in America we have become more concerned with religion and materialism than we are for the souls of men. Many are religious, but they have become religious about serving and worshiping the way they want to, not about seeking God and His desires.
When was the last time you fasted for days for someone to be saved? I must confess it’s been a long time since I fasted for someone to be saved. When we read about people like Finney and his friends spending days fasting and praying, we somehow get the picture that things were easier then. Kids were not involved in so much activity outside the home, jobs did not consume most of their time. Simpler, maybe, but only because they were single-focused. They were consumed with seeing people saved. They did not have the conveniences that we have, which should afford us more time. Communication was not as simple and easy as it is now. If they wanted to witness to someone in another town, they had to go to them or send a letter by slow mail or telegraph. All we need to do is pick up a cell phone or use the internet. We don’t even have to use a computer. We can message by phone.
God has blessed us with many things that should free up more time, but instead of filling it with eternal things, we fill it with more stuff and entertainment. We have less of God and see fewer people saved because that is what we choose.
The simple truth is painful, but it is necessary for us to acknowledge it before we can change. If you want to see people saved, it will take a consecrated effort. If you want to see God work, then we must do our part. He has called us to be difference makers for him. It is through prayer and work that people will be reached. We will allow others to see us as different through our desire to live a holy, consecrated life. It is through seeing our joy, which only comes through a relationship with Christ, that we will show them we are different.
Our world is in a mess, partially because the church stopped doing what it was called to do. Over the years, the church has allowed the world to influence it, to the point that there is not much difference between what the world does and what Christians do. Why would a lost person see a need for Jesus if they see their lives as no different from ours?
One day, we will come to the end of life as we know it. We will either die or Jesus will return and put an end to this world. What will really matter then? The only thing that will live forever is the souls of men, women, boys, and girls. Some will live forever with Jesus with a new body. In a world where there will be no more tears or sorrows. A world where we will be made like Jesus. A world where all our desires will be fulfilled. Yet, multitudes will die forever and ever in Hell. They will feel the pain of death but will never cease to exist. Their torment will be eternal.
What will you wish you had done when you stand before Jesus? Will you wish you had spent more time witnessing, reaching out to the lost? Will you wish you had made more money, sought more entertainment, and pleasures? I’m sure that will not be your desire when we stand before Jesus. I pray we all would have a greater burden for souls.
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