YOUR 1959 WATCH -4 General Director, League
By Ernest M. Wadsworth, Great Commission Prayer H aving a watch meeting again this year?” ' “ Oh yes! We always have a watch night meeting at our church.” “What kind are you going to have?” “What kind? Oh, you know, the reg ular thing. Food, fun, and fellowship, and a good time for all!” But it will take more than that to advance a work of the Spirit of God. The watch night meeting that God honors is more like one of those meet ings Christ had with His disciples when He appeared among them in His resurrection body. Food, fun and fel lowship are hardly a substitute for such a season of prayer as the apostles held, as mentioned in Ephesians 6:18. Real prayer works against the wicked interests of Satan. Nothing dis turbs him like Christians in touch with heaven. To accomplish his defeat, God must be brought into the spiritual battle. On this watch night meeting of 1959-60, ministers must face up to their prayer reviving duty. For if their people will not seek the face of God for themselves, their children and Christ’s cause, the Church will never edify the saints or convert thé sinners. Saints who cannot prevail with God will never succeed with people. And failing here, they shall be as impotent as the Laodiceans and just as vulner able to the rebuke of Christ. How shall we plan for a watch night meeting? Let us consider first the desires of the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Great Head of the Church. Let us not forget that we are His servants and that it is He who is to have His way in the churches and not we ourselves. A real audience with the Lord, learning from Him as to the means, method, and manner of con duct for your watch night meeting, is of the first importance. As His instruments, you must not be in dis pute with your Lord, your Owner and User. You are to do God’s work al ways in His time and way under the guidance and in the grace of the Spirit of God. But you ask, “W ill the people come just for spiritual f e l l o w s h i p and
which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18). Their second best work is the sancti- fication of the justified. If a minister can’t get his people to love the Word, take keener interest in prayer and witness for Christ, and bring up their children in the fear of God, he is a failure. The church where this situa tion holds true will wane, and its min- istries will be in vain. Spiritual gains give a minister not only commendation from God, but blessings from a happy, useful people. Brethren, take seriously the great spiritual opportunity of watch night for reviving the work of God. Other- wise, we shall never reach that happy, blessed experience of revival which is the best thing that can ever happen to any church. How can a minister have a watch night meeting that will definitely promote revival in the church? The answer is found in the Word. Here we have the pattern of revival for the Church Age. This pattern gives min isters their answer to this question. We shall not find that pattern in Pentecost—that was the fruitage of a previous revival. The pattern appeared in the infant church during the forty days the risen Saviour went out and in among those first disciples. A ll con nected with that period give ministers the clue as to how they can promote revival in their congregations. Here are the facts briefly stated. Let them be deeply impressed upon us. 1. The disciples had lost the actual presence of Christ in their assemblies. 2. They realized more than ever that the world about them was more wicked and hateful than they had ever thought. 3. They all mourned and wept over their sad situation, and most of all over losing Christ from their assem blies. 4. They, therefore, met frequently for consolation and counsel. 5. They experienced a few rising hopes but had grave persistent fears. 6. They were graciously and sud denly surprised by the astounding presence of Christ among them.
prayer?” The answer is this: “ The godly remnant will come.” These are your best people. These are the people God loves to bless. His “ eyes . . . are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayer” (I Peter 3:12). It will do a minister a great deal of good to see just how many of his officers, workers, and members have a real interest in the Lord and revival. This could be the start of revival. Gideon’s reduced number was not a bad sign. A minister is best able to appraise the spiritual State of his peo ple by seeing how much interest they have in spiritual things. Take heart, brethren. There are more members interested in real prayer meetings than we are likely to think. Officers and members who have concern for the salvation of members of their households are more numerous than even a minister supposes. Sunday school teachers exercised in soul for the conversion of their scholars, and young people’s workers who know the slips and stains of teen-agers, have more of a real concern for their salva tion than is generally realized. Older Christians, too, who have lived through times when sinners were definitely seeking the Lord are found in most of our evangelical congrega tions. They want to see a real spiritual awakening. Food, fun and fellowship do not interest them very much. Elderly Christians are, moreover, keen in their appraisal of current Christian programs. Some, I know, are giving their money to soul-saving enterprises instead of to the familiar work of their congregations. One old lady of means rebuked her pastor gently by saying: “Why, pastor, you haven’t had a convert since you came to us.” Now, is not the main work of the minister to get souls to turn to God from Satan? Unless Satan is dethroned and Christ enthroned as rightful mon arch, ministers have labored in vain. Their main work is to turn men “ from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may re ceive . . . inheritance a m o n g t h em
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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