January 22, 2014
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41 years later: many attempts + earnest prayer
Today is the 41st anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision declaring abortion a fundamental right. Yesterday on my other site (see here (Xanga) / here (WP)), I wrote about the Rev. James Haldane Stewart's 35 year effort to stir up God's people to pray for the Holy Spirit. The following is an excerpt from Stewart's "Hints for the General Union of Christians for Prayer, for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit," originally published in early 1821. Though Stewart's words were penned almost 200 years ago, they are fresh, vibrant, and timely today because Stewart viewed social problems through the lens of Scripture. As Christians, we can and we should attempt to protect unborn children, to aid mothers in crisis, and to enact just laws — and yet Stewart reminds us there is even more needed...
In the present day, a day which for obvious reasons, may be called a day of trouble, of rebuke and of blasphemy; and yet a day which, from the advance of true religion, shines with many a ray of bright hope and earnest expectation; —in such a day, in which hope and fear thus alternately prevail, one great question that ought to occupy the mind — How to overcome the evil, and to extend the good; how to confound the works of Satan, and to enlarge and establish the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Many are the attempts now making for this purpose. Societies are in active operation to suppress vice, to reform our prisons, to afford a refuge for the destitute — to provide an asylum for the penitent — to educate the young — to circulate the Holy Scriptures — to evangelize the heathen — and to promote Christianity among the Jews. Each of these institutions has its peculiar excellence, but they are all limited in their object and in their effort. No one great and extensive plan has yet been adopted, which may, at the same time, effectually benefit ourselves, our families, our country, and the world at large.
The aim of this paper is humbly to suggest such a plan, not to disparage other benevolent attempts, but to give life, and vigour, and energy, to them all. The plan is this:—TO UNITE ALL SINCERE CHRISTIANS IN EARNEST PRAYER FOR THE GENERAL OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. This will meet the full extent of both of our wants and of our desires.
The limits of this paper require brevity; but if the Scriptures are examined, the following truths will be clearly seen; viz. That no human effort is of itself sufficient to change the heart of man, or to build the spiritual temple of the Lord. God employs men as instruments, but he is himself the great agent. Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but God only giveth the increase. Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts...¹
* * *My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, though we walk in the flesh, let us remember that the warfare we wage is not according to the flesh. How often do we become engaged in benevolent attempts and rely on ourselves — and end up neglecting to seek the face of God for the supply of the Spirit? May the attempts of God's people be many, but at the same time, may we earnestly plead with God to pour out His Spirit to give "life, and vigour, and energy to them all."
¹ I located a copy of Stewart's "Hints" republished in the article Union for Prayer, found in "The Religious Intelligencer" For The Year Ending May, 1821 containing the principal transactions of the various Bible and Missionary Societies, with particular accounts of Revivals of Religion. Volume V. pp. 841-843 - http://books.google.com/books?jtp=841&id=x6hVAAAAYAAJ#v=onepage&q&f=false). The article incorrectly attributes Rev. William Ward to be the author of "Hints."
Photo credit: “Studies of Embryos” by Leonardo da Vinci (Pen over red chalk 1510-1513) Photography by Luc Viatour.
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Comments (2)
Good Morning and that 200 year old sermon was really good. i am an historian like you, but my recollection is that these outpourings of the Holy Spirit are rare---as to indivituals despite the claims of one group of Believers, and certainly nationally. I am just typing out loud. I sure believe that this outpourig would be woderful, but the example use of Paul and Apollos doing their earthy ministry with God causing growth seems to the that shoud be the norm.
Even Jesus susggested we should pray to The Lord of the Harvest for workers. I have a hunch that many and doing well in church, but not getting out into the world to afffect it ofr God.
nice seeing you post and appreciated its brevity.
frank
Hi Frank,
Yes, outpourings of the Spirit are rare in this age, but there have been eras in which they have been more prevalent. God is always sovereign over each and every outpouring, but part of the problem is that our man-centered theology and spirit of self-reliance/self-sufficiency not only cause God's Spirit to be grieved and withdraw, but also lead to a lack of prayer for such outpourings. Like the Laodicean church, we presume all is well with us, and we don't realize how much of what we are doing is actually out of our own flesh, while in reality we are "wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked." A.W. Tozer said, "If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference. If the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church, 95 percent of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference."
It is God who gives the growth, and we certainly should continue to work faithfully, but at the same time we should be praying for God's Spirit to equip us, to make our efforts effectual, and to cause His Gospel to run speedily throughout all the earth. Re: your comment that many in the church are not getting out into the world -- that's part of why we need to be praying for the Holy Spirit to baptize us afresh, so we might be constrained and emboldened to serve God without reservation wherever He sends us. That's what happened to the early Church on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. So long as we are not resembling those first century believers who turned the world upside-down, we need to be praying for God to rend the heavens and come down.
~ Karen