singleness of purpose

 Have you ever stopped and truly considered what Christ did in 3 years on this earth? No internet, no radio, a day to travel 10 miles, no tv, no news channels talking of Him every hour showing the world what He was doing. I know He was here 33 yrs, but the first 30 were as a child, a son, working for the family. In 3 years time He turned the world on it's ear 

In 3 years time.

Your argument is He was God, of course He made an impact, but no one in power and authority accepted Him as God. He made it all happen in teaching, yes He healed miraculously, yes He raised the dead, but again it was in a small area of the world. No media, no marketing, no PR manager.

The main reason He did this, that He made this impact is He was wholly committed to the Will of the Father. He made an impact because He was God, He was God's Son, He was the Messiah, and He was obedient. He wanted the people to know God.

Singleness of purpose.

In America we were wholly dedicated to Him at the beginning, but we lost our way a few years ago when comfort and convenience became more important than being a Christian. We let God be removed from the schools, we let God be removed from our houses, we let the entertainment industry and the government tell us what is right and wrong. We let them tell us we can not speak of Him at work, in school, we let the battle arena be limited to the church building.

Every age has one man that stands out and stands up for God. I have been through that here before, Every 30 years or so there has been a man raised up to revive the Spirit of the men and women of this world. Please note I said the Spirit of the men and women. As Christians we are blessed by God to have His Spirit in us, this means we all have this potential if we but feed the Spirit.

D. L. Moody and Spurgeon in the 19th century.

Billy Sunday, Bonhoffer, Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell in the 20th century.

Jack Hyles, John R Rice, Adrian Rogers, Lester Roloff, Tim Lee just before and into the 21st century.

If you will note here in this list, there were several different types of men, in different walks of life, even different sections of Christianity.

What they had in common is they were wholly committed to the Lord. To His Word.

They impacted the world, but they died, graduated to Heaven, their legacies fading in the years as they go by.

The one thing they had, all of them, was their reach extended to, and was received by the people. The people were receptive to God, His Spirit, His Word.

The people that worked with these men, the people that heard these men, the people that prayed with and for these men.

We often talk of what One man can do wholly committed to the Lord. Yet we can look back and see what happens when a small group of people dedicated themselves to God's Word,. to prayer, to reaching their area, their neighborhood, and their own home.

What would happen if 2 or 3 gathered together daily praying for His Spirit to revive America? What would happen if 4 or 5 became wholly subservient to His Will? To His agenda?

What would happen if 2 or 3 for one month met daily, for devotions, prayer, and outreach?

God has promised to honor His people if they seek Him, if they humble themselves, if they pray and confess their sin.

What would happen if as Job did we confess the sin of our family, our nation before God? Nehemiah did it. Samuel did it. Daniel did it.

What would happen if we, as Joshua purposed in our hearts to serve the Lord God and Him only?

What would happen if the people purposed to give themselves willingly to His service?

1Ch 29:9  Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy. 

What would happen if God's people met daily with nothing but His Will, His Word, His purpose daily?

Act 2:46  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

I took an example from the Old and the New Testaments to show what happens when the people get together, willingly, and purpose to serve and give to God.

What would happen if daily we met in the House of God, we prayed for His Will, we prayed for Revival, daily?

It would mean we would have to get up a little earlier, turn the tv off, turn the internet off, sacrifice, and make an effort.

You say "it can't be done in today's world", we are too busy, I say we are the same people they were then, we just no longer have God as a priority. We no longer sacrifice for God, instead we fit Him in when it is convenient. as long as we do not actually have to do anything.

Remember in 2 Chronicles 7:14 It said "if My PEOPLE which are called by My name" not the rulers, not the elites, not the preacher, the missionary, or the teacher, no titles, no offices, but His people.

If the hearts of His people turn God will hear, if the heart of His people swell with love for Him, service for Him and a desire for Him then He will hear. 

But it is the people who have to decide. It is the people of God who are necessary for Him to act. God will only do what the people want Him to do. If their heart is far from Him then He will be removed from them.

I have attended very large and very small churches. Yet in each area there are people who can not tell you where that church is, no matter the size. The church is no better or worse than it's people.

One man wholly committed, one group wholly committed to the Lord. People who have died to self, who have died to the world, who have died and sacrificed themselves for the Lord daily,

What would happen? What could be accomplished by God? 

The Testimony of such a group, the reach in this day and age with all the technology, The Gospel of Jesus with people united for that purpose and that purpose alone.

How many can/will make that kind of commitment? How many?

Can you?

Can I?

Singleness of purpose, perhaps it can not be done in this day and age, but are any willing to try?