From His Heart - Week of July 18
DO YOU HAVE A BURDEN?
"Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is their salvation." Romans 10:1
J. Hudson Taylor is widely regarded as one of the most influential and greatly used missionaries in world history. He was God’s man in China, effectively serving the Lord in that vast nation in the 1800’s for over 50 years. The Lord used him to lead thousands to faith in Christ and make lasting inroads for the gospel in China.
Taylor’s own conversion came as a result of his mother’s prayers. One day, Hudson’s godly mother was out of town on a trip. She was overcome with a burden for her lost and only son. She fasted and earnestly prayed in her room, hour after hour, asking God to speak to Hudson and bring him to salvation. At one point, she said something to the effect, “Lord, I will not leave this room until you save my son.” God responded to that mother’s heartfelt request. He gave her a peace within that her prayers had been answered. She got off her knees with a confident assurance that a change had taken place within her boy. And it had.
Seventy miles away, at the same time she was praying, Hudson was impressed to pick up a gospel tract from his father’s bookshelf. While he had no intention of heeding the prayer at the end, something changed that day. Suddenly, the light came on within. He saw his own sinfulness and his great need for forgiveness and grace found only in Jesus. He prayed for Christ to save Him … and Jesus did, just as He promises to any and all who will call upon Him in repentance and faith.
When his mother returned home, Hudson couldn’t wait to tell her his big news. Yet, she already knew, for God had revealed it to her in answer to her prayers. Wow!
PRAYING FOR A BURDEN
I am convicted as I type this that I do not have a burden like Mrs. Taylor did. I don’t pray hours on end for lost friends and neighbors and loved ones. I suspect most of you don’t either. Why is that?
1. Perhaps it is because we don’t allow ourselves to fully comprehend that the lost are literally one heart beat from eternal hell.
2. Perhaps it is because we are so engrossed in our own lives and selfish pursuits that we fail to fully see the desperate need all around us.
3. Perhaps it is because we are not seeking the Lord nearly enough … so our hearts are not in tune with His.
Whatever the reason, can you imagine the eternal impact you and I could have on our unsaved family and friends if we really prayed with all our hearts for their salvation? No doubt, we would see God move in unfathomable ways as we bombarded the throne of grace with our cries on behalf of our loved ones.
Would you be willing to pray the following prayer with me?
Dear God, my heart is not where it should be. I have grown cold and calloused to the desperate need of my unsaved friends, neighbors, and loved ones. Revive me, Lord. Help me to see people as you see them. Help me to have a heart that desires souls to be saved. Help me to have a daily resolve to pray, and pray, and pray some more for those in my life who need You and don’t even realize it yet. I want to have a burden for lost people. Please grant that request, Lord, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries
P.S. Click here to leave your prayer request on the From His Heart PrayerWorks page and allow people around the world to lift your request up to God.
Jeff Schreve founded From His Heart Ministries, www.fromhisheart.org, in 2005 with the vision to reach as many people as possible with the good news of God's love. Jeff believes that no matter how badly you may have messed up in life, God still loves you and has a great plan just for you. He broadcast on radio, TV and in the internet around the world from his pulpit ministry as Pastor of First Baptist in Texarkana, Texas. This ministry is completely listener/viewer supported. It continues only through the faithful and generous gifts of people like you. Pastor Jeff takes no income from this ministry. All gifts go to further the broadcast.
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