“You can’t automatically deduct prayer!” our new friend said with conviction. “That’s a commitment!”

We were visiting a dear couple who wanted to be monthly supporters. They were trying to decide whether or not they should have their donations automatically deducted each month. They didn’t want their commitment to be out of sight and out of mind, so they decided to commit to praying for us as well!

Jonathan Goforth, a missionary revivalist in the early 1900s, described the powerful awakenings that took place in Korea and China, which brought tens of thousands of formerly unreached people to Christ. It all started with a small band of believers who decided to pray together regularly for the unconverted.

Goforth was later talking to a lady from his home country of England. He said, “We talked about the revival in China and she gave me certain dates when God specially pressed her to pray. I was almost startled on looking up these dates to find that they were the very dates when God was doing His mightiest work in Manchuria and China . . . I believe the day will come when the whole inward history of that revival will be unveiled and will show that it was not the one who speaks to you now, but some of God’s saints hidden away with Him in prayer who did most to bring it about.”

In the history of missions, great ingatherings for Christ are linked to strong, persistent prayer. Do you want to see Jesus come soon? Pray that the Lord of the harvest will send forth reapers into His harvest field. Pray for specific countries, people groups, and missionaries. Pray for the Cham!

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