Meeting the Present Crisis

(#243, Hinkley/Yermo/Kelso, May 1952)

Read Daniel 9:19.      

                                                            

Daniel had been reading the Scriptures and found that the captivity was about to end.  He was greatly concerned for his people and they were not ready.  So he set himself to prayer.

Today we face a crisis just as great, if not greater, than the one faced by Daniel.  This crisis is not national defense, it is not unemployment, it is not political.  It is a spiritual crisis.

v  What constitutes this crisis?

Ø  A weakening of the consciousness of sin.  This is true of both the church and the world.

Ø  The indifference to the claims of Christ and His cause on the part of vast numbers of church members.  It is difficult to enlist very many in real Christian service.  The terms “self-denial” and “sacrifice” are meaningless to a vast majority of church members.

Ø  A lowering of moral standards.

Ø  A dearth of passion for souls.  We don’t think of people in terms of their eternal destiny.

Ø  Loss of positive faith in the essential truths of Christianity.

v  How is this crisis met?

Ø  The same way Daniel met his crisis: by prayer!

Ø  This was the habit of God’s men (Elijah, Jacob at Peniel, Paul & Silas in prison, even Jesus in Gethsemanae).

Ø  Failure to pray is sin (Jas. 4:17; 1 Sam. 12:23).

Ø  Consider Daniel’s prayer.

§  It was encouraged by the reading of the Word (9:2).

§  He “set himself to pray;” he had determination, purpose.

§  It was a prayer of confession (v4).

It is this kind of prayer we need in this day of crisis.

Supernatural power is needed and there is one way to reach heaven and lay hold of this power: PRAYER!