Isaiah 60:2 ‘For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.’

DAILY READING – Luke 9:28-62; Genesis 16; Psalm 9

In 1857, two key national events happened simultaneously in America. In October 1857 a financial panic rocked America, with banks failing, railroads going into bankruptcy, and financial chaos arising everywhere. A civil war seemed unavoidable as America tottered on the brink of disaster. However at that same time in 1857, The “Third Great Awakening” began sweeping through the nation, as the country was, once again, being touched by the Spirit of God. Churches everywhere were being shaken by a revival of prayer never before seen in Church history. 10,000 people in New York City alone gathered together daily, even left work, to pray. In this mighty awakening that had come to  America Prayer meetings were being held in every large city, and were attended by thousands of people. As men called on God, the Spirit of the Lord mightily moved, and it was estimated that every month fifty thousand souls received salvation.

The “Awakening” also spread into Canada where groups of 5,000 or more were attending camp meetings daily in Ontario and Quebec. Soon news of the 1857 Prayer Revival in New York arrived in Ireland. Several ministers were sent to verify the reports. Upon the ministers’ return , their reports ignited a passion for prayer which spread everywhere. Over 100 separate prayer meetings per week started, in homes, schools, barns, and work places—run by non-pastoral individuals. The revival spread to family by family, village by village, and town by town leading to the conversion of thousands of people within weeks.

And in America, while the revival fire swept through the Kingdom of God bringing deliverance to many, outside of the church, the national financial chaos continued to shake many, as banks failed and businesses went into bankruptcy.

This is typical of what happened in Exodus 10:23. While there was light in Goshen there was darkness in the rest of Egypt. While the gross darkness prevails in the world, in God’s Kingdom our light shall be shinning more and more.

Isaiah 60:2-says ‘For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.’

Indeed there is coming a separation between those that serve God and those that do not serve Him. We have to understand that we are of a different system with the world around us. Our case is different. When you are a part of God’s kingdom, though the world may be experiencing economic hardship, you will be experiencing revival. While darkness covers the earth, the glory of The Lord will be seen around you. Light shines brightest in the darkness, therefore darkness in the world would be opportunity for the sons of God to shine as lights in the midst of the crooked and perverse generation.

It is not God’s will that we suffer what people in the world suffer. When we make seeking God our priority He concerns Himself with taking care of us.

Truly when we seek first God’s kingdom everything else is added unto us.

Let us therefore make a fresh commitment to keep our focus on seeking God first. Let us take our focus away from running after what to eat, wear and drink and rather genuinely seek a definite encounter with God in the place of prayer. God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him and when we find Him surely there shall be a reward and our expectations shall not be cut short. Surely God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or imagine according to the power that works in us.

PRAYER: Father please help me to make seeking You my priority. Please grant me the grace to seek greater intimacy with You in prayer and the study of Your Word, help me to move from the outer court to the inner court in my relationship with You in Jesus’ name.

quote :

The treasures of God are never on the shallow end, but are always buried in the depth of God’s Word. It takes a personal discovery to get there. – WORDBITE 222.