“I have prayed for new men, fiery, reckless men, possessed of uncontrollably youthful passion – these lit by the Spirit of God. I have prayed for new words, explosive, direct, simple words. I have prayed for new miracles. Explaining old miracles will not do. If God is to be known as the God who does wonders in heaven and earth, then God must produce for this generation. Lord, fill preachers and preaching with Thy power. How long dare we go on without tears, without moral passions, hatred and love? Not long, I pray, Lord Jesus, not long … ” – Jim Elliot, pictured above (right)
What do we pray for? Are they prayers of FAITH? Provision, health, security, and such. Give us our daily bread? Yes, but what is our Daily Bread? It is nothing less than the Bread of Life, the LIFE of CHRIST in us, and a fiery, reckless, uncontrollable passion to see God’s will accomplished but the Spirit of God through His earthen vessels… you and me.
The memories of past miracles in our lives are not sufficient to carry forward the FAITH God is looking for and pleased with. The records of past miracles in God’s Word are not meant to make us bookshelf Christians, marveling at how powerfully God worked in the PAST. No, ALL of these things were written that we might BELIEVE in the current power of God and His Kingdom to turn us and the world upside down.
Bold. Courageous. Faith.
Jim Elliot did not settle for reading and hearing OTHER miracles. No, Jim was the kind of man God is looking for in this generation; the kind of godly example that takes the Kingdom by force, pressing into the realities of His power and presence that OTHERS might also know Him and enter in.
Jim’s prayers were answered one day. Almighty God had heard, and was pleased with His humble but bold servant. Jim, along with the other “fiery, reckless men” the Lord sent, set out to preach the everlasting gospel to a group of fierce murderous peruvian indians. The missionaries were speared to death on the beach within a few short hours of landing near the indians. Some say this is so sad. But hear the testimony that says “remember Lot’s wife.” Are we trying to save our lives on this earth or save others? We must be willing to lose our lives that others might have life. And so it was on that day that a NEW MIRACLE was birthed, granted from the Lord of Glory. As the speared men lay dying on the beach, the heavens opened up, brightly shining, and the indians saw and heard and heavenly host of angels singing “Every tribe and nation…”.
May we be willing to have this type of FAITH that Jesus is hoping to find when He returns (Luke 18).