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od Himself has been teaching and challenging me through the precious Word. Each day as I read it, it is fresh and

exciting! The Lord has burdened my heart for souls around the world. Since I was a teenager, I have asked God to “put a love in my heart for everyone for whom Christ died.” God answers prayer! The Lord has put a giant love in my heart for everyone. I long to see people get saved!

The Lord used a phrase in the book of Matthew to put a particular group of people in my heart. It is the people of the cities. It says in Matthew 9:35 “And Jesus went about all the cities…” The pioneer work today for American Christians is found in the heartland of our major cities. One of the greatest tragedies in the past 50 years has been the “surrender of our cities.”

Many of our city churches have folded. The cities have massive populations, yet there is little evangelistic work. In the major cities the work is hard, it is difficult. Sin is big in the cities of America. In the cities, pleasure is big, worldliness is big, immorality is big, alcoholic beverage is big. In fact, Satan thinks he is big in the cities.

The Devil wants every gospel church in the cities to close.  Never forget that God is greater than all! The most powerful thing on this earth is the gospel of Jesus Christ! Every sin problem in the city can be cured! The answer is the gospel, and the great truths of the Bible!

The Lord has raised up the God Bless America Crusades! We are working to reach the major cities of America with the precious gospel of Jesus Christ! We are currently working on Richmond, Virginia.

by BYRON FOXX

GOD BLESS AMERICA Volume 1, Number 2editor: byron foxx | assistant editor: t. kevan bartlett | managing editor: tim cruse | production assistant: caleb cruse

God’s people must rise up right now to magnificently support this gospel work! We must all pray, give and work! Reaching Richmond, Virginia with the gospel can be done, it should be done, and it must be done! What does God want you to do to help reach Richmond with the gospel of Jesus Christ? Get into the presence of the Lord, and listen to Him. He will give you direction!

byron foxxis an evangelist, music publisher, songwriter, and the founder and president of Bible Truth Music.

AND JESUS WENTABOUT ALL THE CITIES

We would love to hear from you! Please write to Editor@GodBlessAmericaCrusade.com

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THANK GOD!WE CAN HAVE

REVIVAL!

THE PROBLEMS

REQUIRING REVIVAL

by BRUCE MILLER

In the last issue we saw from the Bible that we can have revival now personally, church-wide, community-wide, and nationally!

When do we know that we need revival? What are the Biblical signs? Since Christ said that the greatest commandment is to “…love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37), anything less than “first place” love signifies the need for revival.

REVIVAL IS NEEDED WHEN:

God is NOT getting first place in all decisions. (Matthew 6:33) Christ rebuked the church at Ephesus for this. (Revelation 2:4)

The Christian is devoted more to the things of the world than the things of God in which case “…the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15)

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The Christian is lukewarm towards God and His commands, which makes God sick. (Revelation 3:16)

The Christian lacks a desire to study God’s Word daily and attend church services. Contrast Psalm 119:131(b), “…I longed for thy commandments.”

The Christian spends little time in personal prayer and prayer meeting. Jesus said, “My house shall be called a house of prayer.” (Matthew 21:13)

The Christian spends little time witnessing. Jesus said if we are following Him we will be “fishers of men.” (Matthew 6:19)

Oh, how we need revival! God said in II Chronicles 7:14 that His people are to seek Him and seek revival. The ball is in our court. Let’s seek God and revival to bring us into a right relationship with Him!

In the next two issues we will see God’s sure prescription for revival and the wonderful product of revival.

bruce miller is the president of Atlantic Coast Baptist College in Laurel, Delaware.

Charlotte, NC, God Bless America Crusade, 2013

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THE SECRET FORMULAFOR A GOOD HARVESTby JOSHUA LANCASTER

E verybody loves a secret formula – and there is a secret formula in the

Scriptures detailing how to have a good harvest! Today, I want to share that formula with you! Are you ready?

Here is the secret formula:1. Sow2. Water3. Reap

Every Christian should know this formula and be implementing it in their witness!

In II Corinthians 9:6, Paul shares a portion of this formula: “But this I say,

He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

If you do not sow the Gospel, you cannot hope to win souls! Conversely, if you faithfully sow the Gospel, God promises fruit - and God has built it into Creation that how much fruit will be in relation to how much seed you have sown!

This formula is not new, and certainly is not really any secret! Yet, if we would get ahold of it, we might be more faithful at sowing and watering, and trust God to give the increase! You see, Paul also said, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” (I Corinthians 3:6)

We don’t always know the effect we are having as we witness. We might:

• Be sowing for the first time• Be watering a seed that was planted

by another• Not get to SEE the fruit of our labors

In any case, God honors His Word!So, be encouraged, and be decided to

faithfully implement the “secret” formula for a good harvest: Sow, water, and reap!

joshua lancasteris an evangelist from El Vista Baptist Churchin Peoria, Illinois.

THE FOUNDATION OF BIBLE READINGby F. J. WEEMS III

E verything that has a superstructure has to have a solid foundation.

None of us would want to live in house without the footing and foundation being properly laid. The same thing applies to our Christian life. Without the right foundation, we will never be stable and able to stand faithful. The simple truth is that reading our Bible is a major part of our foundation as a growing Christian.

Reading the Word of God, we are “thinking God’s thoughts after Him,” and that cannot but impact us in a very positive manner. The objections I hear most often from Christians of all ages is the difficulty of understanding the Bible and being consistent in prayer. It is my considered positon that reading the Bible

gives us both food for prayer and teaches us how to pray. The language of prayer is found in the Bible. If we are reading our Bibles little, it is almost a certainty that we are likewise praying very little. The foundation is not set properly.

I would encourage those who are experiencing difficulty reading the Bible to start by reading the sections that give them comfort and growth. Mix in a chapter or two a day of the harder sections, but do not get bogged down there. When I was first saved, reading Leviticus nearly made me stop reading the Bible. If you get stuck, come back to it later! It will still be there when you are able to handle it.

Make a plan to read the Bible through. Without a plan, it is likely that you will

never read the Bible through. I never ceased to be amazed at the number of professing Christians who have never read the Bible through. If you do not think you can do it in one year, make a two year plan. Once you have accomplished that goal, set it again. Familiarity with the Scriptures will make the sermons you hear be more meaningful. The Bible is full of treasures and “handfuls of purpose.” Lay your foundation well.

f. j . weems ii iis the senior pastor of First Baptist Churchin Atoka, Tennessee.

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G O D B L E S S A M E R I C A C R U S A D E . C O M 9

For more information about the God Bless America Crusades, please visit GodBlessAmericaCrusade.com

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God Bless America CrusadeANNOUNCEMENTSThe 40 Days of SoulwinningAugust 1–September 10

Mandatory Workers TrainingAugust 10, 11, 13, 14, 15Go to GodBlessAmericaCrusade.com for a schedule of locations and times.*Every GBAC worker must attend one night of training at the location of their choosing

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COTTAGE PRAYER MEETINGS FOR ANOTHER GENERATIONby SCOTT PAULEY

O n a Thursday night in June of 1997 God called me to preach. An old

mountain preacher met me in the lobby of the church when the service was over. He seemed as excited as anyone that the Lord had led me into the ministry. I will never forget the enthusiasm with which he said, “Get your first sermon together! You are going to preach in a cottage prayer meeting next week.”

“Wait a minute! Let’s talk about this.” I was a scared, twelve year old boy. What the wise man said next is fixed in my memory forever, “Son, if you don’t start serving God now, you probably never will.”

He was right. And so I prepared my first Bible message from John 14 on the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. It was not much of a sermon, but it was a start. And the Holy Spirit helped me.

On a hot summer night I delivered my first message in the living room of a precious elderly couple. Mr. Logan was dying and confined to his bed. His dear wife was by his side night and day. In that place a group of faithful Christians gathered to pray. God’s grace and peace were evident in that home.

A host of church members crowded around the small living room of the old frame house. We sang. We prayed. Then they patiently and kindly listened as a kid preacher brought a thought from God’s Word. Looking back, it was the perfect environment for a young man starting out in the Lord’s work. God’s love was real and God’s people were a personal encouragement to me.

Throughout history, cottage prayer

meetings – groups of believers meeting to pray in homes – have made a wonderful contribution to the work of God. It was a cottage prayer meeting that impacted a young Count Zinzendorf. This young man caught fire and led a mighty missionary movement for God. Through a cottage prayer meeting George Mueller came to faith in Jesus Christ. His life of faith would become an example to us all.

Perhaps another generation could be stirred and changed by witnessing sincere believers meeting to simply pray. Rhoda’s life could never be the same after she attended a prayer meeting in the house of Mary. This young woman witnessed specific answers to prayer (Acts 12:5-17). The same God still hears and answers prayer! It is time for another generation to seek Him.

Perhaps another generation could be stirred and changed by witnessing sincere believers meeting to simply pray.

scott pauleyis the Vice President of Administration at The Crown College in Powell, Tennessee.

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am an independent Baptist. That is what I have always been and what I always will be. I am an independent

Baptist not only by my heritage but also by personal conviction. I am thankful for the godly men who led a great surge of the independent movement in the 1940s and 1950s.

These men paid a heavy price for their stand of independence from denominational control of their churches and their colleges. They stood for independence from liberal theology that was attacking the very fundamentals of our faith. They produced two generations of independent servants of God. These servants are faithful pastors, missionaries, and evangelists who have had significant impact for the cause of Christ in our country and in the world.

We have learned to value and defend our stand of “independence.” However, in recent years many independents have become so independent that we are practically isolated from each other.

On the rare occasions that believers from different churches DO come together it is usually for “fellowship” such as a pastors

meeting or a preaching conference at a larger ministry.

Fellowship is fine and fellowship is appropriate, but fellowship does not get the work of the Lord done. “Working” gets the work of the Lord done. The Bible speaks much about the work and labor that is connected to our responsibility as believers.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (I Corinthians 15:58)

In our appreciation and application of independence we have formed a long list of reasons that we do not work together—some are significant, but most are trivial. Sadly, the independent movement has become fragmented into many smaller groups. These groups generally do not even fellowship together, much less work together.

Yet, I Corinthians 3 says we are laborers

together with God. I believe we are compelled to work together by:

The Scope ofOur Assignment

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

Jesus commissioned us to take the glorious Gospel of salvation to all the world. Today that is almost 7 billion souls. Most have never heard the message of Christ. One single local church will never accomplish the goal. Working together, striving together, pulling together we can reach the world in the name of Jesus.

The Singular Focusof Our Message

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 3:11)

There is a singular focus to our message: it is Jesus! What the world needs is JESUS. What your county and your city needs is Jesus! We are compelled to work together by the message of salvation found only in Jesus Christ.

The Principlesof Scripture

“For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” (I Corinthians 3:4–6)

Clearly the works of Paul and Apollos were different. They attracted different followers who were quick to point out the contrasts. Each group identified themselves by their human leader. BUT, God blessed the effort of both Paul and Apollos. They were working toward the same goal. Paul clarifies the situation (writing as directed by the Holy Spirit). He said that it was not himself or Apollos—it was God’s work and it was God Who gave the increase.

Answering the common objection:Some may object to working with those

who are not exactly like themselves. These folks will say, “The Bible says that we are to contend for the faith. We must fight

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So careful are we to maintain our independent status that we seldom, if ever, join our efforts together for the work of God.

WE AREINDEPENDENT BUT NOTISOLATEDby T. KEVAN BARTLETT

7 REASONS WE ARE COMPELLEDTO WORK TOGETHERPART I

t. kevan bartlettis the senior pastor of Maranatha Baptist Church in Charleston, West Virginia.

against those who do not believe like we believe.”

Yes, we are to “contend for the faith.”   Jude 3 says, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”

However, let us continue to look at the book of Jude to find out WHO it is that we are to contend with. Jude 4 says, “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Jude goes on to compare those (who we are to contend with) to: the angels who rebelled against God with Satan, the whoremongers who inhabited Sodom and Gomorrah, and Cain who murdered his brother.

Many independents seem to be spending a lot of energy “contending” with each other over issues of music, dress standards, and who has the greater love for the King James Version. I am not saying these issues have no significance. But, the book of Jude is teaching us that we are to “contend” against those who are ungodly, lascivious, deniers of the Lord.

Think about the pastor or church across town who uses some music a little less conservative than yours, or does not print “1611 KJV” on every piece of literature. Does that pastor or that church fit the biblical criteria of one who we are to “contend” with? Sadly, some pastors seem to feel they need to fight against every other independent Baptist church that is not a carbon copy of his church.

Let us contend with those who deny the God of creation. Let us contend with those who are preaching “works” salvation. Let us contend with those who deny the deity of Jesus Christ. Let us contend with the health/wealth gospel charlatans. Let us contend with somebody who is leading people away from Christ. There are plenty of those types out there. Let us contend against them! In fact, let us contend together against them. We can “gang-up” on them!

to be continued in next issue...

Knowing God Growing Together Showing Others

3148 Franklin Road | Murfreesboro, TN 37128 | 615.890.0820Dr. Mike Norr is , Pastor

Franklin Road Baptist Church

f r a n k l i n r o a d b a p t i s t . o r g

G O D B L E S S A M E R I C A C R U S A D E . C O M 13

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PRAYER: ACOUNTENANCECHANGERby TOM ALVIS

W hile reading I Samuel 1, my heart was struck by Hannah’s burden,

persistence, and faith. She was “provoked” and made “to fret” (vs. 6); she “wept” and “did not eat” (vs. 7); she was in “bitterness of soul” and “wept sore” (vs. 10); she had a “sorrowful spirit” (vs. 15); she prayed “out of the abundance of her complaint and grief ” (vs. 16). Notice the persistence—year after year!

What about us? Are we ever provoked by sin? When was the last time we refused to eat because of a heavy heart? How long has it been since we wept as we prayed? How passionate are we for revival? How

burdened are we for the lost? Do we really believe that God can? Jesus saw the multitudes and was moved with compassion. The 21st century church is characterized by convenient Christianity—apathetic, indifferent, passionless, and lukewarm. The pressing need of the hour is for us to fall on our face before God and allow Him to break our hearts. We need to see as He sees. We need His burden to become our burden. One preacher wrote that “prayer, at its highest form, is agonizing soul sweat. It is having sense enough, and grace enough, and wisdom enough, and heart enough to ask God to share the burden of His great

heart with us!”Did you notice I Samuel 1:18? After

praying, Hannah “went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was sad no more.” She believed God. She trusted Him completely. Faith changed her disposition. Like Hannah, we need to take our burden to the Lord, commit to persistence in prayer, and believe God!

tom alvisis the senior pastor of theMount Moriah Baptist Churchin Powhatan, Virginia.

Please consider committing to The Hour That Makes The Difference | Bible Reading and Prayer, at least 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week, during the 12 o’clock hour (midday or midnight). “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16)

So are you saved? Or have you been putting that off? You may not have 24 more hours.

Today is the day of salvation.

If you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, will you do so right now? Romans 10:13 says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Procrastination may bethe biggest problem today.

It is a very deceptive sin. Many sins are obvious to all; like drunkenness, stealing, and murder. But procrastination has robbed so many! The Bible says, “…to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

Perhaps you need help praying. Consider using this simple prayer:

“Dear Lord, I admit I am a sinner. I believe You died for me on the cross, and rose again on the third day from the grave. I ask You to forgive my sin and save me. I am fully depending on You to take me to Heaven when I die. Thank You Lord. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

If you just now asked Jesus to save you, we would love to hear from you. Please write to Editor@GodBlessAmericaCrusade.com

A WordFROM THE EDITOR

THROUGH

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VIS IT WCBC.EDU

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