CRY20XII: Mark Your Calendars
Lamentations 2:19
one hour, one day, pray – august.12.2012
WHERE CRY BEGAN?
When in Chicago several years ago, I stared up at this immense structure known as Soldier Field Stadium and thought back to what it must have been like for Youth for Christ’s young founders to believe God to fill a mammoth stadium with lost souls. 70,000 folks passed through its entrance one evening in 1945 into what was to be “destiny” for many.
They had a big dream.
Time Magazine quotes young Torrey Johnson (first YFC President) in 1946 as saying, “Youth for Christ has a two-fold purpose. First, the spiritual revitalization of America, which will bring America back to God, the Bible and the Church. Second, the complete evangelization of the world in our generation. . . We’re getting ready for the big push. Five or six of us plan to go to Europe in March. . . We hope to go to Scandinavia and Germany and maybe Russia. Next fall we’re going to Australia and New Zealand and in a year to C**** and Japan.”
A stadium, the world – co-existing in the minds of our young founders. Not one without the other.
They had a big dream.
And now it is our turn to dream big.
CRY’S DREAM
A Soldier Field’s dream where every young person come under the hearing of the Gospel; where the complete evangelization of the world’s youth be a reality in our generation.
CRY’S FOCUS
On Sunday, August 12, 2012, every chapter/every Youth for Christ person/every friend of Youth for Christ will stop to pray at 9:00am local time for one hour (9:00am – 10:00am) for lost young people everywhere.
One hour, one day, pray – august.12.2012
CRY’S LOGIC
Pastor Charles R. Parsons, in an hour interview with George Mueller towards the close of his life, asked him if he spent much time on his knees [praying for the lost]. Mueller replied, “I have been praying every day for fifty-two years for two men, sons of a friend of my youth. They are not converted yet, but they will be! How can it be otherwise?”
When he was asked on what ground he so firmly believed this, his answer was, “There are five conditions which I always endeavor to fulfill; by observing these I have the assurance of answer to my prayer:
1. Pray in Faith
Faith is the assurance that the thing which God has said in His Word is true, and that God will act according to what He has said in His Word. I have not the least doubt because I am assured that it is the Lord’s will to save them.
We have assurance that He wills that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (I Tim. 2:4).
2. Pray the Word
Pray according to what God’s word promises regarding salvation. We are to speak as God does, saying the same thing with our mouths that He says in His word. We have the assurance ‘that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us’ (I John 5:14).
3. Pray in His Name
In Christ’s Name and His alone do we approach with our requests.
Up to this time you have not asked a thing in My Name but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete (John 16:24).
4. Pray Believing He Hears
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us (1 John 5:14).
5. Pray with a Clear Conscience
For “if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Ps. 66:18) when I call.
6. Pray until an Answer Comes
“Shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him?” (Luke 18:7).”
CRY’S 24 Ways to Pray for the Lost
Praying for our unsaved young people is the best way to begin reaching them for Christ. The following Scripture verses give us a biblical outline for these prayers.
Thank You that You are not willing that any should perish
He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9) and would have all men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4).
Thank You that all things are possible with You
Then who can be saved? Jesus glanced around at them and said, With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God (Mark 10:27) and what is impossible with men is possible with God (Matthew 19:26).
For God to draw them to Himself in true faith and repentance
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him (John 6:44).
For God to destroy any false ideas about salvation through Jesus Christ
There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death (Proverbs 14:12).
For God to quicken unbelievers to their sins and trespasses
You were dead in your transgressions and sins (Ephesians 2:1) and for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
For God to dull unbelievers to the allurement to this world pleasures and the all-consuming worries of life so that the Word of God not be choked
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants (Matthew 13:7) and the seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful (Matthew 13:22).
For God to grant genuine faith to believe
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:8-10).
For God to give them a new heart
And the Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with all your being, that you may live (Deuteronomy 30:6).
That God would undo the work of Satan and open the minds of the unbelievers to the truth of the Gospel
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4).
That God would deliver them from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves (Colossians 1:13).
That God would grant genuine repentance
But unless you repent, you too will all perish (Luke 13:1-3).
That God would apply His mercy
Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah (Ephesians 2:1-6, The Message).
That God would thrust out laborers
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? (Romans 10:14) and pray to the Lord of the harvest to force out and thrust laborers into His harvest (Matthew 9:38).
That God would stir them out of their complacency and indifference
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).
That God’s love would be understood and embraced
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
That God would open a door to proclaim the Gospel
And at the same time pray for us also, that God may open a door to us for the Word (the Gospel), to proclaim the mystery concerning Christ (the Messiah) on account of which I am in prison (Colossians 4:3).
That they would see God in creation
For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification] (Romans 1:20 AMP).
That their conscience bears witness
They show that the essential requirements of the Law are written in their hearts and are operating there, with which their consciences (sense of right and wrong) also bear witness; and their [moral] decisions (their arguments of reason, their condemning or approving thoughts) will accuse or perhaps defend and excuse [them] (Romans 2:15 AMP) and for [the real function of] the Law is to make men recognize and be conscious of sin [not mere perception, but an acquaintance with sin which works toward repentance, faith, and holy character] (Romans 3:20, AMP).
That they would come to recognize sin and its penalty
Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. God has levied a death penalty for sinning and its eternal separation from Him. For the wages which sin pays is death (Romans 6:23).
That they would seek to know God
But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul (Deuteronomy 4:29).
For the Holy Spirit to work in them
When he [the Holy Spirit] comes, he’ll expose the error of the godless world’s view of sin, righteousness, and judgment: He’ll show them that their refusal to believe in me [Jesus Christ] is their basic sin; that righteousness comes from above, where I am with the Father, out of their sight and control; that judgment takes place as the ruler of this godless world is brought to trial and convicted (John 16:7-11, The Message).
That they would turn from sin
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out (Acts 3:19).
That they would confess Christ as Lord
That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved (Romans 10:9, 10) and the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah). [And it is meant] for all who believe (Romans 3:22 AMP).
That they would take root and grow in Christ
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness (Colossians 2:6,7).
CRY’s Spread the Word
None of us can do everything, but each of us can do something. Here are some ideas to get started.
1. Send an E-mail
E-mail is a powerful tool so consider combing your address list with a conservative eye and send a message to close friends and family that would certainly welcome it.
2. Submit an Entry for the Church Bulletin
If your church has a weekly bulletin or monthly newsletter, ask the person in charge to consider listing CRY.
3. Mention it at “Small Group”
Do you attend a church-related small group, such as a youth group, prayer meeting, or men’s/ladies’ group? Why not tell folks about the exciting new prayer opportunity you’ve joined?
4. Tell a Friend
Any text … chat … tweet … Facebook post … or just a good, old-fashioned phone call is an opportunity to pass the word.
What would it take to silence our CRY? Nothing!
On my knees,
