Written by: John Sernaque
Stewardship
CS - Counsels on Stewardship (1940) Chapter 10—A Call to Greater Earnestness
Latter Rain Postponed
The great outpouring of the Spirit of God, which lightens the whole earth with His glory, will not come until we have an enlightened people that know by experience what it means to be laborers together with God. When we have entire, wholehearted consecration to the service of Christ, God will recognize the fact by an outpouring of His Spirit without measure; but this will not be while the largest portion of the church are not laborers together with God. God cannot pour out His Spirit when selfishness and self-indulgence are so manifest; when a spirit prevails that, if put into words, would express that answer of Cain,—“Am I my brother’s keeper?”—The Review and Herald, July 21, 1896. {CS 52.1}
Just as the disciples needed to be under one accord in the upper room to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, so must we as Christians be working together to receive the great outpouring of the Spirit of God. Christians are called to serve God and work together in proclaiming the everlasting gospel. If selfishness abounds in the church, the latter rain will not come. Seeds need to be sown for the harvest to be reaped. This will take wholehearted consecration to the service of Christ. Christians have a work to do. Are we our brother’s keeper? Yes, we are.
Our kind and gracious Father,
We thank You for giving us the opportunity to co labor with You. We pray that we may continue to selflessly minister to Your people, our fellow brothers and sisters. To reach those neglected souls wandering about without the knowledge of Your love and mercy. Help us to help those in need of the spiritual and physical food they are hungering for. We pray that You grant us continuous strength, courage, and discipline to go about doing Your business. Discipline, as in disciples. We pray for the outpouring of Your Holy Spirit and for the Latter Rain to come. We thank you for hearing and answering our prayers, in the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
