This resolution of Daily United Prayer is based on An Humble Attempt, originally put forward by Jonathan Edwards in 1748. Its design is to encourage God's people in the duty of united extraordinary prayer; setting aside some time every day to pray for the revival of His church and the advancement of Christ's kingdom in our homes, in our churches, in our nation, and in the world.
"Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph." Exodus 1:8.
A friend introduced me to a fascinating little quote by a man named Bruce Barton, a businessman involved in the advertising industry in the early 1900s.
"You can't advertise today and quit tomorrow. You're not talking to a mass meeting. You're talking to a parade."
This is an interesting quote especially if you apply it to the realm of the kingdom of God. We are not speaking to a "mass meeting" where the people are all together, listening intently to everything you have to say in one sitting. You are speaking to a parade of distracted people that are coming and going and are only hearing bits and pieces of what you are saying. Thus, there is the need to repeat the message so as to ensure that it doesn't get lost.
Isn't that a profoundly simple truth? He goes on to say in a 1924 radio broadcast:
"Those of you who were brought up on the Bible will recall the account
of Joseph’s very remarkable business career. It tells how he left his
country under difficulties and, coming into a strange country, he rose,
through his diligence, to become the principal person in the state,
second only to the King.
"Now, my friends, the Biblical narrative brings us to that point – the
point where Joseph had made a great success and was widely advertised
throughout the country – it brings us up to the climax of his career and
then it hands us an awful jolt. Without any words of preparation or
explanation, it says bluntly:
‘And Joseph died, and there arose a new King in Egypt which
knew not Joseph.’
"Now that sentence is one of the most staggering lines which has ever
been written in a business biography. Here was a man so famous that
everybody knew him and presto, a few people die, a few new ones are
born, and nobody knows him. The tide of human life has moved on...
"Now, my friends, let us apply that story to modern business. An hour
ago there were in this country sick, in bed, several thousand old
folks. It is perhaps indelicate for me to refer to that fact, but it is a fact
– In this single hour which has just passed, those old folks have died,
and all the good-will which advertising has built up in their minds has
died with them – all the investment made by that past advertising has
gone on into another world where the products are not for sale.
"And in this same hour another thing – equally staggering – has
happened. There have been born into this country several thousand
lusty boys and girls to whom advertised products mean no more than
the Einstein theory. They do not know the difference between a
Mazda Lamp and a stick of Wrigley’s chewing gum. Nobody has ever
told them that Ivory Soap floats or that children cry for Castoria.
"The tramp of human feet is ceaseless across the state of time – For
every day and every hour the king – which is the public – dies; and
there arises a new king which knows not Joseph."
While Bruce Barton applied this to the world of advertising and business, I believe there is strong Scriptural warrant for applying this to our spiritual lives as well. In Judges 2:10 we read, "There arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel." It's the same problem that we see in Exodus with the death of Pharaoh. The new king didn't know the history of Joseph or how through his instrumentality Egypt was made into the superpower that it was. None of the great works of the past were communicated meaningfully to the new king or to any of his counsellors. Similarly, in the days of the Judges, when Joshua died along with the elders that were eyewitnesses to the great works of the Lord, a new generation came on the scene that did not know or experience the same for themselves and, consequently, "did evil in the sight of the Lord."
Friends, what we are doing here in these daily times of prayer is unabashedly following in the footsteps of those that have gone before us. It is why we have printed the book, The Case for United Prayer, so that some of this will not be lost. United prayer is found all throughout the Bible from the kings in Chronicles to the disciples in Acts. United prayer is found all throughout church history and has always been the precursor to great moves of God in revival. We must be diligent in rehearsing to every generation the mighty works of God.
"One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts." Psalm 145:4.
DAILY UNITED PRAYER unitedprayer.net
Mon-Fri @ 12pm EDT // Sat @ 10am EDT
We invite you to join our dedicated and earnest group of praying participants of all ages from around the world that meet every day over Zoom to pray. At the start of each prayer call, a different individual will bring a brief Scriptural meditation. Here's the most recent:
