February 10, 2026
- Dutch Sheets
- 13 hours ago
- 5 min read
A Thank-You to the Faithful
I spoke this past weekend at the 20th anniversary of Hope Fellowship in Brandon, Mississippi, a wonderful church led by David and Jo Hertel. In preparation for this, the Lord led me to Acts 10 and the account of Cornelius. Holy Spirit actually awakened me early Sunday morning with this passage in my heart. It tells us that the home of Cornelius was chosen by God as the launch point of the gospel to the Gentile world. Think about that: world history was forever changed in Cornelius’ living room!
What did Cornelius do to attain such an honor? The answer is given in Acts 10:2-4:
“A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God continually…And [an angel] said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.”
Cornelius was a generous man who gave “many” financial gifts to the poor. And though he was not yet born again, his love and respect for God caused him to live a life of prayer. These two offerings had “ascended as a memorial before God.” The Greek word “memorial” used in this passage means a record, a remembrance, and can even be a literal monument.(1) Cornelius was on record in heaven! And when God was choosing who would receive this immeasurable honor, He did so based on a man’s giving and his intercession. The Lord is moved by our generosity and, of course, our faithfulness.
In a parable regarding faithfulness, the Lord stated that this virtue would be part of our welcome into Heaven: “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’” (Matthew 25:21 NLT)
In today’s post, I want to encourage the faithful intercessors, the front-liners who are praying diligently to see the purposes of Christ accomplished in America and the world. Most of them are never paid a penny for their labors, never receive glowing introductions, and will never stand on a stage. They’re the nameless, faceless heroes on record in heaven. Thank God for their labors.
The great leader, orator, and statesman Winston Churchill was known for his ability to bolster the spirits and determination of the British people during the harsh days of World War II. On October 31, 1942, he was addressing a conference of coal mine operators and miners in Westminster’s Central Hall. Compared to some of Churchill’s speeches, this one seemed like nothing extraordinary, not until his ending, that is. When I read it, I always think of those who faithfully pray for our nation and the nations. Churchill said:
“We shall not fail, and then someday, when children ask, ‘What did you do to win this inheritance for us, and to make our name so respected among men?’ One will say: ‘I was a fighter pilot’; another will say: ‘I was in the Submarine Service’; another: ‘I marched with the Eighth Army’; a fourth will say: ‘None of you could have lived without the convoys and the Merchant Seamen’; and you in your turn will say, with equal pride and with equal right: ‘We cut the coal.’”(2)
With absolutely no fear of being sensationalistic or exaggerating the truth, I say to the intercessors, the active “coal-cutters”: Thank you for furthering the cause of Christ and helping save the world from evil and tyranny.
I recently heard a quote implying that our yieldedness to God is more important than our actions or efforts. May I respectfully say that this is a half-truth? Our yieldedness is but one side of the coin. The converse side of the coin is the “hard work” side - the “bended knee” side, the “go ye” side, the “coal-cutting” side. Without this half of the coin, it’s a counterfeit.
When I think of faithful and determined intercessors, I think of warriors like Eleazar in Scripture, one of David’s mighty men, who fought the enemies of Israel until his hand clung to the sword (2 Samuel 23: 9-10). They had to peel Eleazar’s fingers from the sword after the battle. When he could no longer hold on with his physical strength, he held on with his heart. I have watched intercessors weep over America until their eyes were bloodshot, pray through the night, fast for days on end, and spend thousands of their hard-earned dollars on prayer journeys to see God's purposes established in our nation.
I have watched them stand in the rain and snow for hours with pieces of red LIFE tape covering their mouths. Others have not only prayed for the unborn, but have adopted unwanted babies or children, preserving their destinies and giving them families. Still others have supported these actions financially.
These selfless warriors are today’s “Eleazars and Corneliuses,” and their efforts do not go unnoticed in heaven. Like David’s “mighty men,” they are today’s “mighty men and women.”
And they are my heroes - I am humbled by their sacrifices and commitment. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their coal-stained faces. There are important reasons we are the “post-Roe generation.” Had there been more of them, perhaps some of the other cataclysmic issues of our day would have been overcome by now. My prayer is that their ranks grow.
Pray with me:
Father, You are not impressed with our gifts and talents. They came from You, after all. What You appreciate and need are servant hearts, our prayers, and our faithfulness. You equated greatness with servanthood, not with eloquence, large followings, money, notoriety, or fame. We thank You for the faithful, hidden ones of the Kingdom You’re using to change the world.
May the coming season in the church be known as “the servant movement.” Deliver us from showbiz Christianity, platform-driven movements, and spiritual entertainment centers. Give us real Christianity, the book of Acts kind. That’s the only model You gave us. Multiply the numbers of Eleazars and Corneliuses in the body of Christ.
Light a fire in we, Your people. Release a call to action. Give us spiritual “coal-cutters,” doers. Deliver the church from selfishness, laziness, and “prayerlessness.” Make us givers, lovers, and warriors.
We pray all of this in Christ’s name. Amen.
Our decree:
We declare that God is multiplying the number of faithful intercessors in the church, and consequently, the church will not fail in our assignment to change the world.
Click on the link below to watch the full video.
James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 3422.