Monthly Archives: April 2015

Why Do We Not Have Revival

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A dear friend of mine has put a facebook page together about revival.  If is a place for people to post serious things such as prayers and thoughts about revival.  There is some wonderful things there to read.

As I was thinking about revival and why we do not have it some thoughts came to me from the Holy Spirit of the Living God.  I am going to share some here.  I hope it changes us to the point that we experience real Heaven sent revival.

II Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

This is a well-worn passage when it comes to revival.  The problem is that we know what it says; but, we don’t seem to do anything about it.

My first thought is that we do not prepare for revival.  In this passage we are given what we need to experience revival.  Like in all of life God provides everything we need.  It is our responsibility to realize it or take to ourselves.

We don’t have revival because we don’t really and truly want it.  If we wanted it we would do whatever it takes to have it.  It is like the child that goes around all the detours placed before them by parents to prevent them from getting hurt.  The devil has placed detours in the way of revival.  The sad thing is that we are looking at those detours like a calf looking at a new gate.  We just sit there expecting revival to fall like rain from Heaven.  It will not come until we put into place the plan God has for revival.

So, how are you doing?

Home From The Sea

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One of my favorite songs performed by Celtic Thunder would be the song “Home From The Sea”.  It is not a Christian song; but, as I was listening to it via the internet the other evening I began to think of a similar time in the days of Scripture.  Go back with me to the words of Mark 4:37, “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.”

One line of the song says, “She’s an old fishin’ boat and she’s barely afloat…”  I can picture in my mind’s eye a scene like this with the disciples.  They are on the sea of Galilee and the storm pops up and the next thing they know is they are taking on water.  To their amazement Jesus is in the “hinder part of the ship,” and He is asleep.  Look at the account in Mark 4:38, “And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?”  In the midst of a terrible storm Jesus sleeps.

The reason Jesus could sleep in the midst of the storm is because He is the Master of the storm.  Soon He would arise and speak to the storm and the turbulent sea would lie like a sleeping child.  Calm.

Maybe you are facing an enormous storm.  Maybe you feel like Jesus is asleep in the back of the boat with no regard for your situation.  My friend let me assure you that Jesus may be in the back of the boat and He might appear to be asleep.  I promise you He is not asleep.  He is the Master of the sea and He can speak peace to your storm at any second.  Focus on Him today and rest in Him and let the storms rage.  I know this is easily said and not so easily done.  It is possible though.

So, how are you doing?

Who?

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The other evening I was having a telephone conversation with someone and we were talking about a relative that had passed away long before I was born.  I still do not have any idea what the person’s name is or must else about them.  I know of this person; but, I do not know them personally.

In Jesus’ day people thought He was many different people.  Look at Matthew 16:14, “And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.”  People were confused about who Jesus really is.

Today is no different.  People teach that Jesus is a prophet, He was just a good Man and many other versions of who He is.

I am thankful that no matter what or who others think He is or was that He is still the Son of God.  Notice the penetrating question that Jesus posed to Peter in Matthew 16:15, “He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?”  Our eternal destiny depends upon our answer to this question.  If Jesus is just some antiquated prophet then we are in trouble for sure.  If Jesus is in fact (and He is) the Son of God then we need to bow to Him and King of kings and LORD of lords.

I don’t know who you think Jesus is; but, friend I know who He is and I am eternally thankful for being introduced to Him and I know He is my Saviour.  How about you?

So, how are you doing?

 

Where Is Your There Is?

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Yesterday as I stood before the people gathered I challenged them with the thought that is today’s blog title.  In other words, what is important to you.

To so many people in my life that suffer from COPD, air is a necessary thing.  I mean, if you do not have air then you will eventually cease to have life.

Look at Matthew 6:19-20, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:”

What it important to you? There are the necessities like air, water, food and the like.  Now, think about this and think about it in relation to your relationship to the LORD Jesus Christ.  Do you want Him more than necessary food?  How about more than water or air?

I am seeing far too many people who come to the end of their lives.  I wonder if they have made preparation or not.  If Jesus is not important to you then I beg you to reconsider and make Him a priority in your life.  Your first priority needs to be to trust Him as your Saviour.  Then you can begin to lay up treasure in Heaven.

So, how are you doing?

Desire

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Today is another day given to us by our Creator.  What are you going to do with it?  What will I do with it?  I will stand before the people of our Church and attempt to proclaim the gospel to the best of my ability.  I will seek to do this in the power of the Holy Spirit of the Living God.  My own efforts are futile at best.

As I think about desire, I wonder what kind of desire that we; God’s people, have for Him, His Word and His house.  Now might be a good time to take a little inventory and see what our attitude toward the house of God is really.  We say we love “our Church”; but, when it is time for you and I to be counted on are we even present and accounted for?

Look at Proverbs 18:1, “Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. ”  it is “desire” that causes us to set ourselves aside for what matters to us.  The word “desire” here means a longing, a delight.  I hope and pray that God will fill me with an unquenchable longing and delight for His house, His Word and His presence.

So, how are you doing?

 

Preparation

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A number of years ago we went to Church at a small country Church.  One of the families in the Church would arrive fairly early.  The husband was the keeper of the grounds.  He did this ministry to the absolute best of his ability.  I remember driving up and seeing the shrubs trimmed with crosses on the tops of them all.

When you would ask him where his wife was at this morning he would always respond, “She’s out in the car paintin’ the barn”.  This causes me to laugh out loud today (some almost 20 years later).  It was a priority to this woman to have her makeup on and done just right.  If you need to “paint the barn” then you should “paint the barn”.  Just a thought.

As I was reading the other day something caught my attention.  Look at II Kings 9:30, “And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.”  Jezebel was “painting the barn” so to speak.

In the case of Jezebel, it backfired on her.  Jehu called to the men near Jezebel and told them to throw her down and they did.  As a result God’s Word came true and the dogs ate her and licked her blood. I know this is gruesome; but, it is the truth.

Now, I am not on a rant against make-up today.  If you need it then put it on.  I am thinking about preparation though.  One day soon the sky will split wide open and we are going to be with the LORD.

What concerns me is that so many people are not ready to meet Jesus and even worse is the fact that people do not care if they are ready or not. This concerns me deeply.  What am I going to do about it?  you and I need to be vigilant about sharing the gospel with people so they might have the opportunity to trust Jesus Christ as their Saviour and so they can know that Heaven is their eternal home.

So, how are you doing?

I Saw The Light

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I was thinking the other day about people who want to have a sun tan so badly that they put on lotion and other man made things to change the color of their skin.  They do this for so many different reasons.  They want people to see them and think they have been away on vacation in a far off destination.

As I was pondering all this a thought came to me.  I was thinking about Moses.  He came in contact with God and it changed him at least for a time.  As a matter of fact Moses face shined after his encounter with God.  He had to put a veil over his face because it shined so brightly.  Look at Exodus 34:29, “And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.”  Moses did not know that his skin was shining from his encounter with God.

Let me ask you a question my dear reader.  When was the last time that you spent time with God that changed you so much that other people noticed something different?  Don’t be too quick to answer that question.

You see, if we spend time with God our Father then we should become more like Him.  Remember the old saying, “Nearness is likeness”?  This should be true of someone who is growing in the grace of God.

So, how are you doing?

Covered Head To Toe – The Shield Of Faith

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When I was a reserve police officer we did some training in an old abandoned farm house.  We were simulating serving a warrant.  I remember going into the house with my partner.  We were dressed heavily as we were using our duty weapons; but, they were loaded with bullets that contain a paint ball instead of a bullet.

I remember going through the house and wondering when the persons inside would jump out at us.  Then it happened.  Another officer pretending to be a bad guy jumped out and shot me in the back.  It peeled the corner of my vest under itself and left a bruise that was a real shiner.

It was at that moment that I wished I had a shield.  Look at Ephesians 6:16, “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”  This “shield” is a large door shaped shield.   You could crouch behind it and be covered by it.

As we go through life we become the target of our enemy, the devil.  He hurls flaming darts at us constantly.  The Word of God tells us that one of our defenses is our “shield of faith”.  This door shaped shield of our faith will protect us from these attacks.

What about your faith?  Do you even have faith?  Faith is a confident expectation that God will do what He said that He will do.

So, how are you doing?

Covered Head To Toe – The Breastplate Of Righteousness

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A very long time ago I went hunting with a school mate.  We hunted all day and did not have anything but sore feet to show for our trip.  As we were leaving the woods we decided to shoot the rounds in our shotguns instead of just unloading them.  I picked out the tree I wanted to blast and I let it rip.  The buckshot hit the tree and ricocheted back at us and pounded us both in the chest.  I personally picked buckshot out of my down filled vests for months.  I forgot to mention this excursion was in mid December and the tree was frozen solid.

Now, we are in a spiritual battle and God has equipped us with the necessary armour.  The breastplate of righteousness is an important piece.  Why would I say that?  It is simple.  The primary use of the breastplate of righteousness is to protect vital organs.  Especially, the heart.  The seat of our emotions is the heart and we sometimes let our heart be too sensitive.  We get too easily brokenhearted over “stuff” that does not matter in time or eternity.

The best way to protect our heart is to take the counsel of Ephesians 6:14b, “and having on the breastplate of righteousness;”.  We must guard our heart!  If we just give our heart to anyone or anything then we will live a life that is greatly deceived.

So, how are you doing?

Covered Head To Toe – Your Feet Shod

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There is a lot to think about with our topic today.  From a martial arts standpoint feet are important.  As you engage in battle you need to widen your stance.  I mean you need to stand with your feet about shoulders width apart.  This makes you more stable and less likely to be knocked over.  We need to protect our feet.  Like the child’s song says, “Oh be careful little feet where you go.”

Look at Ephesians 6:15, “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;”  The word “shod” means to bind under one’s feet, i.e. put on shoes or sandals.  If we are going to engage in battle then we need to have our feet protected and placed in the right stance to make sure we have stability.

As I am preparing this post today I am reminded of the parable of the Good Samaritan.  This man lay on the side of the road left for dead.  The religious crowd walked by.  One even moved to the other side of the road to walk on by.  God forbid!  God has equipped is to walk over to those in need.  He especially wants us to walk over to them in the heat of battle because they might need to be rescued or encouraged.

So, how are you doing?