Tag Archives: Revival to “Alive”al!

Hindering Revival??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #224

26 Sunday May 2024

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Form of godliness?, A Witness--Good or Bad???, Choices And Consequences, Choose Gratitude and show it!, Choose Wisely, Choose You This Day!, Choosing Jesus or The World?, Christ IN YOU, Confidence or Presumption?, Conformed or Transformed?, Conformed to HIS image, Fickle or Faithful, REvival, Revival or Recycle?, Righteousness exalts a nation, Transformation, Transformed life, Trendy Or Truth

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Hindering Revival??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #224

“Wilt thou not revive us again:

that thy people may rejoice in thee?

7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD,

and grant us thy salvation.

8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak:

for he will speak peace unto his people,

and to his saints:

but let them not turn again

to folly.

9 Surely his salvation

is nigh them that fear him;

that glory may dwell in our land.”  Psalm 85:6-9

So what is revival?  Revival is a renewal of the living, not a raising of the dead (in other words a renewing and restoring of God’s own people, not the saving of the lost; but by the same token when God’s own get right with HIM, great and mighty things will draw the lost to The Living God!). We seem to have skewed what revival truly is; we have quoted parts of 2 Chronicles 7:14 so often, yet more often than not we leave out much of the important part.  We want God to heal our land, but we don’t really want Him to change us, or draw a line against our “pet sin”!  I’d like to simply share some things for us to consider in our desire for true revival:

       Are we willing to abandon our pride?

       Are we willing to draw near to God rather than self?

       Are we willing to submit to/obey God and His Word?

              (popular or not…and it won’t be!)

       Do we see our sin as sin?

       Are we mourning over our sin/the sin of our nation?

       Are we equipped to resist the devil?

              (in other words do we know the Word of God, so that

                we can recognize the devil, his wiles and temptation?)

       Do you prefer to laugh at sin, or have a burden over it?

Peruse what James has to say to us, and may we truly hear the voice of God (via the Holy Spirit) speaking to our heart and respond accordingly.  Our life choices matter not only to us, but also to others watching to see if we live what we say we believe.

“But he giveth more grace.

Wherefore he saith,

God resisteth the proud,

but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.

Resist the devil,

and he will flee from you.

Draw nigh to God,

and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse your hands,

 ye sinners;

and purify your hearts,

ye double minded.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn,

and weep:

let your laughter be turned to mourning,

and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,

and he shall lift you up.”  James 4:8-10

God’s message to Solomon is so important, but we often want to pick and choose the parts we want to accept, pursue, and obey.

“And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night,

and said unto him,

I have heard thy prayer,

and have chosen this place to myself

for an house of sacrifice.

13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain,

or if I command the locusts to devour the land,

or if I send pestilence among my people…”

God heard Solomon’s request for His provision and acceptance of this house which he had built, and God told him that he would accept the Temple, but He also told Solomon that He would still judge sin, and if He chose to discipline His people there was a remedy.  Oh, that America would realize that we have abandoned God Almighty and His Son, Jesus, by our choices, our behavior, and our negligence of His Word and prayer, and then wonder why we are reaping the present “perilous times”.  May we heed the remedy that God gave to Solomon—all of it. (See 2 Tim. 3:1-5)

“…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.

15 Now mine eyes shall be open,

and mine ears attent

unto the prayer that is made

in this place.”  2 Chronicles 7:12-15

Jesus gave us the most important parameters of prayer, that so many miss today; knowing that our place is “in Jesus” not a building!

“After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done

in earth, as it is in heaven.” Matt. 6:9-10

Jesus instructs us to be focused on God’s will, God’s kingdom—hence we need to study God’s Word as Paul instructs as as well.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God,

a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,

rightly dividing the word of truth.”  2 Timothy 2:15

Why study God’s Word?  It is our plumbline of truth, for sure, not the world!

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God,

and is profitable   for doctrine,

for reproof,

for correction,

for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect,

throughly furnished

unto all good works.”   2 Timothy 3:16-17

Boiled down, Paul is saying God’s Word IS God’s Word; it is profitable for—what we know to be truth—reproving (revealing to us) us when we err—correcting us back to the right—and teaching us how to avoid temptation.  The result is, we will be able to behave with spiritual maturity, equipped unto “all good works” which (as Paul says in Eph. 2:8-10) “God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Do we have a heart for the spiritual things of God, or have we binged on the junk food of the world so much, that we have no appetite for God?  Have we dulled our appetites for God’s things inadvertently, or by neglect?  As Jesus mentions in Matthew chapter 7, are we choosing the “straight gate” or the “broad way”?  It’s your choice but choose wisely, there is a test.  As for revival, I think scripture teaches us that unless we are willing to see ourselves as we really are, humbling ourselves before God, and seeking the change that only His Holy Spirit can achieve, it’s not near.  As James teaches us, being a successful child of God takes some effort—in fact a lot of effort!  And while I’ve only included part of the chapter, I encourage you to spend some time in the book of James this week.

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation:

for when he is tried,

he shall receive the crown of life,

which the Lord hath promised

to them that love him.

13 Let no man say when he is tempted,

I am tempted of God:

for God cannot be tempted with evil,

neither tempteth he any man:

14 But every man is tempted,

when he is drawn away of his own lust,

and enticed.

15 Then when lust hath conceived,

it bringeth forth sin:

and sin, when it is finished,

bringeth forth death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brethren…

…22 But be ye doers of the word,

and not hearers only,

deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer,

he is like unto a man beholding his natural face

in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself,

and goeth his way,

and straightway forgetteth

what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty,

and continueth therein,

he being not a forgetful hearer,

but a doer of the work,

this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26 If any man among you seem to be religious,

and bridleth not his tongue,

but deceiveth his own heart,

this man’s religion is vain.

27 Pure religion

and undefiled before God and the Father is this,

To visit the fatherless

and widows in their affliction,

and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”                           Portions of James 1:12-27

We could call this a prescription for preparing for true revival!  Are we caring for those in need—widows and orphans—AND keeping ourselves “unspotted from the world”!  Let’s not be leopard Christians, but faithful servants of our Lord and Savoir Jesus Christ!  I’m praying for you and for revival.  May God hear our cry and see the earnestness of our heart.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,

holy, acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove

what is that good,

and acceptable,

and perfect, will of God.

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me,

to every man that is among you,

not to think of himself more highly

than he ought to think;

but to think soberly,

according as God hath dealt to every man

the measure of faith.”  Romans 12:1-3

Amen and Amen!!!

Bowed or Bowing??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #37

14 Wednesday Sep 2022

Posted by in Choose You This Day!, Choosing Jesus or The World?, Hearing God, Heaven or Hell, Idolatry, If not now? When?, IN HIS TIME!, Incomprehensible LOVE, Judgment, Just DO it!, King Jesus, King of KIngs, Not Of This World, REvival, Righteousness exalts a nation

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Bowed or Bowing???  A Word from THE WORD!!!  #37

We can choose our way, by God’s gift of our own free will; yet this same God has shown us the way and given us the options!  We can choose to ‘bow’ (rhymes with tow) our necks and stand in stiff defiance to the God of all creation, or we can ‘bow’ (rhymes with cow) and bend our knee and heart before HIM in repentance and faith in HIS “only begotten Son”!  I hope that the scripture will pierce your heart and mine—that we who are already believers in Jesus, will seek to know God’s view of our lives and make whatever adjustments HE speaks to us, and that those who don’t know Jesus will be drawn to HIS indescribable love and be born again by JESUS’ precious blood!

“As obedient children,

not fashioning yourselves

according to the former lusts

in your ignorance:

15 But as he which hath called you

is holy,

so be ye holy

in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written,

Be ye holy;

for I am holy.”  1 Peter 1:15-16

“Search me, O God,

and know my heart:

try me,

and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be

any wicked way in me,

and lead me

in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139:23-24

 I pray that these scriptures will touch your heart and mine, and that we will hear The Holy Spirit’s whisper to our heart and kneel before our King for forgiveness, healing, and restoration of our souls.  May revival break out in God’s own—that we will know HIS presence and power in renewed love, humility and devotion to Jesus, our KING of KINGS!

“Submit yourselves therefore

to God.

Resist the devil,

and he will flee from you.

8 Draw nigh to God,

and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse your hands,

ye sinners;

and purify your hearts,

ye double minded.

9 Be afflicted,

and mourn,

and weep:

let your laughter

be turned to mourning,

and your joy

to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves

in the sight of the Lord,

and he shall lift you up.”  James 4:7-10

There is an Old Testament example of God’s pure grace and mercy that I think will be beneficial for us to peruse this morning.  Josiah, a precious King of Israel who, when he heard the Word of God, saw truth, bowed before God in total humility and sent the leaders around him to seek the “words of God” from the prophetess Huldah.  I pray that this passage will move your heart and you will “hear the word of the Lord” and respond in faith, and obedience today.  Help me Jesus, to hear and obey, trusting to your work in me and these who are readying this post.  Be glorified in us!  Please bring a real Holy Ghost, Heaven sent revival to our hearts, our families, our churches, and our nation!  May we be willing to bow before you in earnest repentance and faith!

“10 And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book.

And Shaphan read it before the king.

11 And it came to pass,

when the king had heard the words

of the book of the law,

that he rent his clothes.

12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest,

and Ahikam the son of Shaphan,

and Achbor the son of Michaiah,

and Shaphan the scribe,

and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying,

13 Go ye, enquire of the LORD

for me,

and for the people,

and for all Judah,

concerning the words of this book

that is found:

for great is the wrath of the LORD

that is kindled against us,

because our fathers have not hearkened

unto the words of this book,

to do according unto all

that which is written

concerning us.

14 So Hilkiah the priest,

and Ahikam,

and Achbor,

and Shaphan,

and Asahiah,

went unto Huldah the prophetess,

the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah,

the son of Harhas,

keeper of the wardrobe;

(now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;)

and they communed with her.

15 And she said unto them,

Thus saith the LORD God of Israel,

Tell the man that sent you to me,

16 Thus saith the LORD,

Behold, I will bring evil upon this place,

and upon the inhabitants thereof,

even all the words of the book

which the king of Judah hath read:

17 Because they have forsaken me,

and have burned incense unto other gods,

that they might provoke me to anger

with all the works of their hands;

therefore my wrath shall be kindled

against this place,

and shall not be quenched.

18 But to the king of Judah

which sent you to enquire of the LORD,

thus shall ye say to him,

Thus saith the LORD God of Israel,

As touching the words which thou hast heard;

19 Because thine heart was tender,

and thou hast humbled thyself

before the LORD,

when thou heardest what I spake

against this place,

and against the inhabitants

thereof,

that they should become

a desolation

and a curse,

and hast rent thy clothes,

and wept before me;

I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.

20 Behold therefore,

I will gather thee unto thy fathers,

and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave

in peace;

and thine eyes shall not see

all the evil which I will bring

upon this place.

And they brought the king word again.”   2 Kings 22:11-20

While this may not seem to be a message for us, I think we can find great insight in it.  Josiah was granted grace, in what some might call a ‘special dispensation’ from God, in that he would not see the judgment of God on Judah but would die in peace.  And as we go on to read (and I encourage you to read the rest of Josiah’s story), we see that Josiah, in his humility before God and his burden for The Word of The Lord, brought revival to Judah.

He restored the Temple to a place where the people could worship in obedience to God’s commands, he destroyed the idolatrous worship that was taking place at every turn.  He also called the people to celebrate a Passover that scripture refers to as “unparalleled”!  And on a side note, I find it interesting that if you follow the years, it could easily be that the families of some guys we know well—named Daniel, Hananiah, Mishaal and Azariah—were a part of this revival and these young men were brought up by parents who were a part of this amazing time of revival.  And while the judgement of God did come, and these young men found themselves in Babylon as a result of the sin of their nation –not their own personal sin—yet were used by God to make an amazing difference in an unlikely place.

Oh God, please send a life-changing revival among us; and even if we still must endure your judgment, may those be raised up who can make amazing impacts on our world.  Will you bow or be bowed up?  The choice is yours but remember there is a test!

May God have mercy upon us today???

Amen and Amen!!!

Revival To “Alive”al??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 15 No. 24

30 Sunday Aug 2020

Posted by in Be not conformed to this world, Believe IN Jesus, Born Again, Changed Lives, Choices And Consequences, Cross, Encouragement, Every Knee Shall Bow, Follow Jesus, For Such A Time As This, God's Judgment, God's love, God's provision, Good News, Holiness, Holy Spirit, IN Jesus!, It's Your Choice, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Saves!, Only One Way, Salvation, Saved by grace, The Blood Of Jesus, Transformation, Transformed life, Trust God, Truth is True

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 15 No. 24 Revival To “Alive”al???

 

“Wilt thou not revive us again:

that thy people

may rejoice in thee?

7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD,

and grant us thy salvation.

8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak:

for he will speak peace

unto his people,

and to his saints:

but let them not turn again

to folly.

9 Surely his salvation is nigh them

that fear him;

that glory may dwell

in our land.”   Psalm 85:6-9

The prayer of my heart for many years has been for God to bring revival to HIS people.  I say that for the same reason that I used the title that I did; many seem to think that revival will bring hoards into the church, hence the church would be “revived” but that is far from true.  Revival is the:

“restoration to life, consciousness, vigor, strength…an awakening, in a church or community, of interest in and care for matters relating to personal religion…”

Revival is the awakening of those who have life, whereas salvation brings “life” to the spiritually dead.  It’s what Paul so aptly describes in Ephesians 2.

“And you hath he quickened, (brought to life)

who were dead in trespasses and sins; (dead)

2 Wherein in time past

ye walked according to the course

of this world,

according to the prince

of the power of the air,

the spirit that now worketh

in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also we all

had our conversation

in times past

in the lusts of our flesh,

fulfilling the desires

of the flesh

and of the mind;

and were by nature

the children of wrath,

even as others.”   Ephesians 2:1-3

Much like the picture that Paul painted in his treatise to the Roman church (and Romans is the foundational essence of the Christian faith in a capsule, howbeit a large capsule) that sin is sin, we all have it, and only Jesus can provide the cure, and how the ‘cure’ is worked out in each believer!

“As it is written,

There is none righteous,

no, not one:

11 There is none that understandeth,

there is none that seeketh after God.

12 They are all gone

out of the way,

they are together

become unprofitable;

there is none that doeth good,

no, not one.”  Romans 3:10-12

“For all have sinned,

and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely

by his grace

through the redemption

that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth

to be a propitiation

through faith in his blood,

to declare his righteousness

for the remission of sins that are past,

through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say,

at this time

his righteousness:

 that he might be just,

and the justifier

of him which believeth

in Jesus.”   Romans 3:24-26

“For the wages of sin

is death;

but the gift of God

is eternal life

through Jesus Christ

our Lord.”  Romans 6:23

Jesus came to “save his people from their sins” and without being “born again” we are dead in sin! But praise God, Jesus came that we could be “born again” and have eternal life with Him, when we come to Him in repentance and faith in HIS substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for us.

“Jesus answered and said unto him,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born again,

he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him,

How can a man be born

when he is old?

can he enter the second time

into his mother’s womb,

and be born?

5 Jesus answered,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born

of water

and of the Spirit,

he cannot enter

into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh

is flesh;

and that which is born of the Spirit

is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee,

Ye must be born again.”  John 3:3-7

Jesus came that we might have “life, and that they might have it more abundantly”!

So, if the church’s job isn’t to infuse itself with “new members”, what is it?  Well, that is a question that Jesus answered before He left this world to take His place at The Father’s right hand. Let’s consider the call/commission that HE gave to His own—those who are born again!!!

“Go ye therefore,

and teach all nations,

baptizing them

in the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them

to observe all things

whatsoever I have commanded you:

and, lo,

I am with you alway,

even unto the end of the world.

Amen.”  Matthew 28:19-20

Jesus also made some observations as He spoke to the churches in The Revelation; some pertinent messages that I think we need to consider and heed today, several seem to be apropos to our focus today.

“These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars;

I know thy works,

that thou hast a name

that thou livest,

and art dead.”  Revelation 3:1b

“I know thy works:

behold, I have set before thee

an open door,

and no man can shut it:

for thou hast a little strength,

and hast kept my word,

and hast not denied my name.”   Revelation 3:8

And what I think is the most important for us to consider:

“Because thou sayest,

I am rich,

and increased with goods,

and have need of nothing;

and knowest not that

thou art wretched,

and miserable,

and poor,

and blind,

and naked:

18 I counsel thee to buy of me

gold tried in the fire,

that thou mayest be rich;

and white raiment,

that thou mayest be clothed,

and that the shame of thy nakedness

do not appear;

and anoint thine eyes

with eyesalve,

that thou mayest see.”  Revelation 3:17-18

So, what can we take away from all of this?  I think we must do as God told Israel through the prophet Haggai, “consider your ways”, good advice that God still has for us today.  We must consider our ways and measure them by God’s Word rather than the popular buzz of the world.  The church is to lead the world to transforming life in Jesus, NOT to be “transformed” into the image of the world.  God calls us to be changed into the image of our Lord, The Son; and when we will choose to yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit of Jesus, we will find that revival will come to us, spread to other believers and then the lost will be drawn to the Master.  Just the way that Jesus told us in John!

“And I,

if I be lifted up from the earth,

will draw all men unto me.

33 This he said, signifying what death

he should die.”  John 12:32-33

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,

even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have eternal life.

16 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 3:14-16

He was lifted up for our sin, may we ever lift HIM up to draw others to the cross! Like Paul, I believe the church is called to stand on the gospel of Jesus and not the imitation “religion” of the world, entertaining people right into hell.  False security is no security.  May we determine to stand fast in the sufficiency and total provision of the cross.

“And I, brethren,

when I came to you,

came not with excellency of speech

or of wisdom,

declaring unto you the testimony

of God.

2 For I determined not to know any thing

among you,

save Jesus Christ,

and him crucified.”  1 Corinthians 2:2

And as Jesus said of Himself:

“…….I am the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.”  John 14:6

So, will you join me in truly pursuing Jesus and praying for revival amongst born again believers, so that our transformation into truly holy reflections of our Lord will draw others to the cross—by HIS transforming power!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies

a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed

to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove

what is that good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

will of God.”  Romans 12:1-2

May our lives ever be reflective of Jesus; may we truly be the evidence that God is ever at work around us?  May we be found faithful to HIS WORD; knowing it’s God’s standard that we will be judged by, not man’s!

“For the word of God

is quick,

and powerful,

and sharper than any twoedged sword,

piercing even to the dividing asunder

of soul and spirit,

and of the joints and marrow,

and is a discerner

of the thoughts

and intents

of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature

that is not manifest

in his sight:

but all things are naked and opened

unto the eyes of him

with whom we have to do.”  Hebrews 4:12-13

The choice is yours, but there will be an accounting before God, and only those who have bowed before the cross will be able to stand by JESUS’ blood.

Amen!