Spiritual Characteristics of the Kingdom of God- Part 1

Jesus told us how to be truly blessed or happy. The world longs for happiness, but many people seek it through sinful pursuits. It is tragic the many ways people seek happiness by getting involved in activities that only bring it for a short time. In the long run, what they usually find is misery.

Developing the spiritual traits Jesus taught is like climbing a rugged mountain. As we ascent our spiritual mountain God is working in us by burning out our old nature and developing these first three characteristics that Jesus Lists-being poor in spirit, mourning and meekness-which makes us conscious of a deep need we have.

The development of these initial three characteristics causes us to hunger and thirst after righteousness. God promises to satisfy this hunger and thirst in that we “shall be filled.” The result of this filling develops the last three spiritual characteristics as we descend our spiritual mountain. We will become merciful, pure in heart, and peacemakers. After that, Jesus warns, we may be “persecuted because of righteousness” as Satan hates and wares against the development of these godly characteristics.

God develops our Christian character in three steps: need, satisfaction and results. First, He makes us aware of our need; next, He fills that need as we hunger and thirst for righteousness; and finally, He satisfies our longing by developing in us the qualities of mercy, being pure in heart, and a peacemaker. He is the potter; we are the clay. We are dependent on Jesus to deliver us from who we are and to develop in us the characteristics of His kingdom.

We not only need Jesus for the salvation of our soul; we also need Him to deliver us from what we are. Jesus is everything and everything is in Jesus.

Spiritual Characteristic Number One

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3)

This heart characteristic is the keystone of all the other qualities. It deals with the process of emptying us of our old sinful nature so we can be filled with the power of God’s new nature. The extent to which we become poor in spirit affects how successfully we develop the subsequent traits, and each characteristic build on the previous ones.

The characteristic of being poor in spirit deals with a person’s attitude toward self. The kingdom of this world promotes self-reliance, self-confidence, self-expression, self-exaltation and self-satisfaction. The world emphasizes personality, talent, looks, heritage, intelligence, wealth, power, etc. But the gospel raises up higher standard that focuses on God-reliance, God-confidence, God-expression, God-exaltation and the desire to please God through obedience to His Word, His will and His way. It is a characteristic that is despised by the world.

Being poor in spirit does not mean suppressing one’s true personality, trying to appear humble, making great sacrifices, or fleeing from the difficulties of everyday life. That certainly was not the way of Jesus.

The scriptures define poor in spirit: “The sacrifices of God are not broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). “For  this is what the high and lofty One says-he who lives forever, whose name is holy: I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite” (Isaiah 57:15).

The characteristic poor in spirit means:

-We shall not rely on the fact that we belong to a given family.
-We shall not boast that we are certain nationality.
-We shall not brag about our position in life, or any powers that may have been given to us.
-We shall not put confidence in the wealth we may have.
-We shall not flaunt our education.
-We shall not rely primarily on our personality, intelligence or special abilities.
-We shall not point to our morality and good behavior.
-We shall not build upon natural temperament.

To be poor in spirit is to be delivered from all that which promotes self. It is to know that within the flesh we are nothing, we have nothing, and we must look to God in utter dependence upon His grace and mercy. Within the flesh we are empty and hopeless, but He is the all-sufficient one.

How does one become poor in spirit? We do not begin by trying to do things to ourselves like sacrificing the flesh or suffering hardships. These only make us more conscious of ourselves and thus less poor in spirit. No, we must look to God. Our responsibility is to study God’s word to learn what He expects from us, and then to set our face as a flint to live in obedience. As we look at Him we feel out absolute poverty and, like the apostles, we cry out, “Lord increase our faith.”

The development of all these inner characteristics will evolve in us by the power of the Holy Spirit as we grow spiritually. They are characteristics of the Kingdom of God. You will see none of them are apart of our natural make-up.

Stay tuned for our next blog, where will discuss the second spiritual characteristic of “blessed are those who mourn” based on Matthew 5:4.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Perfect Example

Salt describes our state of being, and light describes out state of doing. Jesus himself was our perfect example of these two words that describe our mission. He did not have the attributes most people would consider necessary to accomplish great things. We’ve all read about how He lived in poverty and was reared in obscurity. He never received a formal education, never possessed wealth and never traveled extensively. Yet in jut three and a half years of ministry the effects of his life on mandkind were greater than that of anyone else in history.

The names of great statesmen come and go. Philosophers, scientists and theologians are soon forgotten. But the name of this man Jesus shines forth more and more. Once each week the wheels of commerce cease their turning, as multitudes gathers to pay homage to Him. He was God on Earth in the form of a human being. He truly proved that it only takes a small amount of light to make a major difference in a dark world. And the same Spirit that lived in him lives in all Christians who have truly been born again.

It is every Christian’s duty to be his ambassador by fulfilling God’s mission to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. However, according to Bible prophecy, there will be tremendous spiritual warfare carried on by the enemy in the last days of the Church Age. God has given us scriptures about the future so we will have insight about how the enemy will carry out this spiritual warfare.

Mankind Loves Darkness

Since the fall, man has loved darkness rather than light. He likes it this way! It is his nature. The trouble with mankind is not one of intellect; the bible tells us it is our sinful nature, sin is integral to who we are (see Romans 5:12 and 7:14-25). In its fallen, sinful state the world can be rotten, foul and polluted place. Left alone, it would probably self-destruct. It needs a preservative and a light that shines brightly, showing forth the love of God. Jesus states that Christians and Christians alone, are that preservative and that source of illumination. No one else is capable of fulfilling these two functions regardless of how educated they may be, or how hard they try.

The only way this dark world will find the answers it seeks is from the life and teachings of Jesus Christ! Only Christians are “the light of the world.” The truth of this statement is why Jesus tells us that our light must shines before men, that they may see our good deeds. “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

In bringing up the biblical truth that knowledge and education are not the answer to mankind’s problems, I am not suggesting that I don’t support education. Quite the contrary! I have a college degree, and our own three children and the six we took into our home to raise all went to college. Eight of the nine received their college degrees, and three earned master’s. My wife and I founded what is no one of the major Christian schools in Phoenix. I served as president of this school for 17 years and was on the board of Phoenix Christian High School for 10 years. There is no question that education is important. But scripture makes clear that it is the Spirit of God and the Word of God that enlightens mankind with the wisdom we need to understand and apply what knowledge we have.

Fulfillment of our Mission

To be the salt of the earth and the light of the world is an exciting challenge, but it does not happen just because the words are spoken. There must be a continued audit of the fruit of any mission statement; otherwise, how can you know it it is being fulfilled?

In these last days, we are living in one of the toughest times ever to be salt and light–especially in America! There has never been a society with as much power to teach its standards as the American society now has. That is one of the reasons why God warns us often about the ways of the world. The world is the enemy’s main attack vehicle to pollute the purity of Christians, thereby weakening our ability to function as salt and light. “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes any enemy of God” (James 4:4) “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the father is not in him. For everything in the world-the craving of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-comes not from the Father but from the  world” (1 John 2:15-16).

God warns us that the systems developed by mankind are controlled by our spiritual enemy. He uses them as a means to wage war against Christians. We are told in Scripture that we are to live in the world, but not to be of the world. This is because spiritually we are no longer citizens of the kingdom of this world, but have become citizens of the Kingdom of God. The apostle Paul considered this world dead to him and himself dead to this world. He said, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14).

When we bow to Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we experience a spiritual rebirth by the power of the Holy Spirit. From that point on, we are no longer a part of the World’s spiritual family. Colossians 1:13 states, “For He has rescued us out of the darkness and gloom of Satan’s kingdom and brought us into the kingdom of his dear son.” (The Living Bible). Satan’s objective is to prevent us from carrying out God’s mission to function as salt and light. Satan uses his kingdom- the world, or society-as one of his key attack vehicles to contaminate our being salt and to dim our light. However, all Christians are equipped with a power greater than the influence of Satan’s world system so we might fulfill our mission. “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome then, because the one who is in you (The Holy Spirit–God Himself) is greater than the one who is in the world (Satan)” (1 John 4:4).

I challenge you to continue your daily walk with the Lord by digging deeper into his word, spending time in prayer and diligently seeking him as the ruler and Lord of your life.

You are the Light of the World

Jesus gave us the perfect mission statement in scripture when he said “you are the salt of the earth” and “you are the light of the world.” Let’s dig deeper into what it means to be the light.

LIGHT

Jesus then proclaimed that Christians are “the light of the world.” The world is in a state of darkness, even though its people are always talking about their enlightenment. There are many scriptures that confirm this truth. “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves” (Colossians 1:13). “For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8). “But you are a chosen people…a people belonging to God…who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). Only Christians have been brought into the light; the people of the world remain in spiritual darkness.

The world does not recognize its darkness, however. One of the catchphrases of the Renaissance in the 15th and 16th centuries was that “knowledge brings light.” Many replaced God’s knowledge with man’s reasoning, placing human insight above God’s revealed wisdom. They replaced the worship of God with the worship of Man’s intellect.

Mankind does not realize that our knowledge has only increased our understanding of things-science, biology, commerce, pleasure, etc–not the real factors that are critical to the makeup of a successful and peaceful life. This is why the world’s vast accumulation of knowledge has only brought us to the many predicaments we see around us. We humans have failed in the most important area of all. We do not know what to do with our knowledge. Look at the failed relationships between people and nations. We don’t seem to understand that knowledge only give us the ability to analyze. It does not give us wisdom, therefore the answers as to what to do. Jesus taught that Christians should give off this light that the world so desperately needs.

The world does not have light because Jesus alone is the light of the world: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Only Christians can reflect the light and life of the Son of God. When a person is born again into His spiritual Kingdom, the Spirit of Jesus Christ begins to live in and through that individual. “Don’t you know that you your yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).

Christians are not the light of the world because of who we are, but because we reflect the nature and character of Him who move lives in us by His Spirit. Jesus said, “This is the verdict: Light (meaning Himself) has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done been done through God” (John 3:19-21).

As the light of Jesus Christ shines through us, it exposes the error of man’s way of thinking. That is why the pharisees and scribes, who supposedly had all the answers, hated Jesus so much. It is why the people of the world today, who still think they have the answers, hate many of the teachings found in scripture. Such a light exposes the sins of mankind that they do not want revealed.

–Stay tuned for part three of this blog series on “Salt and Light” where we will discuss why Jesus himself was our perfect example.–

 

 

 

 

You are the Salt of the Earth

Today there are more than 350,000 Christian churches across our land. In fact, you can hear the Gospel preached every hour through every communication means available. Christian men and women from America have also taken the Gospel of Christ throughout the world and raised up numerous ministries to meet the various needs of people.

Even as God obviously had a hand in America’s past, He challenges His church today to be the salt and light in our present troubled society. In Matthew 5:13-14 Jesus makes two of the most penetrating statements about Christians found anywhere in Scripture: “You are the salt of the earth” and “You are the light of the world.”

Jesus gave us our perfect mission statement in these two short sentences. They require a lot of courage to live out and are quite demanding. Today, we will dive into the first portion of this mission, “You are the salt of the earth.” Our Lord is saying that Christians are the only people in this world who can preserve the good (our function as salt) and have the understanding to help in those areas that matter the most (our function as light). What a challenging and fulfilling adventure Christians are to have in this life on Earth.

SALT

For Jesus to use the world salt to describe one of the key functions in the life of a Christian is amazing. Only the wisdom of God could have known what we do today about salt. It is one of the most stable compounds on Earth. On its own, it will not lose its saltiness. Salt becomes ineffective only when it becomes contaminated. This occurs if it is mixed or diluted with some other material or chemical.

To not lose its effectiveness, salt has to remain essentially different from the medium in which it is placed. When kept in a pure condition, it only takes a small amount of salt to accomplish the purpose of adding flavor or acting as a preservative. If God’s people remain in a pure state, it will only take a few of us to make a major difference. History records this happening in the first century during the beginning of the church.

“But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything” (Matthew 5:13). There is a principle of life that Jesus is teaching here. If Christians assimilate something other than the purity of God’s word, we face a greater danger of becoming contaminated. Our influence in this world will only happen if we are distinctively different. “What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.’ ‘Therefore come out from them and separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you’ (2 Corinthians 6: 15-17).

Mixing the standards of the world with God’s standards in one of the major temptations the enemy is using today. It causes Christians to become contaminated and lose their “saltiness.” It is vital to our mission that we understand what being “the salt of the earth” entails. We must be a preserver of the good.

–Stay tuned for the next blog where we will discuss “being the light” of the world! —

 

A Heightened Awareness of Holiness

How wonderful it is when a Christian finally realizes Jesus is, in fact, an unseen guest in their earthly home. His presence is far more precious than expensive furniture in the living room or a swimming pool in the backyard. This privilege is not just wishful thinking; it is an absolute truth that is central to the very definition of personal revival.

To understand personal revival, you must fully embrace the concept of living with Jesus as your constant companion. Doing so will make you aware of HIS closeness.

Personal revival can be identified by an ongoing sense of the presence of the Lord. Just as a church experiences the presence of Jesus during revival, so also, do individuals. What I am describing is a heightened awareness of holiness. 

Even those who are considered spiritual leaders can become very uncomfortable when fully exposed to the holiness of God–Isaiah 6 is a powerful and illuminating passage about a great prophet who loved the Lord deeply. Upon seeing God sitting on a throne high and exalted, and hearing the seraphs crying out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty,” Isaiah found himself in a most dreadful situation and cried out: “Woe to me!…I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty” (Isaiah 6:5).

How offensive the society in which we live must be to God. Consider just for a moment, how you might feel standing in His holy presence as a representative of this culture, knowing full well what is displayed each day–via movies, television, magazines, the internet, books, and other media outlets–along with the results of a study claiming that the Lord’s name is used in vain over one billion times each day. How could anything be more shameful, more so in America that other countries, because of our Christian heritage and the fact the Bible is so readily available and open to everyone? Does it shame you enough, with what is happening in our society, to join with others in an honest effort to save Christian values and halt the onslaught of rampant evil in our society?

Because revival is characterized by an overwhelming sense of the presence of a holy God, it naturally follows that conviction of sin, confession, and even reconciliation, are typical events for anyone affected. For revival to be long-lasting, however, the real task is to not only break the old negative patterns, but to firmly establish new positive ones in their place.

The apostle Paul wrote about taking off old clothes and putting on clean, fresh ones. Remember how wonderful it feels when you first try on a new outfit. Revival arrives with the same sense of expectations, only its the putting-on of sparkling-clean spiritual clothing.

Tears are often present during times of personal revival. They usually accompany the softening of a heart made ready to receive God’s forgiveness. Experiencing anew the clean sensation of God’s holiness, we begin to feel more fully alive than ever before. In short, I was you to understand that personal revival results in a sense of great inward joy for the person experiencing it.

Is there a specific sin standing between you and what I’m describing?

Usually people who are really serious can accurately identify what they have been holding on to that needs to be abandoned before a meaningful change can take place.

The bottom line is this: Sin and the presence of Jesus don’t mix. They never have and they never will. You have to choose one or the other.

Those who regularly sense the  presence of Christ, which comes with personal revival, are immediately convicted when they find themselves acting in a manner that has been unrighteous. They are brutally honest with themselves, which brings a quick response to ask the Lord for forgiveness and anyone else who might be affected. Personal revival is quite effective to highlighting the continuing importance to walk righteously. It is a time of new beginnings, of new life, of dedicated revival.

You can experience personal revival. However, only the Lord can make it happen. Reach out to him in prayerful conversation. Let him know the desire of your heart-how much you want it. Be persistent! He will not disappoint you.

 

 

 

 

Deception Breeds Compromise

Our Biblical text for today’s blog is found in Matthew 24:24 and Mark 13:22.

The worldly standards that have been promoted during this generation in “Christian America” have become SO strong and far-reaching that we cannot hope to avoid the effects of the warfare in which we are involved. The devil has never enjoyed so many opportunities to tempt people as effectively as he does today by utilizing our mass communication system.

At no other time in history have Christians faced attack on so many fronts, having to deal with such means and continuously tempted with the standards and ways of the world. Satan’s evil enticements are made conveniently available, and all too often, we find his offerings irresistible. And we have been encouraged to think his ways are harmless.

An important lesson for us to learn is that our value of righteousness can only be compared to God’s standards, which never change. As the world’s values have drastically deteriorated in recent years, only managing to maintain the same distance between our values and the world’s means that our values have  also deteriorated. That is why many of the more worldly values of twenty to forty years ago have now become an acceptable living standard for so many Christians.

“I am not as bad as the world” is not an acceptable thought for Christians. It is a deception that leads us to compare our standards with the world’s rather than comparing them only with God’s. Deception breeds compromise, and compromise leads to spiritual defeat.

Are you beginning to see why the God-given prophecy of Jesus, comparing the days of Noah to our day, was recorded in scripture? Over-commitment to the everyday affairs of life has caused the majority in our society, including many Christians, to ignore or pay very little attention to the signs of the times. Therefore, almost nothing has been done to guard against the deceptive spiritual warfare that Jesus and others prophesied would take place in our day. The fruit produced by the body of Christi during the past generation proves this statement to be true.

The enemy is using the influence of our modern-day worldly society to attach Christians, and its working! Far too may have lost most of their ability to discern right from wrong and we are unaware of the things Jesus warned us about. He said in Matthew 24:24 and Mark 13:22 that even the elect (Christians) would be deceived in our day. The truth of this prophecy is difficult to swallow, but the “spirit of merchandising” has captured the heart of most Americans far beyond what might be considered normal over the history of mankind.

I will repeat: The capability of our society to produce so many consumer products, along with the highly skilled advertising that constantly focuses our attention on these products; a media system that delivers this advertising right into our homes; easy credit, often with no down payment; and beautiful shopping malls, have come together to make this prophecy a present-day reality.

God is faithful. He has put these words of warning about our day in the Bible. He knew how important it would be for us to know the kind of spiritual warfare the enemy would use to tempt us in these end-times. We must be careful and constantly alert lest we also develop a strong self-centered attitude about our everyday affairs. It is a strong temptation that is capable of deceiving our hearts, keeping us from developing a strong commitment to live by God’s holy standards growing spiritually, and effecting fulfilling God’s mission to be “salt” and “Light.”

The enemy’s deceptive attacks have been very difficult to discern in our modern-day world. Our lack of concern and apathetic attitude regarding the many sins that are now out in the open in our society are revealing fruit of this deception. We need to examine the fruit or actions of our lives compared with God’s word. This is the only way to determine whether the enemy has deceived us.

To turn this condition around in the body of Christ, we need a Heaven-sent, Holy Spirit-operated revival. We should be praying for such a revival if we want to save biblical values in our country. Remember this, when we live watchfully as our Lord instructs us, we will begin to experience the joys of personal revival. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

America’s Relentless Pursuit

In Luke 17:26-30 Jesus warned us of one of the ways Satan would attack Christians in our time. He said: “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man (referring to the time of His return.) People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from Heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.”

Jesus makes a profound statement in this prophecy that immediately got my attention. Did you notice it? There is something missing in what He said about the days of Noah and Lot. He doesn’t mention the many gross sins that were taking place in the days of Noah and Lot. Not one thing that He does mention is within itself a sin. Likewise, he does not say anything about the many gross sins taking place in our day. He only lists the everyday normal affairs of life: eating, marrying, buying, selling, planting and building.

The Old Testament scriptures state that in the days of Noah and Lot lawlessness, permissiveness and rebellion were running rampant. This is given as the reason why God had to destroy both of those societies. Similarly, we know that  alot of these same evils exist today. Read any newspaper or listen to any newscast. Yet when comparing our day to those of Noah and Lot, Jesus makes no comment about this fact. Instead His comparison is with the everyday activities of buying, selling, eating, drinking, marrying, planting and building. Since his comparison refers to the time in which we live, I felt compelled to understand what He meant by his comments. Why would He warn us about the NORMAL everyday affairs of Life?

I think what I  discovered will interest you as much as it did me. The answer is more important than we may realize. It leads us to the very core of the spiritual warfare now taking place in our country. It is one of the reasons why the moral values of our society have deteriorated so quickly. Looking into the future, Jesus could see that deterioration, so He warned us of the cause ahead of time. The importance of that warning is further emphasized by the fact that God had it recorded in His Word.

This warning from Jesus comparing our day to Noah’s is a warning that carrries a much deeper and far greater concern than the many gross sins that ordinarily command our attention on a daily basis. Jesus did not have to mention them specifically, because Christians and non-Christians alike are already aware of them. We hear and read about them every day. As an example: The late David Wilkerson, the well-known pastor of Times Square Church in New York City and one of our country’s more prominent spiritual leaders of the past stated:

“I was listening to a special radio program in a large eastern city, where the people on the street were being interviewed about the moral condition of America. The question was asked, “Do you believe America has lost its moral integrity?” Almost all who were interviewed said basically the same thing: “America is going to hell in a hand basket!” “We no longer care if scoundrels run our country, as long as we prosper.” “Morality and purity have been sold out to pleasure and prosperity.”

God gave us this prophetic warning regarding these Last Days, because He recognized the danger associated with over-commitment to these seemingly harmless everyday affairs of life-the buying, selling, building, and so forth. It is not our involvement in these things that makes them sinful. Our sin is one of over-commitment to the self-serving affairs of everyday life, which has caused an ever more diminishing commitment to live by the standards of God. That apparently was a problem in the days of Noah, and it obviously is a problem today, especially in America.  Our relentless pursuit of everyday affairs has become more important to us than our desire to comply with God’s moral living standards.

Jesus is telling us that  in the days of Noah and Lot, the everyday affairs of life became so important to people it caused them to abandon their commitment to place God first and honor His values. Serving God was not their primary focus. He is warning us this same temptation would also be predominant in our day.

It is almost impossible to describe the power our society has acquired in recent years to influence our behavior through highly-developed advertising campaigns, a constant flow of attractive new products, beautiful shopping malls, easy credit, often with no down payment, and a mass media system that delivers that advertising into our homes and everywhere we go. It constantly tempts us to over-commit our time and money and compromise our moral values, so we are encouraged to serve ourselves more than we desire to serve God.

God looked ahead and prophesied through Jesus how our lives would be dominated by these everyday affairs of life. He knew this was one of the reasons why people were lead astray in the days of Noah and Lot. They would not listen to Noah and recognize the signs of the times. In His love, he has warned us in the same way.

Understanding this fact should serve as a wake-up call to Christians. God knows that anyone having such a strong commitment to the everyday affairs of life- that our society is now able to develop within us- can easily grow cold in our personal resolve to live by HIS biblical standards. It is a form of deception that Satan is using to destroy “Christian America” in these Last Days, just as Jesus prophesied.

Often times, God tests us to prove that our heart’s desire is to obey and put Him first in ALL things in our lives, regardless of the sacrifice. The blessings of this life can properly follow in a life of faith. But this prophecy of Jesus comparing the people in our day to the people in Noah’s day addresses our attitude and commitment. Which is more important: the gifts or the God who gives them?

 

 

What if Jesus attended your church?

The most outstanding characteristic of genuine revival throughout history is an overwhelming sense of the Lord’s presence. Revival, above all else, is a purposeful glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a restoration of Him as a living personality to the center of life in the church. During every period of revival, you will find without expectation, there has always been a tremendous increase in the emphasis upon His actual personhood and the unique power of the blood he willingly shed on Calvary.

Just imagine what it might be like if Jesus began attending your church on a regular basis. Picture the difference it would make, and you will have a pretty good idea of what revival in your church would look like.

In my example, say Jesus attends your church in bodily form for a moth or even two. Now I know that every Sunday He is with us in Spirit, but what if he were physically present and your could see Him, not just through eyes of faith but with your own two eyes? What difference would that make? Following is a list of responses, seven in total, I think you might very well observe. By design, it does not cover every base because I have reserved a key one for another blog post 🙂 It does, however, give you a good feel for what would take place.

ONE: If Jesus were to bodily join in your church service, I believe your first response would be immediate worship. As As soon as someone recognized Him…people would begin to nudge one another and whisper…”Is that who I think it is?”

Then I would expect the room to become very quiet. Next, some would probably go over and humbly bow before him. The term worship means to attribute worth to God-to praise or adore Him. These acts are the body language of worship. Someone might begin to sing, “Jesus, I adore you. Lay my life before you. How I love you.” I can hear the praise music continuing, uninterrupted, for quite some time.

Would you believe renewed worship is actually one of the early signs of revival in a church? Its an expression of people trying to honor their Lord and Savior, because they want to fully acknowledge what He means to them.

  TWO: Love. Were Jesus to come to your church Sunday after Sunday, it wouldn’t be long before the people would start to extend Christ-like love to one another. Knowing this was extremely important to Him, they would do their best not to act in a way contrary to His desires. Negative feelings toward someone would be put on hold, at least for a little while. Why? Because our Lord is right there with them in His church and this issue is one He has repeatedly emphasized.

I don’t know if you are aware of this, but remarkable evidences of love between congregation members always characterize times of revival. “We were extremely careful with our words, because none of us wanted to be responsible for ruining what was being experienced.”

THREE: With Jesus present in bodily form, many would want to talk to him. You can easily imagine a long line of folks waiting patiently for their turn. Maybe some people would only say, “Thank you, Jesus.” Its also quite possible they would have a personal request, or they would want to talk to Jesus about a loved one. Some would ask for forgiveness. Others might declare, “I love you,” or “You’re wonderful.”

Prayer, or talking to Jesus, and revival go together hand in glove. You never, ever find revival without extra ordinary times of prayer. Times of persistent and prevailing prayer are always one of the key factors leading to revival.

FOUR: God’s word begins to come alive for people during periods of authentic revival. This doesn’t mean Jesus will be doing the preaching. Look at it this way: If I am standing behind the pulpit and Jesus was sitting with the congregation, you would constantly be looking in His direction for some evidence of approval. And if He says amen to something I say, it will underscore my words in an incredibly powerful way.

If it fair to report that in times of revival, the scriptures possess an amazing power to convict. Hearers don’t question what is said. Instead, they willingly submit to the authority of the Bible.

FIVE: When men and women perceive that the Lord is near, they are unusually anxious to serve. They might very well say, “You’ve done so much for me, Jesus. What can I do to show my gratitude?” The gifts they have received from God are now offered back to Him. No one says “I’m sorry, I can’t,” “I’m too busy,” or “It’s not a good time for me right now.” Instead the church has such an abundance of volunteers, its almost as if an apology is in order. “Check back again in a couple of weeks, and we’ll see what new ministries are beginning that might need some help,” becomes a standard reply.

SIX: When Christians sense that Jesus is there, numerous friends and acquaintances begin to accompany them to church. “You just have to meet him,” they tell others. “He’ll change your life. I mean there’s no one quite like him in the whole world.” Evangelism is no longer seen as some kind of burden or some obligation. Rather it now becomes the very lifeblood of every individual whose life has been made new because of a personal encounter with their savior.

SEVEN: This one may or may not surprise you. The presence of Christ also provokes an immediate response from the enemy. In fact, intense spiritual warfare is actually precipitated by the advent of revival. As soon as new life begins to emerge, the enemy does everything within his power to abort it. He begins by exploiting every weakness of the church leaders, they attacks the flock with a determined vengeance, concentrating first on those who are spiritually feeble. He goes after the most spiritually feeble in the flock in whatever way he can. That’s just the way he operates. His ruthless knows no bounds.

So revivals can be “crazy.” The great London preacher Charles Spurgeon called them “seasons of glorious disorder.” Times of revival aren’t exactly Heaven on earth, even though it does provide us with a taste of what it will be like. At the same time, however, the forces of darkness with spare no effort to squelch any momentum as quickly as possible.

As you consider these seven signs of revival in the local church, try to evaluate where your church and YOU personally stand in relationship to each of these evidences. Hopefully, you now have a more complete picture of what happens to a church when the presence of Jesus becomes a reality for every member. Personally I find these characteristics attractive. I think you will, too. I would certainly hope so, because all revivals are intended to be high-water marks in the life of a church! Revivals possess an innate power to bring the glory to the Lord, as well as to inflict defeat on the enemy.

We are God’s Soldiers~Creating a Circle of Love

Like it or not, we are God’s soldiers in a spiritual struggle for the very survival of Godliness in America.We must deal with the breakdown at hand, as we alone posses the solution to this problem. Dealing with it is our responsibility.

God’s word has given us a framework for national revival. In 2 Chronicles 7:14 he says: If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and will HEAL their land.” There are four “ifs” that must be satisfied by God’s people prior to his promise of a response. The first “if” requires them to humble themselves, the second is prayer, the third directs them to seek HIS face, and the fourth is to turn from their wicked ways.

Here are 4 suggestions of ACTIONS you should take along with the four “ifs” noted above to be a part of the solution as God’s soldiers. I am fully aware each step will require some serious thought and time on your part. In fact, the truth is, when you completed everything, I’m recommending, you will still find it necessary to regularly re-access and revise your conclusions. Step number 1, however, could and should be finished immediately, I sincerely hope you will give it a try. Here it is:

STEP 1: Create a circle of love and fill in the names. A circle of love is simply a listing of those people who mean the most to you. Older Christians could include many names in their circle. For example, if you were married and had several children, who in turn gave you grandchildren and, subsequently gave you great-grandchildren, the number in your circle might reach into the thirties, forties, fifties, or even higher. My wife and I presently have seventy-six in our immediate family, and it is still growing.
If you don’t have great-grandchildren yet, its more likely your total, including children, their spouses, and some grandchildren, will range between ten to thirty people. That still a lot of people. Couples with younger children probably won’t break into double digits. Then again, you might want to include parents and siblings in your circle of love.      Singles can put down quite a few names as well. Nothing limits your circle to blood relatives alone. If you enjoy a close relationship with a friend or neighbor, that individual should definitely be included. After all, its your circle of love.

STEP 2: Carefully think through what you can offer each of the special individuals that might be of eternal value. It could be lessons learned from a lifetime of living for and trying to follow Jesus. But, for whatever reason, these insights have never been shared with a son, a daughter, or close friend: Now you’re feeling divinely compelled to do just that.
Possibly its a special book or an experience that totally turned your life around, but those close to you know little about it.     Maybe its the promise of Grandpa’s persistent prayers or the phone calls to find out how they’re being answered. It could be the money needed to send a grandchild to a Christian school, or a short-term mission trip with Mom before your daughter heads off to college, or simply sharing the story of how you became a follower of Jesus. You always put it off in the past, but now you feel the need to write down your testimony including how the Lord brought you through some really difficult times. It’s whatever the Holy Spirit lays on your heart as you think about each of the precious individuals on your list. This is what I have to share with my son, or closest friend, or my granddaughter, that I believe has eternal value. You might say to your fiance, “Its my life verse, sweetheart, and believe me, I’ve said it to myself time and time again! And because we’re going to be married, I wanted you to know about it.”

STEP 3: For each person in your circle of love, write down specific prayer requests applicable to the present, as well as five or ten years in to the future. At this very moment, what should I be requesting of the Lord that will benefit Emily? Too often our prayers are hasty and short-sighted. “Lord, keep Emily  healthy, pretty and sweet!” That’s not adequate. Instead how about: “Lord, protect her from the evil one. Giver her teachers at school and church who will love her and challenge her to be a special servant for you.” “Five hears from now, Lord, I want you to be the one who guides her as she considers if she should plan on going to college, as well as which one to attend. Ten years off-start preparing her for a single life of celibacy, if that’s how she can best serve you, or choose the right young man to join her in marriage.”
When you finally stop long enough to write down each request and regularly make an effort to update your list, I think you will be surprised to find many prayers of hope have somehow been replaced with prayers of expectation.
Finally, to the best of your ability, write down the specifics of how you want to pray for each of these individuals. Only as you do this will you be transformed into a prayer warrior strong enough to stand between your loved ones and the plague of the enemy that now permeates our entire culture. To intercede is to go to God on behalf of another .Unlike spiritual superficiality, effective intercessions requires serious forethought. Anything less will not suffice. Given the times we live in, it should not be difficult for any believer to grasp its importance.

STEP 4: Examine your own life. What changes is God asking you to make? Today in America the devil is winning. In my heart I can hear the wake-up trumpet playing. Reveille. Reveille-revival-same basic idea…wake up! And what does that mean for me, Lord? “I certainly don’t want to be found lolling around watching a 50″ LED TV while the emergency siren is sounding in the street!”
IN a safe harbor setting for all kinds of seductive distractions, ongoing self-examination is important. If you hope to be an effective disciple of the Son of God, it is crucial.

In conclusion, you must listen…if you don’t provide cover for your loved ones, no one else will, and they could perish. This threat is real. You can’t ignore the powerful influence Satan has gained through our society. People are going to be lost if you fail to intervene on their behalf. The time to begin this process is right now. There is NO more time to waste. Be a soldier for Jesus and create a circle of love!

 

 

Waiting for Revival

God’s work has given us a framework for national revival. In 2nd Chronicles 7:14 he says: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked way, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and will heal their land.”

I think it is ironic the Lord spoke these words to Solomon during a time of great prosperity, much like America has experienced throughout the last generation. I think we should take particular notice of the fact that God sets specific conditions for revival by starting this discourse to Solomon with the word “if.” He then proceeds to list four “ifs” that must be satisfied by God’s people prior to his promise of a response. The first “if” requires them to humble themselves, the second is prayer, the third directs them to seek HIS face, and the fourth is to turn from their wicked ways.

Revival, although closely linked with Evangelism, should not be confused with evangelism. Revival is an experience, while evangelism is more of an expression. Revival is afresh demonstration of God’s power.

Let me suggest a few possibilities that might explain why we have not already witnessed such a revival:

1) It could be related to the fact that the Christian message has become so highly commercialized. Too many who proclaim the message use nearly every tactic possible to get the tithes of widows and the poor, while at the same time, they indulge themselves in luxury living and shamelessly beg for more!
2)We have allowed the gospel to be cheapened. We can never quit preaching that the cross of Jesus Christ coupled with spiritual re-birth is the one and only path to Heaven. Acts 4:12 states, ” Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under Heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

3) Individual carelessness. Perhaps we spend too little time in prayer and lack a dedicated commitment to expand the Kingdom of God.

4) We too often fear what others may think or say. Instead of using every opportunity to proclaim the only name whereby all men must be saved, we allow intimidation to rule over us and effectively silence any prompting of the Holy Spirit.

5) Our prayers lack urgency. This may very well be the biggest single factor contributing to the delay of the Holy Spirit-led revival.

6) Perhaps we have acquired a taste for the glory that belongs to God and to HIM only. Jesus said, “I do not accept praise from men” (John 5:41) and “How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?” (John 5:44)

I encourage you over the next several days, to evaluate yourself and see if any of the six issues have been a spiritual burden in your life. Let’s lean into God’s word, pray with URGENCY and continually seek God’s face.