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.