THE NEED FOR REVIVAL

"Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?" (Psalm 85:6)

Let's be honest about it.  Our nation is in a mess right now.  We must honestly confess that our nation is in desperate need of a spiritual awakening.  While our nation continues to spiral out of control, the American Church is casually practicing religion without power.  These are low days in the church.  It is easy to identify the problems in our nation and government, but we are slow to address the problems in the church.  In my personal opinion, our nation would not be in the mess she's in now if the American church had been clean and close to God. 

We need revival in the American Church.  Most churches will have "services as usual" on Sunday mornings, yet they are making little impact on the culture.  We are far from being like the church in the book of Acts.  The first century church was making a difference in spite of intense persecution.  The American church is suffering little persecution and is not making much of a difference at all.

Let me define a few terms.  When I refer to a spiritual awakening, I'm referring to a widespread move of God to bring multitudes to a saving faith in Christ.  When I write about revival, I'm referring to a move of the Spirit to awaken believers and set them on-fire for God.  Both are needed in America, yet I believe that change must begin with God's people.  Apart from revival, we shouldn't expect a spiritual awakening.

Let me give you four reasons why I believe that we need revival in the American Church:

1.  COLDNESS

First of all, there is apathy and coldness among professing believers.  Most churches are seeing a plateau or decline in attendance and baptisms.  On a given Sunday, many church members will not even attend their own church.  These days, professing believers tend to think that watching a TV preacher or reading something spiritual on the internet is a substitute for public worship.

Even worse, most professing believers are not living out their faith day by day.  They may claim to pray, but their lives are not exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit.  Friends, neighbors and co-workers cannot see an active faith being lived before them. 

Churches themselves have fallen into this trap.  By and large, most American churches are like the church of Laodicea. They are very lukewarm.  Despite the fact that they have impressive buildings, modern technology and numerous programs, they can't honestly claim that they are impacting their neighborhoods like they should.

2.  CORRUPTION

Secondly, there is corruption in the American Church.  We have permitted false doctrine to become acceptable.  I am amazed at the number of people who follow false teachers and quote them on Facebook.  Either Americans are ignorant of the Bible or they simply don't care. 

Most frown upon those who call out these false teachers.  We are told not to judge them.  However, the Bible instructs us to "contend for the faith."  Paul was very blunt about false teaching (Galatians 1:6-10).  We need some old-fashioned, Spirit-filled, Bible-believing preachers who'll simply "tell it like it is."  The American Church won't experience revival while permitting the filth of doctrinal error to spread.

3.  CARNALITY

Third, there is carnality in the church.  Sinful behavior has been allowed to infiltrate churches.  We no longer frown at such behavior.  We are no longer burdened about the sinful acts of professing believers. 

In the name of "love," some denominations embrace lifestyles that are strictly condemned by the Scriptures.  When churches and professing believers embrace the teachings of Oprah or "The View" instead of the Word of God, it is no wonder we are in such a mess.

Simply put, instead of impacting our society, our society is impacting the church. 

4.  COMPROMISE

Finally, there is worldly compromise in the church.  Nearly every church wants to reach more people.  We'd love to see attendance increase and membership multiply.  We'd love to see mass baptisms again.  However, we are enacting worldly methods to accomplish this.  We have forgotten that it is God who gives the increase. 

These days, it is not uncommon for the pastor to be seen as a CEO instead of a shepherd.  The vision of the church is shaped more by business leadership strategies rather than the Word of God.  What has happened to us?

Bold preaching, doctrinal purity and Biblical evangelism are not important to many churches.  We've replaced God's agenda with our own.  We have learned to "do church" without God.  No wonder His hand has been removed from many congregations. 

We need revival in our churches.  We should no longer be content with "church as usual."  We desperately need the Lord.

It is time we quit playing church.     

SOMETHING WE ALL CAN DO:  GIVE

"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:38)

For some time, many people have criticized the subject of giving.  Certainly there have been TV evangelists who have used guilt tactics to extract money from well-meaning viewers.  Others have abused the finances they've been entrusted with. 

Despite the abuse of money by a few TV ministers, the subject of giving is one that needs to be addressed.  Every believer should be a giver.  Giving should be an expression of our love for the Lord.  Sadly, many Christians have the reputation of being uncaring because of their stinginess. 

God wants us to give.  Far too many are legalistic with their giving.  Their attitude is summed up in the question, "What is the least I have to give?"  Instead, God wants us to have the attitude, "What is the most I am able to give?"  As recipients of God's abundant grace and love, we should be generous in our giving.

I recognize that many who read this are not financially wealthy.  Some of my readers are on a monthly fixed income and find it difficult just to pay their bills.  I want you to understand that there's more to the subject of giving than money.  As you'll see, giving is something all of us can do.

Giving is a reflection of the heart.  Gratitude, compassion and love should motivate us to give generously.  Let's look at three areas of giving.

1.  GIVE OF YOUR TIME

First of all, you can give of your time.  When a person gives of his time, it shows that he cares.  Some try to use money as a substitute for time.  That is a serious mistake.  When you are raising children, they need your time more than they need an expensive toy or trinket.

Time is the most precious gift you can give.  Think about it.  You can earn more money but once time is gone, it is gone forever.  We have just a limited amount of time left here on earth.  It is imperative that we use our time wisely.

So many need our time.  When you befriend someone who is lonely, you are giving that person a precious gift.  When you take time to listen to a neighbor with a broken heart, you're giving a valuable gift to them.  When you visit a nursing home or someone in the hospital, you are giving them a loving gift.  When you give of your time to volunteer at a soup kitchen, you are giving a wonderful gift to those in need.

Don't underestimate the gift of your time.  You may impress a few people by writing a check, but you impact lives by giving them your time.

2.  GIVE OF YOUR TALENTS

Everyone has unique gifts and talents that God has given for us to use.  He expects us to use our talents for His glory and the benefit of others.  We tend to overlook the value of our talents, but when you give of your talents, it can make a profound difference.

A person does not need to have money to give of his talents.  Cooking a meal for a family that is grieving is a loving gift.  Lending a hand to someone in need can really be a blessing.  Providing free carpentry work for a widow can really make a difference. 

When you give of your talents, you will be a blessing others and you'll find yourself being blessed.

3.  GIVE OF YOUR TREASURES

Financial giving is something that God honors.  Do not think that you must be a wealthy person to give.  Many ministers have publicly given high praise to a wealthy person who donates thousands of dollars.  Yet the Lord looks beyond such superficial nonsense.  He looks at your heart and your capacity to give.  If Jesus recognized and praised a widow for giving just two mites, He will bless when you sacrificially give just a few dollars or even a few cents.

The Lord loves a cheerful giver.  When you give of your time, talents and treasures, the Lord sees it.  He knows why you've given.  Although others may not know about your giving, the Lord does.  Ultimately, He will reward you for your loving gifts. 

I think it is time for Christians to repent of their stinginess.  Since we have received the greatest gift of all ---- the gift of eternal life --- we should show our appreciation and love through generous giving.

It is something all of us can do.

SOMETHING WE ALL CAN DO:  OBEY

I've been writing about "Things We All Can Do."  Today, we are going to look about another subject that fits in that category.  I know that I recently wrote about obedience, but I felt the need to revisit the subject.  You see, obeying God is something every believer can do.

Here are 10 facts we need to learn about obeying God:

1.  OBEDIENCE IS NOT ALWAYS EASY

This first point is rather simple and obvious.  It is easy to talk about obedience but it is much more difficult to practice obedience.  God often requires that we leave our comfort zone, which we tend to resist. 

2.  OBEDIENCE IS OFTEN A PERSONAL ISSUE

Certainly there are certain commands all of us should obey.  However, obeying God may require me to do different things than you.  For instance, God calls some to preach.  Those who are called are expected to obey.  However, most Christians are not called to preach, thus they should not preach.  Each person will have unique opportunities to obey.

3.  OBEDIENCE MAY BE A CORPORATE ISSUE

Many times God calls a group of believers to obey.  Several of the New Testament epistles are written to churches.  Similarly, Revelation chapters 2 and 3 are dedicated to God's message to seven churches in Asia.  It was not uncommon for God to challenge local churches to obey Him in specific matters. 

4.  OBEDIENCE IS "FAITH IN ACTION"

Our faith is demonstrated through our actions.  Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).  Obedience to God is a good barometer of your spiritual health.

5.  OBEDIENCE REQUIRES GOD'S HELP

We cannot obey God without His help.  Too many cocky Christians later regret their sinful attempt to do God's work their own way, instead of His way.  We need God's help, especially when it comes to obedience.

6.  PRAYER IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR OBEDIENCE

The enemy tempts us to substitute many things in place of obedience.  One of the most common substitutes is prayer.  Prayer is a glorious privilege, but prayer is never a substitute for obedience.  Church attendance, reading the Bible and giving are wonderful activities, but they are not substitutes for obedience. 

7.  OBEDIENCE IS OFTEN REQUIRED WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE

In many cases, obedience is required in a split second.  At that moment, you don't have time to debate the pros and cons of obedience.  If you fail to obey that precise moment, the opportunity will probably be gone.  I've often prayed for an opportunity to share my faith, but do you know when the best opportunities have come?  When I was least expecting it. 

8.  OBEDIENCE HAS CONSEQUENCES

We know that disobedience has consequences, but do you know that obedience to God also has consequences?  When you obey God, it may cost you a relationship.  Obeying God may cost you your job.  Obeying God may cost you money.  I've often said that salvation is a free gift, but discipleship may cost you everything.

9.  OBEDIENCE WILL BE MISUNDERSTOOD

Don't expect everyone to cheer when you obey God.  Unbelievers will consider you to be a "Jesus Freak," or a radical.  Believers may label you as "legalistic" or overly zealous.  Many will frown upon your obedience.  Some will even try to persuade you to stop obeying God.  Obedience will be misunderstood.

10.  OBEDIENCE WILL BE REWARDED

Ultimately, obedience will be rewarded.  Sometimes in this life, God graciously rewards us for our obedience and faithfulness.  Most of our rewards await us when we leave this world.  Be assured of this fact, God knows when you obey Him and He will reward you one day.

Sadly, many "believers" expect God to obey them.  God is not our servant --- we are His servants.  As His servants, we are expected to obey.

That is something all of us can do.

SOMETHING WE ALL CAN DO:  PRAY

"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." - Matthew 6:6

Last week, we began looking at some things that every Christian can do.  It is almost intimidating to look at very gifted Christians.  In fact, it is easy to get discouraged when we compare our talents with those who are greatly gifted by God.  Whether you feel talented or not, there are things you can do in the Lord's work.  Last week, we learned about something all Christians can do:  believe.  Faith is a major key to today's subject.  Today we are looking something else all Christians can do:  pray.

I do not intend to write an extended essay on the subject of prayer.  There are many excellent books about prayer that are available.  Instead, I want to encourage believers to pray.  Let's be honest about it.  Prayer can be hard work. Our flesh tends to fight against us when we pray.  Additionally, the devil can bombard our minds with other thoughts, distracting us from prayer.  Our appointment calendars can get so full that time with the Lord gets crowded out of our lives. 

Yet we need to pray.  We need the Lord each moment.  We need His provisions, power and protection.  Prayer is not just a spiritual discipline; it is a necessity of life.

For the Christian, prayer is more than a religious exercise.  Prayer is the means by which we communicate with God. 

There's no better expert on the subject of prayer than Jesus.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught His followers many practical lessons for life.  Among the instruction He gave, Jesus gave us specific insight about personal prayer.  Our text today is Matthew 6:6.  From this verse, Jesus teaches us how to pray.

1.  PRAY INTENTIONALLY.

First of all, we should pray intentionally.  Jesus said, "But thou, when thou prayest..."  He didn't say, "If thou prayest," but "WHEN thou prayest..."  The Lord expects us to pray.

I realize that there are times in which the Lord leads us to pray spontaneously.  That is wonderful.  I still believe that we need to intentionally set aside time daily for prayer.  Set aside time daily to meet with God and talk with Him.  Prayer and the Word go hand-in-hand.  I suggest that you plan a time daily to read from the Word and pray to the Lord. 

Pray intentionally.

2.  PRAY PRIVATELY.

Also, we're taught to pray secretly.  Jesus said, "... enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret."  Jesus is not teaching us that it is wrong to pray in public.  Jesus prayed in public several times.  There are many instances when public prayer is needed.  However, most of our praying should be done privately.

Jesus said "... enter into thy closet..."  If you're like me, there's not enough room to even get in your closet, yet alone spend time in prayer in there.  What Jesus is referring to in this text is a special, quiet place, free from distractions.  I've heard of people who've built a special, small room in their house just for prayer.  They refer to it as their prayer closet.  I like that.  However, you don't have to make major changes to your home.  You just need to find a private place to meet with God.

The emphasis on private prayer is in sharp contrast to the Pharisees' form of prayer.  Pharisees prayed publicly just to be seen and praised.  Jesus wants His followers to avoid that.  Instead, He wants His people to pray in private.

3.  PRAY EXPECTANTLY.

Finally, we should pray expectantly.  Pray with faith.  In fact, R. A. Torrey wrote that believers should focus, by faith, on the Lord before praying.  Faith is a vital part of effective prayer. 

Jesus promised, "... and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."  This is an exciting guarantee from Jesus: we will receive a reward for our prayers!   We should pray with such confidence.  In Matthew 21:22, Jesus said, " And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, BELIEVING, ye shall receive" (emphasis added). 

By faith, we approach the throne of grace when we pray.  By faith, we focus on the One who occupies that throne, which allows us to address Him personally.  By faith, we talk with Him, knowing that we'll be rewarded for our prayers.  By faith, we know that He hears and will answer our prayers. 

Pray intentionally.  Pray privately.  Pray expectantly.  Put Jesus' teaching to practice in your own life.  If we prayed according to Jesus' instruction, we may be amazed at the things the Lord does in response to our prayers. 

What a blessing and privilege it is to pray!  Take time to pray --- and then pray throughout the day.  Paul wrote, "Pray without ceasing." 

God is here with us.  He is available to hear our plea.  Call upon Him in prayer today.

That is something all us can do.

SOMETHING WE ALL CAN DO:  BELIEVE

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." - Hebrews 11:6

For the next few weeks, I intend to dedicate my weekly blog message to the concept:  "Something We All Can Do."  This message is written for believers who feel like underachievers compared to the "superstar" saints who seem so gifted and talented. 

The good news is that every born again believer can contribute to God's work.  You may never preach to a stadium of unbelievers.  You may never sing a great anthem that inspires millions.  You may not have the ability to teach with enthusiasm, impacting the lives of your students.  But there are some things you CAN do.  Today, let's look at one thing all of us can do:  believe. 

Faith is not a flashy subject.  Yet all of us can live and walk by faith.  God has given us the wonderful gift of faith, but it is up to us to faithfully use it.  Instead of impressing or inspiring others, our main goal should be to please God.  According to Hebrews 11:6, faith pleases God.  A great singing voice does not always please God.  Great oration doesn't necessarily please God.  A well-presented Sunday School lesson doesn't automatically please God.  Yet a believer, greatly gifted or not, can please God by living and walking by faith. 

How can we live and walk by faith?

1.            TRUST IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

First of all, trust in the presence of God every moment.  Realize that God is always there with you.  You never face a situation alone.  The ever-present Lord is there for you regardless of the circumstances you face.  Jesus has promised to never leave us (Matthew 28:20).  I used to think that we enter God's presence when we pray, however, we are always in the presence of the Lord because He is with us all the time.

One of my favorite songs is the old Stamps-Baxter song, "Hand In Hand With Jesus."  The chorus summarizes a life of faith:

            "Hand in hand we walk each day,

            Hand in hand along the way;

            Walking thus I cannot stray,

            Hand in hand with Jesus."

Although I'm walking hand in hand with Jesus, it is His hand that is securely holding mine.  He is leading the way.  Through faith, we embrace the unseen reality of God's presence. 

2.            TRUST IN THE PROMISES OF GOD

Secondly, trust in the promises of God.  According to 2 Peter 1:4, God has given us "... exceeding great and precious promises."  Faith is taking God at His Word.  God has given specific promises to us.  These promises are found in His Word, the Bible.

The Bible says, "... faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Hebrews 10:17).  Faith is based upon the promises of God's Word.  We were saved when we believed God's promise of salvation.  We are victorious when we obey the Word.  If you want your faith to increase, spend more time in the Bible.  The Word of God feeds your faith.  You'll either feed your faith or starve your faith.  If you study the lives of great men and women of faith, you'll find that these saints were faithful in reading, studying and obeying the Word of God.

3.            TRUST IN THE POWER OF GOD

We should trust in the power of God.  God can do all things.  It is not our education, training or intelligence that ultimately makes a difference.  When God indwells a person and lives His life through that person, amazing things take place.

God has not designed us to live victoriously on our own.  When we die to ourselves and allow God to live and work through us, victory is imminent.  God has the power to do what we could never do alone.  No wonder Paul could write, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13) 

God is trustworthy.  We can trust Him.  We should rely on Him.  Believe His Word to the extent that you obey His commands.

It is not faith, but the object of our faith, that makes a difference.  Don't trust in your faith --- trust in God.  Trust in His presence.  Trust in His promises.  Trust in His power.  God is pleased when we live and walk by faith.

That is something all of us can do.  

LEAVING THE LUKEWARM LIFE

"...be zealous therefore, and repent." - Revelation 3:19

The church of Laodicea closely resembles the American Church today.  On the surface, the Laodicean church seemed impressive.  From all appearances, they seemed to have so many things going right.  However, the Lord reveals to us that their spirituality was superficial at best. 

The church of the Laodiceans failed in three areas: pride, perception and power.  First of all, there was an issue of pride.  Revelation 3:17 reveals a spirit of pride among the Laodiceans:  "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing..."  Notice that THEY said this of themselves.  They were proud of their situation.  Secondly, there was a problem of perception.  They felt that because they were rich, they were spiritually successful.  Sounds familiar, doesn't it?  Actually, if you trace it back, this belief has a pagan origin.  Pagans believed that financial prosperity was a mark of spiritual success.  Finally, there was an absence of power.  They felt that they had "...need of nothing."  They felt self-sufficient.  When the Lord called them lukewarm, it revealed that they lacked spiritual power. 

Doesn't the Laodicean church sound like American Christianity today?  We have impressive church buildings (some resembling small malls), paved parking lots, comfortable seating, professional choirs and orchestras & polished ministers.  We are proud of it all.  Have you noticed that most churches try to promote themselves instead of Jesus?  We suffer from pride.  Also, we suffer from perception.  We, like the Laodiceans, are superficial and spiritually lukewarm.  We compare ministry statistics with other churches...just to see if we are ahead of others.  Many view think that a large crowd, a huge sanctuary and a massive budget prove that they are deeply spiritual.  What deception!  Finally, there is a lack of power.  We talk about power, sing about power and preach about power, but power is noticeably absent from churches these days.  The American church is no longer impacting society.  At the end of the day, we must admit that we are not reaching the masses with the Gospel.  Instead, we are content to have church "as usual."  The American church is powerless.  The American church doesn't even remotely resemble the church in the book of Acts.

What was God's prescription for the Laodicean church?  "...be zealous therefore, and repent" (Revelation 3:19).  Most ministers avoid the subject of repentance. It is an uncomfortable subject.  It is easy to preach about repentance when addressing unbelievers, but I am convinced that believers need to hear about repentance!  Perhaps the reason we're not seeing many sinners repent is because sinners aren't seeing many believers repent.

Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of behavior.  In essence, the Lord was telling the Laodicean church to change their attitude and their actions.  Furthermore, they were told to be zealous in their repentance. 

I feel that we need revival in our churches, yet I know that revival will never come apart from repentance.  Corporately and individually, we need to confess our worldliness, selfishness and sinfulness before our mighty Lord.  We need to seek His face in genuine humility.  We need to be burdened about our sins. 

Repentance involves turning from our independence and cast ourselves before the Lord in total surrender.

We tend to think that lukewarmness is better than coldness.  Yet lukewarm Christianity was revolting to the Lord --- to the extent that He promised the Laodiceans, "I will spew thee out of my mouth." 

Instead of comparing ourselves to other Christians, we need to compare ourselves to the perfect Lamb of God.  Instead of comparing our churches to other churches, we should compare our churches to God's standards.  Instead of selfishly promoting ourselves, we should be proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Instead of worrying about what others think of us, we should boldly share the Gospel and just let the chips fall where they may.

Honestly, American Christianity is more American than Christian. 

God calls us to repent.... today.     

GOD'S WOODSHED

"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten..." - Revelation 3:19

Corporal punishment in the schools is a controversial subject at this time.  Some believe that allowing corporal punishment in schools would drastically reduce discipline problems.  I believe the greater problem lies in the lack of discipline in the home.  Parents refuse to be responsible for their children's discipline.  Sad, isn't it?

Some go so far as to say that any parent (or teacher) who practices corporal punishment is a bad parent at best and an abuser at worst.  Missing from the argument is the fact that God has advised parents to correct their children.

I think that all Christians would agree that God our Father is the example that parents should seek to emulate.  While many try to portray our Father as only a loving, kind parent that never hurts anyone, the Bible says otherwise.  In fact, our heavenly Father disciplines His children.  No, He does not use a literal switch, paddle or belt, but He does implement discipline --- often through situations that are painful and personal.  The old timers used to refer to the act of spanking as taking a child "out to the woodshed."  Sometimes God must take one of His children to the woodshed.  It would not surprise me to know that someone reading this message may be in the woodshed right now! 

Here's some facts we need to know about God's woodshed.

1.  GOD DISCIPLINES HIS OWN CHILDREN

God only disciplines His own children.  The Lord never spanks the devil's children.  Hebrews 12:7-8 says, "If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons."  

2.  GOD DISCIPLINES WITH LOVE

Under proper conditions, discipline is carried out because of love.  The word "discipline" and "disciple" are very similar.  You see, discipline is part of the process of learning.  When we were children, we had to be taught to behave.  Sometimes discipline was used in this instruction.  God disciplines His children because He loves them.  In Revelation 3:19, our Lord states, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten."

3.  GOD DISCIPLINES WHEN WE SIN

God only disciplines us when we sin.  While the Lord's pruning may come at any time (for the sake of fruitfulness), His discipline comes only when we sin.  Just as a good parent disciplines his child only when he does wrong, our heavenly Father only takes a child to the woodshed when he or she does wrong.

4.  GOD DISCIPLINES US WITH A GOAL

God's discipline is intended to do more than teach us a lesson.  Hebrews 12:10 states that discipline is given "that we might be partakers of his holiness."  Furthermore, the following verse in Hebrews 12 reveals, "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."  God is serious about our sanctification and we should be, too!

Think about a few things.  First, God's discipline helps us to maintain a healthy fear of Him.  When I was growing up, I had a healthy fear of my earthly father.  I loved him, but I also knew that if I misbehaved, harsh discipline could be expected.  That healthy fear of him helped me to slowly develop a respect for authority. 

A second benefit of discipline is the assurance that Someone cares enough to steer us in the right direction.  I pity the children that grow up without knowing that their parents really care enough to discipline them.

A third benefit of God's discipline is the realization that God will do whatever it takes to keep us on the right road.  He cares too much to allow us amble off into rebellion and self-destruction.  The chastening rod is actually a security rod.

God's chastening is never pleasurable, but it is beneficial. 

We should thank God for His woodshed.