Fading Hope or Sweeping Revival

The church is at a fork in the road. We have been standing at that fork for a few years now. We must decide which road we want to be traveling. The title of the message this morning is, Fading Hope or Sweeping Revival. The fact is our nation has already chosen its path. Now the church, or should I say churches are making their choices. Even within churches every individual Christian is making a choice.

Are we going to be a fading hope or a sweeping revival?

We must choose wisely and with the benefit and guidance of the Holy Spirit in prayer.

“Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.” Proverbs 14:34 (NASB)

Every nation, tribe and people throughout history has been influenced by its people. Great and small, wise or foolish – People impact their nation.

Great nations are built by great men and women…

Great men & women are the people we remember…

Who are those people for you?

A few years ago now, Focus on the Family, put out a list of their top 100 influential people of all time. I admit there were people on the list that I would not have chosen because, frankly, their influence upon History was, to say the least, NEGATIVE! However, their impact was HUGE. A single person can change history.

Great churches are also built by great people. The “Body of Christ” should be the world’s largest collection of extraordinarily great people. Do you know any of them? Do you see yourself as one of them?  

Who are they?

What makes them great?

God expects us to be a people of great faith. He is still transforming us into great people. God is still looking for unwavering faith to activate within His people. He wants us to become people of WORLD CHANGING FAITH.  Grab your Bible. Read about the exploits of the children of God! Repent, Believe, and Press-on!

“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30 (NLT)

As I said before, the church is standing at a fork in the road. Do you and I have the faith we need to rebuild the wall of righteousness – Will we turn back toward God?

Pentecostal churches are becoming less and less Pentecostal and churches that adhere to Biblical standards are few and far between today…I’m not suggesting we turn back the hands of time and live without the modern comforts we are invested in. I’m shouting…FIND GOD AS THE SOURCE OF your RIGHTEOUSNESS!

“Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.” Ezekiel 33:12 (KJV)

What is that Scripture saying?

Are we scratching our heads yet? Isaiah 64:6 will clear up the confusion for us.

“We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.” Isaiah 64:6 (NLT)

Our Righteousness Filthy Rags…

The only person who saves us is Jesus. The only power that transforms us belongs to God. Most of the saints that moved in the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit as I was growing up in the church have, by now, had a change of address and are living in Heaven. If we do not step up to the calling we have received from God, and step out in ever-increasing trust and reliance upon God; we (the church) will become a fading hope. 

Fading Hope or Sweeping Revival: Do we have the desire to make the choice?

We are at a fork in the road today. The church seems to have lost its influence. We seem to be hanging on by a thread. Are we going to live or die?

Christ made two statements in the New Testament that I have been really puzzled by this week…

Matthew 16:18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

Luke 18:8 “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

If the gates of Hell cannot stop the church, why are so many struggling to hold on to faith?

Turn with me to Isaiah 38:1-3. Keep that question in mind because we will answer it. If the gates of Hell cannot stop the church, why are so many struggling to hold on to faith?

Isaiah 38:1-3 (NASB)

In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’” Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, and said, “Remember now, O Lord, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Isaiah 38:1-3 (NASB)

All the promises of God are conditional upon our participation.

Repent and live.

The church may be on its death bed. But, if we awaken faith, cry out to God, and get our house in order, God will hear and answer us. Ok, I realize to some this may sound like doom and gloom theology – I’m sorry if you don’t like to hear it! But, I am called to preach the messages I believe God has given me. This one is burning within my soul… Repent and live!

Let’s continue reading.

Isaiah 38:4-6 (NASB)

Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, “Go and say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city.”’ Isaiah 38:4-6 (NASB)

There are still two possible outcomes – Fading Hope or Sweeping Revival.

 We need to look at Isaiah chapter 39 to see how this ended for Hezekiah and hopefully we won’t take the wrong fork. Unfortunately, we seem to make the same mistakes again and again.

Isaiah 39:1-2 (NIV)

At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of his illness and recovery. Hezekiah received the envoys gladly and showed them what was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold, the spices, the fine olive oil—his entire armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.

Whenever God is at work, everyone wants to come around and see for themselves the extent of His blessings upon our lives. Resist the urge to be a showoff. I read somewhere, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Verses 3-4 (NIV)

Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, “What did those men say, and where did they come from?” “From a distant land,” Hezekiah replied. “They came to me from Babylon.” The prophet asked, “What did they see in your palace?” “They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.”

Some of the things God accomplishes in our lives is really not for public display. The Holy Spirit will direct us if we LISTEN to His leading. God uses our testimonies and He desires our gifts to be used for His glory, but everything follows His schedule and His purpose.

Verses 5-6 (NIV)

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord Almighty: The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord.

Have we lost what we once were given because we did not hold the blessing of God as sacred and holy? Is the next generation of Christians being led into captivity now because we have abandoned our willingness to be moved by the Spirit of God?

Can we hear the Holy Spirit calling us to repentance and renewed faith or is the noise of comfort and prosperity too loudly ringing in our ears? When everything is said and done, there will be nothing left but God, and He will be glorified. Do we want to be a fading hope, or will we become a sweeping revival?

Verses 7-8

And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”  “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my lifetime.” Isaiah 39:1-8 (NIV)

Hezekiah made the mistake of showing off the blessings God gave him. He made the mistake of accepting “gifts” he should not have. In the end he said, “It’s all good because the captivity and loss won’t happen in my lifetime.”

Oh, BTW that’s a paraphrase.

Has the church done the same thing? I believe God wants His people to depend upon His power. We are paying the price NOW and the generation following us will continue to pay the price for lack of dependence upon God.

Repentance and faith will make all the difference.

Consider these passages of Scripture in closing. Allow the Spirit of God to speak to your heart. This is not a High Pressure Sales Pitch – It’s a loving call to action.

John 1:12 (KJV)

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” John 1:12 (KJV)

Titus 3:7 (NLT)

“Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” Titus 3:7 (NLT)

We can celebrate eternal life but we cannot soak up the blessings of God – just to leave the next generation – High and dry!

Sometimes we do not realize what we have because we fail to activate the power by faith. The gifts God has given us never lose their value or their power. We just need to remember they are given to be used. We must all understand and apply –

2 Corinthians 4:6-8

“For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;” 2 Corinthians 4:6-8 (NASB)

Fading Hope or Sweeping Revival:

It’s up to each one of us to make the choice.

God’s Purposes for Miracles

God’s Purposes for Miracles – Does our Miracle Meet God’s Purpose

Setting the stage for miraculous intervention by the hand of God in our lives, is more easily accomplished when we review how He has dealt with others. To be sure, God is well able to work in any way He chooses, but our faith can be exponentially increased if we study His purposes for supernatural intervention through the use of the miracles.

Examine the following scriptures. Seek understanding and insight from God Himself by asking: “Why?” God is not offended by our questions if we are truly seeking a deeper relationship with Him. The bold text provided is my limited yet expanding understanding and answer to the “Why” of God’s actions – Not that any explanation offered this side of eternity will be complete or perfectly accurate. It’s only my best attempt in this moment.

God has given us great and precious promises. He expects us to grow in our knowledge of Him. By faith I want to be a mountain mover – Do you?

Does our Miracle Meet God’s Purpose? That is the question we will explore today.

Exodus 6:6-8 God’s deliverance of His people promised

Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you for a possession; I am the Lord.’” (NASB)

Exodus 8:9 & 10 God’s sovereignty established

Moses said to Pharaoh, “I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile.” “Tomorrow,” Pharaoh said. Moses replied, “It will be as you say, so that you may know there is no one like the Lord our God. (NIV)

Exodus 16:12 God’s presence revealed

“I have heard the Israelites’ complaints. Now tell them, ‘In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’” (NLT)

Joshua 3:10 God’s strength demonstrated

And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. (JKV)

1Kings 18:37 God’s commitment re-established

Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that You, O Lord, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again. (NASB)

Isaiah 45:3 God’s blessing & provision promised

And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. (KJV)

Joel 2:26 & 27 God’s blessing & provision – Not a one-time deal

And you shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord, your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you. And My people shall never be put to shame. And you shall know, understand, and realize that I am in the midst of Israel and that I the Lord am your God and there is none else. My people shall never be put to shame. (AMP)

Zechariah 4:9 God strengthens His messengers

The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. (NLT)

John 14:12-15 Jesus’ promise “Whatever we ask”

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments.

James 4:3 The condition of Jesus’ promise “For the RIGHTEOUS reason”

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. (KJV)

God’s purposes for miracles fall into seven categories. The way I understand them, Miracles … 1. Reveal, 2. Confirm, 3. Answer, 4. Renew, 5. Demonstrate, 6. Affirm, and 7. Strengthen.

Miracles Reveal God’s power. We know that God is ALL POWERFUL. He is EVERYWHERE PRESENT, and He is ALL KNOWING. Yet as humans, our limited memory from time to time must be prompted to recall Who God is and what He is able to accomplish form NOTHING. The miracle of creation, the vastness of Space and the beauty of nature each reveal the awesomeness of God’s power.

Miracles confirm God’s purpose in our lives. Each of us has a calling and a gifting that God has given for His purpose. He uses miracles in our lives to move us to respond to His plan.

Miracles answer complaints. Let’s face it we can all be childish. God sometimes addresses our childishness with a miracle. God uses miracles to show us just how much He loves us.

Miracles renew our faith. The road of life is full of twists, turns, pitfalls, and stony places. As we walk the road our faith occasionally wanes. Experiencing a miracle breathes anew the “Breath of Life” into our lives and rekindles the fire of faith within us.

Miracles demonstrate God’s care for us. Making a way through the mighty waters, seeing that the flour barrel or the vessel of oil never ran out, sending a disciple to catch a fish and remove a coin to pay a tax ALL are miracles that show God’s care for us. Those are biblical examples, but God’s care for us can be expressed through countless examples from our daily lives. Think about it. You have examples. I know I have several.

Miracles affirm God’s authority. None but God can meet a need through the use of miracles. If it can be explained it’s not miraculous.

Miracles strengthen us to … believe God’s Word, build God’s Kingdom, and bless others.

Does the miracle you and I need meet God’s purpose?

Is it for His glory or ours?

Believe!

Build!

Bless!

Christmas With A Twist

The Christmas season is now in full swing and God has been at work preparing hearts, specifically my heart for one, to take a deeper look into an appropriate response to the “Good News”. We have a Savior and we also have responsibilities in maintaining our personal relationship to Him.

God expects us not only to hear the “Glad tidings of great JOY”, He expects us to respond to that news with actions that demonstrate the transformation that news has brought about in us. If I have any hope of presenting this message in any sort of meaningful way, I suppose I should start at the beginning. What follows is a personal reflection, yet I openly invite you to take the journey with me and along the way spend some time in your own self-examination.

James 1:23-27 “²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; ²⁴ for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.²⁵ But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. ²⁶ If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. ²⁷ Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (NASB)

I’m convinced that transparency is the key to effective ministry so I am telling this just as it happened in my life, but I will keep it family friendly and “G” rated. A few weeks before Thanksgiving after a Friday night Bible study at my mother’s house I was in the living room talking to my mom about some of the family dynamic and or dysfunction that is taking place right now. Michele was in another room playing with the newest addition to the family, a very beautiful and happy baby boy. She was having a conversation with a niece. 

Okay, you can probably imagine bits and pieces of the judgmental conversation I was having with my mother. We all have families right? So I won’t bore you with the details but I will tell you the emphasis in the word judgmental would have been clearly on the mental that evening. I know this because on the way home Michele shared this comment from my niece, “Well, there is no doubt that he’s part of this family – He’s just like all the rest!” By that I’m sure she meant loud, opinionated and undaunted by the devastation in the force of my words.

Matthew 5:33-45 “³³ Again, you have heard that it was said to the men of old, You shall not swear falsely, but you shall perform your oaths to the Lord [as a religious duty]. ³⁴ But I tell you, Do not bind yourselves by an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is the throne of God; ³⁵ Or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. ³⁶ And do not swear by your head, for you are not able to make a single hair white or black. ³⁷ Let your Yes be simply Yes, and your No be simply No; anything more than that comes from the evil one. ³⁸ You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. ³⁹ But I say to you, Do not resist the evil man [who injures you]; but if anyone strikes you on the right jaw or cheek, turn to him the other one too. ⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your undershirt (tunic), let him have your coat also. ⁴¹ And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two [miles]. ⁴² Give to him who keeps on begging from you, and do not turn away from him who would borrow [at interest] from you. ⁴³ You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy; ⁴⁴ But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers [alike].” (AMP)

Today, I pulled back the curtain and talked about some of my shortcomings, but are we (you and I) that different? Hollywood makes millions depicting family strife during the Christmas season. They could not do that if we didn’t think it was funny and rush out to see someone else’s struggle. Usually the thing we laugh the hardest at hits the closest to home in our lives.

Proverbs 18:7 “A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.” (KJV)

Manufactures spend hundreds of thousands to convince us we cannot be happy without their product. They do it in the hope of making billions from the holiday set aside to celebrate the birth of our Savior and God’s FREE gift of peace and good will. In my journey of personal reflection thus far through the Christmas season, I’ve found that I have left myself too unprotected by the grace and love of Christ. What have you found in your self-examination, as you journeyed with me?

Someone years ago said, “JOY=Jesus Others then You”. This Christmas may we all rediscover the joy in putting others before ourselves because we are following the example Jesus set for us. May we stop being driven by foolish pride and exercise His wisdom.

Proverbs 14:3 “A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride, but the lips of the wise protect them.” (NIV)

There is wisdom in not opening your mouth. The older I get I look back at youth and remember the “Magic” of the Christmas season. I also remember my uncles telling me, “Boy, don’t let your mouth write a check your body can’t cash.” That statement may have lost some of its effectiveness with the introduction of direct deposit and debit cards, but it means our mouths can get us into big trouble if we don’t learn when to keep them shut.

Ecclesiastes 5:7-8 “⁷ For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. ⁸ If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.” (KJV)

Right about now, you should be asking, “What’s the ‘take away’ from this message?” Since I began with the observation that the Christmas season is in full swing, I’m going to work really hard at wrapping it all up in a nice package today.

So here’s what is in the box. It’s not enough to simply hear the “Good News”. We have to do something with it. God’s law of liberty compels us to reach out to those in need. We cannot share effectively the life giving “Glad Tidings of Great Joy” without controlling our tongues. We must keep our answers simple and do more than is asked. If we are children of God we cannot merely serve those we think deserve our service. Sometimes keeping our mouths shut is the best protection, but even in the face of oppression and injustice God is watching how we treat each other. Don’t just dream and talk about what we should do. Give God reverence and take action.

And here’s the bow that holds it all together, it’s not our vanity that matters – It’s God’s glory.

Please share the gift of God’s grace and forgiveness this Christmas and don’t neglect the poor. Remember the way you measure blessings to others is the way they return to you. We can all afford to share the love.