Tag: Revival

Taking Another Look

June 5, 2017

Not in Vain

Much is being said today about the church and its influence in the world. Many are expecting a revival in America. I have been praying, along with others for several years, that an awakening would move across this land.

It is needed. People are often confused about revival. Revival is for the church. Of course in great revivals people will come to know Christ as their Savior. Still, it comes, God sends it, when the church is found in repentance for the darkness it has embraced.

When I speak of darkness, I simply mean that often the light of Christ is diminished in the church world. With all the hate filled rhetoric streaming from pulpits. Diving into the politics of the world. Fighting over theology and interpretation.

The only message that will change a heart is shrouded in the darkness of opinion and anger.

Of course this is not true across the board. Even those caught in this web of darkness are good people. Still they move forward with the whims of the majority, and leave behind the most important story from the Bible.

The story of Jesus. His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension.

I know, if you have read one of my blogs, or one of many Facebook posts, you have heard this before.

I see an awesome change taking place in ministry.

Change is occurring in the message from many pulpits and organizations across this awesome country.

Jesus is alive. He loves everyone. You can not live like you want when you come to Christ. We know that, and teach that.

Over the years I have come to realize that people will change when they know they are loved.

When you convince someone of the great love that God has for them. When they embrace it, things will change. People will repent and turn to follow Christ.

I love the church. Still we must be aware of the influence we embrace. The message we give. The church must be willing to repent.

Repent from such things as growing cold in our praise and prayer. Repent for our lack of forgiveness, and our religious self righteousness.

Repent for rejecting the needs of your community. Even if all you can do is pray. You must shine in the place that God has planted you.

Somehow from the very beginning I moved away from my original thoughts. Still, they have become relevant now.

Over 2000 years the church has weathered every storm. From persecutions, poverty, religion, disease.

It has never been perfect, only in heart. Still we move forward in glory at times. At other times in repentance.

With our ups and our downs we keep moving. Shining the light of Christ. The light that reveals His love for us, and our need for Him.

Paul gave the Corinthian church this encouragement.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

I love this stuff.

Have a blessed day and keep on working for the Lord. Some plant, some water, some reap. Everyone has a part in this wonderful movement.

The church of our Lord Jesus Christ.

#lovewins #hopelives

You Have to be Kidding

Recently I posted a blog with some short thoughts on the condition of the church, and the message it shares. Of course I was speaking broadly, as I indicated in the post.

You will find no greater advocate for the church than me. Betty and I have fought for more than 14 years for the right of all people to find safety and love in the church. For some unknown reason to me, some people define the love of God for all people as flesh pleasing. Avoiding the truth of their sin filled lives.

There is nothing further from the truth. At Amazing Life Church we have seen many over the years come to Christ and be baptized, all because they were shown God’s love. They turned to Christ because they heard His story. The only thing that can redeem them is to believe in Christ as their Savior.

I hate sin. The problem in many churches is there is only one or two sins preached. Heaven forbid you teach Proverbs six, or the rejection of Christ by the wealthy young ruler. The story of how we put things before Him. Jealousy, pride, or failure to forgive.

Who are you worried about offending when you will not acknowledge these sins?

There is not a person, in my belief, that does not see their sin,when in the church, you create an atmosphere of love and praise.

When this happens you allow God, and the Holy Spirit to do their job. (When He comes, He will convince the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.)

I have to say that I love it when religion is angered. It confirms the word from the Lord and its relevance to us today.

Some may take from my earlier post that I am criticizing the church. Once again, nothing is further from the truth. I call it like it is. I am a Pastor, not someone who just shows up. I pastor a church, not just a group of people.

I love the church, and it is nothing more than arrogant hypocrisy to tell the world it needs to repent. All the while refusing to look at ourselves as members of His body, and acknowledge our faults and failures. Then repent ourselves.

In Romans 2 Paul was rebuking the church for passing judgment on others. Then He said this.

Romans 2:4

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? The Kindness of God!!!

Five different verses in Revelation show Jesus calling on His churches to repent.

The church at Ephesus, Revelation 2:5. The church at Pergamum, Revelation 2:16. The church at Thyatira, Revelation 2:21. The church at Sardis, Revelation 3:3.

I love the fifth one, it is the church at Laodicea.

Revelation 3:19

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.

You see, I love the church, and when you find me challenging the church and its message, two things are going on.

First, I look at myself and the work we are building. Have I, or others within our church wandered off course. Is there something we need to improve. Something requiring repentance.

Secondly, because I love the church I will point out what I believe to be the danger that occurs when the church rejects the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

From the Greek, the word Gospel is defined as good news. Vines dictionary further defines the Gospel as the story of Jesus. His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension.

It is not Jesus plus, it is just Jesus.

Hope this clears things up for some of you who were confused.

As Paul said, let me show you a more excellent way.

I pray you are blessed and empowered by His love.

#lovewins #hopelives

In His Image

May 8, 2017

In His Image

I am so thankful for Amazing Life Church. I love what God is doing, and the faithfulness of all those who have joined with His purpose.

It is my sincere belief that God is positioning this church, along with specific individuals within, to bring change to the world.

Everyone has a place in the process. No wall of conquest will stand attack, if there is a break in it.

Last week some thoughts came to mind that weren’t in my notes. I remember saying that God believes in you, even if you don’t believe in yourself. That prompted me to find some reasons why God believes in you.

Psalms 8:1-9

1 O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength Because of Your adversaries,
To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.

3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;
4 What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?

5 Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty!
6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
7 All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field,
8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

9 O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

David understood Kingdom authority and dominion. Would God give us that kind of power and authority if He did not believe in us. Believe that with faith and confidence in Him, we can do all things.

This is David talking. Where did he get this idea? How about the voice of God?

Genesis 1:26-27

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Now we understand that like Him, in His image, to mean His character. His dominion. His authority.

God believes in us, because He made us in His image. Not only that, He made us with the capacity to be like Him.

Why are we afraid to accept this? There are probably two significant answers. 1^St, we don’t feel worthy. That is across the board. David did not feel worthy.

The solution is not becoming worthy, we never will. The solution for this answer is faith. Believing what God said.

“He Believes in us”

The second thing we fear is accountability. Some people in ministry fear accountability so much they will not even accept the title for the role they have acknowledged in the church.

I have heard a lot about revival lately. It is always associated with the lost being saved. That is absolutely a result of great revivals. It is however, not how true revival begins.

Dead and dying churches, with a dead message, catch the eye of God. People who are tired of seeing the world get their loved ones because a message of death is more important than life.

These saints begin to pray. There is usually a small nucleus of prayer warriors in churches everywhere. Their prayers move in synergy with people that have prayed these same heart felt prayers for generations.

Revival will begin with repentance. Repentance within the church, for their failure to tell the story of Jesus. Wrapped up in their pride, and complacency. Neglecting their community. Neglecting the supernatural. This process has happened many times over the history of the church.

Revival is the catalyst to make the church relevant again. Focusing on the mission of the Gospel. Embracing our communities, and the world with the love and grace of God.

Being the light and salt we were called and anointed to be.

Back to Genesis. In His image.

Sin became an obstacle to this kind of authority. Yet there were instances throughout the OT where men and women of God walked in Kingdom authority. How about today?

“God still believes in us”

2 Corinthians 5:16-18

16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled,(return to favor) us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. (Literally, means exchange.)

Our relationship will help others make the exchange as well.

Colossians 1:19-22

19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,

20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,

22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.

“Reconcile and reconciled, brought back to former state of harmony.”

If you have followed Christ, you are walking, “In His Image.”

There is a call for the power of prayer, and the constant need for humility.

God believes in you!!! Will you believe in yourself?

#lovewins #hopelives

Not in Vain

May 5, 2017

Not in Vain

The only message that will change a heart is shrouded in the darkness of opinion and anger.

The story of Jesus. His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension.

I know, if you have read one of my blogs, or one of many Facebook posts, you have heard this before.

I see an awesome change taking place in ministry.

Change is occurring in the message from many pulpits and organizations across this awesome country.

Jesus is alive. He loves everyone. You can not live like you want when you come to Christ. We know that, and teach that.

Over the years I have come to realize that people will change when they know they are loved.

When you convince someone of the great love that God has for them. When they embrace it, things will change. People will repent and turn to follow Christ.

I love the church. Still we must be aware of the influence we embrace. The message we give. The church must be willing to repent.

Repent from such things as growing cold in our praise and prayer. Repent for our lack of forgiveness, and our religious self righteousness.

Repent for rejecting the needs of our community. Even if all you can do is pray. You must shine in the place that God has planted you.

Somehow from the very beginning I moved away from my original thoughts. Still, they have become relevant now.

Over 2000 years the church has weathered every storm. From persecutions, poverty, religion, disease.

It has never been perfect, “only in heart”. Still we move forward in glory at times. At other times in repentance.

With our ups and our downs we keep moving. Shining the light of Christ. The light that reveals His love for us, and our need for Him.

Paul gave the Corinthian church this encouragement.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

I love this stuff.

Have a blessed day and keep on working for the Lord. Some plant, some water, some reap. Everyone has a part in this wonderful movement.

The church of our Lord Jesus Christ.

#lovewins #hopelives