Why Revival is Not Happening
Dennis Wilcox spoke last night about "edification." It was a great word. And it confirmed my understanding that the reason there is so much war in the world (and in the Bible) is because mankind is at war with God. Once God has saved us and given us His peace, we become peacemakers and ambassadors for Christ. We should not be at war with people.
The longer I walk with Christ, the more clear the division appears between the domains of good and evil. I hate to be one of these people who says, "It's all our fault," or, "It's all their fault," or, "It's all anybody's fault." That is completely counter-productive and condemning.
So I'm not blaming anyone (the church or people or movements) or pointing the finger. As we know, when I do that, there are three pointing back at me. I just noticed something today and want to see what anybody thinks about it. Something for me to think about. Maybe you. II Chronicles 7:14, which we like to quote a lot, says:
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
We always quote this at prayer meetings and there's the house of prayer movement. And that's all fine. But notice that one little phrase, "and turn from their wicked ways." Have we done that? Have I done that? Do I do this continually? Or do I think I must be perfectly OK all the time because I'm saved and I go to church? AFTER we have turned from our wicked ways, then he will hear from heaven, and then he will forgive our sin, and then he will heal our land, he said.
I was hearing a preacher on the radio earlier teaching on John chapter 8, which, appropriately, starts out with the woman caught in adultery, where Jesus says, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Later in the chapter: To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
So the religious people were basically saying, "Are you saying WE are sinners?" (Not us!) Isn't this what we do a lot? I mean, so much of what we post on Facebook and other times too is about OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS. And Jesus was and is always trying to get us to deal with our OWN SINS. Instead of just go around pointing fingers and quoting scripture.
I think that is a major reason revival is not happening. Well, someone is sure to argue that it is happening SOMEWHERE. But what I'm saying is I'm thinking it starts with us DOING something different, not just going to prayer meetings and SAYING things. Things like reaching out to people, engaging with the them, really being interested in people, looking for the good in them, being friends with them, being kind, actually sharing our lives with them, as we are being led by the Holy Spirit, of course.
The Bible has given us plenty of instruction. I just think we just really need to follow it.The first century Christians turned the world upside down. So what's changed? Ephesians 4 gives us a good model for how to be the church. I just wanted to share that. Thanks.
The longer I walk with Christ, the more clear the division appears between the domains of good and evil. I hate to be one of these people who says, "It's all our fault," or, "It's all their fault," or, "It's all anybody's fault." That is completely counter-productive and condemning.
So I'm not blaming anyone (the church or people or movements) or pointing the finger. As we know, when I do that, there are three pointing back at me. I just noticed something today and want to see what anybody thinks about it. Something for me to think about. Maybe you. II Chronicles 7:14, which we like to quote a lot, says:
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
We always quote this at prayer meetings and there's the house of prayer movement. And that's all fine. But notice that one little phrase, "and turn from their wicked ways." Have we done that? Have I done that? Do I do this continually? Or do I think I must be perfectly OK all the time because I'm saved and I go to church? AFTER we have turned from our wicked ways, then he will hear from heaven, and then he will forgive our sin, and then he will heal our land, he said.
I was hearing a preacher on the radio earlier teaching on John chapter 8, which, appropriately, starts out with the woman caught in adultery, where Jesus says, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Later in the chapter: To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
So the religious people were basically saying, "Are you saying WE are sinners?" (Not us!) Isn't this what we do a lot? I mean, so much of what we post on Facebook and other times too is about OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS. And Jesus was and is always trying to get us to deal with our OWN SINS. Instead of just go around pointing fingers and quoting scripture.
I think that is a major reason revival is not happening. Well, someone is sure to argue that it is happening SOMEWHERE. But what I'm saying is I'm thinking it starts with us DOING something different, not just going to prayer meetings and SAYING things. Things like reaching out to people, engaging with the them, really being interested in people, looking for the good in them, being friends with them, being kind, actually sharing our lives with them, as we are being led by the Holy Spirit, of course.
The Bible has given us plenty of instruction. I just think we just really need to follow it.The first century Christians turned the world upside down. So what's changed? Ephesians 4 gives us a good model for how to be the church. I just wanted to share that. Thanks.
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