Why do we need revival?

There is a grand difference in the vision of a youthful athlete running a 100 yard dash, exerting every ounce of his strength to reach the predetermined goal, and the vision of an aged cancer patient lying comatose in a hospital bed, struggling to breathe and accomplishing nothing.  The young runner is thriving, the old victim is surviving.  I wonder which metaphor best describes my spiritual life and yours.  If God were to paint a portrait of the body of His Son (that is, the church) according to it’s fellowship with the Father in this era, would the canvass bear the image of a healthy and vibrant soldier, or the figure of an anemic pauper shivering naked in a dark corner?

In Revelation 3:17-18, Jesus spoke to me and to other pastors of local churches that exist in this age.  Through the apostle John, He said poignantly, “You say, ‘I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;’ and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel you to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.”

Some of us have decried the “health and wealth” gospel of certain TV evangelists and pastors, yet we live their sermon every day of our lives.  We assume that since our clothes are nice, our bellies are full and our family is comfortable, that these are definite indicators that God is surely pleased (or even impressed) with our form of religion.  While material comforts are not intrinsically evil and can even be the result of true faith in the one and only true God (Matthew 6:33), they can also be nothing more than a substitute that God allows but does not approve.  It seems clear enough that God frequently gives people exactly what they want, even if He knows that 1) it is not good for them and 2) that there is a much higher and nobler purpose that they should be focused upon and yearning for. 

I think back over my life and remember a number of possessions and experiences that I have craved (coveted) and enjoyed.  Yet, at the end of such chapters along my journey, I knew that I had sought after the wrong thing and had missed better things along that way.  Hezekiah asked for more time, received it and (I believe) regretted it.  Lot looked for convenience and culture, he received it and (again, I believe) he ended up regretting it.  No doubt there were Christians in the early church who prayed for kinder treatment from the Roman government, it was granted and from that “peace” the Roman Catholic Church was born.  We should be careful what we ask for, God may make provisions for us to acquire what our heart longs for though it doesn’t fit with His higher purpose for our life and is accompanied by very harmful riders indeed.

So, do we need a revival?  (I got a little sidetracked there).  As a local church; as individuals; collectively in Christendom – do we need a reviving?  What is a revival anyway?  A spiritual reviving occurs when an insensitive and carnal believer (or group of believers) become intensely aware of eternal priorities and begin to live with holy spiritual motives in mind rather than fleshly ones.  Does God grant revival?  Yes!  Can we work it up, muster it, force it or fake it?  No!  Life comes only from He who is life.  The quickening, reviving invigorant of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for the reality of positive, permanent and fruitful reformation to occur.  But, still – He does not randomly spread this blessing arbitrarily at varying times and places, but does so in response to broken contrition and humble faith in the hearts of His children.

Psalm 34:18 “The LORD is near unto them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit.”

Isaiah 57:15 Thus says the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’” 

So – do we need this to happen to us?  A better question is this – are we alive or dead?  That question is not so hard to answer. 

1.       I’m not talking about salvation.  I know that I am a child of God and have eternal life as a possession.

2.       Romans seven is clear enough in coupling sin with death and spirit with life.  If sin is dominating our personal life or the life of our church – then we need a revival.  We may be existing; surviving – but, we are not thriving.  A Christian cannot thrive in sin.    

When I say that “we need revival” – I don’t mean “a week of good meetings.”  When I say that we need a revival, I mean that we need a reviving – we need God to bring us back to consciousness.  We need Him to do a convicting work that will effect a purging from sinful/dead works and a purifying of spiritual/living faith.  We need religious CPR. 

If the people of God are revived, then the holiness and compassion that results in our lives will be followed by other positive consequences.  Others will be saved; the knowledge of the truth will increase; God’s presence and blessings will be apparent.  Yet, it will also be followed by certain “negative” results.  Fakers will repent or depart; Satan will fight us harder than he ever has before; the world will persecute us and despise us openly.  But these results must not enter our mind – at least, not yet.  We must remain focused first upon our fellowship with God.  Are we alive or dead?  Are we abiding in Him and is He filling (controlling) us? 

The Spirit filled life is a life that demonstrates God’s power.  If He is living in and through us then boldness in ministry and love in the congregation will be common. 

I don’t want to just survive this earthly pilgrimage, I want to thrive.  Maybe a better way to say it is this: I want to thrive in my walk with Jesus Christ, even if I am barely surviving physically and materially.  Unfortunately, I think (in the past) the opposite arrangement has satisfied me: thriving in fitness and economics but eking out a bare-bones existence in my communion with the Savior - how pitiful. 

Psalm 85:6 “Will You not revive us again: that Your people may rejoice in You?” 

It may cost us something valuable (to our fleshly sentiments) to have a real revival, or not… but, one thing is for sure – we must be willing to make those sacrifices in order for God to take our pleas for revival seriously.  One of the most frequently used (but impossible to overuse) verses in this regard is Second Chronicles 7:14, “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.”  Looks like conditions to me.  It seems to me that He is willing do His part, if we will be willing to let Him do it His way.  Of course, that will likely involve some major painful appendage amputations from our lives.  I’m learning more and more every day that God does not generally force people into things – we have to volitionally yield to His prompting and pressure.

We praise Thee, O God!

For the Son of Thy love,

For Jesus Who died,

And is now gone above.

 

We praise Thee, O God!

For Thy Spirit of light,

Who hath shown us our Savior,

And scattered our night.

 

All glory and praise

To the Lamb that was slain,

Who hath borne all our sins,

And hath cleansed every stain.

 

All glory and praise

To the God of all grace,

Who hast brought us, and sought us,

And guided our ways.

 

Revive us again;

Fill each heart with Thy love;

May each soul be rekindled

With fire from above.

 

Hallelujah! Thine the glory.

Hallelujah! Amen.

Hallelujah! Thine the glory.

Revive us again.

 

Please pray for GBC this week.  Pray that we will not just have “Revival Meetings” but that our spirit and heart will be brought back to a place godly strength and genuine vivacious life. 

“Big Ben Benaiah”

 

This man named Benaiah (can I call him “Ben” hereafter?) was the son of the Jehoiada the high priest.  Despite his “clerical” linage, Ben was appointed by King David to be the commander of his royal bodyguards (the Cherethites and Pelethites).  Ben certainly must have been a man with reputation of trustworthiness to have been placed in charge of the king’s personal secret service detail.

 

It appears that he was something of a “cabinet member” along with prominent men like…

Jehoshaphat , the king’s secretary,

General Joab,

Secretary of the Treasury Adoram,

Sheva, the head of Department of Printing and Engraving,

the two chaplains, Zadok and Abiathar and

Chief Justice Ira (see Second Samuel 20:23-26).

 

Ben might not be the most well-known of Biblical figures – but his feats were definitely not insignificant.  Consider these snapshots of his life:

 

Ben as a mighty warrior:

“Ben (whose grandfather was a valiant man who had done many acts) slew two lion-like men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:   And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but Ben went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear. These are the things that Ben did, and he had the name among three mighty men.  He was more honorable than “the thirty” [David’s mighty men], but he attained not to the first three.  David set him over his guard” (Second Samuel 23:20-23).

 

Ben as a loyal subject of King David:

“Zadok the priest, and Ben, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with David’s son Adonijah [when he led a coup in his attempt to usurp the throne from his father David]” (First Kings 1:8).

 

Ben as the military representative at Solomon’s coronation ceremony:

“King David said, ‘Call Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Ben.’ And they came before the king.  The king also said to them, ‘Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon: and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow the trumpet, and say, “God save king Solomon.”  Then you shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.’  And Ben answered the king, and said, ‘Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.  As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be He with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.’  So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Ben, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.  And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon.  And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, ‘God save king Solomon’” (First Kings 1:32-39). 

 

Ben as the executioner of wicked Adonijah:

“Adonijah said, ‘Give me Abishag the Shunammite [his Dad’s last female companion] to wife.’  Then king Solomon sware, saying, ‘Adonijah has spoken this word against his own life.’  King Solomon sent by the hand of Ben; and Ben fell upon Adonijah that he died” (First Kings 2:17, 23 & 25).

 

Ben as the executioner of the traitor and murderer, Joab:

“And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; ‘and, behold, he is by the altar.’ Then Solomon sent Ben, saying, ‘Go, fall upon him.’  So Ben went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness” (First Kings 2:29 & 34).

 

Ben as the executioner of Shimei, the enemy of David:

“King Solomon sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, ‘Did I not make you swear by the LORD, and protested unto you, saying, “Know for a certain, on the day you go out, and walk abroad anywhere, that you shall surely die?” and you said to me, “The word that I have heard is good.”  Why then have you not kept the oath of the LORD, and the commandment that I have charged you with?’  The king said moreover to Shimei, ‘You know all the wickedness which your heart is privy to, that you did to David my father: therefore the LORD will return your wickedness upon your own head; and king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD forever.’  So the king commanded Ben; who went out, and fell upon Shimei, that he died” (First Kings 2:42-46).

 

Ben as the new General; the captain of Solomon’s military; the successor of Joab:

“King Solomon put Ben in Joab’s room over the host…. and the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon” (First Kings 2:35, 46 & 4:4).

  

So, as a result of his distinguished exploits and fervent loyalty to God’s chosen kings, Big Ben ended up as the commander-in-chief in Israel during the time of that nation’s greatest prosperity and widest success.  Was he a hero?  I surely think so!

 

His life reminds me of the story that Jesus told about the rewards of faithfulness.  In Luke 19 the “Lord” said to his worthy steward, “Because you have been faithful in a very little, I give you authority over ten cities.” 

 

Ben may not be the most familiar of Biblical characters, but he was faithful, loyal, zealous, dependable, honest and courageous.  He did his job well and was promoted as a result.  He was a hero as much as the more famous saints like David, Jonathan or Joshua.  Ben was a champion for righteousness.  There was never a doubt about which side Ben would fight on in any situation. 

 

We fight against spiritual foes in this dispensation.  Thankfully God doesn’t call on us to take up a steel sword and destroy physical enemies, yet our struggles are just as real.  “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). 

 

Are we as devout and commendable in our invisible warfare as Benaiah the son of the Jehoiada was in his visible conflicts?  (Thanks for letting me call him “Ben” heretofore). 

       

Ben is a hero because he stood for what was right when it was not easy nor convenient to do so.  The Word says that all who live godly in Christ Jesus SHALL suffer persecution.  If we are not receiving persecution, maybe it’s because we are not being very godly; not taking those tough stands that demand sacrifice, conviction, pain and visible “risks.”

 

The “faith” life will always include steps onto platforms that have invisible foundations.  But, if God commands us to move, He will sustain us in our obedience.  It’s only a risk from our reasonable human perspective.  In reality, the real risk is in failing to move when God instructs to do so. 

 

If God says for us to “attack a lion in a pit on a snowy day” . . . then we are gambling with our future if we don’t attack.  In such a case, by holding back we are presuming upon God’s grace and mercy; hoping He’ll give us an easier task and bless us despite our lack of faith.  Disobedience is risky.  Obedience is safe (regardless of appearances).

 

Where are the Benaiahs today?  Perhaps you and I can follow in Ben’s giant footsteps.  After all, we serve the same God that he served.

 

Let’s fight like “Big Ben” did!

 

I admit, I consulted Easton’s Dictionary, Nave’s Dictionary, Strong’s and other sources in gathering information for today’s devotional meditation.  As I have said before, you can use these tools also.  They are available at www.bluelettebible.org.

 

“Instant Answers”

 

God is not a genie from a lamp. 

 

Sometimes we Christians act as if God is somehow unrighteous if He doesn’t give us what we want, when we want it.  Remember, He has no natural obligation to heed the demands of any outside entity (you, me, us or anyone else).  And, even when we consider the promises that He has made (truly obligating Himself), we must never forget that He is the sole judge of the timing and intensity of His own responses to our claims on those promises. 

 

One of the most important passages in the entire Bible on the ways of God is found in 2 Peter 3:8–9, “Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.   The Lord is not slack concerning His promise…”

 

When God guarantees something – it is as good as done.  But, the evidence or completion of the matter (from our perspective) may be long in arriving.  God seems to have a penchant for requiring patience from His children.

 

For example: Jesus is described as the lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world.  Why?  We know that He did not die until 4000 years into world history.  Why is the description of the timing of His sacrifice worded so solidly as if He were dead on the cross before He even divided the light from the darkness or formed Adam from the dust?  Answer: Titus 1:2 “Before the world began, God promised eternal life!”  Since God had made the commitment, it was as good as done.

 

This is very encouraging to me in reference to my security as a child of God.  Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”  He has placed the seal of His Spirit within me, and, He will never leave me.  He will never forsake me.  I am His.  He is mine.  He will never, for any reason, cast me out.  I am in His hand – forever!  Praise God!  His promises are sure.  If I wanted out, which I wouldn’t, I couldn’t get out of His care.  I am sanctified.  I am redeemed.  I belong to the King.

 

But, what am I to say about the life that I am living now, as a believer?  I pray for blessings, healing, strength, wisdom, revival, protection, success, salvations, growth, money, compassion, etc…  The list goes on and on.  Does God ZOT and ZAP me with instantaneous qualities and triumphs as I am uttering the request?  The answer, obviously, (most of the time) is, “NO.”  He can.  He could.  I’m not saying that He never does things right away.  On the other hand, a delay in His responses (from our finite, mortal perspective) is not necessarily a delay from the viewpoint of our eternal Father (immortal, infinite and omnipotent).    

 

Though His ways transcend our capacity to comprehend them fully – He has been very busy over the past millennia revealing His ways to men.  I know that He desires for us to seek after the knowledge of His nature.  Jeremiah 9:23-24 makes it clear that God wants to be known and desires to reveal Himself to us.  “Thus says the LORD, ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, says the LORD.’” 

 

With this in mind, I remind myself and you that over and over again God has commanded His children to simply, wait.  One of the most familiar passages in the Bible to encapsulate this necessity is found in Psalm 27:14, “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”

 

Consider Romans 5:3-6, “We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation works patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.  For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”

 

One of the key aspects of faith is allowing God the leeway (in our mind) to do things His way and in His own time.  Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in His time…”  When we rush ahead; when we get in a hurry – surely we grieve the Holy Spirit who wants us to just be still in our recognition that He is not limited by the restraints of the clock or the calendar. 

 

You know the old saying, “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.”

 

The next time I pray; the next time you pray – let us remember the words of Christ in the garden, “…not My will, but Your will be done.”  If He who was the very manifestation of the Father in a body could (despite His own rights, wisdom, strength and position) humble Himself and submit to that which loomed darkly over Him – surely, we (in our pitiful ignorance and pathetic weakness) would do well to follow His example.

 

Whether we look into the Word or into our own lives, I know we can find a multitude of illustrative situations where the main thing that God required from His own children was that they simply sit tight and be patient.  Pray fervently.  Pray in faith, believing that God hears and is willing to answer.  Pray with anticipation; looking for the result.  But, pray with patience, knowing that God’s timetable is not anywhere near as limited in its scope as ours is.

 

We don’t need a hocus pocus “gim’me it now” focus.  “Yes,” “No” or “Wait” … all three are legitimate answers from our Father.  Personally, I kinda’ think “wait” is His favorite.  And, I’m OK with that . . . for now…

How do you know if you have achieved success?

Are success and prosperity real possessions that can be attained?  More importantly, is victory in life defined by a point in one’s existence at which they have reached certain goals and accomplished particular tasks? 

At the nursing homes this morning, I shared a passage from First Timothy six.  Verse five condemns men who claim that “gain is godliness.”  Then, verse six teaches that (in reality) the opposite is true, “godliness is gain.” 

Unfortunately, throughout my short life, I have generally had a pragmatic outcome based perspective of success.  But, that view is not entirely wise.  To some extent, success for the Christian should be measured primarily by input, not by outcome.  We must never use this realization to excuse a fruitless life or ministry; nevertheless it should be a comfort and encouragement to us to understand the verity of this perspective.

Truly, in general, obedience is blessed visibly.  Tangible (even material) prosperity can indeed naturally follow from spiritual submissiveness.  It is well known that the Scripture says that we are to first seek the kingdom of God and that God will (as a rule) add to our lives the other things that we could have chosen and sought after.  He did this very thing for Solomon.  Solomon asked for wisdom.  God gave him that great ability, and then added peace and wealth as well.  But what if God had only given wisdom?  What if the gift of wisdom had been accompanied by poverty and conflict?  Would that have meant that Solomon was a failure?  No!  In no way would it have meant that!   

Let me say it this way.  If your life and mine is dominated by Spirit filled faith, obedience, diligence, honesty, humility and love – then we are winners in God’s eyes, regardless of the outward effects of these characteristics.  You and I may do right and suffer as a result.  But we have succeeded if we have done right, regardless of the responses of others to our godly behavior.

Right makes might (though it may not be perceivable); might does not make right (though such may appear to be the case).  Mr. Smith is a “success” because he is right; he is not right because he is a success.  Of course I am using the word success in two different ways.  Hypothetically, if a man or woman is an absolute failure (in the eyes of others; or even in their own view) in every endeavor in life, but he or she has done right in the eyes of God, then his or her life is a victorious one.  On the other hand, if one realizes a whole host of positive products in their life, yet they have compromised truth and morality in the process and have lived independently of the Spirit of Christ – though they may be known popularly as “a great success” – they are a dismal failure in the eyes of God (and, after all, His opinion is ultimately the only one that matters). 

To put it simply, we should do right and leave the results to God.  Have I said this before?  I sure hope so!  If I have, I do not apologize for the repetition.

I think is was Bob Jones who said, “Do right!  If the stars fall, just do right!”