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A. W. Pink said, "It is true that [many] are praying for world-wide revival. But … it would be more timely, and more scriptural, for prayer to be made to the Lord of the Harvest that He would raise up and thrust forth laborers who would fearlessly and faithfully preach those truths which are calculated to bring about a revival."
This sounds good, but I don't think it's true in regards to revival.
There are more people sharing there Christian faith than ever before. Ray Comfort's School of Biblical Evangelism has over 6000 students from around the world, learning to preach a biblical Gospel ("Law to the proud. Grace to the humble."). And his school is only one among many.
There are more missionaries in the world than ever before. More street preachers than ever before. More Christians than ever before.
But instead of improving, the world is getting worse.
Joe Zamecki told The Sunday Telegraph: "We are seeing support for atheist groups grow. Those with no religious affiliation are the fastest-growing group in America, more even than Muslims."
Folks, one-on-one evangelism, street-preaching, and church altar calls are not getting the job done.
As important as these things are -- as important as evangelism, missions, church-planting and discipleship are -- we are falling behind.
We need a move of God. A revival like those of old where not only the church is revived, but souls are saved on a large scale. A revival that transforms the community and the nation.
Atheists, gays, and other anti-Christian groups, including other religious groups such as Muslims, will soon have more influence in America than Christians do.
The hate bill presently making the rounds in Congress -- or one that will come in the future if this one is defeated -- will be used to shut down our first amendment rights of freedom of religion and freedom of speech. Christians will have to shut up, and possibly, as in other countries, go into hiding.A board member for Equality California has come out swinging at the Bible-based Capitol Resource Institute, which works on behalf of family and biblical values in California, especially among its lawmakers.This isn't the first time this state of things has occurred. In the 1700s, it was possibly even worse, according to J. Edwin Orr.
"If you continue your efforts, we will BURY you," said an e-mail from Ben Patrick Johnson, to his "colleagues" at the CRI, according to a statement from the Christian organization....
"Johnson then threatens 'we have every intention of yours [group] going down, as have others who oppose decency and human rights.' "
I wrote the above on 5/6/07, but saved it as a draft and never published it. So here it is...unfinished.
posted by Stephen 3:50 PM
This week, the topic of spiritual warfare has popped up a few times. One of the big teachings popular today is about territorial spirits, spiritual mapping, bringing down the principalities and powers, etc. But I don't see that in Scripture or history.
Instead, I see two things:
- People calling out to God, in repentance and prayers, asking Him to "come down."
- Preaching the Gospel with "a demonstration of the Spirit's power" (1 Cor. 2:5).
Do we want revival today? Then don't speak to principalities and powers. Pray to God to come down in a Spirit of holiness, driving out sin. And preach the Gospel of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.
posted by Stephen 10:27 AM
Scare Tactics
In the episode of Way of the Master dealing with “conscience,” an atheist said something to the effect that he wouldn’t do anything out of fear. Some people who hear about the need to mention Law, judgment and hell believe that these are scare tactics to cause people to get saved.
In The Evidence Bible, the “Question & Objection” note for Hebrews 10:31 (“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”) is “You are using scare tactics by talking about hell and Judgment Day.” Ray Comfort’s response is:
In the late 1980s, TV commercials in the U.S. asked, “What goes through the mind of a driver who is not wearing a seat belt in a head-on collision?” Then they showed a crash dummy having its head crushed by a steering wheel in a collision, and said, “The steering wheel!” Those were scare tactics, but no one complained because they were legitimate scare tactics. That’s what happens in a head-on collision if you are foolish enough to not put on a seat belt.
To warn of hell is fearful, but it is absolutely legitimate, because the Bible says that it is a fearful thing for a sinner to fall into the hands of the living God.
As a biblical example of someone fleeing to the Savior out of fear, look at the type of salvation that we find in Noah’s story. Hebrews 11:7 says,
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Genesis 6:8 and 9 tells us that Noah “found grace in the eyes of the Lord,” “was a just man” and that he “walked with God,” yet upon hearing of God’s coming judgment against the earth, he was afraid. It was his fear that caused him to build the ark. It wasn’t his love for God or God’s love for him that caused him to build it. It wasn’t that he wanted to please God in building it, or even that he built it out of obedience. Instead, he wanted to save his skin. He didn’t want to go through the judgment unprotected.
Another way to read Hebrews 11:7 would be, “By faith, Noah built an ark because he was scared of the coming judgment.”
Shouldn’t we, too, be scared of the coming judgment? Not only should we flee to the Savior because of the coming judgment, we should be warning others. Noah’s belief that God would do what He had said – “I will destroy man” (Genesis 6:7) – caused him to act. When people in our generation realize that another, even harsher, judgment is coming, then they too will act.
Let us be faithful in declaring God’s coming judgment. Don’t let anyone persuade you to stop using this absolutely legitimate scare tactic.
posted by Stephen 3:21 AM
Today I was reading some stuff online about Keswick Teaching, including some criticisms of the teaching. I couldn't understand how anyone could criticize it, since it totally uplifts Jesus (at least my understanding of it does).
The overly-simplified version of the differences seem to be based on two things:
1. being vs. doing
2. a second work of grace
Most teach that in order to be a good Christian, we must do: read the Bible, pray, go to church, witness, pray in tongues, tithe, etc. The Keswick, or Victorious Christian Living or Higher Life, Teaching says that in Christ we have everything we need, including holiness. All we need to do is accept it by faith.
Apparently, in Keswick, they teach that this is a second work of grace, a second blessing. Anything "second" horrifies most evangelical Christians. They say that everything was received at salvation, and there is no "second."
I'm going to continue over-simplifying the matter (because I'm a somewhat simple kinda guy). For 36 years, I've tried to live the Christian life...and I've failed terribly. I'm sorry. I just can't do it. It is way beyond me. Self is too strong; sin is too deep. And self-control and discipline are totally opposite of who I am - a lazy procrastinator.
However, as I realize more and more of this Higher Life teaching, I realize that truly it is Christ in me living His life through me by faith. Does that mean that I quit doing? No! It means that the doing is an outflow of the being. With Christ in me, I long to spend time with Him in prayer and reading and meditating on the Word. With Christ in me, I long to preach the Word, and see souls saved. With Christ in me, I'm able to love the brothers even when my natural self would reject them. With Christ in me, I desire to give all that I can to help others and to get the Gospel out. With Christ in me, I long to fellowship with brothers and sisters...with Christ at the head. With Christ in me, I'm willing to do anything to increase the intimacy of our relationship, including spending much time praying in tongues.
With Christ in me, I hate sin. Not only because I want nothing to interrupt my communion with Christ, but because He hates it - and He came to save me from the penalty and power of sin (not just get me out of hell and into heaven).
What about it being a second work? For most people it is, not because of a scriptural doctrine, but because of ignorance. Most Christians are not taught the reality of "Christ in you." Instead, the new believer is taught read the Word, pray, go to church, witness, tithe, speak in tongues, etc. And for many of them, including those that many would say are mature Christians and spiritual leaders, they find it an impossible task. They love Christ. They love the Word. They desire to see souls saved. But there is still sin in their lives that they can't shake. More prayer, more Bible reading, more Bible study, more fellowship with others, more witnessing, more praying in tongues....nothing helps them to overcome the sin that so easily entangles them.
Then, through God's mercy and grace, they learn the truth of abiding in Christ, of Christ in you, and you in Christ. Suddenly, victory looks attainable. And, praise God, it is!
Oh! How I long for this in my life. I'm learning more and more, and walking in it little by little. And with each new step, there comes new freedom. I haven't obtained it yet, but I'm going after it and will obtain it ("he who asks, receives; he who seeks, finds; he who knocks, the door will be opened to him").
"Lord Jesus, reveal to me all that You have done to secure not only my salvation, but my sanctification. Reveal to me what it means to be in Christ, and for Christ to be in me. I long for You. You are the Vine; I am the branch. It is Your Life that is so needed. Forgive me for striving for so long, when what is needed is simply believing and accepting You as my life.
"'I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.'
"Glory to God! Praise You, Jesus! I love You!"
posted by Stephen 12:05 AM
2004. First post. Hopefully not the last.
I'm off work until Feb 9 due to the Spring Festival. It's my desire over this month to do a lot of work on the two websites, plus edit a couple books to put online, as well as some discipleship stuff.
God is calling me into a deeper relationship with Himself through prayer - something that needs a major revolution in my life. "Lord, teach me to pray!"
This week, I've been reading F.J. Huegel's Bone of His Bone, edited and modernized by Gene Edwards. Wow! It's an awesome book telling of our relationship with Jesus Christ...that we are not to be imitators of Christ, but participators in Christ.
As I think more about discipling new believers, it just seems more and more obvious to get them away from a "doing" Christian lifestyle into a "being" lifestyle. That doesn't mean that we don't "do" anything, but that the doing flows freely out of who we "be."
"Lord, teach me to know You!"
And to all the readers, have a wonderful and blessed 2004.
"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
Ephesians 3:14-21 (ESV)
posted by Stephen 6:24 PM
I've started reading E.W. Kenyon's The Father and His Family, a study on redemption. I'm also listening to Curry Blake's Divine Healing Training Technician tapes that sound like they were recorded after 9-11 in Tulsa. These are much better than the 12-tape series that were recorded in Virginia late last year.
I'm also working on Curry's study manuals. The goal is to make them into PDF files, and then put them on a CD with the tapes in MP3 format. Curry says on the tapes that he wants all of the resources available for free, and hopefully JGLM might use this idea. Who knows?
I'm learning a lot from both book and tapes, and realizing that I'm nowhere where I should be as a Christian. Some people look at me and think that I have great faith, and I look at me and see a wimp. Fortunately, I'm learning what Christ has done for me and who I am in Him, and what He desires me to do: preach the Gospel, heal the sick, raise the dead, and set people free from whatever bondage they may be in. Otherwise, like Christ, I'm (and all Christians are) to destory the work of the devil.
posted by Stephen 3:27 AM
To tell the truth, I just need to have someone to talk to who understands where I'm coming from, and more than that, who also can help teach me on a few things.
I've been listening to Curry Blakes tapes and reading the Divine Healing study manuals, and reading E.W. Kenyon's books, and there is just life and excitement all inside me (even though I'm tired due to lack of sleep). There is so much power for us to be walking in, and I'm not. I need a major kick in the pants, but also just need someone to encourage and help push me to seek for this power to flow out of my life. Actually, it's not just power, it's LIFE that needs to flow through me into others in order to meet their need.
Oh, how I long for God's life to not only meet my needs, but the needs of those around me.
If you read this, and you know what I'm talking about, and you see people healed and set free on a regular basis, please email me. If you're familiar with the JGLM Divine Healing Training or are a Divine Healing Technician, I'd love to hear from you.
posted by Stephen 3:53 AM