Check out this Revival web site

My heart has long been warmed by the message and hope of revival in the local church.  You can read again the blog posted here Feb. 11, 2009 to read from Richard Owen Roberts.

I have just finished listening to Bro. Roberts and Henry Blackaby speaking last Labor Day at the Texas Baptist Men's annual conference.  Their topic was II Chron. 7:14.  Henry Blackaby said, "America waits for the church for revival."

Here is a web site that you must view if your heart is linked to revival.  Hear some of the great ones of the past speak of revival.  The web site is www.revivalhymn.com.

The American Church

Here are two quotes I heard recently about the American church:

Tommy Nelson, Pastor, Denton Bible Church, Denton, TX speaking at the Pastor's Conference, First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, FL on Monday, February 2, 2009:

"We have not made our churches more heavenly; but more American."

"We are seeing an Americanization of the gospel."

"We have traded the cross for a cushion."

"Today, we only want a gospel that will aid my prosperity and success."

Gordon Fort, Vice-President of Overseas Affairs, International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, speaking July 22, 2008 at Truth Tabernacle of Praise, Atlanta:

"If we could just understand that it's all about Him.  There are churches today that think their growth is a sign of God's blessing.  And they don't understand that the only reason people are coming to their church is because they are entertaining the people.  And the way you can tell the difference is if you strip away everything that happened on the platform, all the overheads, media, and all the stuff that goes on.  If in four weeks time, people are still coming back to the auditorium, then you know its because God is in the place.

But if they don't come back, its because they were coming for the entrainment.  And there is a huge difference.

When God's presence is manifested in a place, then not only will people drive to come to that place, they will buy an airline ticket to go and experience the presence of God.  People go to Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York City, not because of the great music, or to hear the preacher preach.  They go because when they arrive, the presence of God is being manifested and people's lives are being changed.  That's the difference."

This Week with Ed Lacy

We have just finished a wonderful day with Evangelist Ed Lacy doing four of his ten sessions of "Christ-Centered Evangelism: Doing God's Work, God's Way for God's Glory." The teachings continue through Wednesday night from 6:30-8:15.

I have never heard in a local church setting such a theological discourse on the lostness of man has presented tonight by Bro. Ed. And our people have "eaten it up," as well as their pastor (smile). I affectionly call him my "Expositor Evangelist" because his heart is to expound the Word of God that will "convert the soul."

I have known Bro. Ed since the mid-80's - shortly after he was saved as a "rock" drummer out of the jazz scene of New Orleans. Through the years, we've had the privilege of serving together in different venues and each opportunity has caused my respect for him to grow.

Check out his web site here.

Richard Owen Roberts on Revival

I heard Richard Owen Roberts, International Awakening Ministries, last night online at Pastor’s Conference, First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, FL. Richard Owen Roberts has been preaching revival for 60 years. He is from Wheaton, IL. Dr. Mac Brunson, Pastor, FBC Jacksonville, called him “the closest thing to an OT prophet we have.”

I had been told of Dr. Roberts by several of my friends of “revival” and had read some of his sermons that had struck my heart, especially on repentance. But when I saw he was speaking last night and it was online, I made an appointment with myself to hear him.

Of course, he spoke on revival. Here are a few comments he made:

Some say revival is rain from Heaven. I define it as “glory in the church.” It is God manifesting Himself among His people. It is God drawing near.

The world is without Christ because they don’t believe in us. There is nothing in us they find desirable.

A revival in the church results in an awakening in the world.

What is your greatest allurement to Heaven? What are you looking forward to the most? It should be the unbroken presence of our Lord.

What is the awful fear of hell? His unbroken absence.


Concerning America and the perspective of revival in America, he said:

There is no clear word from God that the end is near. There have been times worse than today. And if you don’t believe that, then you are ignorant of history. In every generation, there were those who said, “Things are so bad that surely this is the end.” But there as not been anyone God has sent to America to say, "This is the end. So we need to get busy and occupy until He comes."

From Abraham’s intercession with God about destroying Sodom, God promised not to destroy them if there were ten righteous people there. Surely there are more than ten righteous people in America.

In II Chronicles 34-35, God had already declared judgment on Judah but revival still took place. God can still send revival even if judgment has been declared.

He told of a praying meeting in Wheaton when a denominational leader asked him, “Having prayed earnestly for revival, is there anything else legitimately we can do?”

He answered: We can use to the fullest every divinely ordained means of grace (channels God has provided for grace to flow to His people). Then he listed the nine means:

Prayer, the Word, Repentance, Faith, the Ordinances, Church discipline, Christian fellowship, stewardship, and praise. All nine must be saturated by the power of the Holy Spirit.

You can hear some of his sermons at www.sermonindex.net. You can purchase the CD of his message last night from FBC Jacksonville.

The Fourth C.W.C in the Cofield family

We welcome Caroline Weslee Cofield to the world.  Caroline is the first born of Chad and Randi Cofield of Boaz.  Chad is my nephew and is the third Cofield to have the initials C.W.C.  My dad was C.W. Cofield (and he went by those initials all his life) and my brother is Carl Winfrey Cofield.  His son is Chad Wesley and now his daughter is the fourth C.W.C.

Caroline weighed 6'10" and was 19" long and came into the world at 9:05 PM Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009.

Peace Requires a First Move

In the November-December edition of Preaching magazine, I read a sermon by Marvin A. McMickie, Senior Pastor, Antioch Baptist Church, Cleveland, Ohio write about Christmas.  In his article, he made these comments that blessed me - even 40 days after Christmas.

"If there is going to be peace on earth, then I have to be willing to initiate the action that can bring about that peace.  The world will not be substantively changed if all of us simply wait for somebody else to make the first move.  Peace must begin with us.

"Now remember that we are not making the first move in the process of peace;  God has already done that in Bethlehem.  God did not wait for us to get ourselves together before He entered into human affairs.

"God initiated the peace treaty and waited for us to respond.  God has already made the first move;  now all we have to do is respond in that spirit toward one another.

"That is how peace is made; somebody has to make the first move.  A holy God made peace with a sinful world by coming in the person of Jesus Christ and taking away the burden of our sins.  Now that same God looks to each one of us and expects us to respond.  Make the first move and invite somebody else to respond.