As regular readers of this blog and members of our fellowship know, I have been preaching/teaching on the subject of revival since Labor Day, 2010 ending mid-February. I am still reading about revivals and recently came across some information in the book A God-Sized Vision: Revival Stories That Stretch and Stir by Collin Hansen and John Woodbridge.
In that book, there is a fascinating story about revival in Kenya and how forgiveness flowed during revival. Let me share this story from page 130:
"A Kikuyu taxi driver from Nairobi, shaking and weeping, confessed that during three years as a terrorist he killed at least sixty people. Nevertheless, he felt God's love and knew God had forgiven him of all his sins. Still, one incident troubled him. 'But there may be a woman in this crowd whose husband I helped to hang in the bedroom, in front of her,' he said. 'Can such a woman forgive such a beast of a man?' Indeed, a woman approached him from the crowd, which hushed with anticipation. She reached out and grasped the hand of her husband's killer. 'I forgave you that night, when my husband prayed for you,' she said. 'You are now my brother."
WELL GLORY! That is the beautiful blessing of revival!!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Revival critics
As regular readers of this blog and members of our fellowship know, I have been preaching/teaching on the subject of revival since Labor Day, 2010 ending mid-February. I am still reading about revivals and recently came across some information in the book A God-Sized Vision: Revival Stories That Stretch and Stir by Collin Hansen and John Woodbridge.
One of the tools used by critics of revivals is "they don't last," "where are the converts in years afterward," "they are too emotional," and one of my favorite (which I have actually had said to me) "didn't this revival get off into tongue speaking and abuses of the Spirit."
I was privileged to go to Wales in October, 2004 in celebration of the One-hundredth anniversary of the Welsh Revival. The last comment noted above was made to me when I was talking about the Welsh Revival.
In the book, named above, this stat was given about the Welsh revival. "Six years after the Welsh revival, 80 percent of converts were still members of the church they joined during the awakening. Many of the remaining 20 percent had simply joined a different body." (Page 115)
WOW - To be a critic of those numbers is a shame and disgrace. I doubt there is a church anywhere in America that could say that of the converts that have come through their church in the past six-seven years.
Then, further - "Gomer Roberts asked rhetorically: 'Who can give an account of the lasting blessings of the 1904-5 revival? It is possible to tabulate a sum of family bliss, peace of conscience, brotherly love, and holy conversation? What of the debts that were paid, and the enemies reconciled to one another? What of the drunkards who became sober, and the prodigals who were restored? Is there a balance that can weigh the burden of sins which were thrown at the foot of the cross?'
Martyn Lloyd-Jones, answering critics, said, "Even if the Christian century didn't unfold as hoped in Wales, we can still celebrate a precious time when God seemed to offer earth a fresh taste of heaven's bliss." (Page 116)
W.T. Stead wrote, "It is better to have lived well for a year than never to have been above the mire at all." (Page 116)
Oh, yes. My heart cries for it.
I've heard the criticisms of modern-day revivals along the same lines. Well, here's a thought - the next time you have a mighty move of God in your church that last for a year or longer and it results in 80 percent of the converts still in your church after six years; then I'll listen to your criticisms of your own revival. But until then....I'm just going to keep praying for God to move knowing that it won't be perfect, but I'd rather have a period of divine moment than none at all.
One of the tools used by critics of revivals is "they don't last," "where are the converts in years afterward," "they are too emotional," and one of my favorite (which I have actually had said to me) "didn't this revival get off into tongue speaking and abuses of the Spirit."
I was privileged to go to Wales in October, 2004 in celebration of the One-hundredth anniversary of the Welsh Revival. The last comment noted above was made to me when I was talking about the Welsh Revival.
In the book, named above, this stat was given about the Welsh revival. "Six years after the Welsh revival, 80 percent of converts were still members of the church they joined during the awakening. Many of the remaining 20 percent had simply joined a different body." (Page 115)
WOW - To be a critic of those numbers is a shame and disgrace. I doubt there is a church anywhere in America that could say that of the converts that have come through their church in the past six-seven years.
Then, further - "Gomer Roberts asked rhetorically: 'Who can give an account of the lasting blessings of the 1904-5 revival? It is possible to tabulate a sum of family bliss, peace of conscience, brotherly love, and holy conversation? What of the debts that were paid, and the enemies reconciled to one another? What of the drunkards who became sober, and the prodigals who were restored? Is there a balance that can weigh the burden of sins which were thrown at the foot of the cross?'
Martyn Lloyd-Jones, answering critics, said, "Even if the Christian century didn't unfold as hoped in Wales, we can still celebrate a precious time when God seemed to offer earth a fresh taste of heaven's bliss." (Page 116)
W.T. Stead wrote, "It is better to have lived well for a year than never to have been above the mire at all." (Page 116)
Billy Graham said in 1950, "This has been an age in which we have humanized God and deified man, and we have worshiped at the throne of science. We thought that science could bring about Utopia. We must have a spiritual awakening similar to that which we had under Wesley and Whitefield." (Page 167)
He further said, "God Almighty is going to bring judgement upon this city (Los Angeles) unless people repent and believe - unless God sends an old-fashioned, heaven-sent, Holy Ghost revival." Then he punctuated the end of every description of what ails America with the refrain "We need revival!" (Page 162)
Oh, yes. My heart cries for it.
I've heard the criticisms of modern-day revivals along the same lines. Well, here's a thought - the next time you have a mighty move of God in your church that last for a year or longer and it results in 80 percent of the converts still in your church after six years; then I'll listen to your criticisms of your own revival. But until then....I'm just going to keep praying for God to move knowing that it won't be perfect, but I'd rather have a period of divine moment than none at all.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Some recent quotes
Pastor Steven Grund, the main figure in John Maarten's story The Village on the Hill, wrote from his prison cell: "If the church sleeps and her witness is silent, then she will not be attacked and may live in comfort, but she betrays her Lord. But when the church awakes and speaks, then come storms and sorrow and the cross, but the Lord is near!"
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Preaching about sin
Mark Driscoll tweeted today: Preaching on how to resolve sin in relationships today. "Preachers" who don't deal with sin are like "doctors" who don't deal with sickness.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Difference between Christianity and Other Religions
Found this on another blog...thought it might be of interest.
A Huge Difference Between Christianity and Many Other Religions
A Huge Difference Between Christianity and Many Other Religions
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Work Cursed and Redeemed
from The Gospel Coalition Blog
Work is what we were created for. It is part of God’s good design. But when sin entered the picture, work was cursed.
Then to Adam [God] said . . .
Cursed is the ground because of you;
In toil you will eat of it
All the days of your life.
Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you;
And you will eat the plants of the field;
By the sweat of your face
You will eat bread,
Till you return to the ground . . . (Genesis 3:17-19)
Because of the Fall, work is hard. Work involves sweat and toil, thorns and thistles. Or, if you prefer, work involves stress and overtime and belligerent bosses and mundane meetings. Not everything in the world of work is as it should be. Work has been cursed. But work is still good.
It’s important that we see both the goodness of work in God’s original creation and the struggle of work under the Fall. If we only see the good, we’ll be frustrated when things don’t go as they should. If we only see the bad, we’ll have a hard time doing our work to the glory of God. Work is not all good, and it’s not all bad. It is part of God’s good creation, which has been tainted by the Fall. And God is at work to redeem work.
Romans 8:20-21 says, “The creation was subjected to frustration . . . in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” Through us, God is after the renewal of creation. Grace doesn’t just change our eternal destiny. It changes our whole worldview, our entire basis for living, the grid through which we see the world. Redemption affects every part of us. And through us, God’s redemption is extended into the world around us.
So redemption in Christ must transform our view of work. No longer is work a necessary evil. It is now a calling. Work now has great spiritual significance, because it is a chance for God to be glorified. Remember 1 Corinthians 10:31: “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” A similar command is given in Colossians 3:17: “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” When you show up at your job, you’re there for the glory of God. God wants to be honored in what you do and in how you do it.
What are some ways that God can be glorified in our work? Consider these biblical ideas:
- God is glorified when we put our whole selves into our work, with a view toward pleasing God, not men (Col. 3:23-24).
- God is glorified when we are honest, even when it hurts us or prevents us from getting ahead (Ps. 15, Gen. 39).
- God is glorified when we honor our superiors and submit to their authority (1 Tim. 6:1; Rom. 13:7).
- God is glorified when we treat our work associates with kindness and respect (Luke 6:31; Rom. 12:18).
- God is glorified when we expose fraud or dishonesty or unethical behavior (Eph. 5:11-13).
- God is glorified when we approach our work prayerfully (1 Thess. 5:17).
- God is glorified when we avoid complaining or grumbling, even in less-than-ideal work situations (Phil. 2:14-15).
- God is glorified when we refuse to make work and money our idols (Matt. 6:24; Ecc. 5:10-12).
- God is glorified when we plan diligently for the future (Prov. 21:5).
- God is glorified when we live simply and give generously (Prov. 22:9; 1 Tim. 6:17-19).
- God is glorified when we trust him to provide today what we need for today (Matt. 6:11).
- God is glorified when we rest from work (Deut. 5:13-15; Ps. 46:10).
In all these ways and many more, we can do our work to the glory of God.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Giving and Receiving Forgiveness
On January 29, 2011, "Daily Devotional: The Word for You Today" had this writing:
A counselor writes: "We have all been wounded. Who wounds us? Those we love and those who love us. When we feel rejected, abandoned, abused, manipulated or violated. It's usually by people by people close to us: our parents, our friends, our marriage partners, our children, our teachers, our pastors. This is what makes forgiveness so difficult. It's our hearts that are wounded! We cry out, 'You, who I expected to be there for me, have failed me. How can I ever forgive you for that?'
Though forgiveness may seem impossible, the God who lives within us will give us the grace to go beyond our wounded selves and say, 'In the name of Christ, I forgive you.' But remember, there are two sides to forgiveness: giving and receiving.
Although at first sight, giving seems harder, often we are not able to offer forgiveness because we haven't fully received it ourselves. Only as people who have tasted the joy of forgiveness can we find the inner motivation to give it. Why is receiving forgiveness so difficult? Because it's hard to acknowledge that without your forgiveness I'm still affected by what happened between us. I need you to help set me free and make me whole again. That requires not only a confession that we've been hurt, but also the humility to admit our dependence on the very one who hurt us. Yet, only when we're able to receive forgiveness, can we truly extend it to others."
That's why the Bible says, "Get rid of all bitterness...Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32 NIV
A counselor writes: "We have all been wounded. Who wounds us? Those we love and those who love us. When we feel rejected, abandoned, abused, manipulated or violated. It's usually by people by people close to us: our parents, our friends, our marriage partners, our children, our teachers, our pastors. This is what makes forgiveness so difficult. It's our hearts that are wounded! We cry out, 'You, who I expected to be there for me, have failed me. How can I ever forgive you for that?'
Though forgiveness may seem impossible, the God who lives within us will give us the grace to go beyond our wounded selves and say, 'In the name of Christ, I forgive you.' But remember, there are two sides to forgiveness: giving and receiving.
Although at first sight, giving seems harder, often we are not able to offer forgiveness because we haven't fully received it ourselves. Only as people who have tasted the joy of forgiveness can we find the inner motivation to give it. Why is receiving forgiveness so difficult? Because it's hard to acknowledge that without your forgiveness I'm still affected by what happened between us. I need you to help set me free and make me whole again. That requires not only a confession that we've been hurt, but also the humility to admit our dependence on the very one who hurt us. Yet, only when we're able to receive forgiveness, can we truly extend it to others."
That's why the Bible says, "Get rid of all bitterness...Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32 NIV
Resources on Rob Bell's new book
Rob Bell is the "talk" of everyone from the media to college students. Here is a good resource from Nathan Akin on a few resources. His blog's material follows:
Some have asked for resources on what is going on with Rob Bell’s new book, “Love Wins.” Here are the resources that we have found to be most helpful.
Some have asked for resources on what is going on with Rob Bell’s new book, “Love Wins.” Here are the resources that we have found to be most helpful.
Resources on Rob Bell’s New Book:
- Here is a Video of Bell explaining the book
- An interview on MSNBC with Rob Bell is a must-see: MSNBC’s Martin Bashirs Takes on Rob Bell
- Dr. Moore of Southern Seminary raises concerns that go even beyond Bell’s view of Hell over at his blog in a piece entitled, “The Blood-Drained Gospel of Rob Bell”
- The most extensive review of the book we have discovered is Kevin DeYoung’s. It is available here, along with Justin Taylor’s “cliff notes” of it: Rob Bell’s Love Wins A Response
- Dr. Mohler, president of Southern Seminary, writes an fascinating piece entitled, “We Have Seen All this Before: Rob Bell and the (Re)Emergence of Liberal Theology“
NCAA Picks
We have created a Pastor's Bracket pick'em but I will share in a public way my picks:
East:
Second round winners: Ohio State, Villanova, West Virginia, Kentucky, Xavier, Syracuse, Washington, North Carolina
Third round winners: Ohio State, Kentucky, Syracuse, North Carolina
East Finals: Ohio State over Kentucky
West:
Second round winners: Duke, Tennessee, Arizona, Texas, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Penn St. San Diego St
Third round winners: Duke, Arizona, Connecticut, San Diego St
West Finals: Duke over San Diego State
Southwest:
Second round winners: Kansas, UNLV, Vanderbilt, Louisville, Georgetown, Purdue, Texas A&M, Notre Dame
Third round winners: Kansas, Louisville, Purdue, Notre Dame
Southwest Finals: Kansas over Notre Dame
Southeast:
Second round winners: Pittsburgh, Old Dominion, Kansas St, Wisconsin, St. John's, BYU, UCLA and Florida
Third round winners: Pittsburgh, Kansas St. St. John's, Florida
Southeast Finals: Pittsburgh over Florida
Final Four: Kansas over Pittsburgh, Duke over Ohio State
Kansas will beat Duke 81-78.
East:
Second round winners: Ohio State, Villanova, West Virginia, Kentucky, Xavier, Syracuse, Washington, North Carolina
Third round winners: Ohio State, Kentucky, Syracuse, North Carolina
East Finals: Ohio State over Kentucky
West:
Second round winners: Duke, Tennessee, Arizona, Texas, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Penn St. San Diego St
Third round winners: Duke, Arizona, Connecticut, San Diego St
West Finals: Duke over San Diego State
Southwest:
Second round winners: Kansas, UNLV, Vanderbilt, Louisville, Georgetown, Purdue, Texas A&M, Notre Dame
Third round winners: Kansas, Louisville, Purdue, Notre Dame
Southwest Finals: Kansas over Notre Dame
Southeast:
Second round winners: Pittsburgh, Old Dominion, Kansas St, Wisconsin, St. John's, BYU, UCLA and Florida
Third round winners: Pittsburgh, Kansas St. St. John's, Florida
Southeast Finals: Pittsburgh over Florida
Final Four: Kansas over Pittsburgh, Duke over Ohio State
Kansas will beat Duke 81-78.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Moie Trailer for the new movie Courageous
This is a new trailer for the movie Courageous. there are some great action scenes and humorous moments, as well as heart-touching themes related to courageous fatherhood. It’s a powerful movie, coming in September (the novel will be released in August).
Video of Iris Blue and her new book
Here is a Fox News story from Houston, TX about our dear friend, Iris Blue. Also in the story is Ron Blue reading from the book he has written on her life. Click here for more info about the book.
Book: From Topless Bar to Practicing Christian: MyFoxHOUSTON.com
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
The Bible is Sufficient
"Inerrancy is not the most critical issue facing the church today. The most serious issue, I believe, is the Bible's sufficiency. Do we believe that God has given us what we need in His book? Or do we suppose that we have to supplement the Bible with human things? Do we need sociological techniques to do evangelism, pop psychology and pop psychiatry or political tools for achieving social progress, and reform?"
- Dr. Steven J. Lawson, Table Talk, February, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Anne Ortlund on revival
"Oh, God, do it again. Do it again. Do it again."
Since Labor Day I have been pursuing the theme of revival alternating Biblical texts and "contemporary" historical evidences of revival - all to wet our appetite for "God to do it again." No, when revival comes it will never be exactly anything in the past because we are all different people living in different times. It will be different, and yet similiar.
About then days ago God told me "the hay is in the barn." As of February 27, I will no longer continue the series of Sunday night talks about revival. Doesn't mean I won't preach about it, but the series is over.
Yet, I determined to continue to blog about it here. For a fire to stay ablazed, it must be fed fresh product or it will cease.
This past Sunday night I returned back to the Shoals for a wonderful day in Gadsden to go to Grace House to hear Dr. Jack Taylor. Even though I knew I would be late, I gambled that I would make it before he started preaching and I did. Guess what he preached on? Revival!!!
He said that he believes there will be a time in America when no one will have to go outside their county to experience a move of God. I have no reason to doubt that.
Just moments ago, I got up to begin reading and as I always do, I check Nancy Leigh DeMoss's topic of her program each day. She is one of the most gifted and annointed Bible teachers of our day. Her guest this week and some of last has been Anne Ortlund. Yesterday, I had a quote on this blog from her husband.
The previous days she has spoken about growing old graciously and widowhood - neither interested me very much. But this morning I open the email to see her topic and guess what it was - Revival!!!
So, click here and read it. The transcript of the program is too long to include here (though I have before). Oh, Lord - do it again.
Since Labor Day I have been pursuing the theme of revival alternating Biblical texts and "contemporary" historical evidences of revival - all to wet our appetite for "God to do it again." No, when revival comes it will never be exactly anything in the past because we are all different people living in different times. It will be different, and yet similiar.
About then days ago God told me "the hay is in the barn." As of February 27, I will no longer continue the series of Sunday night talks about revival. Doesn't mean I won't preach about it, but the series is over.
Yet, I determined to continue to blog about it here. For a fire to stay ablazed, it must be fed fresh product or it will cease.
This past Sunday night I returned back to the Shoals for a wonderful day in Gadsden to go to Grace House to hear Dr. Jack Taylor. Even though I knew I would be late, I gambled that I would make it before he started preaching and I did. Guess what he preached on? Revival!!!
He said that he believes there will be a time in America when no one will have to go outside their county to experience a move of God. I have no reason to doubt that.
Just moments ago, I got up to begin reading and as I always do, I check Nancy Leigh DeMoss's topic of her program each day. She is one of the most gifted and annointed Bible teachers of our day. Her guest this week and some of last has been Anne Ortlund. Yesterday, I had a quote on this blog from her husband.
The previous days she has spoken about growing old graciously and widowhood - neither interested me very much. But this morning I open the email to see her topic and guess what it was - Revival!!!
So, click here and read it. The transcript of the program is too long to include here (though I have before). Oh, Lord - do it again.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Ray Ortlund on revival
"Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down..." Isaiah 64:1
"When God rends the heavens and comes down on his people, a divine power achieves what human effort at its best fails to do. God's people thirst for the ministry of the Word and receive it with tender meltings of soul. The grip of the enslaving sin is broken. Reconciliation between believers is sought and granted. Spiritual things, rather than material things, capture people's hearts. A defensive, timid church is transformed into a confident army. Believers joyfully suffer for their Lord. They treasure usefulness to God over career advancement. Communion with God is avidly enjoyed. Churches and Christian organizations reform their policies and procedures. People who had always been indifferent to the gospel now inquire anxiously. And this type of spiritual movement draws in not just the isolated straggler here and there but large numbers of people. A wave of divine grace washes over the church and spills out into the world. That is what happens when God comes down. And that is how we should pray for the church today."
- Ray Ortlund, When God Comes to Church
Friday, March 4, 2011
Richard Owen Roberts on revival.. Part IV
Richard Owen Roberts, President and Founding Director, International Awakening Ministries, may be the greatest historian, theological and practical leader of revival in our contemporary day. Though now in the sunset years of his life, he has given himself to the study and witness of revival, reformation, and/or spiritual awakening.
I am doing a four-part series that begin Tuesday using his material. Click here to see Tuesday's post, here to see Wednesday's post and here to see yesterday's. Here is today's entry.
God’s Cultivated Presence
It is a remarkably blessed truth that even when every other church in a given city is under the judgment of God, your church can still cultivate God’s presence in a glorious way. This is also true of individuals. Every other individual of your acquaintance can be living in unresolved sin and under God’s righteous judgment, and yet you can live repentantly and be constantly and consciously cultivating the presence of Christ in your life and enjoying an awesome sense of His nearness. When the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Obed, he said, “Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake him, He will forsake you” (2 Chronicles 15:1-2). This is the Word of God and must be heeded today by each of us.
Thus, we can answer precisely the question, “What is a true revival?” A true revival is a blessed season when God is in the midst of His people in a manifest way. By this definition we can readily ascertain what is true revival and what is not. In recent years we have heard of many boastful claims of great revivals occurring. What is the outstanding characteristic of these movements? Noise? Excitement? Physical Phenomena? Crowds? Holiness? A friend of mine was determined to visit one of these “revival” scenes and asked if I had any advice. Yes, I said. Talk to the chief of police and ask if a revival exists in that city. The chief said, “Absolutely not! There is no revival in this city. If there were, the crime rate would show it.” Try as some may to avoid it, the only convincing evidence of revival is holiness.
The reason why the movement of God in Wales in 1904- 1905 is so wisely remembered is not the great preaching with which it was blessed or even the extraordinary wisdom of its leadership, but the incredibly wonderful impact upon holiness. Countless dens of iniquity were closed. Thousands of drunkards were made sober for the rest of their days. Time after time the judges of the principality laid white gloves on the bench signifying there were no criminals to be tried. Policemen were largely unemployed in anything other than trying to keep the churches from collapsing because of the weight of the multitudes crowding in. Indeed many of them organized themselves into gospel quartets and sang in the services. Hundreds of homes celebrated Christmas for the first time because the father was sober and had not wasted his income on drinks, bets on sporting events, and sinful pleasures. And, perhaps more remarkable than any of the other evidences of God’s presence in the land, the mules and ponies in the deep earth mines went on strike. Having for so long been driven with kicks and curses, they simply did not know how to respond when the newly converted miners came down the shaft and put their arms around the necks of the animals, saying, “Mulie dear, we are here to serve the Lord Christ. Let’s have a hymn and prayer and then get to work.” Any movement that calls itself revival that does not result in a wonderful increase of holiness is a sham.
For some, however, this seems too commonplace a definition of revival to be consequential. Many are prepared to argue, “God is always with us in this fashion.” Nonsense! You have only to ask, “What is the most noted aspect of God’s revelations of Himself to the men of Scripture?” to know how far from this we usually are. Is not the holiness of God always the overwhelming issue? Such cries as, “woe is me for I am undone”; “I am a man of unclean lips and an impure heart”; “depart from me, I am not worthy” are to be expected when The Holy One manifests Himself. Most of us recognize that Satan can duplicate many of the phenomena of Scripture, but the one thing that he cannot produce (nor would
he if he could) is true biblical holiness. It is the one truly reliable evidence of the presence of God in an individual or a church. Are you marked by such holiness? Is your church? Our personal, tragic lack of holiness is constantly proclaiming our own desperate need of revival. The absence of holiness in the church has made the church an incredible source of mockery to the world, and this proves the immense need of revival right now!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Richard Owen Roberts on revival, Part III
Richard Owen Roberts, President and Founding Director, International Awakening Ministries, may be the greatest historian, theological and practical leader of revival in our contemporary day. Though now in the sunset years of his life, he has given himself to the study and witness of revival, reformation, and/or spiritual awakening.
I am doing a four-part series that begin Tuesday using his material. Click here to see yesterday's and Tuesday's entry is here. Here is today's entry.
God’s Manifest Presence
The manifest presence of God is an altogether different matter. Manifest means palpable or evident to the eye, mind or judgment—thus obvious or felt. Moses in the burning bush encountered God’s manifest presence as did the Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos. An impressive number of passages in Scripture speak of God drawing near and of God distancing Himself. A classic illustration is found in the incident of the golden calf in Exodus 32-33. God first warns Moses that He is about to utterly destroy the people because of their sin (32:10). As a result of Moses’ intercession, God then threatens to send an angel before them but not go with them Himself lest He destroy them on the way because they are a stiff- necked people (32:34; 33:5). As a result of Moses’ further inter- cession, God says, “My presence shall go with you...,” to which Moses responds, “If Thy presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Thy sight, I and Thy people? Is it not by Thy going with us so that we, I and Thy people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?” (33:14-16).
The manifest presence of God in their midst is that which distinguishes Christians from all the other peoples on the face of the earth. Moses knew that because of sin, the people of God were about to lose the one thing that distinguished them from all others. Sin always separates people from God’s manifest presence. God never allows His manifest presence in those who cling to their sin. This is powerfully demonstrated in Isaiah 63:7- 64:12. Read it carefully! Notice these urgent portions:
63:10 “But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy, He fought against them.”
63:15 “Look down from heaven, and see from Thy holy and glorious habitation; where are Thy zeal and Thy mighty deeds? The stirrings of Thy heart and Thy compassions are restrained toward me.”
63:17 “Why, O Lord, dost Thou cause us to stray from Thy ways, and harden our hearts from fearing Thee? Return for the sake of Thy servants...”
63:19 “We have become like those over whom Thou hast never ruled, like those who were not called by Thy name.”
64:12 “Wilt Thou restrain Thyself at these things, O Lord? Wilt Thou keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?”
Isaiah is painfully aware that God’s people are under the righteous judgment of God. These righteous judgments can be either remedial or final. A final judgment involves death and/ or destruction and does not normally prompt one to repentance. The account of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts five provides a tragic illustration of such a final judgment. Isaiah, however, is dealing with a people who have fallen under God’s remedial judgment. A remedial judgment provides time, opportunity and promptings toward repentance. God sends remedial judgments to turn His people back to Himself. Isaiah’s prayer in 64:1-4 clearly indicates his hope.
Another very helpful portion of Scripture is found in Judges 2-16. Something of an outline of
a frequent pattern is portrayed in chapter two:
a. The people begin in a right relationship with God and are blessed.
b. They sin and do not repent
c. God brings them under a righteous judgment
d. When the judgment is too heavy to bear, they cry to the Lord for deliverance
e. When their cry is truly from their hearts, God raises up a judge/deliverer, and they are returned to a place of blessing. This pattern occurs seven times in the next four- teen chapters.
God has an infinite variety of remedial judgments at his disposal. The passages in Isaiah and Judges help us to understand this. Joel (1-2) describes a terrible plague of locusts. Jeremiah (13) speaks of spiritual drunkenness. However, among the many remedial judgments that God may utilize, none appear to be more frequently utilized than the withdrawal of His manifest presence. Every indication is that across this nation right now tens of thousands of churches are under that precise judgment. The proof is in the fact that when the manifest presence of God is withdrawn from a church or society, sin mounts up.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Richard Owen Roberts on Revival, Part II
Richard Owen Roberts, President and Founding Director, International Awakening Ministries, may be the greatest historian, theological and practical leader of revival in our contemporary day. Though now in the sunset years of his life, he has given himself to the study and witness of revival, reformation, and/or spiritual awakening.
I am doing a four-part series that begin yesterday using his material. Click here to see yesterday's. Here is today's entry.
God’s Essential Presence
When we speak of the essential presence of God, we are referring to his omnipresence. We understand that God fills heaven and earth (Jeremiah 23:24). We know that it is impossible to flee from God’s presence (Psalm 139:7-12). If 5we want to illustrate this truth to youth, we may ask them to imagine themselves on a rocket ship travelling out into space for thirty-five years and assure them that in all their travels outward they will never pass a place where God is not. In the church we remind people that in His essential presence, God is no more present in the church than in a dive or den of iniquity. Tragically, many who recognize this kind of teaching have never faced the question, “What is the impact of God’s essential presence on society?” Are people afraid of God because of His essential presence? Does His essential presence keep
them from sinning? The obvious answer is NO!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Richard Owen Roberts on Revival, Part I
Richard Owen Roberts, President and Founding Director, International Awakening Ministries, may be the greatest historian, theological and practical leader of revival in our contemporary day. Though now in the sunset years of his life, he has given himself to the study and witness of revival, reformation, and/or spiritual awakening.
Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, Germantown, TN produces annual a theological journal called Journal of Evangelism and Missions. In their Spring, 2009 edition (Volume 8), they devoted the theme to Revival and Spiritual Awakening.
One of the contributors was Richard Owen Roberts. In his discourse, he describes revival as "God in the midst of His people." He uses Psalm 73:28 (NASV) "But as for me, the nearness of God is my good...." He notes this is also stated by Bryan Edward in his book, Revival: A People Saturated with God.
Over the next few days I want to share excerpts from that article as Dr. Roberts expresses the presence of God in three perspectives:
* The Essential Presence
* The Manifest Presence
* The Cultivated Presence
More tomorrow.
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