Revival or Revival Services

Jonathon Edwards was instrumental in summoning the First Great Awakening mainly as a result of his concert of prayers.  Edwards felt convicted about the necessity of prayer as the only way to invoke revival so he called on Christians on both sides of the Atlantic to pray sincerely for revival to break forth.  Edwards, along with Andrew Murray and Timothy Smith, contended that for revival to take place and be sustaining five elements must be present.  First, there must be intersession.  God’s people must begin to intercede corporately and individually.  Revival does not just take place because we schedule services, line-up a speaker and musician, and promote the services.  We need the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to do a supernatural work in the lives of the people.  Secondly, there must be revelation.  Once God’s people begin to pray earnestly then God will pour out a manifestation of Himself and the trinity.  He reveals himself to his people in a new and fresh way drawing His people to Him.  Next, there is a consecration of God’s people.  His children begin to recognize the necessity of a life completely dedicated to God and His work.  Therefore, God’s people set their lives apart for holy living and holy working.  In addition to being consecrated to God His people consecrate themselves to one another.  We see this in the early church as mentioned in the book of Acts where they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayers.  The early church consecrated themselves to one another but more importantly to God.  Fourthly, there is a revitalization.  Ministries which were once passé are now mainstream and of great importance. Programs which had become ignored now become center stage.  This is not because they have been necessarily overhauled with a new twist but because the Spirit of God has filled His people and they have a renewed sense to become missional in their life.  Finally, when revival takes place there will be an expansion.  Because the church has been renewed, revived, and re-focused the Gospel of Jesus Christ is expanded and spread throughout the city, county, state, nation, and world.  You see when the church becomes focused on God and His mission she begins to have a greater impact on her surrounding culture. 

FBC has a date set aside for revival services to be held April 22-25 with two gifted men to come speak and share message through songs.  We have set in place a group of people to help facilitate with the logistics.  The staff is praying along with the added emphasis of our prayer coordinator, Mary Jim Beck.  However, if we are to see a great revival sweep through FBC and Florence we must heed to the words written in 2 Chronicles 7:14 which state, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, PRAY and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, THEN will I hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their land.” 

Church family, I would love to see God begin a revival like we have never seen before.  I would love to see God use this church in ways we have never experienced before.  I would love to see our hearts bent on one thing, wholeheartedly, obediently serving our Great God.  I would love to see revival begin now in our hearts!  Will you join me as we pray for revival to come to FBC. 

Earnestly Praying,

Pastor Ric

Who is Influencing Whom?

Last week God impressed on me a statement that has not only haunted me but also broken my heart.  As I awakened one morning last week that statement came to my mind.  The statement is the world influences the church at a greater rate than the church influences the world.  As I lay there in bed my mind tossed this thought over and again.  Not only did I keep thinking about it, but I wondered why it is and what could be done about it, more importantly what did I need to do to assure the world was not influencing me unduly. 

When statistics show little difference between the behavior of those who attend church and those who do not then there is a great problem in the church.  Peter expressed the words of our God when he said in 1 Peter 15-16 “but as the One who called you is holy you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy because I am holy.”  While the origins of the word holy are from a secular stand point meaning to be set apart for a particular purpose, the Christian version means to be set apart for God’s purpose while being without blemish in that you are striving for purity. 

As I taught youth many years ago they would ask a question which many adults think but do not voice.  Their question was, “How far is too far?”  In other words, how much can I do without calling it sin?  Jesus answered this question very plainly when addressing the issues of adultery and murder.  He said to look on a woman with lust is to commit adultery.  To harbor hatred in your heart against another person is to commit murder.  While the physical act may not have been born out, the reality of the matter is evident from the person’s heart, the wellspring of life.

Too many in the church have fallen into the mentality of wanting to be a child of God but live as close to the world as possible.  God has called us to a life of purity, to be set apart from the world.  If we are going to follow Christ with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength as we are called to do then we must be willing to abandon the desires of the flesh to follow close to the world.  Romans 12:2 commands us to “not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  This is only possible when we decide to forsake the lures of the world or not to allow the world to unduly influence us. 

Instead we must choose to influence the world.  J.O. Sanders writes in Spiritual Leadership that Dr. John Geddie went to Aneityum in 1848 and worked there for God for 24 years. On the tablet erected to his memory these words are inscribed:  When he landed, in 1848, there were no Christians. When he left, in 1872, there were no heathen.  Oh that my life may be such an influence on others that they see Jesus and seek Jesus.

Whatever it Takes,

Pastor Ric

Total Obedience in the Little Things

In our devotional reading for this past week we read where the children of Israel were continuing to complain, seems like this was a habitual thing with them, as they were traveling through the wilderness.  These chronic complainers were griping about everything from the type of food, the lack of provisions from the land, to no water for them to drink.  Even though their complaints were addressed to Moses, they were directed, for all practical purposes toward God.  In Numbers 20:4 they said, “Why have you brought the Lord’s assembly into the wilderness for us and our livestock to die here?”  This statement shows how easily we forget the difficulties of the past when we encounter the difficulties of the present.  The children of Israel quickly forgot the abuse and harsh treatment which the Egyptians offered unto them. 

Because of the complaints Moses and Aaron sought God’s wisdom and direction.  As God spoke to His leaders He offered a simple solution with concrete directions for how Moses could rectify the lack of water problem.  In Numbers 20:7 God said, “Take the staff and assemble the community.  You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will yield water.”  What a simple command from God, with you staff assemble the people and speak to the rock!  However, we see that Moses and Aaron chose a different path, a more familiar path which they had used before when the children of Israel complained for lack of water. (Ex. 17:5-6) How many times do we revert back to the familiar?  How many times do we take God’s commands and adhere to them partially?  How many times do we add our own twist on what God tells us to do? 

In this account of the water from the rock we see God’s servants attempting to do things in their own power.  Numbers 20:10 Moses addresses the children of Israel by saying, “Must WE bring water out of this rock for you?”  Later we see where God corrected Moses and punished him for his lack of obedience and trust.  His chastisement came in the form verse 12 where God said, “You did not trust me…”  How many times have we failed to obey God completely where we just did not trust God?  Oh we may have never said that but our actions spoke loudly!  In the same verse God also punished Moses and Aaron by telling them they would not have the privilege of leading the children of Israel into the Promised Land. 

Too often we allow the small little items to derail us.  We think because we are obeying God partially that we are good.  God expects complete surrender and total obedience out of His children.  If I promised my wife that I would be faithful to her 360 days out of a year but that 5 days were mine to do as I wish, she would correct me in a heartbeat.  Yet we offer God a similar proposal.  We offer God to be faithful on Sundays but want to have the rest of the week to live as we please.  We offer God to carry out His commands in theory but not as He detailed.  God expects more from His children.  This week let’s offer complete surrender and total obedience to God.

May God Bless His Children Who are Fully Committed to His Cause,

Pastor Ric