As I’m writing this there is a torrential downpour going on. I had earlier checked the weather radar and knew it was coming, so really wasn’t surprised. A real gulley-washer like this was needed and will, hopefully, clear out the intense humidity.
And I’m reminded that the outpouring of God’s Spirit has been called a shower of blessings. I checked the Bible and saw that it is predicted. The Holy Spirit moving is also referred to as a mighty wind. My prayer is that God will send a real gulley-washer of a revival to his sleeping church. The Lord stands at the door and knocks, but few are seriously listening.
Lord, awaken the sleeping church and raise up an army of believers that will take your word at face value and usher in a great outpouring of your Spirit in these last days. Amen.
A month ago I took an early summer vacation. One afternoon I took a walk in the woods behind our house (in a vain search for mushrooms) and found some year-old hickory sprouts. I carefully got my tools and transplanted the young trees to my yard. I’ve kept them watered and protected , but noticed the leaves were turning brown around the edges. Not wanting to lose them, I asked for advice from Mike Young, who once had a landscaping business. He advised me they had “root shock” and I should get some fertilizer for the roots, which I did.
I’m still watching for the results, but have been thinking about that all week. Perhaps what the Body of Christ needs is some fertilizer for our roots. We’ve been transplanted from the sinful world to a spiritual environment, and might be suffering some “root shock” until we get established in our faith. I believe its my role as pastor to apply the biblical ‘fertilizer’ that will help converts become ‘rooted’ in their faith. Pray that God will give me wisdom to accomplish that.
Last Monday Anita and I celebrated our 34th anniversary by spending the afternoon at Pokagon State Park, something we often did when dating. I needed to use the restroom and was informed that a large tree had fallen, taking the power out all over the Park, so they locked the doors on all the restrooms. Fortunately, there are a few outhouses up there and I survived the ordeal.
But it made me aware of just how dependent our entire culture has become on modern conveniences. How would we survive without automobiles, refrigerators or running water? We have eliminated the previous methods so we have no other means of getting these needs met.
Come to think about it, that’s the problem with oil these days. There is only a limited supply beneath the earth, but we can’t live without it. If Saudi Arabia’s vast supply is now 50% gone, yet the global demand for oil continually increases, what will the future hold? When will the next war to protect national interests be declared and by whom against whom?
Its time for thinking people to rethink everything we do on the planet. Perhaps Al Gore’s on the right track.
The year was 1952 and I had not yet started Kindergarten. My parents had driven to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for a vacation in our new 1951 Ford. Dad had driven down a remote highway along the coast of Lake Superior. We stopped the car and hiked through the dense forest to the edge of the Lake, a walk of about a mile. What a view and what an experience.
To this day, I still remember the cool breeze, amazing sights, and smell of evergreens. My mind still pictures the abandoned cabin we passed on that hike. For a young boy, that was a great adventure that was a defining moment in my life. And I’m thankful for my father providing that out-of-the-ordinary opportunity for me.
Perhaps you can reflect back to some memory your father provided in the early days of your life. And perhaps it would be a good time to express thanks to your earthly father for the investment he made in your young life. One of the foundational requirements of scripture is that we “honor our mother and father, that our days would be long on the earth”. The promise works for us, whether they deserve to be honored or not.
What is your memory?
Today is June 6. It is the 64th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy to take back Europe from Nazi control. It was the beginning of the end of the war in Europe, yet it took nearly a year to accomplish that victory.
God promised the Promised Land to the Israelites, but it took them awhile to take it away from the natives of the land.
Has God given you a good beginning but it looks like your spiritual life has bogged down? Remember that true liberation takes awhile. But we cross every bridge one day at a time. This is not a time to get discouraged and quit, like so many I’ve seen, when the going gets tough. We have marching orders to become overcomers. So, go for it!
I just got back from a great vacation. Our daughter and her husband, who reside in Nashville, TN, went on a cruise to celebrate their tenth anniversary, and we watched our grandkids, Lauren, age 4, and Rueben, age eleven months. Its amazing how such little kids can wear us adults out.
Its good to spend time with children. When we’re around adults we tend to be so analytical and serious about life’s matters. But children are so simple and innocent in their ways. We went on a picnic one afternoon at a local Nashville park. We had just watched the DVD ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks’ the night before. Lauren noticed an old tree in the park with some holes in it. She walked up to the tree, looking up toward the holes, and cried, “Alvin!” Then she looked beyond the tree and noticed a house, and turned to me and said, “Grandpa, I just found Dave Sevelle’s house.”
Perhaps we need the simple faith of a child when it comes to relationship with God. Is He there or isn’t he? Do we have to see Him or understand Him for Him to be involved in our lives? Perhaps we need to grow up and have the faith of a child.
Psalm 51:17 says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise”. With all the talk today of self esteem and knowing who you are in Christ, this verse looks like it doesn’t fit. But it does.
Even Christians who have been genuinely born again have to offer these sacrifices to the Lord. If it were otherwise, why is it so many spiritual people have shed so many tears?
I remember the early days of my walk with Jesus when I spent many hours before God at an altar (many altars) grieving the mistakes I had made and seeking the face of God for the future. God blessed me in those early days in spite of my immaturity because I offered Him the sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart.
God, allow us to go back to the good old days when tears at an altar meant something.
I start a two-week vacation in one week. My schedule is crazy next week, so I had to put my nose to the grindstone this week to get prepared for my two-week absence. Its amazing how much work can get done when we’re under pressure. Someone said that the most productive work day of the year is the last day before vacation.
Why do we allow so many other non-essentials to take up our time, but when we’re forced to action, the priorities rule? Perhaps its a discipline issue. Here are some suggestions for getting the priorities done:
1) Determine what your priorities are. What has to be done today, what can wait until tomorrow, and what can really wait until next week, and then work on them in that order.
2) Delegate what someone else can do. You need to do what only you can do, and ask for help in areas where others can help.
3) Don’t allow non-priorities like a phone call or email to side-track you from your priorities. Return those calls and emails when they fit your schedule, not the other way around.
4) Don’t become bogged down by the process. Some of us are good leaders but bad managers. The task ahead looks overwhelming so we don’t know where to start. Solicit help on the how-to if that’s your problem. Some people excel at the process.
I attended a minister’s conference this past week where Dr. Kent Hunter, better known as The Church Doctor, spoke to the pastors. He taught an inspiring session outlining the downward trend in moral indicators from 1960 to the 1990s. Just when it appeared there was no hope left for America, tracking of these same indicators began to reverse. Best Selling books took a Christian (or at least moral) turn, ‘R’ rated movies began to give way to films with a spiritual message, the disintegration of the family began to stabilize. etc.
Christians have been praying for revival in America. Could this be the beginning of a turn around? Either the church will take advantage of the positive momentum, or it will return to its hibernation, and the awakening will disintegrate. Yes, that is in God’s hands, but He delegated the task of revival to us. What will the church do with this open door?
I smiled as I watched the Verizon commercial showing a host of a hundred and fifty workmen, each a specialist, following around a single cell phone customer. There was no support that anyone would ever need anytime that there wasn’t a specialist right there beside them to instantly resolve the problem. That was a very effective commercial; a great incentive to buy into the Verizon cell network.
My smile was because that is a picture of what the church should be. Wherever an individual Christian goes there should be a network of supportive Christians right there to assist in the journey. Whatever problem we face, there is always an experienced believer to coach us along. The Spirit of God works through believers, right? This is God’s care for us. What a thought! Can you hear me now?