"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV)
Would you be willing to be a fool for Christ? Vance Havner said, "If the preaching of the cross is foolishness to the world--those who preach foolishness will be considered fools for doing so." Elijah must have looked like the world's biggest fool as he poured water all over the altar he had so carefully rebuilt. There, in front of a great multitude, he bet everything on God. How many of us want to help God so that He (and we) won't look foolish if He fails to light the fire? Where is our faith? Most of us do not really expect to see God do miracles--we have such low expectations. God came through because Elijah took his hands off and let God be God. Today we survey, get feedback and calculate the risk before we do anything--and that is the problem. It's us doing it--not God.
"O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O LORD, answer me! Answer me so that these people will know that you, O LORD, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself." 1Kings 18:36-37 (NLT)
The whole purpose of the showdown on Mt. Carmel was to confront the people of Israel with their idolatry. When asked to choose between the God of their fathers and Baal, they couldn't make up their minds. So--Elijah called for a contest between Yahweh and Baal. Whichever god sent down fire and consumed the sacrifice would be the true God. After the 450 prophets of Baal had failed to coax their god to act, it was Elijah's turn. That's when he did the unexpected-- he poured water on the altar, on the wood and the sacrifice, and then dug a trench around it and filled that with water. He called on God and expected God to do something great in response, something that only God could do. And God came through--the entire sacrifice and everything around it was consumed by fire. How many of us have that kind of faith? Do we act like our God is big and able to do anything, or do we really not expect much from Him?
George Mueller once said, "Expect great things of God and great things He will do!"
"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know...his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms..." Ephesians 1:18-20 (NIV)
Things have changed a lot in two thousand years. Why is it that our churches today have so little resemblance to the early church? What is missing in 2013 that was present in the first century A.D.? Think about it--when Peter preached a message of repentance to the Jews, three thousand were saved. Today we preach about "love" and no one comes forward. The early Christians were filled with joy, despite hardship and persecution. Today many in the church are in despair, prisoners to addictive and sinful behaviors with no hope of overcoming their problems.
Somewhere along the way, a message got lost--it's "Christ in you the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). Every pastor who is born again can preach with the power of Peter on Pentecost. Every believer has the power within him to overcome sinful behaviors. How wickedly cleaver the enemy is--getting us to trust in our flesh and forget the power of God within us. How different would our churches be today if we actually believed that the power that raised Christ from the dead lives in us?
"With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of The Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them." Acts 4:33-34 (NIV)
It's easy to get comfortable in our rut. We get into a routine and things become predictable. No surprises--things are running smoothly and we like it that way. So what happens when revival actually comes to a church? It's hard to imagine, but not everyone may be happy about it. The pastor himself may not want to rock the boat. There's a price to be paid and, for some, the cost may be too high. Some who liked the status quo may leave the church, taking their money with them. When the church is operating under the power of the Holy Spirit, some things may get turned upside down. When members become interested in knowing and doing the will of God, money designated for a building program may now be given to the poor. Some will give up wealth and prestige to serve God on the mission field. People who have been radically changed no longer care about being politically correct--they speak out boldly for God, sometimes drawing criticism and persecution from the world, or even worse, from the church. Sin is not tolerated--it is dealt with. Christians will fear God more than they fear man. No more backbiting, divisions or gossip. They will think differently, talk differently and act differently than the rest of the world. They will not love the things the world loves or fear the things the world fears. They will have joy, even in the most difficult circumstances. People will know that they have been with Jesus.
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Acts 2:42-47 (NIV)
"Search me, O God, and know my heart." Psalm 139:23
After reading about the churches in Revelation, one thing is clear to me--Jesus wants us to be ready for His return. Repentance was and is His over-riding message to The church. That repentance has to begin with me. And you. I want to direct you to the one cry.com website. If you will follow the link below, you will find a resource called Draw a Circle. I hope you will prayerfully read through this booklet at your own pace. Don't rush--take time to reflect and allow God to search you. If you do, you just might end up having your very own personal revival!
www.onecry.com/media/filer/2012/03/07/draw-a-circle-digital.pdf
This resource is used with the permission of onecry.com.
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20 (NIV)
Jesus is talking to the church here--not to the lost. And He's not just talking to the church--He's talking to individual church members. Notice that He says, "If anyone..." Jesus is looking for one person to open the door. How ironic that we could be in church, worshipping the Risen King, while Jesus is standing outside, waiting to be let in! Who will open the door? It should be the pastor, it might be a deacon, but it could be just an ordinary member who hears his voice and lets Him in. It could be you!
"Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." Revelation 1:3 (NIV)
Let's take a look in the mirror. Even though the letters to the seven churches of Revelation were written almost 2,000 years ago, the same problems exist in our churches today. We can zoom in a little closer and say that we, as individuals, have some of those very same problems. We may not worship at the altar of Baal, but many of us worship jobs, possessions, children and grandchildren, even our leisure pursuits. Is our church focused on building a monument to itself instead of serving the poor? Do we spend liberally on ourselves while robbing God of His tithe? Does our church, or do we, tolerate false teachers or look the other way instead of confronting sin? Is the love of The Lord waning in our church or in our own life? Worse yet, are we among the living dead? Is the Holy Spirit missing from our church?
I encourage you to read the Book of Revelation--especially chapters two and three, where Jesus addresses the churches. Do you see your church? Do you see yourself? Ask God to show you what needs to be changed in your life and in the life of your church. Repent. Don't criticize--pray for your church and your pastor. Jesus concludes each letter with the admonishment, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." We need to get our house in order--He is coming soon.
"See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name." Revelation 3:8 (NIV)
Jesus was pleased with the church of Philadelphia. He had placed before them an open door for ministry that no one could shut. What was it about them that earned Jesus' praise? It wasn't that they had great strength--they were a church with little strength and had to rely on God. The church had two qualities that are at the top of God's list: they kept His word and did not deny His name. How hard it is to do those two things--back then, and now. Jesus admonished them to "Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown." This speaks to finishing the race well. When it comes to perseverance, we are our own worst enemy. In his book, Messages on Revival, Vance Havner says:
"If ever our souls need to be on guard it is today. The temper of the times demands it. The world is chloroformed by the prince of darkness and Christians slumber in spiritual stupor. Our natures demand it. We are lazy and inclined to float downstream instead of to swim against the current. Forgetting the things which we have heard, we drift away from them. The heart must be broken up and sown with good seed and cultivated if there is to be a good harvest; but we are disposed to let the weeds grow."
"I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich!" Revelation 2:9 (NIV)
Jesus had only praise and encouragement for the church at Smyrna. They represent the persecuted church--and we in America have no idea what that means. The Christians there had lost their employment and their belongings because of their unwillingness to compromise their faith. Today in America, we think we are taking a strong stand for Jesus if we have a Bible tucked away in our desk at work or wear a 14 carat gold cross around our neck. The church at Smyrna was facing more than loss of income or belongings--they were facing death. In that day, people were required to worship Ceasar. Those who refused were sentenced to a horrible death. But Jesus assures them that He knows their circumstances. He reminds them that it is the second death (God's final judgment) that is to be feared and that they will not be hurt by it. For all their poverty and hardship, Jesus says they are rich--their treasure is in heaven. Where is yours?
"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth." Revelation 3:15-16 (NIV)
Jesus knows the works of the Laodiceans--they reflect the true condition of the church. Hot water is soothing--cold water is refreshing--lukewarm water is disgusting and good for nothing. Jesus is about to spit them out! These people are in danger of being rejected by Christ! What's more--they don't even know it!
The Laodicean church described themselves as being rich, wealthy, and in need of nothing. Jesus described them as wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. This is scary--these people don't have a clue. They think their fine building and expensive furnishings are money well spent, when what they really should be buying is treasure in heaven. Their exquisite clothing and fancy jewelry mean nothing to Jesus--He wants to see them dressed in robes of righteousness. They are so blind, they think they have everything when the reality is that they are destitute. What is missing in this church is Jesus--this is the church of the Laodiceans, not the church of Jesus Christ! If Christ isn't in the church, can He be in their hearts?
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and him with me." (Revelation 3:20)
"I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive--but you are dead."
Revelation 3:1 (NLT)
Jesus pronounced the church at Sardis dead, although those in the church and the surrounding neighborhood apparently had not noticed. They had a reputation for being alive--there was movement, there was activity, but they did not meet God's requirements. Nothing they did was reaching the heart of God--not their prayers, not their worship, not their service.
What is the prescription for revival?
"WAKE UP!", Jesus says. "Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead...Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don't wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief." (Revelation 3:2-3)
"Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols."Revelation 2:20 (NIV)
The church at Thyatira looked good on the outside, just as many churches do today. They had love for God and love for each other. Jesus commends them for their deeds, their love, their faith, service and perseverance--and they were growing in these things. But inside the church it was a different story. A woman named Jezebel, who called herself a prophetess, was leading God's servants into sexual immorality and idolatry. This woman was evil, yet she was allowed to prophesy and teach Satan's "deep secrets". Why would the leaders of the church tolerate such obvious heresy? How does this apply to us and to the church today?
I think this is a stern warning to pastors and leaders to jealously guard what is being taught in their churches--just because someone calls themself a prophetess doesn't mean that they speak for God. There is a tendency today to be all-inclusive--to tolerate things that God condemns, leading many people astray. There is no compromise with the Word of God--we cannot add to it or take from it. This truth is the very thing that causes the world to categorize Christians as narrow minded and hateful but, in the end, is our loyalty to God or to the world?
