Clay Sikes, Inspiration

Spiritual Gilgal

By Clay Sikes

What is really happening today spiritually? The depth of what we
are seeing was unimaginable only a few years back. There is a
tearing, a clear an obvious separation and exposure of flesh that
is being purged from the Body of Christ individually and corporately.
God is preparing a true remnant; men and women who are dead,
yet live only for His cause in the earth. The fires of affliction have
been very hot, as God’s true remnant church is reaching the final
stage of preparation before being released into divine, power-filled,
God ordained destiny. The common thread running throughout
this remnant company is their lack of being bound by tradition,
and a true existence of living by faith.

The dynamics of being on earth today are perhaps like no other
time; as the world’s system is falling apart at the seams and
failing its many suitors; minister and ministries are being revealed
for their true intentions, as true prophetic ministries (no-name
nobodies) are finding their fit with those to whom they are called.
Many big name prophetic ministries are being called into question
as to their true discernment, monetary motive, and less than
accurate prophetic words. Still, many in the Body are blinded by
the blight of big ministries, big ministers, big meetings, and big
money; yet, I believe God will use the prophetic ministry in a big
way, but not through those who call and title themselves as such.

There is a movement in the earth today that you will not see on
‘God TV’, read about on the Elijah List, nor see on what is
commonly called Christian TV. This move of God is coming about
in the hearts of men and women as God is directing us to truth
and connecting us with others of like faith. A spiritual DNA is
coursing the veins of those ‘called together;’ that recognize this
is not in a geographical joining, but rather a joining in a deep
abiding understanding of the times and hour in which we live.
This is unlike any time in the earth as the wheat is surely being
separated from the chaff, the sheep from the wolves, and the
Kingdom from the world’s system. With this understanding, think
it not a strange thing to see the collapse of the real estate and
financial markets, the exposure of the events of Lakeland, and
the blatant separation between the ‘sleeping church’ and those
who are awakening.

We are sitting in a spiritual Gilgal, awaiting our next command;
and yes this circumcision is painful, but the journey we are about
to take will make it all ‘worth it.’

~Clay Sikes,
Lighthouse Prophecy.

Re-printed with permission from http://www.revivalschool.com/
See their website and discussion board-
http://www.revivalschool.com/

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The Walk, Unknown, Wait for God, Wait on God

Delays Are Not Denials

By Unknown

How often have we been tempted to give up on God, on prayer, on waiting, on patience and endurance, because God delayed in answering prayer immediately? How many parents, after praying for decades, have still not seen the salvation of a child? How many believers have prayed night and day for healing, but still suffer or have to behold the suffering of a loved-one? Not a few have prayed and fasted for their financial needs to be met, and have agonized because of mounting debt? BUT GOD…was in full control and had a reason for the delay, for delays are not denials. We must keep the bow string taut and continue to pray, for only God knows how close to the crest of the hill we are. We must not give up despite disappointments, for God will justify Himself and bring glory to Himself. That great man of faith, Elijah, not only prayed to God for rain. He also kept gazing toward the horizon for the tell-tale signs of a cloud, until eventually a cloud the size of a man’s fist appeared. He persevered until the heavens unleashed its glory, and God’s word was fulfilled.
George H. Morrison in “Devotional Sermons” has given hope to the weary. Read on, dear saint, and be reassured that “as soon as you began to make your request, a reply was sent. I have come to give you the reply…” (“You had no sooner started your prayer when the answer was given”) – Daniel 9:23.
{Please don’t give up on the quality of speech in this devotional. You might learn from it the treasures of the English language.}

The Doctrine of Delays – by George H. Morrison
….There are myriads of creatures who are born and dance and die in the short span of a bright July day. No one in watching them would ever dream of charging the Creator with delay. But a nation of men which is to serve the high ends of heaven is never fashioned hastily like that. Through pilgrimage and war and struggle and blood and tears, by heroism that oft seems unavailing and sacrifice that is like water spilt, it becomes the polished instrument of God.

Delay, then, tends to become more marked, the higher you rise in the Creator’s purposes. Great delays in the mystery of providence are the highway for the chariot of great blessing. The joy that cometh in the morning might be far less thrilling, had not the weeping from which it springs endured all night.

Had Jesus forgotten Mary and Martha? We see this very clearly in the raising of Lazarus—that tenderest and most touching of all miracles. When Lazarus was ill – when his state had become critical – Martha and Mary, you remember, sent word to Jesus. Now Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters, and the happiest memories encircled that village home; yet the Gospel tells us that when Jesus heard the news, He abode two days still in the place where He was. There are seasons when two days seems like a moment; there are seasons when two days seems an eternity. When a life is in the balance half-an-hour is endless; twice four-and-twenty hours is unbearable. What did it mean? Had Jesus quite forgotten them? Was He deaf and dead to the prayers of the sisters’ love? I think that Martha and Mary, with their eyes on dying Lazarus, knew the burden of divine delay. They knew its burden then; they know its meaning now. They see it irradiated with purpose and with wisdom. A little boon might have been granted instantly, but the great actions of God have tardy wheels. The greater and richer the blessing that we pray for, the more must we reckon on the delays of God. Nor should we forget—for this is very important— what I might call the moral training of delay. Did we get everything we craved for in the very hour of asking it, I think it would be a long farewell to manhood. The one sure way to ruin a young child is to give it immediately all for which it asks; and to the Ancient of days, whose hairs are white as wool (see Dan_7:9), I fancy the oldest readers are but as little children.

Think of Christ’s treatment of the Syro-phoenician woman when she came to Him praying for her daughter. All her motherhood was on her lips and in her eyes as she pled and interceded for her child.

Do you think it was cruel of Christ to answer her never a word?

Do you think it was harsh to speak about the dogs? How much we should have missed, and how much Christ Himself would have missed, had it not been for that practice of delay! It was that which called out in her fine persistence, her faith, her wit, all that was brightest in her. She might have been anybody when she began, but she was a woman among women when she ended. And many a person has begun by being anybody, and ended by being a woman among women, because they were kept praying and pleading long for something that was to be granted by and by.

Work reveals character, but so does waiting. Waiting shows the baby or the man. We need to be tested to prove if we be worthy just to receive and use the thing we crave. So it often is that God delays, and will not answer us, and keeps us waiting. It is not in scorn, but in the wisest love, that He will not for a while.

There Is Silent Preparation behind God’s Delay

Then it is very helpful to remember that divine delay does not mean inactivity. God is not idle when He does not answer us; He is busier preparing the answer than we think. There have been men of genius who could only work irregularly; for long periods they seemed to do nothing at all. Then suddenly, and as if by inspiration, their powers took fire and they wrought at a white heat. You may be sure of it that the periods in between were not so idle as the world considered them. By thought, by reading, by communion with glad nature, half unconsciously they were preparing for their work. And when the kindling came, and the fire burned within them, when they were divinely swept into utterance or action, they owed far more than we should ever guess to the silent preparation of delay. As it is with men of genius, so with God, only in loftier and nobler ways. His delays are not the delays of inactivity. They are the delays of preparation. In an instant the tropical storm may burst and break, yet for weeks—unseen—the storm has been preparing. The sunshine of May comes, and all the world is green, yet on God’s loom of January that robe was being spun. And the morning breaks when at last some prayer is answered, and the desert rejoices and blossoms as the rose, yet the answer was being fashioned in these very years when we said there was no eye to pity and no arm to save.

It takes a million years to harden the ruby, says the poet, yet through all the years the hardening goes on. It takes a century for the sea to wear away one cliff, yet every night when we sleep the breakers dash on it. So when we pray and strive and nothing happens, till we are tempted to say “God does not know, God does not care,” who can tell but that, behind the veil, infinite love may be toiling like the sea, to give us in the full time our heart’s desire?

“My Father worketh hitherto and I work.” It is a mysterious word of the Lord Jesus Christ. Perhaps God, like some of the busiest men I know, is doing most when He seems to be doing nothing.

There Is Love in Delay And so in closing I would say to you: do not lose heart at the delays of God. Speed, after all, is but a relative term, and there is more love in God’s slow method than you think. I was staying the other week with some friends in Ireland, when word came that our friend’s place of business had been broken into. It was a holiday and he was away in Galway, and was not to be home again until that evening. Well, he came home, very tired and famished, and a foolish wife would have rushed out to meet him with the news; but his wife was not foolish, she was Scotch and sensible, and she let him wash and eat and rest himself a little; and then when he was ready to see things rightly she broke the news, and I saw there was wisdom and love in that delay.

You who are mothers here, and who look back on those sweet years when your innocent children played about your feet, had you never some great news to tell your children, yet you deliberately withheld it for a time? “If we tell them tonight there will not be one wink of sleep; if we tell them when they waken, there will not be one bite of breakfast”; and so deliberately you held back the blessing, and you did it just because you loved them so. If ye then being evil, act like that, is it incredible that God should do the same? Is it fair to distrust our Father, to say He has no pity, to charge the heavens with being brass above us? I think it is wiser to pray on, strive on, casting all doubts to the devil who inspired them; believing in a love that never mocks us, and that will give us our heart’s desire in His own time.

Forwarded with permission from prophetic@revivalschool.com

Please feel free to reproduce, reprint and/or forward as desired. Altering or editing is strictly prohibited. To contact us, send a request to info@sharingtheway.com or visit our website at https://sharingtheway.com/.

The Walk

An Open Letter To The Saints

By Eric Wheeler – 8/13/08

Dear saints and fellow believers in God,

I wanted to write to you to tell you to hold fast to that profession of faith that you have made in Christ Jesus.  Put all of your cares on Him for He cares for you.  Do not be dismayed or discouraged by those things which you suffer – that is, by the testing of your faith.  For it is necessary that we be tested and tried in order that God might see the precious fruit come forth that He has so labored within us.  Hold fast unto those things which God has promised you.  Do not let Satan tear them from you as he so desperately desires to do.  Do not let your hearts become discouraged, or your faith become weak.  For our God is a powerful God and He is able to deliver us from all adversity. 

Brothers and sisters in the Lord, these are troubling times which are upon us.  Wars and rumors of wars are lurking everywhere.  Economic woes and worries surround us and afflict us all.  Yet, God is our Provider.  He will not let us down.  He has promised to feed us and clothe us.  He swears that He knows our needs before we ask.  Don’t be discouraged therefore.  Go to Him with your requests and needs, and He will surely provide for you and your families.  Know this though:  God wants to see what we are made of!  He wants to know whether we will follow Him and obey Him in both “feast and famine”.  It is one thing to say that you know Him and that you trust Him in a “green season”, but what about when it is dry?  It is easy to praise the Lord when things are going well, but what about when they are not?  I tell you the truth – God is now going to test the hearts of all who claim that they are His and who claim that they know Him!  For there are many who say that they are “Christians” – that is, followers of Him – and yet they will be found “wanting” – that is, they will be found spiritually lacking (Rev. 3:15-22).  God “measures” His people.  That is, He judges them.  He evaluates them to see whether or not they “measure-up” to what they profess.  Jesus said that we humans will be judged according to our words, and that by our own words we will either be justified or condemned (Matt. 12:36-37).  If we say that we know Him, but we do not, then we are liars and the truth of God is not in us.  But if we are faithful to Him who has called us, and who has placed His truth – that is the Spirit of Truth within us, even Christ Jesus Himself, then we will not be found lacking – but will rejoice with all the saints of God at His open coming – when all the hidden things of God shall be revealed.

Many do not understand my speech.  Yes, even many more shall be offended at me.  And not at me only, but with all those who have His Spirit.  For this is the will of our Father who is in heaven.  Jesus said, “If they have loved Me, then they will love you.  If they have hated Me, then they will hate you also. For the servant is not greater than his master.  And the student is not greater than his teacher.”  My dear brothers and sisters, the world cannot know us, for it doesn’t know Him.  We cannot be of the world – for the world loves its own.  And those who are of the world love the things of the world – even its riches, and its glory, with all of its distractions.  But God has called us to renounce the world and its treasures.  God has instructed us to not pursue its idols and pay homage to its decrees.  We are even to trust in Him, and to not be led away to serve this world’s goods, nor sacrifice to its gods.  Do we not understand that all of this world’s riches and priorities are but sacrifices made to idols?  What do you think the apostles meant when they wrote to the early Church “to abstain from idolatry and meat sacrificed to idols” (Acts 15:20,29)?  They were warning the young believers to keep themselves from the things of the world and its pursuits, and from its lusts, and from its defilements which have the power to lead one astray.  We are commanded to seek the pure milk of the original faith, giving ourselves to holiness and godliness, and “keeping ourselves unspotted [untainted] from the world” (Jam. 1:27).

We must give up our materialism.  In fact, we must go way beyond that!  We must “give up all of our possessions and seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” in order to inherit eternal life and to possess the things of the next age.  Those who live for this age will die with it.  A man’s own possessions will devour him.  If you don’t believe it, then watch what will happen on the world scene to come.   All who have not learned to live by Christ alone will find that their bread will not save them.  Do you think the Scripture says in vain, “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.  And you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come; buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live.” (Isa. 55:1-3).

The very reason that man was kicked out of the presence of God – that is the Garden of Eden – in the first place was that mankind didn’t believe God.  Mankind was then sentenced to a life of trying to survive on our own, apart from God, working the ground for our own survival, only to find out that the very dust from which we were taken was going to devour us anyway!  Ours is a futile dismal existence which only leads to death.  If you are a person who is serving the flesh – then I tell you the truth – your flesh will surely devour you!  As it is written: “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” (Gen. 3:19).  And again, it says: “For all those who live according to the flesh shall die.” (Rom. 8:13).  And again, it is written: “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  Because the carnal [fleshly] mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.  So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God… But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom. 8:5-13).

Many do not (and will not) understand what I am writing.  But I do not write anything new, but only that which the Spirit is giving me to write – those things which have been written of old and foretold long ago: “And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years [the span of time that represents a complete time of testing, ie: a lifetime in the flesh] in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His words or not.  So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger [suffer], and fed you with manna [that is, the bread from heaven – Christ the Word of God – see John 6:32-35] which you did not know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Deut. 8:3).  As long as a person is a “man” that is “one who is living in the flesh and according to the flesh” he will have to suffer and hunger (continually crave) for something more.  He will be empty and unsatisfied until he finally comes to the Lord to learn how to live (and survive) by Him instead of by his own futile works.  Jesus said that everyone who comes to Him will never hunger or thirst again (John 4:14, 6:35). That is, they will never desire or crave or hunger for anything else.  God promises that if a person seeks Him and His righteousness first above all else, then He will even provide them with everything that the world vainly desires and uselessly seeks after, just as an extra bonus, as well as much, much more (Matt. 6:31-33).

Have we forgotten that “the earth is the Lord’s and all its fullness thereof” (Psa. 24:1)?  Do we not remember that He has given it to His saints as an everlasting possession (Dan. 7:18)?  Do we not know that “the meek shall inherit the earth” (Psa. 37:11; Matt. 5:5)?  If our Father, the Creator and Sustainer of all the earth, has given it to us who believe Him, as His legal heirs, then why do we fret over those who have seemingly “stolen our inheritance” in the meantime?  For God has already determined their end: “Yet a little while, and they shall be no more” says the Lord (Psa. 37:10).  And again, He says, “For they [the wicked] shall be as ashes under the feet of the righteous” (Mal. 4:3).  And again, He prophesies, “What will the owner of the vineyard do to those wicked vinedressers – those thieves and robbers who have said in their hearts, ‘This is the heir. Come, and let us kill him and seize his inheritance!’” (Matt. 21:38-40).  I tell you the truth; God will utterly destroy them, and will give back all that they have stolen and more to its rightful owners.  For who can take anything out of God’s hand?  And who can escape God’s justice?  If God has ordained something to be, who can steal that promise away?  Therefore, little children, and beloved of the Father, don’t fret over the wicked that seemingly prosper in their way – those who have this world’s goods, and who don’t mourn now, but rather laugh in the face of God.  God has determined their end from the beginning, and what will be.  And it isn’t as far off as one might think.  I have seen in visions what God is going to do, and He has revealed in whispers what wonders He is about to perform for us.  Do not let your hearts become weary, nor faint for lack of faith.  For God is real, and those who love Him and serve Him, He will not forget.  He once told me in regards to the fiery trials ahead, which will come upon the whole earth to try all of those who dwell therein, that “those who honor Me, I will honor”.  He wasn’t just speaking to me concerning a futuristic age, but also for the “here and now”.  The Bible says that the righteous “will not stand before mean [average] men, but before kings and rulers” to be witnesses of His grace and truth (Prov. 22:29; Luke 21:12-13).  God is in control.  And for those who prove themselves faithful and loyal regardless of the cost and adversity, will surely “shine like the brightness of the firmament; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever” (Dan. 12:3).  I tell you the truth; they will do this both in this age – that is, in the here and now – and in the one to come (Isa. 60:1-3).

Keep the faith, my brothers and sisters.  Resist not evil done against you.  If men make fun of you, and persecute and abuse you, for His name sake, let it be (Matt. 5:39).  Do not return evil for evil, but overcome evil with good.  Turn the cheek and do good to those who wish evil upon you and who mistreat you.  When men spit in your face, and threaten to harm and sue you, forgive, and give to them generously as your Father allows.  Allow yourselves to be defrauded.  Do not avenge yourselves, and you will see that God will reward you mightily.  Become mature in Christ in your hearts, and above all, practice love.  For love is the fulfillment of the law, and the truest indicator that you are really His (John 13:35).  Remember, love never fails, and it covers a multitude of offenses.

Be of good cheer, for our Redeemer lives, and He is near unto us.

May God keep you and bless you, always.

Your brother and fellow believer,

Eric

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The Walk

Everything Is Upside Down

MARC WHITE WRITES:  A dear friend and brother in the faith wrote this to us a few years ago after his work in southwest Africa exposed him to the bleak contrasts in cultures. God help us…

——————————-

Fall 2003

Dear Marc,

Until you’ve lived outside the U.S. for awhile, you don’t fully realize how upside down everything is. I caught a glimpse of it on short- term trips, but I realize it fully now.

In America, things that are not at all important are made to seem like they are very important. This is not just in the worldly culture surrounding the Christian; it is in the Christian culture. Other things that are very important are made to seem like they are insignificant.

Okay, you probably want examples right now. Entertainment for example. Americans are entertained to death by sports and movies and TV and you name it. It is amazing how much of our society is consumed with entertainment. Entertainers make the most money of anybody in our culture for a good reason. We are HUGE entertainment consumers. That huge endeavor adds very, very little to anyone’s life. In the final analysis, it has almost NO long-term value even in a temporal society. The rest of the world sees America as basically a frivolous, entertainment society.

On the other hand, relationships and the time it takes to build them well are completely ignored by almost everyone in American society. We are in such a hurry to do all the unimportant things that we don’t have time for the one thing that will go into eternity with us: other people.

Do you realize how hard it is to minister to people in America? You spend 90% of your time just trying to get people’s attention. Then the remaining 10% you try to minister to them. But do it quickly because they are checking their watch the whole time and thinking of the other 10 things they have to do today.

In Africa, it is completely the opposite. People can’t afford entertainment, they are trying to survive and put food on their table, if they even own a table. But Africa is a relational society.

They understand taking time to get to know each other. In Africa, ministry is such a rewarding experience. You just show up and people are eager to listen.

Tonight I taught for the second week in a very poor church in a nearby squatter’s camp. The whole church showed up. They constantly want to know if I can possibly come more often and teach them the Bible. This is on the outskirts of the capital city of Namibia, but it is like traveling around the world and depositing yourself into a tribal setting. These people are Kavango.

One of the couples, who I gave a ride home after it was over, told me this: "We have been waiting and praying for years for someone to come to teach us God’s Word. The last two weeks have taught me so much; you are such a blessing to us to come all the way from America to teach us about God." Marc, you can probably guess how many times I have heard someone in America say something like that to me. That’s right. NEVER. It happens every week over here.

When I would return from short-term missions’ trips, I would always commit to myself that I was going to make fundamental lifestyle changes. And then I found that it is almost impossible to lead a lifestyle that is swimming against the current of everything else in your culture, your Christian culture. Rest is so important. It is a biblical standard. But Americans have absolutely no understanding of rest. Africans understand rest.

And so I finally decided to move to a place where life is already right side up: where important things are still important and unimportant things are unaffordable. And where you don’t have to be a Public Relations expert to draw a crowd of eager learners who will appreciate the gifts that God has given you to bless others.

Your brother in Christ…

~SOURCE:  "Walk Worthy" – http://www.walkworthy.org

Re-printed with permission from prophetic@revivalschool.com

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Church, David Smithers, Revival, Visitation of God

The Womb of Revival: Whom Does God Use to Birth Revival?

By David Smithers

Is a genuine widespread revival really coming? Some claim that the Church is already enjoying a mighty end-time revival. Others argue that the Church doesn’t even need revival, only better Bible teaching or political reform. What does true revival really look like?  These kinds of questions and many others are increasingly being debated within the Church today. Even some of our noted Church leaders seem quite confused when trying to define the realities of revival. Like many others, strongly believe that a genuine revival is coming. Yet with all this debate and growing confusion, I can’t help but question how prepared the Church at large is for such a visitation. I am very aware that there will always be those who will oppose the move of the Spirit, but how can we as the Church prepare and pray for a revival that we can’t even agree about? Our call for revival must be clear and well defined if the people of God are to correctly respond in faith and fervent prayer. It is my hope that the following material will eliminate some of the present confusion over revival and thus help many of us to be better prepared for what still awaits us.

In spite of all this confusion, many within the Church are still very HUNGRY for a supernatural move of God. Nevertheless, hunger alone is never a sure guarantee for future blessing. Our hunger for revival must be directed by the Holy Spirit, according to God’s biblical principles. Intense spiritual hunger, though invaluable and a much needed quality, has its occasional draw backs. There is such a thing as a kind of spiritual malnutrition that makes a believer less discriminate and careful about what he consumes. We must be aware of this and take care that our desperate hunger for revival doesn’t diminish our spiritual vision and discernment. I believe that many today have wanted revival so badly that they are now being tempted to settle for a mixed or incomplete work of the Spirit. “To the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet” (Prov 27:7 & Luke 15:15-17). Misguided spiritual hunger, if left unchecked, will ultimately leave us unprepared and disqualified for the revival that is still yet to come! This is a critical time in the Church, and we can not afford to become prematurely satisfied with spiritual foothills, while the mountain peaks of GLORY still await us! We must give ourselves no rest, until we see the complete fulfillment of all of God’s revival purposes and promises for our generation.

Are We Looking for Revival in the Wrong Places?

The question is no longer if revival will come, but rather through whom will revival come? Not only is it necessary for us to discern the seasons of revival, we must also learn how to discern God’s appointed servants of revival. What kind of people does God use to bring a genuine move of the Spirit? Some would lead us to believe that revivals come somewhat randomly through anyone who happens to be available. Don’t you believe it. God is not going to haphazardly entrust the next move of the Holy Spirit to a bunch of careless and uncooperative people! The conditions and principles of revival don’t just conveniently change for the whims and preferences of each new generation. God brings revival only through those who humbly cooperate with His eternal values. If we want to be prepared for the coming revival, we must learn how to cooperate with God on His terms.

Absalom, the son of King David, was once presumed to be God’s chosen vessel simply because he was attractive and charming. However, like a beautiful flower, he soon faded away and proved not to be what he first appeared (2 Sam. 14:25, James 1:9-11). God’s revivalists are not selected on the basis of beauty and ability, but rather brokenness and humility! The Father has always preferred the humble for His revival purposes. Rarely have God’s revivalists been found among the polished and esteemed churchmen of their day. Therefore, it would be a serious mistake for us to expect to find the next move of God on some glamorous stage bathed in glitter and bright lights. The birthplace of revival is usually discovered in despised and lowly mangers, not elegant mansions!

Nevertheless, many Christians still refuse to accept this vital spiritual lesson. Like the religious leaders in Jesus time, they presume to find the glory of God carried by a beautiful white stallion, not a homely little donkey! (Matt. 21:5). Most of Israel missed the day of their visitation merely because they were looking for the promised visitation of God in the wrong places. While they were busy searching for some regal king or political savior, Jesus was walking among them as a common carpenter (Isa. 53:2). God’s revival methods have never changed; it still pleases Him to come through humble and lowly servants. How many of us are in danger of missing the day of our own visitation, simply because we are still thinking like mere carnal men? If we like it or not God prefers the company of broken and lowly people. God is no respecter of persons, but He is definitely a respecter of CHILDLIKE FAITH and HUMILITY (Acts 10:34). As the old Puritan, Robert Leighton, once said,”God’s choice acquaintances are humble men.”

Where Can We Expect to Find Revival?

When the Father first chose Israel out of all the nations of the world, it was not because Israel was superior in size and strength, but because they were weak and small (Deut. 7:6-7). The Father promises revival not to the strong and self-reliant but to the HUMBLE!  “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isa. 57:15). God is looking for a people who are lowly and broken. The scriptures are quite clear about this. “For the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). “For that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15).

Again in 1Cor. 1:27-29, Paul plainly tells us where we should look to find God’s chosen instruments of revival: “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” The most powerful revivals throughout the history of the Church have always been nurtured by obscure and unlikely people. The kingdom of God has the greatest impact when carried in the hands of the HUMBLE.

Mary & God’s Revival Grace

The Bible is full of examples of God giving abundant grace to the humble for His revival purposes. Yet the most striking example of them all is found in the gospel account of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary typifies the kind of hidden and obscure people that God delights to use in bringing revival. God, in His perfect wisdom, chose an unknown virgin to be the channel for His ultimate visitation.

Though this was very difficult for Mary to comprehend at first, she soon grasped the wisdom of God’s decision. She boldly testifies to this fact in Luke 1:46-53: “And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has regarded the LOWLY and HUMBLE state of His bond slave. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the mighty One has done great things for me, holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who with CONTEMPT and PRIDE hold themselves above others in the intellectual insight and moral understanding of their heart. He has brought down the mighty from their thrones but has lifted up the HUMBLE. He has FILLED and SATISFIED the HUNGRY with good things but has sent the RICH away EMPTY-HANDED without a gift.” The strong and self-reliant are disqualified as the candidates for true revival. They are full of their own success, talents and intelligence. They are quite confident that they can handle whatever comes their way. Therefore they are sent away empty and dry because there is no vacuum within their lives for the glory of Jesus to fill.

Obscurity & Revival

Lowly and humble people don’t usually come from prestigious places. Mary was certainly no exception. Luke 1:26 reveals that Mary lived on the wrong side of the tracks in the infamous city of Nazareth of Galilee. This city had a terrible reputation for being one of the most irreligious places in all of Israel. It was considered to be a ghetto or slum among most Israelites. Thus the saying: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). This expression seems to accurately reflect the general attitude that most people had about Nazareth at this time. Nazareth was the last place you would expect to find one of God’s special instruments of revival.

Jesus is the Focus of True Revival

You may still be asking, “How was Mary an instrument of revival and awakening?” “What did she do to help bring revival?” Matthew 1:23 reads, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” What is true revival, but God being manifest with us. Through Mary’s humble cooperation, Christ came down and personally dwelt among us (John 1:14). She nurtured within her own womb the tangible presence of Jesus, until the appointed time of His delivery. Mary pushed and travailed until Jesus Christ broke forth into a lost and dying world. Heaven came down to earth through her obscure and humble life. Likewise, Jesus longs to manifest Himself today through some humble remnant of His virgin Bride and Church.

Revival is not just a series of good church meetings or a successful evangelistic crusade. Nor is revival merely some inanimate spiritual force or experience. True revival is much more than just a means by which Christians get their spiritual needs met. Revival is not an IT; revival is a visitation of HIM. Consequently, Christians quickly forsake their sins and realign their lives with heaven. Soon their hearts begin to burn and ache for the salvation of all men everywhere, that they too might know the joy of worshiping and obeying Jesus Christ. In true revival, Jesus Christ and His worship is the beginning and the end of everything that happens. James A. Stewart wrote, “The chief characteristic of true revival is that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the center of the attraction: ‘It was heard that He was in the house and immediately many gathered together. . .'” (Mark 2:1,2).

Holiness & Revival

In Luke 1:27 we can learn something else from Mary about the character of God’s revival instruments. In this verse, Mary is identified first and foremost as a chaste and pure virgin. As far as the scripture is concerned, this was her most defining characteristic. In faith, she had reserved her heart and body exclusively for the love and affections of her coming bridegroom. She was not available for common or worldly use. She refused to allow herself to be touched or handled by the enticements of this world. Mary was a “fragrant garden enclosed, a spring shut up and a fountain sealed” (SOS 4:12).

Likewise the Church is also called to be a chaste virgin, betrothed and reserved for her Husband, Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:25-32 & 2 Cor. 11:2). If we truly want to be used in the coming revival, we too must surrender to a deep work of consecration and holiness. God will not bring revival through a proud and unrepentant people (2 Chronicles 7:14). Faith-filled repentance and humility is always the nursemaid and cradle for every young and growing move of the Holy Spirit. The coming river of God is waiting to be set into motion by our tears of brokenness and repentance! By FAITH in Christ, we can be prepared and purified for God’s coming visitation.

Because Mary had reserved herself in holiness and purity, she was rewarded with some very special privileges. Have you ever considered that it was Mary who first touched the precious face of our Lord Jesus? She was the first to embrace Him, and it was she who first looked into His gentle yet searching eyes. Mary was the very first one to intimately embrace the tangible presence of God. She was truly blessed above all other women. The promises of God are true: “Blessed are the pure in heart: FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD” (Matt. 5:8).

God’s Methods for Revival

In Luke 1:34 we find another lesson on revival. Here Mary asks the angel Gabriel, “How can these things be, since I do not know a man?” How can an inexperienced young girl bring forth the visitation of God without the help of man? To the natural mind, such things seem completely impossible. Nevertheless, Zech. 4:6 reminds us that the works of God are not born by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit. True revival is not the product of human planning and creative fund raising. Revival is never dependent upon our temporal holdings and material assets. The only assets the Church of Acts had on the day of Pentecost was 120 humble intercessors. Still, there are those who claim that if they just had enough money and manpower, they could revive America and save the world. All such boasting is complete nonsense!

For too long the Church has been victimized by ambitious men who cut corners by leaning on the arm of the flesh. No amount of promotion and clever scheming will ever make God’s Kingdom come to earth. E. M. Bounds plainly states it this way, “It is much easier to engineer a great religious movement by human forces than it is to break our hearts and humble ourselves in the dust before God.” In Luke 1:35 Gabriel answers Mary’s question in the following way, “And the angel answered and said unto her, ‘The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.'” In other words, stop looking to MAN and start seeking God alone as your Provider and strength. Revival power is born of the Spirit through faith and humility, not by the power of fleshly methods. Are we planning and pleading with fickle men, when we should be fervently praying to a faithful God?

The Reproach of Revival

In Luke 1:38 we observe Mary’s final response to the Lord’s revival commission. Though shaken by Gabriel’s remarkable message, Mary confidently replies, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be done unto me according to your word.” With those simple faith-filled words, Mary surrendered complete control of her life and reputation to the sovereign Spirit of revival. She accepted all the potential risks and consequences that so often come with believing and obeying the promises of God.

Because Mary chose to do things God’s way instead of man’s way, she no doubt suffered severe reproach and rejection from her family and neighbors. She willingly bore the shame and misunderstanding of becoming mysteriously pregnant before her marriage. For Jesus’ sake she was willing to sacrifice her family, friends and reputation. If we choose to participate with God’s ordained revival process, we too will be painfully misunderstood and cut-off by some within the religious community. Church history teaches us that with the seeds of revival come the fiery darts of slander and false accusations. Revival participants have always had to be willing to be misunderstood and accused of being unorthodox and illegitimate. Carnal men cannot understand or appreciate the things of the Spirit. Therefore, it should not surprise us to find God’s revival instruments surrounded by ridicule and bitter controversy (Rom. 8:7 & 1 Cor. 2:14).

God’s Sovereignty and Man’s Responsibility in Revival

What other effects did this birthing process have upon Mary’s life? Was she an active participant in the process or merely the idle pawn of God? Mary’s pregnancy beautifully illustrates for us something of the mysterious union between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility in revival. God the Holy Spirit miraculously placed the seed of Christ within Mary’s womb, independent of any outside influence or help. Mary did not seek or initiate this incredible miracle, nor could she have even dreamed of it. It was totally a sovereign act of God. God alone exercised the power to open Mary’s virgin womb.

However, after that supernatural conception, it was Mary who then had to make a conscious choice to participate with the pregnancy and birth. Mary’s involvement with God’s prophetic plan was not the actions of some mindless machine, but the willing expression of love and humble submission. Norman Grubb explains this principle in the following way, “Revival is not an act of divine sovereignty apart from human cooperation, but the legitimate outcome of man’s compliance with divine conditions for revival.” Duncan Campbell of the Hebrides Revival wrote something similar, “We do not believe in any conception of sovereignty that nullifies my responsibility. . . We are the human agents through which revival is possible.” When Mary surrendered to God’s calling on her life, she knew that it would mean sleepless nights and months of discomfort and pain. Yet she willingly chose to be stretched and burdened, as the life of God grew within her.

The Birth Pains of Revival

Mary not only had to learn how to patiently endure a long and painful pregnancy, but also the tears and travail of child birth. Natural births are either helped or hindered by the actions of the expectant mother. It all depends upon the mother’s willingness to push and travail, as each pain or wave of contractions comes upon her. The timing of these pains is not something that the mother can control or postpone for a more convenient time. If the baby is to be delivered quickly and safely, she MUST push with each birth pain as it comes.

As the Bride of Jesus Christ, we are called to participate with the birth pains of revival. We all love to recall the thrilling stories of past revival power and glory, but are we willing to labor and push in our pursuit of revival? Are we willing to give ourselves to sleepless nights of fasting and travailing prayer? There is no such thing as giving birth without travail and violent pushing. “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matt. 11:12). Fervent prayers and rivers of tears are always the forerunners of genuine revival. Remember, the prayer room is God’s delivery room for revival. If we are neglecting prayer, we are neglecting revival, regardless of how many famous renewal meetings we may have attended!

There will be no mighty visitation of God without the travail and fervent prayers of the Church. As Brother Ravenhill use to say, “We need a revival of weeping to precede a revival of reaping!” Are you willing to weep and travail until a heaven sent harvest comes? When God’s house is once again filled with the bitter-sweet tears of travail, then we can know with certainty that revival is truly imminent. “For as soon as Zion TRAVAILED, she brought forth her children” (Isaiah 66:8).

The Birthplace of Revival

It was at Bethlehem that Mary first realized that she was going into labor. Evening was fast approaching, and Joseph had to quickly find an appropriate place for Mary to give birth. He was turned away at one inn after another, as Mary’s birth pains grew stronger and closer together. Luke 2:6-7 says, “The time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in swaddling cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Remember, there was nothing extraordinary about Joseph and Mary to warrant them any special consideration from Bethlehem’s inn keepers. They were just humble and unassuming strangers without wealth or influence.

They were finally forced to bed down in a damp and musty cave or stable where the livestock were fed. It was here that Mary was hidden away to bravely push and travail until the presence of Jesus broke forth into the world. Have you ever noticed how most babies seem to be born in the middle of the night? This was the case with Mary. While others were comfortably sleeping, she was pushing and crying out in pain in obedience to her God! The final fruits of revival shine brightly, while the pains of travailing prayer usually go unnoticed in obscure and hidden places. In John 16:21, Jesus Himself said, “A woman when she is in travail has sorrow, because her hour is come; but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembers no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.” There are many who want the joy of revival without the sorrow of travail. God’s chosen revival instruments have always embraced both.

Who are the First to Witness Revival?

Who was the FIRST to hear of this glorious visitation? Was it the high priest, the king or some other prominent person? Luke 2:8-11 tells us that it was the lowly shepherds: “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.'” Like Joseph and Mary, these shepherds were humble and lowly people. This is why they were the first to be chosen to witness the birth and visitation of God. Contrary to our modern nativity scenes, the wise men from the east did not visit the manger that first night with the humble shepherds. They found Jesus much later in a house (Matt. 2:1-11).

The shepherds had been given a specific sign to help them know exactly where to find the presence of God. Luke 2:12 reads, “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” Being local shepherds, they were very familiar with all of the nearby stables and knew right where to look. Others might have been offended and stumbled by such a sign, but to these humble men this was a word of welcome and encouragement to their hungry hearts. The scriptures say that, “They made haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.” They had found the promised Glory of God, not in some beautiful temple but resting in a despised and lowly manger in the form of a helpless child. This is still God’s sign for us today who are looking for the birthplace of true revival.

Revival History is the History of Humility & Brokenness

All the great revivals of the past have been birthed in much the same way. The First Great Awakening was powerfully birthed in the open fields of England, as Whitefield and Wesley preached to the lowly coal miners. The Second Great Awakening started in a simple country church and went on to have its most powerful effects among the common frontier people who gathered in the woods of Kentucky. Of the Third Great Awakening, J. Edwin Orr wrote, “It was no man’s monument.” This Awakening could not be traced to the influence of any one particular evangelist or organization. The revival was miraculously born in the hungry hearts of thousands of humble and praying people.

The Welsh revival of 1904 began in a small young people’s meeting, under the direction of an unknown and half-educated twenty-six year old coal miner named Evan Roberts. The Azusa Street revival was born in a simple cottage prayer meeting. As the revival grew, the meetings were moved to an old run down church building that had once served as a livery stable. The revival flourished from 1906-1909 under William J. Seymour, a humble one-eyed black preacher from Texas. The history of revival will forever be associated with extended seasons of deep brokenness and humility.

Are You Willing to Embrace the Burden of Revival?

As I said before, the question is no longer if revival will come, but rather through whom will revival come? Where are the humble and broken people who will allow God to birth a mighty visitation through them? Where are the ones who are willing to empty themselves of their own agendas and plans in order to become pregnant with God’s vision for revival? Will YOU allow Jesus to break you and use you in the coming revival? Invite the Holy Spirit even now to fill you with that kind of all-consuming vision and calling. Yield to the Spirit and give Him permission to ache, weep and pray through you! Humble yourself and repent of ANYTHING that would hinder or quench the Spirit of revival! Ask the Lord to let you feel what He feels about the state of the Church and the world. This is the season and time for us to fast, weep and pray for a true visitation of God. In fact, it could be our last opportunity to cooperate with God’s revival purposes. Most believers never get more than one chance in a lifetime to be involved in a true move of God. Will you humble yourself and pray, or must the Lord look elsewhere to find a willing and humble virgin? “Ask the LORD for rain in the time of the latter rain” (Zech 10:1).

~SOURCE:  http://www.watchword.org/
Forwarded with permission from prophetic@revivalschool.com

Please feel free to reproduce, reprint and/or forward as desired. Altering or editing is strictly prohibited. To contact us, send a request to info@sharingtheway.com or visit our website at https://sharingtheway.com/.

The Walk

The Seed

– author unknown

A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.

Instead of choosing one of his directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.

He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you."

The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued, "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today — one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO."

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and, excitedly, told his wife the story.

She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Every day, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.

Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn’t have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by — still nothing in Jim’s pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn’t say anything to his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil. He so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasn’t going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened.

Jim felt sick at his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives.

They were beautiful — in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed. A few felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back.

"My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the CEO.  "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front.

Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I’m a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"

When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed. Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive! His name is Jim!"

Jim couldn’t believe it. Jim couldn’t even grow his seed. How could he be the new CEO?, the others said.

Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it and bring it back to me today.

"But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead — it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers.

"When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive!"

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust

If you plant goodness, you will reap friends

If you plant humility, you will reap greatness

If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment

If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective

If you plant hard work, you will reap success

If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation

So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later (Gal. 6:7).

 

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Christian, Inspiration, Meg Jalsevac

Gay Publisher Comes To Christ

By Meg Jalsevac

Publisher/Founder of Popular Black Lesbian Magazine Leaves
Gay Lifestyle to “Give Heart and Soul to God”

Changes mission of magazine to help those who want to leave
life of homosexuality

TRENTON, NJ., February 28, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Charlene
Cothran, a prominent black lesbian in the forefront of the fight for
equal rights for gays and lesbians and publisher of a successful
magazine geared to black homosexuals was not looking to change
anything in her life.  Her entire life and all her earthly successes
were firmly entrenched in the homosexual community.  But, due
to the inspiration of a pastor who counseled Cothran to use her
gifts for Christ, Cothran has left her homosexual life and is making
it her mission to offer help to other homosexuals who want to do the same.

Cothran said, “I must come out of the closet again.  I have recently
experienced the power of change that came over me once I
completely surrendered to the teachings of Jesus Christ.”

In a front page article in her own VENUS magazine entitled
“Redeemed! 10 Ways to Get Out of the Gay Life, If You Want Out”,
Cothran unabashedly explained the reasons behind her conversion
and the peace that her decision has brought to her.  “Although I
have lived as a lesbian for my entire adult life, it is without a doubt
my soul’s purpose to use my gifts to LOVINGLY share the truth
about how we got here: how we came to be gay or lesbian, how
we came to enjoy our ‘lifestyle’ and how we came to believe that
this was OK with God.”

Cothran offered hope to her “gay and lesbian brothers and sisters
who want real peace” saying, “It is simpler than you think to
acquire [real peace] and there is no condemnation once you’ve
entered it.”  She continued, “Jesus will cleanse and forgive all
confessed sin from a willing heart. Homosexuality is only one of
them.  It is no greater sin than any of the others, but it is sin.”

In her article, Cothran described her conversion and explained that
she expected the Christian pastor to “drop the phone and anoint
it with oil” as soon as she, Cothran, proudly admitted that she
was a lesbian.  On the contrary, the pastor, Vanessia M. Livingston,
told her “one day you will come out of the world and bring many
gay and lesbian souls out with you.”

Cothran is doing just that.  Her conversion story was printed in
VENUS magazine which has a circulation total of over 38,000
predominantly black homosexuals across the nation.  Cothran
says she has “given every gift I have back to God, including
VENUS Magazine.  The target audience will remain the same but
the mission has been renewed.  Our new mission is to encourage,
educate and assist those in the life who want change but can’t
find a way out.  My brother, my sister, please follow me out of this.”

In the article, Cothran outlined 10 ways to facilitate one’s leaving
of the homosexual lifestyle.  Among other things, she encouraged
her readers to “Seek the truth within the scriptures about
homosexuality” and “Do not resist God’s call on your life.”

She also encouraged being public about a conversion cautioning
that, “Keeping the good news of your personal salvation a secret
is another trick the enemy uses to buy time as he tries to pull
you back to your former life.”

The article advises those leaving the homosexual life to “Consult
God first, then go ahead and live your life!”  Cothran says that
conversion is not about renouncing all enjoyment of life.  On the
contrary, she says that it is about enjoying “life to a new degree.”

Cothran says that her conversion story has been received,
predictably, with mixed emotions in the homosexual community.
“I completely understand many of the responses, as angry as
they were. A year ago, I would have responded the exact same way.”

Cothran has personally responded to many of the postings on the
VENUS website herself in an effort to correct the misleading
accounts of her conversion that have been posted on many pro-
homosexual websites, accusing her of “gay-bashing”.

The VENUS website reflects Cothran’s conversion with the new
mission statement saying, “The new mission of Venus Magazine
is to encourage, educate and assist those who desire to leave a
life of homosexuality. Our ultimate mission is to win souls for
Christ, and to do so by showing love to all God’s people. We
believe that homosexuality is outside of the will of God. We know
that many new and longtime VENUS readers have been instilled
with a belief system that is in line with this teaching but are still
living ‘in the life’. Many desire change and wonder if they can be
accepted into the family of God ‘just as they are’. The answer is
YES! These readers will find the new Venus an anointed and
refreshing tool for kingdom work.”

Cothran intends to continue her efforts to encourage and influence
other members of the homosexual community who are trying to
free themselves of the binds of the homosexual lifestyle.  She
says, “I intend to be just as ‘out’ about my transformation as I was
about my lesbian life.”

Read Cothran’s complete testimony:
http://www.venusmagazine.org/cover_story.html
Please visit-  http://www.lifesitenews.com/  (-Source of above article)
—————————————
[Taken from http://www.revivalschool.com/ with permission]

Please feel free to reproduce, reprint and/or forward as desired. Altering or editing is strictly prohibited. To contact us, send a request to info@sharingtheway.com or visit our website at https://sharingtheway.com/.
Church, Jerry Olson

Church

By Jerry Olson
jerrydeanolson@yahoo.com

 

A good friend sent me an e-mail from his friend discussing the issue of thinking about and doing Godly type things even while at work.  Basically, if you call yourself a Christian, we should be a Christian 24/7, regardless where and what we are doing.  But as I was reading I was captivated by the use of the word church in this writing.  I felt compelled by what the Holy Spirit showed me, to write this letter back to my friend.

It has become commonplace to hear the word church used today in conversations and writings.  However, not in the way it was intended.  Today when this word is used most of the time, we think of a church as a building, where people go to worship and hear preaching.
 Many not even knowing that originally and in the Bible, the word of God, church is not a building, not a denomination, but God’s called, children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus. These are members of the family of God, Christians, you and me.  Mat 18:17 Jesus speaking, “And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church.  But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.”  Act 2:47 “Praising God and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Act 5:11 “So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.” Act 8:3 “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing then to prison.”  Rom 16:23 “Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you.  Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, and quartus, a brother.”  I Cor 6:4 “If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge?”  I Cor 12:28  “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets,, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.”  I Cor 14:12 “Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.” Eph 5:23 “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the savior of the body”.
Eph 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it.”  Phil 3: 6 “…concerning zeal, persecuting the church;” Col 1:18 “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”  Col 1:24  “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church…” 

One might ask, so what? Why is this important? It’s important to Jesus, or He would not have written so much about the subject.  I believe it represents just another of the many deceptions Satan has brought about, so we lose our way and forget who we are.  Satan has invaded our church and church buildings with false teachings and wrong thinking.  Church is not about the size, beauty, wealth, denomination or if there is a choir with or without robes.  Church today seems more interested in programs and fundraisers and other activities than learning about God, reading and studying the scriptures, and having a relationship directly with Jesus.  By invitation only: John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him and I will raise him up at the last day.”

The church is the elect of God.  Chosen of God for His purposes.  Mat 24:22 “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. :24 “ For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

May I remind us that Jesus did almost all His preaching and teaching without a building.  He did His work apart from dazzle, sparkle, programs, and His followers, were ordinary men, not with formal educations but called of God just the same.  Holiness and righteousness is a by product of walking with Jesus, living our lives with burdens, faults, weakness at every turn in the road.  Jesus is the answer, not church.  Mat 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”  Ask Jesus into your life and He will come.  Cast your difficulties to Him, walk holding His hand and He will guide us showing and lighting our path.  Jesus is the answer, read His Word, the Word will change our life and give each of us the joy we all desire.  Life here on earth without Jesus is near impossible to live and still find happiness.  A church building and programs are not the answer, finding Jesus directly for yourselves, is the only thing that will work. He says that if we seek Him, He can be found, all we need do is repent of our sin, be baptized, and He will send us the Holy Spirit into our lives.  We can not overcome Satan and this world without the Holy Spirit from God.  Need I remind us that Satan is still god of this earth until Jesus returns?  And when Jesus returns, the time being short now; will usher in the time with Jesus apart from Satan.  Mat 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and the Holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. :32 “All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. :33 “ And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. :34 “ Then the King will say to those on His right hand, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

Jerry
jerrydeanolson@yahoo.com

 

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The Walk

Excuse Me, Are You Jesus?

-Author Unknown

As you read this think about what you would do!

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales
convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they
would be home in plenty of time for Friday night’s dinner. In their
rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen
inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples.
Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they
all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding.

ALL BUT ONE !!! He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with
his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl
whose apple stand had been overturned.

He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told
one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home
destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned
to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.

He was glad he did.

The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears
running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time
helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled
about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples,
put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he
did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and
bruised; these he set aside in another basket.

When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl,
"Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?"
She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we
didn’t spoil your day too badly."

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl
called out to him, "Mister…." He paused and turned to look back
into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?"

He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made
his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and
bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?" Do people mistake
you for Jesus? That’s our destiny, is it not? To be so much like
Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact
with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace.

If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would.
Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to
church. It’s actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day.

You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been
bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked you
and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit.
Therefore, we should take the time to stop and “pick up other people’s apples”.  Sometimes we just take things for granted, when we really need to be sharing what we know.  Ask yourself, are people mistaking me for Jesus?  If you truly are His disciple, then they should be (John 14:12)!

(Taken with permission from prophetic@revivalschool.com)

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General, Unknown

A Letter To God

[A concerned student once wrote to God:]
Dear God:
Why didn’t you save the school children at . . . ?
Virginia Tech
Amish Country, PA
Columbine High School
Moses Lake, Washington 2/2/96
Bethel, Alaska 2/19/97
Pearl, Mississippi 10/1/97
West Paducah, Kentucky 12/1/97
Stamp, Arkansas 12/15/97
Jonesboro, Arkansas 3/24/98
Edinboro, Pennsylvania 4/24/98
Fayetteville, Tennessee 5/19/98
Springfield, Oregon 5/21/98
Richmond, Virginia 6/15/98
Littleton, Colorado 4/20/99
Taber, Alberta, Canada 5/28/99
Conyers, Georgia 5/50/99
Deming, New Mexico 11/19/99
Fort Gibson, Oklahoma 12/6/99
Santee, California 3/ 5/01 and
El Cajon, California 3/22/01 
Sincerely,
Concerned Student
—————————————
Reply:
Dear Concerned Student:
I am not allowed in schools.
Sincerely,
God
—————————-
HOW did THIS GET STARTED?
Let’s see,
I think it started when Madeline Murray O’Hare complained
She didn’t want any prayer in our schools.
And we said, OK…
——————————-
Then, someone said you better not read the Bible in school,
The Bible that says
“Thou shalt! Not kill,
Thou shalt not steal,
And love your neighbors as yourself,”
And we said, OK…
—————–
Dr. Benjamin Spock said
We shouldn’t spank our children
When they misbehaved
Because their little personalities
Would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem.
And we said,
An expert should know what he’s talking about.
So we won’t spank them anymore…
——————
Then someone said
Teachers and principals better not
Discipline our children when they misbehave.
And the school administrators said
No faculty member in this school
Better touch a student when they misbehave
Because we don’t want any bad publicity,
And we surely don’t want to be sued.
And we accepted their reasoning…
——————
And the entertainment industry said,
Let’s make TV shows and movies that promote
Profanity, violence and illicit sex…
And let’s record music that encourages
Rape, drugs, murder, suicide, and satanic themes…
And we said,
It’s just entertainment
And it has no adverse effect
And nobody takes it seriously anyway,
So go right ahead.
——————
Now we’re asking ourselves
Why our children have no conscience,
Why they don’t know right from wrong,
And why it doesn’t bother them to
Kill strangers, classmates or even themselves.
——————
Undoubtedly,
If we thought about it long and hard enough,
We could figure it out.
I’m sure it has a great deal to do with…
“WE REAP What WE SOW…” (Gal. 6:7)
[Taken from http://www.revivalschool.com/ with permission]
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