I Want More

I have a consuming passion in my life right now. It is a passion that God has placed there. I am desperate for revival. I’m not talking about another planned week of meetings with great music and preaching (cds available in the back). I’m not talking about church growth. With all my heart I want to see a heaven-sent, God-glorifying awakening sweep across this nation. This is not just a hope. It is a burden. A fire that will not be quenched. It is eating me alive!

When I share this tremendous burden with people I meet, I get the strangest reactions. I’ve found that this sort of talk elicits 3 different reactions:

1.       Blank stare (maybe with a slight head nod)

2.       “Amen!” (These people acknowledge that “the world’s in a mess” and that “revival” or at least something similar might help.)

3.       Those who actually get it. There is a remnant in which God has implanted a burden for His glory. These people live in a state of brokenness and even discontent because they aren’t living in revival. God is being deprived of the glory that He deserves, and therefore, they cannot be satisfied with the way things are.

Del Fehsenfeld, founder of Life Action Ministries (an awesome organization committed to being a catalyst for genuine revival) defined revival this way…

“Revival is when God bursts on the scene and displays His glory.”

Now, doesn’t that sound more enticing than just another tent meeting, concert, or church service?! Think of it! What if God really did “burst on the scene and display His glory”? What would that look like? Would it look like “church as usual”? I don’t think so.

Genuine revival and awakening cannot be planned, produced, or manipulated. It is a sovereign act of God. It is evidence of His mercy. It is God coming to visit His people and making His glory known.

Do we deserve it? Nope.

Do we need it? Yep.

Will God actually do it? We don’t have to wonder. He’s already promised us…

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (1 Chronicles 7:14)

Let’s believe God will do what He said He would do.
Let’s do what’s required of us.



I Repent

Verse 1
I repent I repent of my pursuit of America's dream
I repent I repent of living like I deserve anything
Of my house my fence my kids my wife
In our suburb where we're safe and white
I am wrong and of these things I repent

Verse 2
I repent I repent of parading my liberty
I repent I repent of paying for what I can get free
And for the way I believe that I am living right
By trading sins for others that are easier to hide
I am wrong and of these things I repent

Bridge
I repent of judging by a law that even I can't keep
Of wearing righteousness like a disguise
To see through the planks in my own eyes

Verse 3
I repent I repent of trading truth for false unity
I repent I repent of confusing peace and idolatry
By caring more of what they think
Than what I know of what we need
By domesticating You until You look just like me
I am wrong and of these things I repent

CCLI Song No. 4380584
© 2004 Derek Webb Music (Admin. by Music Services)
Derek Webb

Sunday School With O.J. Simpson

I remember so clearly the eyes of everyone in the house glued to the television screen. Seemingly every station had interrupted their normal news stories to air the live police chase taking place in L.A. The white Ford Bronco was being pursued closely by a convoy of police cars weaving in and out of traffic at a high rate of speed. What made this event so captivating was that the driver of the SUV was none other than football legend / screen actor O.J. Simpson! Who could forget the weeks of commentary on the trial, but that car chase just stuck in my mind.

This week the images of that white Bronco racing down the freeway came flooding back to me as I thought on a passage of scripture read to me by a friend. The passage is Hebrews 12:14.  

“Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)

So what does “pursuing peace” look like? A car chase. When God reveals any bitterness, or unforgiveness in our hearts toward someone else, our response ought to be that of chasing down a fleeing criminal. In a high speed chase the cops are relentless. They won’t let a little change in direction hinder their pursuit. They will stop at nothing until the subject is apprehended.

If we want to see Jesus, then we must have pure hearts. If we want pure hearts, we must have consciences that are clear! Having a clear conscience means that there is no one alive that we have hurt or offended that we have not gone to and asked forgiveness and tried to mend the broken relationship. If there is anything between me and my brother, the Bible says my offering won’t be accepted or my prayers answered!

I recently have been earnestly pursuing peace with those who I have been out of fellowship with for one reason or another. I can honestly say, to my knowledge, there is no one I have wronged or offended that I haven’t gotten right with. We’re not responsible for the other person’s response, just our obedience.

Is there bitterness of any kind in your life? Chase it down, cuff it, and take it downtown!