I hope my brother and sisters, you took the time to read our last message. (part 1 on; CALL TO  REVIVAL) I feel this is one of the most important messages the Lord has ever give to pass on and I pray it will ignite a godly uprising across our nation and even around the world and bring Jesus to the forefront where He rightly belongs.

Buckle up … let’s get started!

HIDDEN DANGERS IN OUR NEED FOR REVIVAL

We are reminded in 2 Corinthians 4:16 that “though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed [revived] day by day.” We are warned in 1 Thessalonians 5:19, “Quench not the Spirit.” There are basically two ways to quench God’s Spirit: 1) We can deliberately rebel and say, in effect, “God, I do not want what you have to offer. I am going to do things my way; or, 2) We can allow God’s Spirit to dwindle and “starve” to death by lack of renewal or replenishment. (1 Timothy 4:14) “  Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.”. Often, spiritual deterioration comes slowly and insidiously, without our awareness. Because there are seldom any physical symptoms, we grow weaker and weaker inside—spiritually—and an unsuspected trial or circumstance can easily ‘‘take us out.” ‘Samson, for example, had the Spirit of God upon him (Judges 14:6,19), but he played around with sin—and was found wanting. At one point the disciples had received power from Jesus Christ to heal and cast out demons (Matthew 10:5-8). Yet later, they seem to have lost their ability to cast out a certain demon and did not understand why. Jesus told them that it was because of their unbelief (Matthew 17:19-20)—their lack of spiritual renewal. Peter thought he was strong until times got tough, and with cursings, he denied the Lord three times (John 13:38). Often the condition of our hearts is such that we are not aware of our need at the very time it is most needed. We often cover up our inadequacies with a self-deceptive shroud of self-righteousness.

Know this: Human nature—the flesh—will fight against revival. For proof, all we need to do is ask ourselves, “Do I study and pray in ALL my spare time? Or do comfort and cares of the world crowd out that time I could otherwise be spending with God?” It is said that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. To have true spiritual revival we must admit that we have a need—and take action.

WHAT KIND OF REVIVAL DO WE NEED?

We need a renewal or recommitment that will resurrect God’s church collectively to spiritual life. Remember, revival means a renewal, a “return to life,” or spiritual consciousness.

Let us look into God’s Word to see what Jesus Christ says to the churches. Blow the dust off your Bible take a look at the second and third chapters of Revelation, where we see His messages to the seven churches. Elements of all the seven churches of Asia are present with us today! The letters were written to “the churches,” plural, i.e., the people in them. Seven times we are cautioned, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches,” collectively.

This is important. Read this TWICE: Read over the messages to the seven churches and, in each case, ask yourself, “Is this a word picture of ME?”

WHAT KIND OF “REVIVAL” WAS RECOMMENDED FOR THE SEVEN CHURCHES IN ASIA?

As we read over these seven messages, notice that nothing is said or even suggested about “eras,” “ages,” or “dispensations.” It is speculated by some that the seven letters to the seven churches of Revelation are an outline of seven dispensations or “ages” or phases of church history. This concept, however, is not taught in Scripture but is a belief that is read into the Bible. Much confusion and many false teachings have resulted due to this theory. The danger of looking for esoteric, mystical, or hidden meanings is that this approach obscures the plain correction to all Christians in all churches all through time. Carried to the extreme, if we were to apply this “church for an era” theory throughout the Bible, we could conceivably make twenty-one additional “church periods” out of all the other New Testament epistles or letters mentioned, as some do these seven letters. We should look into God’s Word for personal correction, not shift the messages off to some other “church era.” Again, we need to ask ourselves, “Are any of these warnings applicable to ME, personally?”

What was Christ’s intention in addressing the seven churches in Revelation 2-3? Plainly, He strove to wake up, or “revive,” the churches. It is the same message He inspired Jude to write in Jude 3: “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”

Jesus rebuked the church at Ephesus for having left its first love (Revelation 2:4).

He rebuked the church at Smyrna because some of its members tolerated apostate believers among them who were really instruments of Satan (Revelation 2:9).

He rebuked the church at Pergamos because some of its members held to the doctrine of Balaam, who hired himself out to do religious work for personal gain, and held the false doctrine of the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:14-15).

He rebuked the church at Thyatira because some there had listened to and tolerated false preaching, committing spiritual and even physical adultery (Revelation 2:20-21).

Jesus declared to the church at Sardis, “Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead” (Revelation 3:1-3). They were devoid of spiritual life and power. He said, “Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain” (Revelation 3:1).

Christ commended members of the church at Philadelphia for their love but warned them to beware and hold fast that no man take their crown (Revelation 3:11). This strongly implies there would be those who would attempt to overthrow their faith by whatever means.

Christ called upon members of the church at Laodicea to repent; they thought they had need of nothing (Revelation 3:17). They had a lukewarm, neutral, compromising, or accommodating attitude.

Again, we need to ask ourselves, “Are any of these warnings applicable to ME, personally?”

Notice that the common admonition given to the churches was to overcome, surmount, or triumph over their sins and shortcomings. The same warnings apply to Christians today.

Some folks are members of the church in name only; they are not interested in changing, overcoming, or growing. Others are satisfied with the way things are and see no reason for any change. Still, others are too concerned about their own agendas to see that we need to spiritually analyze ourselves.1 Corinthians 11:28-31 is not just for Passover time; it is for all the time. “But let a man examine himself…” “For if we would judge ourselves,” we are reminded in verse 31, “we should not be judged.”

In a parable, Christ warned there would be tares, or false grain, among the good wheat. “Let both grow together until the harvest,” Christ said in Matthew 13:30, “Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.”

“Ye shall know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16). This common figure is wonderfully expressive. Notice, fruit, not leaves, appearance, or professions are the proper tests of the life that is in the tree. We are to test all men—including ourselves—and every institution by every Word of God (Matthew 4:4). We are further cautioned in Matthew 7:22–23, “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many ^[a]miracles?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.”

“For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14).

We need a revival that will rekindle the old fires, the “first love” we had at conversion.

Do you remember “better days”?

Days of dedication to the Lord and to His work?

Days when you came to church expecting great things from God—inspiring sermons, warm fellowship, spiritual satisfaction?

Days when you wouldn’t think of missing church to go to a ball game or some other secular activity?

When you didn’t look for some excuse for why you couldn’t serve the Lord? What is your best excuse? Will Christ accept it?

We need to cry out to God, “Wilt thou revive us again?” “Revive us again” means that there have been revivals before. God will always forgive as long as we return to Him. The Christian life is made up of “many beginnings.” We fall down—or sin—but keep getting up, striving not to fall in this way again. With this resolve in mind, we should be growing daily stronger and wiser in our Christian walk.

To illustrate, the life of a believer is not like hooking onto a hot air balloon and just drifting up to higher and higher plateaus forevermore. Yes, Christianity is a journey that involves mountaintop experiences, but plateaus and valleys as well. We are reminded in Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.”

While it is true that God is not calling many wise, mighty, or noble at this time (1 Corinthians 1:26), He does not expect us to stay in a weakened or foolish condition. “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever” (2 Peter 3:18).

We need a revival that will restore joy and victory—a sense of overcoming (Revelation 21:7  He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.)—to the child of God. There are…

Too many defeated Christians today. They will not rise up again.

Too many discouraged Christians. They wallow in self-pity.

Too many backslidden Christians. They fall back into their old ways and habits of life.

Too many depressed Christians who will not let the past remain in the past. We cannot change the past; we can only go with the present and the future. “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3: 13-14).

We need heart—a pure, dedicated, willing heart. Knowing full well the rewards ahead of us (1 Corinthians 13:12), For now, we see in a mirror ^[a]dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.

we should wake up every morning feeling as if we had just won the lottery, and more! Our reward will be so much greater than any lottery has ever been! There is no need to feel defeated or discouraged. There is no room for tired, old, worn-out Christians. The joy—the exaltation—of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10); we need a revival where God will give us a song—happiness—in our hearts because we know who and what we are and where we are going. Habakkuk prayed, “LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years, make known; in wrath remember mercy,” and went on to say, “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation (Habakkuk 3:2,18).

That’s about it for today. the next part we’ll look at; HOW WE CAN HAVE REVIVAL.

Be sure and check back in, this good stuff and I pray everyone is getting it and hopefully passing it on or getting others to take a look at these blogs. There’s enough gloom and doom out there … let’s spread the true hope of Jesus Christ and start changing lives … it begins with you.

My prayer for you: 

Father, forgive us and make us new in you.

Heal our land and guide our leader in the way you want our country to be.

Heal our loved one of this rampant virus rampaging our land. We pray for the needs of those alone and no one to help them, Lord touch their hearts and let your presents be known.

Our prayers go out for; Bruce, Ronnie, June, Fay, Brenda, and Jay Lynn for your healing hand, Lord, to touch them and make them whole. We claim 1 peter 2:23, by your stripes they are healed! 

We give you all the praise and glory

In Jesus precious name

AMEN