Oh Lord, bring revival… Lord, we need revival…. revival this and revival that. This has been the prayer and trademark of most of the conservative traditional Churches of my time. I do agree with this prayer, this is the cry of my heart and it has not been a bad prayer for the tradtional churches.
But, now it seems that we are encountering a revival in America, but it is nothing like the traditional churches wanted or can understand. In our city of Charlotte there has been more successful church plants over the past five years than I care to count. And you know what, the older churches that have built there congregations on traditions and the style of there times are getting smaller and smaller and you know what they are praying “Lord bring revival…”.
We are a stiff necked people and sometimes the only way God can get through to us is by allowing us to encounter hard times. In his big scheme of things he sees chastisement and hardships as tools to straighten us out. He allows two “churches” to die and four He births. We just want what will be comfortable and easy. This is where we have to be willing to go. We have to be willing to go to the cross and trust that the results will bring Glory to God. What we mean when we say we want revival is we want more tithe payers and more people to pat us on the back. What God means it that more people grow to trust Him and are challenged to live lives more wholly and Holy. He calls us into the prayer closet and tells us to refrain from indulging in the lust of the flesh. We want easy worship and benefits from the church… we want good childcare and easy discipleship.
Revival is here and you know what? It looks nothing like you planned, it is in the midst of churches where strange things are happening. It is in the midst of jean and t-shirt wearing former drug addicts. It’s at the homeless shelter were you feel uncomfortable. Revival is at the climax of an extended prayer times in the closet. Oh so you want revival well spend uncounted minutes in the prayer closet. We can’t be whiny about revival unless we are willing to pick up the cross and realize the utter joy found in the midst of the Father.
The spirit of the God is loving and accepting of all. He always loved and never condemned. He never judged those who were honest with themselves and in turn left us with an example as to how to treat the world. We can’t seem to even get over judging other denominations and people who are siting next to us in pews. But God in the flesh loved the tax collector and the sinner, he challenged the religious leader while they tried to stone an adulterous. He loved the unlovable and in turn showed them the love of the Father. This is what we call others into when living our lives in love and the spirit. We call them into God’s relentless unconditional love. And when they begin to see it in us then they can begin to receive the salvation that is freely offered to the world.
Revival is here… but its not in your suit or you pew… it’s in the prayer closet, Where the Father Is.
Collision of Kingdoms 