Tag: Devotionals

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Seek Revival

17 And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. ~ Acts 2:17-21

The Church today seems to be more dead than any previous generation. It seems to be more in danger of being spit out of the mouth of Jesus than all of the generations before. So, what are we to do? Is there even hope for our generation of the Church? A lot of pastors say there will be a second outpouring of the Holy Spirit, but I’m not so convinced. We have the Holy Spirit now. He didn’t go anywhere. He didn’t vanish. He didn’t stop working. He didn’t change. So, what did? We did. We changed.

We became lazy. Complacent. Worldly. We forgot our first love. We lost the passion, the drive, the desire for the things of the LORD, and became distracted by the things of life and this world. So, does that mean we have no hope? No. As long as there is breath in our lungs, we have hope. The Holy Spirit is still here. He is still working in our midst. He’s just waiting for us to seek revival.

According to the late great Charles Grandison Finney (he’s one of my Dad’s heroes), especially in his classic work “Lectures on Revivals of Religion,” published in 1835, he advocated that revival is not mysterious or accidental but occurs when God’s people meet certain spiritual conditions. The top five causes of revival, according to Charles G. Finney, are:

1. Extraordinary Prayer

  • Finney taught that revival is always preceded by prevailing, united, and persistent prayer
  • Prayer that is specific, faith-filled, and burdened, and is often led by a few deeply convicted believers
  • In other words, “Revival is born in prayer.”

2. Deep Conviction of Sin

  • According to Charles G. Finney, one of the greatest revivalist preachers to ever live, outside of brother Paul and the LORD’s Apostles, and maybe others like Philip the Evangelist, said:
    • Revival requires a profound awareness of sin, both personal and corporate. Honest repentance, confession, and forsaking of sin are necessary.
  • A brokenness before God: “There can be no revival without deep conviction of sin.”

3. Bold, Clear Preaching of Truth

  • Finney also emphasized the necessity for plain, direct preaching that is aimed at the heart and confronts the conscience. Preaching that appeals to the will, not just emotions. Obedience to God is demanded, and sin is named clearly.
  • We have to get back to the old-time preaching if we want to see revival.

4. Immediate Obedience to God

  • Mr. Finney sincerely believed that people must respond now, not later. You cannot put off conviction.
  • No delay in repentance must be tolerated, or the conviction will pass, and that soul will be lost.
  • Public and decisive commitment to Christ was the first and foremost priority. “Sinners must be made to feel that now is God’s time.”

5. The Church Must Bear Responsibility for Revival

  • Mr. Finney also taught that revival depends largely on the spiritual condition of believers, not unbelievers. Lukewarm Christians hinder revival. Revival begins when God’s people humble themselves before Him.
  • He also taught that “A revival is no miracle… it is the result of the proper use of the appropriate means.”

    Unlike his predecessors, such as Jonathan Edwards, Charles G. Finney was deliberate and intentional about bringing about and promoting his revivals. He had a methodology that he adhered to—a system to follow and often said that revival came about by “using the right spiritual means.”

    He was deliberate… intentional… and focused… That’s what we’re missing in the Church today. Intentional, deliberate, focused seeking of the LORD. Seeking of His Spirit, so that He might turn this heart of stone to flesh once again. So that He might renew a right spirit in us. So that we might see the Church awaken from its deep spiritual slumber.

    Peace. Love. Go Forth and Seek Revival.

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    Honor Your Word

    21 If you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin. 22 But if you refrain from vowing, you will not be guilty of sin. 23 You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God what you have promised with your mouth. ~ Deuteronomy 23:21-23

    Many of us make vows without thinking. We make promises and agreements, but don’t follow through on them. We oftentimes just take it for granted, but God takes vows very seriously—even those made in error. Here’s a powerful example.

    When the Gibeonites heard all that Joshua and the Israelite army were doing to the other cities, they were terrified… They were frightened for their lives and for their families’ lives. They had heard that God had instructed Joshua to destroy the inhabitants of the land, and they were scared, because that was precisely what Joshua was doing. So, they made plans to trick or deceive Joshua and the elders of Israel into making a treaty of peace with them.

    They took old, moldy bread. Worn-out wineskins. Patched sandals. And worn-out clothes. And pretended to have traveled from a distant land. Joshua and the elders with him were initially suspicious, but the Gibeonites convinced them they were not from the area, and they believed them. They were like, maybe you live among us, and we don’t realize it, and if you do, how can we make a treaty with you since our God told us not to do that? They were obviously suspicious of them, but when they saw the people’s provisions, they were convinced by what they saw. And they did not inquire of the LORD. They jumped headfirst into a covenant with the Gibeonites, even though God had instructed Joshua not to (Joshua 9:14-15).

    But here is something even more astonishing… Almost 400 years later, David, son of Jesse, is on the throne of Israel. There is a famine in the land… year after year. For three years, there is this persistent famine. And David realizes something must be wrong. So, David goes to inquire of the LORD, and what he discovers is totally amazing… It’s all Saul’s fault. In his zeal for the LORD, Saul has violated Joshua’s… 375-year-old covenant with the Gibeonites.

    King Saul, during his reign, was putting the Gibeonites to death, so bloodguilt had come upon him and his house. He thought he was doing a good thing. He was doing what Joshua had failed to do. But as a consequence, Israel, as a kingdom, was also suffering the repercussions of a broken covenant.

    Even after 400 years, God still honored that “should-have-never-been-made” covenant. God did not want it…; in fact, He told the Israelites not to do it! But to do the very opposite of making a peace treaty. Yet! He honored it and expected Israel and their descendants after them to honor it as well. That proves the power of a covenant—the sacredness of a promise, and that words are indeed extremely potent.

    Now think about this. If God holds us to that high a standard of integrity, expecting us to keep our word to perfection, will He not hold Himself to an even higher standard? Of course He will! That is why the Scripture says that God watches over His word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12).

    Therefore, maybe there are open doors in your life. Maybe there are things in your life you can’t seem to get through because you made a vow and broke it. Our word is powerful. When we give our word to do something, it’s not just another meaningless thing. Our vows are to be honored.

    Peace. Love. Go Forth and Honor Your Word.

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    A Cold Flame

    The church in Ephesus had gotten into the “same old same old” routine. Jesus commends them for:

    • Their works
    • Their labor
    • Their enduring patience
    • Their resistance to evil
    • Their firm commitment to His Name

    But He also brought to their attention Their flaws. Their shortcomings. The church in Ephesus had settled into the “same old grind.”

    • They were busy
    • They were doctrinally sound
    • They were active
    • They were enduring

    But they had fallen from the heights they once soared at. In Jesus’ own words, they had abandoned their first love—the love they first had for Him.

    They had abandoned:

    • The passion
    • The drive
    • The desire
    • And the devotion they had at the beginning
    • They were going through the motions
    • They were having church as usual

    The danger with that is that your worship becomes stale, and outward—a thing to be seen and not experienced. Your song stirs the senses but never waters the thirsty soul. Your works are deeds that ease the conscience, but don’t fulfill the spirit.

    In time, your heart drifts. So, Jesus gives them the remedy: repent, and do the works you did at first. In other words, return to Me, and I will return to you. Remember what you used to do, not just what used to happen.

    Dear LORD, thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace. Thank You for being a forgiving God. Please forgive me for letting my love grow cold. Please forgive me for letting the fire die out and the flame quench. Please light the fire again. Please give me another chance to serve You with all that is within me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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    Work Your Land

    Proverbs 28:19

    [19]  Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.

    Solomon said that whoever works the land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty. What does that mean? Well, the word translated as “worthless” could be translated as “empty.” In other words, Solomon is talking about pointless, empty, vain pursuits that seem good, seem like it will reap a great reward, but instead it does the opposite.

    I don’t think Solomon is necessarily giving us financial advice, I feel like there’s a spiritual connection here. Imagine the land in this scenario is us. Mankind. Humanity. Each of us is a land, and if we don’t work our land so that it will bear fruit (Fruit of the Spirit), then we will be cut off the Vine and thrown into the fire (Hell).

    See, throughout the New Testament we are told to bear fruit. Water and tend to our faith. Uproot roots. We are told to treat ourselves like a field or land. And if we do, we will have pent of bread. We will have the Words of God feeling in us, sanctified and cleaning us. We will have treasure in heaven where moths nor worms can destroy. Eternal treasure.

    When we try to go through an easy way to get to God, a way that doesn’t include Christ, we are trying worthless or empty pursuits. When we try to do 5 step program to fix ourselves instead of going through Christ, we are chatting after world or empty pursuits. We are to follow Christ, and do the hard thing, which is work our land. Not find another way. Not find an easier path. We are to follow Christ, which means crucify the flesh.

    Peace. Love. Go Forth and Work Your Land.  

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    The Physical Stirs The Spiritual

    17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.” ~ Genesis 48:17-19

    Jacob or Israel, as he was also called, was about to die, and Joseph brought his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to be blessed by Jacob, his father. So, Joseph put Manasseh, his firstborn, on his left, facing his father’s right hand, and Ephraim on his right, facing his father’s left hand. But upon blessing them, Jacob crossed his hands and placed his right on Ephraim’s head and his left on Manasseh’s head, but Joseph was not pleased when he saw that. So, Joseph tried to switch Jacob’s hands by force so that his right was on Manasseh’s head and his left on Ephraim’s head. But Jacob told him no, because although Manasseh would be great, Ephraim would be greater. By doing so, Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

    It might seem like a small thing to us, but what happens in the physical world stirs or affects what happens in the spiritual world. That is why prayer can affect our circumstances. Scripture can change the atmosphere and tear down strongholds. Just having occult objects in your house can open spiritual doors that can cause supernatural activity in your home.

    Even when the Israelites brought their offerings, they were required to say certain things and to do specific actions, such as waving the offering before the LORD as a wave offering. It may seem as if it was a useless action, but we don’t know what it stirred in the spiritual world.

    The same would be true of other occult practices, such as yoga, and the different positions that accompany it. Many Christians practice yoga, not realizing that the positions are irrevocably linked to Hindu worship. These physical actions open spiritual doors. So, we must be conscious of what we do in the physical, because both worlds are inseparably intertwined.

    Father please close spiritual doors that we have unknowingly opened. Help us to understand that what we do here in the physical will affect the spiritual and protect us from inadvertently inviting unwanted spiritual activity in our lives, in Jesus’ Name, I pray, amen.

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    Let God Undo

    8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. ~ Exodus 1:8-11

    The Israelites had to build two store cities: Raamses and Pithom. What do these two cities have in common other than being built by the Israelite slaves under their Egyptian slave masters? They are both named after an Egyptian god. Raamses means “Ra has begotten him,” and Pithom means “House of Atum.”

    These two gods weren’t just two random gods; they were two of the most important gods in ancient Egypt. In fact, they even merged into Ra-Atum in later Egyptian beliefs. These two cities weren’t just regular cities; they were cities named for two of the most important gods of Egypt. This is how the oppression of the Israelites began: by building store cities for Pharaoh so that his power would continue to grow, and the cities were named after the gods of Egypt. Pharaoh started oppressing the people of Israel by enslaving them and forcing them to help build two cities to strengthen Egypt and, in a sense, strengthen Egypt’s gods and the Israelites’ connection to them.

    How can we be sure? Raamses, located in the Nile Delta, became a major royal capital and center of Egyptian power. Pithom, in eastern Egypt, was a storage city for grain and supplies for the army and the treasury. Some believe Pithom became Heliopolis, a major center of worship that God later pronounced judgment on in Jeremiah 43. These cities were not just ordinary settlements—they were built to strengthen Egypt’s power, influence, and connection to its gods.

    Now, fast-forward four hundred years: God has Aaron tell Pharaoh to let His people go so they might hold a feast and make a sacrifice to Him (Exodus 5:1). Their slavery started out with Pharaoh forcing a connection of the Israelites to the gods of Egypt, so when the LORD took them out of the land (and out of slavery), it was to break the connection they had formed with those gods and reconnect them with the God of their fathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob).

    I think that’s kind of mind-blowing. God was undoing what the enemy had done. He wasn’t just physically freeing His people but spiritually freeing them as well. He brought punishment on those gods that had led his people astray and spiritually put a yoke around their necks (Exodus 12:12). Our God doesn’t play when it comes to us. He doesn’t just ignore our bondage. He doesn’t just ignore our pain and suffering. Nor does He ignore our oppressors, but vengeance is His. He will repay. He will right the wrong and deliver His people out of the hand of the enemy; we need only call on His name.

    Peace. Love. Go Forth and Let God Undo.

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    Strike The Dust

    16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.’” 17 And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt. 18 The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast. 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. ~ Exodus 8:16-19

    In ancient Egypt, they believed humans were created from either the tears of the Eye of Ra or Khepri. Humanity was born from the pain of the gods, leading to a tendency of suffering in humanity. How sad. A completely different creation story of man than ours. One leaving man without purpose. Intent. Hope. Just useless.

    Imagine being an ancient Egyptian believing they were created unintentionally from the tears, the sadness, of the gods doomed to lead a life of suffering. A tear struck the ground and man came up. Then two Hebrew men send plagues on the land. The plagues are a bit annoying, but your magicians can imitate them so far. But then the third plague hits a bit different.

    See, God had Aaron strike the dust with his staff and gnats invested the land. They saw the power of God in this one act. They saw the hour the finger of God moved through Moses and Aaron. They knew the creation story of their people. A random tear didn’t fall from one of the eyes of the gods. There was no sneeze or cough from the gods. A man took his staff, struck the dust of the earth and gnats were created. They didn’t call the gnats. They didn’t summon the gnats. They turned all of the dust in Egypt into gnats.

    They witnessed something they could not replicate. Something that seemed just as powerful, if not more powerful, than what the gods had done, for this was God using man to create gnats out of all of the dust in the land. The gods were nowhere in sight. No spell. No enchantment. Just Aaron striking the dust with his staff.

    Our God is a powerful God. Those in darkness can even see His power. Even other gods dare not stand up to Him. Our God is all-powerful. King of kings and LORD of lords. He is the GOD of gods. God Most High. That is the God we serve.

    So, when darkness stands against you. When you’re walking through the Valley of the Shadow, do not fear. Do not be afraid. Stand firm on Your God and in His strength, for darkness knows who we serve, do you?

    Peace. Love. Go Forth and Strike The Dust.

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    Be In Awe With Abraham

    6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. ~ Genesis 22:6-8

    Genesis 1 & 2 tell us that God created man in His own Image. Colossians 3 tells us we are being renewed after the Image of God, lost in the Garden of Eden. God created us with love. Then, it says He came down to earth and walked and talked with mankind. Let that sink in. The Creator of the Universe came and walked in the Garden so that He could commune with mankind. There was a relationship. One of love and care. Like a Father and His children.

    How different the God of the Bible is from the gods of the oldest civilization (we have archaeological evidence of today). The Sumerian gods created mankind, not for a relationship. Not to commune with. Not out of love, but because the younger gods were tired of the hard labor of working the earth. Mining. Farming. Digging canals. So, they created mankind as slaves to do the work they didn’t want to do.

    This belief is recorded in texts like the Eridu Genesis and other Sumerian religious tales, where humanity is described as the “sheep of the gods”, created to “bear the yoke” and “carry the load” of divine service. This is so very different than our God, who created us for relationship. Who says, “Come to me all who are weary, and I will give you rest.” Who says, “Take my yoke for it is easy, and my burden is light.” He offers rest. He carries the heavy weight we cannot.

    This was the hopeless atmosphere Abram was born into in Ur, an ancient city in Sumer. A society where the gods have no love for their creation, but created them solely for slave labor. How hopeless that was, but the LORD took him out of that. He gave him a hope. A future. He showed him love. It is because of Abraham’s relationship with God that we have the title for God “Yahweh Yireh (Jehovah Jireh),” which means the LORD will provide.

    He went from being nothing more than a slave for the gods to the LORD God being his provider. What a change. What a revelation to come to. It changes the story of Abraham and Isaac going up to Mount Moriah and the LORD delivering Isaac with the Ram caught in the bushel. He went from unseen. Unimportant. Disposable to seen. Important. Irreplaceable. What an amazing revelation to have. What an amazing relationship to gain.

    Peace. Love. Forth and Be In Awe With Abraham.

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    Ponder His Love

    1  The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, 2 for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. 3  Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. 5 He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah ~ Psalms 24:1-6

    The Psalmist asks, “Who will ascend the hill of the LORD?” Then he answers himself and doesn’t leave us hanging, helpless, and without hope. He says, “Those with clean hands, pure hearts. Those who don’t desire what is destructive to themselves. Those who don’t put their hand to the plow and then turn back.”

    The Psalmist doesn’t leave us hopeless. No. He gives us a standard that we have to reach in order to enter the presence of God. A standard that we need the Holy Spirit to change us. To guide us in order to achieve. Something only achievable in the LORD, lest any man could boast.

    That I find interesting, mind-blowing almost when I think about it. God made it so that we could ascend to His holy hill, but only through Him. Only with His help could we ever make it into His presence. That’s just so mind boggling to me. God, the Creator of the Universe, really loves us. Like He really makes a way where there is no way. The God of the Universe helps us to enter His presence because He loves us. That is so crazy, it is only found in one religion. Ours.

    Peace. Love. Go Forth and Ponder His Love.

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    Leave The House

    13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!” ~ Proverbs 22:13

    The Proverbs often describes a sluggard. A lazy person. He writes that a sluggard will give reasons why he cannot do something.

    I looked at the different translations of this verse and the Amplified says that the sluggard or lazy person makes excuses why he cannot go to work. But the more I read it the more my brain began to wonder. What if it’s that a sluggard is not willing to fight for his food, his promise, his life? What if it’s actually saying that when trouble comes upon a sluggard, they stay inside and refuse to fight back… They refuse to give it their all… They refuse to do what they need to do in order to see that promise fulfilled…?

    So many of us never see a fulfillment of our promises from God because we don’t fight for them. We look at the giant in our way and stay away from the battle. We look at the valley or mountain before us and refuse to make the trek. We see the lion outside and refuse to leave our home.

    God promises us victory, but not without a fight. He promises us that He will fight for us, but we have to draw our sword and follow Him into battle. We can’t avoid the enemy. It’s impossible. But we can defeat him with the blood of the Lamb covering us and the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. We just have to be willing to fight.

    Peace. Love. Go Forth and Leave The House.

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