Recently, a group of 9 men visited our church for a weekend of services. 7 of these men were mere boys, 16 years of age. The other two were much older. All 9 of them are black people and come from a mission station here in South Africa. Each service would start with 6 of the boys playing a couple of hymns on brass instruments. Then a few of them witnessed, combined with preaching. There after it closed with a sermon by the group's leader Dumisani.
I felt the power of God working in my life. Their message was straight forward: make your life right with God, both Christian and unbeliever. We tend to think how a sermon is actually for someone else in the audience, but God wants to speak to ME!
During the services I started becoming more miserable. Many things came back to me. One in particular I want to mention. About 5 months before these services I found myself in the middle of a dispute. I was accused of many things, but I got through it by basically humbling myself. I have lots of reason to proof my innocense, but during these meetings I felt that I have to go back to the people in question and humble myself and apologize. The second night of the meetings I hardly slept. I was in fear and trembling before the Lord. I could not even pray! Some of these meetings lasted for 3 hours and more. It was like judgment. It was like a fire that burnt in me.
The end of the story is that I started cleansing my life, by God's grace. I realized that I needed to go back to my brother, not because I necessarily wronged him, but rather that he felt something against me (Mat 5:23 Therefore if you offer your gift on the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you,
Mat 5:24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.)
And today I am still reaping from what the Lord has done.
May we continue to be diligent in cleansing our lives: hypocrisy, pride, criticism, irritation, impatience, disobedience, unfriendliness, is what keeps revival away!
Go to a brother, confess your sin as it it, all of it! Pray together and see what will happen if you continue in such a way.
Do you have PERSONAL REVIVAL???
May God help us and start with me!
In Him
Gery |
