| Poster | Thread | mamaluk
Member
Joined: 2006/6/12
Posts: 524
| | Re:Spiritual Contentment | | Since I came on to SI,I've been reminded so much of the revival history and all, I must say, it has helped me and frustrated me all at the same time. It helped me by admonishing me towards a more Christ-passionate and holy life. It frustrated me as it had created a new sense of discontentment.
I so can relate to what Roadsign tried to say on her posts. Which of us does not want to see our neighbors and our assemblies revived to God'sutmost standards of holiness and love. Which of us is not conscious of the due diligence required us of walking faithfully by Christ each day. The Lord even used some of you here to bring me to a little of that 'revival' you are so zealous of here on SI.
Some day, I might walk away from SI, I could be sent to some very lonesome corner of the world, with no SI, no church building, no brethren..no nothing..But, I know I will still be alright, or even fantastic, in spirit and in faith, because I am and forever will be in Christ. GOD will meet HIS people wherever they are at, in the good and the bad, with or without corporate revivals.
All the labor and prayers and yearnings for revival will only be as honoring and glorifying to the LORD if this is truly what HE wished for at the present time:
Proverbs 1:26
I also will laugh at your calamity; ( God does that too !! )
Besides, we do have lots of revivals (of the different kind) all over the world,in the name of the another jesus. Does the LORD intervene? No, not right now anyways.
Yes, we lack holiness, we lack repentance, we lack genuine love, but to keep focusing on lack, I will soon offend CHRIST, because HE lacks nothing, when we are in CHIRST we lack nothing. NOTHING at all.
For Christians to make statements of " We [i]need [/i]xyz" aside from Christ and His Word, may not be the most appropriate thing to say in light of God's glory. However, praying " I need revival" is an entirely different matter. Methinks..
Should the whole world fall away from under our feet, will we lack anything, in Christ?
Praise GOD for him sending revivals in the past, praise GOD for him not sending revivals now, or not ever sending another revival. Praise God for sending revival here on SI, if I were to call it that. :)
The Lord wants us to make sacrifice of praises to Him, and for us to make our own lives a holy sacrifice to Him, and for the rest...?? And sometimes, the sacrifice is to praise HIM when things are falling apart, or when there's no or not yet revival. Praise Him, just praise Him !
Do we need revival? Yes, only if God sovereignly determines so, No, if God wish otherwise. His Sovereignty rules. FATHER knows best !
Praise GOD for the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Praise GOD for SI, Enid,Mike B., Mike C., Diane, Scroggins,Ferrai,PaulWest, Orm, Phillip,Linn,Melissa,Christian, Steve, Niel,Ron.B,Kristina.....
Let's just praise HIM, praise and praise and praise HIM !
For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
Thankyou, my revived brethren. |
|  2006/9/23 15:21 | Profile |
| | Re: | | Quote:
mamaluk wrote:
Since I came on to SI,I've been reminded so much of the revival history and all, I must say, it has helped me and frustrated me all at the same time. It helped me by admonishing me towards a more Christ-passionate and holy life. It frustrated me as it had created a new sense of discontentment.
I so can relate to what Roadsign tried to say on her posts. Which of us does not want to see our neighbors and our assemblies revived to God'sutmost standards of holiness and love. Which of us is not conscious of the due diligence required us of walking faithfully by Christ each day. The Lord even used some of you here to bring me to a little of that 'revival' you are so zealous of here on SI.
Some day, I might walk away from SI, I could be sent to some very lonesome corner of the world, with no SI, no church building, no brethren..no nothing..But, I know I will still be alright, or even fantastic, in spirit and in faith, because I am and forever will be in Christ. GOD will meet HIS people wherever they are at, in the good and the bad, with or without corporate revivals.
All the labor and prayers and yearnings for revival will only be as honoring and glorifying to the LORD if this is truly what HE wished for at the present time:
Proverbs 1:26
I also will laugh at your calamity; ( God does that too !! )
Besides, we do have lots of revivals (of the different kind) all over the world,in the name of the another jesus. Does the LORD intervene? No, not right now anyways.
Yes, we lack holiness, we lack repentance, we lack genuine love, but to keep focusing on lack, I will soon offend CHRIST, because HE lacks nothing, when we are in CHIRST we lack nothing. NOTHING at all.
For Christians to make statements of " We [i]need [/i]xyz" aside from Christ and His Word, may not be the most appropriate thing to say in light of God's glory. However, praying " I need revival" is an entirely different matter. Methinks..
Should the whole world fall away from under our feet, will we lack anything, in Christ?
Praise GOD for him sending revivals in the past, praise GOD for him not sending revivals now, or not ever sending another revival. Praise God for sending revival here on SI, if I were to call it that. :)
The Lord wants us to make sacrifice of praises to Him, and for us to make our own lives a holy sacrifice to Him, and for the rest...?? And sometimes, the sacrifice is to praise HIM when things are falling apart, or when there's no or not yet revival. Praise Him, just praise Him !
Do we need revival? Yes, only if God sovereignly determines so, No, if God wish otherwise. His Sovereignty rules. FATHER knows best !
Praise GOD for the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Praise GOD for SI, Enid,Mike B., Mike C., Diane, Scroggins,Ferrai,PaulWest, Orm, Phillip,Linn,Melissa,Christian, Steve, Niel,Ron.B,Kristina.....
Let's just praise HIM, praise and praise and praise HIM !
For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
Thankyou, my revived brethren.
Amen, Sis.
What is the test for us if it is not about allegiance to the Father. Why should revival be needed at all?
:-( |
| | 2006/9/23 18:25 | | crsschk
Member
Joined: 2003/6/11
Posts: 9192
Santa Clara, CA
| | Re: Revival | | All well and good, but to belabor the point, what were the [i]Modus Operandi[/i] of the awakenings, the revivals behind us? Seems we are lacking a definition. Quote:
What is the test for us if it is not about allegiance to the Father. Why should revival be needed at all?
It shouldn't in one respect, but that is neither the reality nor the matter, seems a contadiction to put it that way, why did revivals come in the past?
_________________
Mike Balog
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| | 2006/9/23 21:23 | Profile | Compton
Member
Joined: 2005/2/24
Posts: 2732
| | Re: | | Perhaps the healthy tension between spiritual contentment and spiritual hunger can be explained in the difference between the personal and corporate life in Christ.
For the individual Christian, there is admittedly something pathetic about constantly pining for personal revival. Afterall Jesus has said to the church, "Behold I stand at the door and knock..." So why the rebellion? If we believe him, and open the door then surely we can have fellowship with him!
Yet the yearning for revival applied to the whole church, through preaching and intercessory prayer is quite another matter.
I believe this 'double standard" of bringing reponsiblity to bear on one self, while bringing grace to others is scriptural. We are told to carry our own burdens, yet to also carry the burdens' of others.
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden."
MC
_________________
Mike Compton
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| | 2006/9/23 23:04 | Profile |
| | Re: | | Quote:
crsschk wrote:
All well and good, but to belabor the point, what were the [i]Modus Operandi[/i] of the awakenings, the revivals behind us? Seems we are lacking a definition. Quote:
What is the test for us if it is not about allegiance to the Father. Why should revival be needed at all?
It shouldn't in one respect, but that is neither the reality nor the matter, seems a contadiction to put it that way, why did revivals come in the past?
We call them revivals -- but were they? Think about the Welch "revival" or Azuzu street. Were they really revivals or the major beginnings of the great outpouring of the Holy Ghost for the end times; a restoration to the Church the mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost?
To say revival is to say revive from death, slothfulness is an another issue. Yet, there is another condition that needs be mentioned, i.e., error accepted as truth that leaves one with not just perhaps a false sense of security but them completely, because of pride and willing compromise, missing out on the main reason for the born again experience.
I wrote this awhile back. Perhaps it will shed some light on what I'm trying to get across:
John 17:1-11 (NASB-U)
Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. "This is eternal life, that [b]they may know You[/b], the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. "I glorified You on the earth, [b]having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.[/b] "Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
"I have manifested Your name to the men whom [b]You gave Me out of the world[/b]; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. "Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; [b]for the words which You gave Me I have given to them;[/b] and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. "I ask on their behalf; [b]I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me;[/b] for they are Yours; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. "I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.[i]
"January 17th
The vocation of the natural life
[i]But when it pleased God . . . to reveal His son in me[/i] . . . Gal. 1:15-16 .
The call of God is not a call to any particular service; my interpretation of it may be, because contact with the nature of God; by the revelation of Jesus Christ, has made me realize what I would like to do for Him.
The call of God is essentially expressive of His nature; service is the outcome of what is fitted to my [b]unsullied nature[/b], by Him. The vocation of the natural life is stated by the apostle PaulWhen it pleased God to reveal His Son in me that I might preach Him (i.e., *sacramentally express Him) among the Gentiles."
* To sacramentally express God is by design, the normal Christian life; anything less is not by His design ergo, it is sub-normal. Anything less implies we are not in union with Him. Paul uses the word might to imply we have a part, a responsibility, in expressing the Father. His Nature is to be our nature through which the expression of the Father comes. It is to be from His Nature; we act and have our being.
* Therefore, Jesus answered and was saying to them, [i]"Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.[/i] [John 5:19 NAS]
* Aside from sacramentally expressing the Character of the Father, the son desires to do nothing, except it is of the Father. Because:
..without faith, [b]His very Life within us[/b], it is impossible to please the Father, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek [b]to be in union with Him[/b]. [cf Hebrews 11:6
[i]"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith [b]of[/b] the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me"[/i]. Galatians 2:20 (KJV)
"Service is the overflow of super abounding devotion; but, profoundly speaking, there is no call to that, it is my own little actual bit, and is the echo of my identification, union, with the Nature of God. Service is of [b]His Nature [al][/b] part of my [b]normal Christian life[/b]."
God gets me into a relationship with Himself whereby I understand His call; [b]that which He desires me to know of Himself;"[b] that I understand He wants intimacy with me.[/b]
[i]For I am jealous over you with Godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.[/i] 2 Cor. 11:2 (KJV) ]
*
"..for then I will do things out of sheer love for Him on my own account", [b]because I will know I am His son and the son loves the Father[/b].. "To serve God is the deliberate love-gift of a nature that has heard the call of God" [b]and can only respond from a heart that is holy His.[/b]
[b][Again][/b], "service is expressive of that which is fitted to my nature", [b]progressing in its journey to be in union with Christ Jesus, in the Father. The service is to be of Gods choosing. Therefore:[/b]
[i]Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalm 27:14 (KJV) and In your patience possess ye your souls.[/i] Luke 21:19 (KJV)
"Gods call is expressive of His nature; consequently, when I receive His nature and hear His call, the voice of the Divine nature sounds in both and the two work together. The Son of God reveals Himself in me, and I serve Him in the ordinary ways of life out of LOVE devotion to Him."
[b]God calls to the new nature of Christ Jesus within us. Is the new nature of Him, our ruling disposition that we hear His call? In this, there can be no compromise. If my old nature, to whatever degree, remains alive in me, there will be warfare and His voice will be difficult to discern. Therefore: [i]Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt you to inherit[/i] [possess] [i]the land[/i] [your soul][/b]
.Psalm 37:34 (KJV)
The above lifted from My Utmost for his Highest by Oswald Chambers with
[ BOLD] Emphasis and commentary added by this writer.
Orm
Chambers, O. (1993, c1935). My utmost for his highest : Selections for the year (January 17). Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers.
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| | 2006/9/24 5:00 | | crsschk
Member
Joined: 2003/6/11
Posts: 9192
Santa Clara, CA
| | Gainsaying or nay-saying ... | | [i]What is a revival? Strictly speaking, it is the restoration of life that has been lost, and in this sense it applies only to the Church of God. But used in the more common acceptation, it is the turning of multitudes to God. As conversion is the turning of a soul to God, so a revival is a repetition of this same spiritual process in the case of thousands. It is conversion upon a large scale. It is what occurred under the apostles at Pentecost, when three thousand were converted under one sermon. [/i][url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?viewmode=flat&order=0&topic_id=12536&forum=40&post_id=&refresh=Go]Modern Hostility to Revivals ~ Bonar[/url] Quote:
I wrote this awhile back. Perhaps it will shed some light on what I'm trying to get across:
Not really Orm, it is all wonderful truth but seems to be tangent off the matter at hand. Still puzzled over some of the flavor left here towards revival, if it is thought to be a necessity or not, desired or no, haven't really heard anything that speaks to something [i]other[/i]... Let me try again. What I perceive coming from some of this is the sense that we have outgrown a need for 'revival's', that we are sufficient in ourselves to do Gods work without Gods power. Now, that may be overstating it a bit as to some who have written here, but speaking in generalities is this not more often than not the present case? A blessing on 'our' program, a sense of a driven purposed life that we have designed, that just needs a little helping hand. Not setting out to be derogatory, just wonder at all that is spoken of here on many pages about revival, for instance the most recent one on the effects upon [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=12533&forum=40&0]missions[/url], or the revival amongst the [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?viewmode=flat&order=0&topic_id=12274&forum=40&post_id=&refresh=Go]Inuit[/url] ... It is a vast and multifaceted matter. Perhaps my chagrin is to see it applied somewhat more towards something abstract or 'personal', namely 'us', would like to believe that most that tarry long here are already revived enough to continually press into the deeper things of the Lord. To put it quite bluntly and use Mr. Warrens own words in another, similar way, "who cares about 'us'"? What about those who do need reviving, the vast spurious, superficial things in our midst under a banner of Christianity? The bleating sheep caught unaware, and the fleecing of the same, the false constructs and heartbreaking things... What more importantly that the Name of Lord is suffering such reproach and that brought on by those of His own church? What of the lands of persecution, what of our own kind, our brothers and sisters, who more in need of encouragement and times of refreshing, that wonderful part of revivals and the change of atmosphere brought on by conviction of the guilty, that they might turn?
There is a an element of the selfish that eeks through at times, almost to the point where I could have wished to never have mentioned a personal longing ... [i] My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?[/i] But that would only make me a liar, the [i]homesick for Heaven[/i] mentioned elsewhere. [i]And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.[/i] The same that Paul desired, [i]For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better[/i]. All these things, and yet as strange as it might sound a contradiction, to hear of revival anywhere, to hear; [i]For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.[/i] Even in if in part as revival is, that the Lord would receive the reknown due His Holy Name and never come anywhere near it, have no small part in it would more than be welcomed, would be a glad, long petitioning of intercession that the Lord might send it, to even hear of it, to know that it is the Lords own doing as all true revivals always are...
[i]Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people. Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste. Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?[/i] Isa 64:1-12
P.S. Whatever the case am rejoicing to see more discussion on this tremendous matter, surely it must bring a sigh of relief to Greg's heart.
_________________
Mike Balog
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| | 2006/9/24 12:21 | Profile | roadsign
Member
Joined: 2005/5/2
Posts: 3777
| | Re: Contentment: the twin of discontent | | Quote:
What I perceive coming from some of this is the sense that we have outgrown a need for 'revival's', that we are sufficient in ourselves to do Gods work without Gods power. Now, that may be overstating it a bit as to some who have written here, but speaking in generalities is this not more often than not the present case? A blessing on 'our' program,
Mike, it seems that you are referring to ungodly contentment as opposed to godly contentment (Godliness with contentment is great gain.). Of course there are countless whose hearts are still in Egypt, and they have no desire to enter the Promised Land. For a moment I thought you were deducing that spiritual condition from some of our responses, so I appreciate the clarification. Of course any of us might stop by the way and get too settled; but God has plenty ways of drying up the streams there, and prodding us on.
I dont know what it is about we westerners, but we seem to have trouble accepting two opposite truths at the same time. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for they shall be filled. Can you be both hungry and filled at once? Of course you can. Also, you can be content and discontent at the same time. You can be filled with joy and grief at the same time. You can be angry and at peace at the same time. Christ was. So why not us?
I firmly believe that accepting things the way they are is a prerequisite for holy discontentment. Youre not convinced? Just listen a while to someone who complains a lot. They dont make good intercessors, do they?
We do need to be very careful that we dont attribute ungodly contentment where it doesnt belong.
I was once the worship coordinator at a weeklong conference with one of the preachers of the Canadian Revival Fellowship. Being an opportunist, I made sure to chat with him about revival praying. He surprised me. He said, God did not call me to pray for revival for this conference, because it is not his timing. Instead I must focus on my job of preaching. God always draws me into intercession when he is going to do something. I might add that we had daily prayer meetings together but still
.. there's a lot to pray for besides overall revival.
When Christ called us to take his yoke, he included the burden of intercession. He is the intercessor, and we unite in him in the burden. But we dont carry it in our own strength. The burden of sin and waywardness is just too heavy. It could consume us altogether.
During our journey through the wilderness of this fallen world, we can accumulate a lot of loads, and even get quite discouraged. We do get dried out. We need the oasis. Mamaluks million-dollar post is like drink of refreshing water. She points us back to the Lord and thats what we need over and over again. We also need to praise God for the fellowship of others on the journey. And, being refreshed, we can go a few more miles.
Surely posts like Mamaluks, Ormlys, Olans, Comptons, and the rest are all needed in any discussion about revival, or rather - the advancement of God's kingdom.
Diane
_________________
Diane
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| | 2006/9/24 18:10 | Profile | crsschk
Member
Joined: 2003/6/11
Posts: 9192
Santa Clara, CA
| | Re: Revival | | Thank you Diane,
I believe I said too much and not as I might have wished to convey it, it was an attempt to shift the emephesis primarily.
Quote:
I dont know what it is about we westerners, but we seem to have trouble accepting two opposite truths at the same time. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for they shall be filled. Can you be both hungry and filled at once? Of course you can. Also, you can be content and discontent at the same time. You can be filled with joy and grief at the same time. You can be angry and at peace at the same time. Christ was. So why not us?
Usually it's more like ten ;-)
Quote:
I was once the worship coordinator at a weeklong conference with one of the preachers of the Canadian Revival Fellowship. Being an opportunist, I made sure to chat with him about revival praying. He surprised me. He said, God did not call me to pray for revival for this conference, because it is not his timing. Instead I must focus on my job of preaching. God always draws me into intercession when he is going to do something. I might add that we had daily prayer meetings together but still
.. there's a lot to pray for besides overall revival.
That, I like tremendously, a vital truth.
_________________
Mike Balog
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| | 2006/9/24 21:15 | Profile |
| | Re: Gainsaying or nay-saying ... | | Quote:
What is a revival? Strictly speaking, it is the restoration of life that has been lost, and in this sense it applies only to the Church of God. But used in the more common acceptation, it is the turning of multitudes to God. As conversion is the turning of a soul to God, so a revival is a repetition of this same spiritual process in the case of thousands. It is conversion upon a large scale. It is what occurred under the apostles at Pentecost, when three thousand were converted under one sermon. Modern Hostility to Revivals ~ Bonar
Can't get by your beginning quote, CC. I find it convoluted in its reasoning; based on [what I believe to be] a wrong explanation of Acts 2.
Because of my own take on revival, the overall inability of it to accomplish lasting change, something I might say is the reason why revivals have lost their appeal to the Christian, I find myself agreeing with Chambers who said, why revive what didn't work the first time?
Revival isn't needed, desperation is; man brought to his wits end. In this struggle, the sincere for someone larger than man in one's life; Christ Jesus, will enter in. For the rest, no amount of "revival" will help. They will continue in their "worthless" [evil] ways.
Man's way of evangelism doesn't press for contract that carries conviction. In other words, If we are taught God's does it all, as some say on this forum, and for intitial salvation this is true, --- but for the re-born, "newness of life" doesn't happen, what are we to conclude, we didn't pray hard enough, sing loud enough or give enough? No, initially there must be a revelation of Jesus Christ made quick to our soul that we will declare to have no other love but Him and His union with the Father. If that doesn't happen we will have warfare --- and "...the violent will take it by force"..
Can we see that this must be on the individual level that will enlarge [Him]self and become the corporate disposition. We have it backward by hoping for the corporate [revival] to effect the individual [revival].
Will programs and revivals sustain or is it to be our love for Christ Jesus? If we falter will it be because we need revived or because our we have left our first love?
Paul and Peter said this:
1 Cor. 3:2 (KJV)
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
Hebrews 5:12-13 (KJV)
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. [13] For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
1 Peter 2:2 (KJV)
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby:
..
This is an indictment for those Chriatians desiring to be spoon fed and burped, believing heaven is still the goal and not son-ship.
:-(rm |
| | 2006/9/26 6:49 | | roadsign
Member
Joined: 2005/5/2
Posts: 3777
| | Re: | | Quote:
This is an indictment for those Chriatians desiring to be spoon fed and burped, believing heaven is still the goal and not son-ship.
Ormly, it looks like you are speaking of those professing believers who pray for revival but cant see that they themselves have stony hearts. They resist personal revival ie Gods inner work, yet desire it in the bigger picture.
I suppose there is a tendency to assume that anyone who is burdened for revival is himself revived (ie Christ-centered). Its like one who is intensely disturbed about his weedy and stony backyard. He prays every day for a beautiful garden. However, he have makes no effort to learn about gardening, about plants, about soils, watering, etc. He fails to see good plants sprouting here and there, and so he makes no effort to feed and water them and protect them from the weeds. Surely those are indications that he is out of touch with Mother Nature like a pray-er who is not connected with the Source of Life.
I find the prayers in the New Testament fascinating. These prayers pour from those who are united with Christ. There is something to be said in what is prayed for, and who is prayed for. Couldnt you say that these are revival prayers? They are prayers for the growth and strengthening of Gods kingdom. Surely its not right to neglect the ministry to the saints, while focusing on the masses of the unsaved out there, and all the aberrations of Christianity:
ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus, and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
(THE BELIEVERS) I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened
Eph 1:15
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you (THE BELIEVERS) with power through his Spirit in his inner being
. Eph. 1:16
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, (THE BELIEVERS) we have not stopped praying for you, asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will.. Co.1:9
Eppaphras
is always wrestling in prayer for you
(THE BELIEVERS) that you may stand firm in the will of God, mature and fully assured. Col. 4:12
Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you ( the BELIEVERS) and supply what is lacking in your faith. 1 Thes. 3:10
And this is my prayer: that your (the BELIEVERS) love may abound more and more.. Phil 1:9
I sure would value petitions such as these prayed on my behalf. Surely my own spiritual growth would be a benefit to the kingdom.
Diane
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Diane
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| | 2006/9/26 8:31 | Profile |
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