August 31st, 2022
The Upward Look, by Jon Forrest
PRAY FOR REVIVAL
A young minister was preaching a Revival at a small church. Following the service the pastor of the church asked him to stand at the front door with him to greet people as they left to go home. He enjoyed talking with several people, all of whom were very nice and complimentary of his message.
Unexpectedly, a woman walked up to him and took him off guard. She grabbed his hand and looked him straight in the eye saying, "Preacher, that was a sorry sermon.” Instead of leaving she whirled around and walked back inside the worship center. Stunned, he didn’t know what to think. Minutes later she re-appeared. This time she shook his hand, and said, "A sorry sermon and you didn’t even preach it well."
Just as she had before, she turned and strutted back into the worship center. A few minutes later she returned, looked him straight in the eye, shook his hand for the third time and said, "A sorry sermon and you didn’t preach it well, and I hope you never come back."
The young minister was crushed. He turned to the pastor and said, "What’s with this woman?" The pastor quickly said, "Don’t pay any attention to her. She’s not very bright. She just goes around repeating what she hears everybody else say.”
More and more, revival meetings are becoming a thing of the past. Churches across the country, frustrated by poor attendance and a general lack of enthusiasm, are dumping these events in droves. We should have seen it coming when churches went from two-week events to one-week to three or four days. Perhaps people became so occupied with other scheduled activities that they just couldn’t squeeze these spiritual rallies into their calendars.
The problem to me is that we have compressed revival into an activity, rather than a spiritual happening. We set them up on a timetable and wait for and hope for God to do something on our schedule. I’m also thinking that churches don’t put enough heart into these meetings. The passion of prayer and personal repentance that need to happen get left out. The desire to reach out to unsaved friends with a personal heartfelt invitation gets pushed to the side.
I would like to challenge you to make our upcoming Revival Meeting a priority now. We don’t have to wait for our evangelist to come for it to start. The Holy Spirit is the author of Revival and hearts can begin to experience spiritual renewal anytime God moves in them. Each of us can begin to make a list of areas in our own lives we need God to change. We can include in our list people we know who need Jesus to enter their lives and others who may be struggling spiritually. Start praying for each situation on the list as they are added and then keep praying. Pray for Andy Avery, our special messenger/evangelist that God will anoint him and his message powerfully and that we will hear exactly what we need to hear. Pray that God will anoint the ears and hearts of all who hear these messages and that people who need Jesus will attend and be touched by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Pray that revival will extend far beyond the 5 days we meet together. Pray that revival will begin in you, spread through the church family and to the community and beyond. And don't forget to INVITE INVITE INVITE everyone you know. Each invitation is an opportunity for God to do something BIG in someone's life!
When we are filled with the Spirit, we will overflow to the point that others get wet too. There is nothing you will do during those days that is more important than what God can do in you and through you during this time. We are not talking about 5 days! We are looking at ETERNITY! What else will you do that week that effects ETERNITY, at least for the good.
I’m thankful for the opportunity God is presenting for us to share in this impactful gathering.
Sunday I will share with you a message based on Psalm 85 titled Revive Us Again!
Plan now to let God pour out His Spirit into your life and the lives of those around us. God wants to great things! Will you be his instrument of revival or will you get in His way?
Praying for Revival,
Jon
PRAY FOR REVIVAL
A young minister was preaching a Revival at a small church. Following the service the pastor of the church asked him to stand at the front door with him to greet people as they left to go home. He enjoyed talking with several people, all of whom were very nice and complimentary of his message.
Unexpectedly, a woman walked up to him and took him off guard. She grabbed his hand and looked him straight in the eye saying, "Preacher, that was a sorry sermon.” Instead of leaving she whirled around and walked back inside the worship center. Stunned, he didn’t know what to think. Minutes later she re-appeared. This time she shook his hand, and said, "A sorry sermon and you didn’t even preach it well."
Just as she had before, she turned and strutted back into the worship center. A few minutes later she returned, looked him straight in the eye, shook his hand for the third time and said, "A sorry sermon and you didn’t preach it well, and I hope you never come back."
The young minister was crushed. He turned to the pastor and said, "What’s with this woman?" The pastor quickly said, "Don’t pay any attention to her. She’s not very bright. She just goes around repeating what she hears everybody else say.”
More and more, revival meetings are becoming a thing of the past. Churches across the country, frustrated by poor attendance and a general lack of enthusiasm, are dumping these events in droves. We should have seen it coming when churches went from two-week events to one-week to three or four days. Perhaps people became so occupied with other scheduled activities that they just couldn’t squeeze these spiritual rallies into their calendars.
The problem to me is that we have compressed revival into an activity, rather than a spiritual happening. We set them up on a timetable and wait for and hope for God to do something on our schedule. I’m also thinking that churches don’t put enough heart into these meetings. The passion of prayer and personal repentance that need to happen get left out. The desire to reach out to unsaved friends with a personal heartfelt invitation gets pushed to the side.
I would like to challenge you to make our upcoming Revival Meeting a priority now. We don’t have to wait for our evangelist to come for it to start. The Holy Spirit is the author of Revival and hearts can begin to experience spiritual renewal anytime God moves in them. Each of us can begin to make a list of areas in our own lives we need God to change. We can include in our list people we know who need Jesus to enter their lives and others who may be struggling spiritually. Start praying for each situation on the list as they are added and then keep praying. Pray for Andy Avery, our special messenger/evangelist that God will anoint him and his message powerfully and that we will hear exactly what we need to hear. Pray that God will anoint the ears and hearts of all who hear these messages and that people who need Jesus will attend and be touched by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Pray that revival will extend far beyond the 5 days we meet together. Pray that revival will begin in you, spread through the church family and to the community and beyond. And don't forget to INVITE INVITE INVITE everyone you know. Each invitation is an opportunity for God to do something BIG in someone's life!
When we are filled with the Spirit, we will overflow to the point that others get wet too. There is nothing you will do during those days that is more important than what God can do in you and through you during this time. We are not talking about 5 days! We are looking at ETERNITY! What else will you do that week that effects ETERNITY, at least for the good.
I’m thankful for the opportunity God is presenting for us to share in this impactful gathering.
Sunday I will share with you a message based on Psalm 85 titled Revive Us Again!
Plan now to let God pour out His Spirit into your life and the lives of those around us. God wants to great things! Will you be his instrument of revival or will you get in His way?
Praying for Revival,
Jon
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1 Comment
How can we be so bull headed and forget about eternity? Eternity with Jesus is very real and I too am guilty of allowing worldly garbage (even my recovery) to interfere with my relationship with the Holy Spirit. Thank you for this very timely reminder in my life. May God bless your work in great abundance.