CONSIDER THIS: COMMAND

 "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success….Joshua 1:8

Old Fashioned Tent Revival (Image Courtesy Pinterest)

CONSIDER THIS: The command from Joshua to the Israelites entering Canaan is for all people of all time. The book of the Law of God – Bible – is for all generations until He comes and we know this from several scriptures. Our calling is the following:  NOT to let it depart from our mouths/hearts/minds; to meditate on it always and to walk carefully in Holiness! Is this easy? No, it is not. We are going to drop our phone or tablet and crack the screen. Subsequently, the urge to let out a four letter word is right there. If it slips out, repent immediately, but if the Bible is second nature to you, then recall the words of Isaiah who told God face to Face “I am a man of unclean lips”, and the Lord cleansed his mouth with a burning coal. Bringing Scripture to mind will avert almost ANY desire to react in sin and fury.

ACTION:  Start memorizing Scripture. Apart from just reading over and over and memorizing that way, a good way is to write it out by hand. Using your prayer journal or ESV or other Journaling Bible, start by writing out Psalm 23. Be slow and intentional by focusing on every line which is written. When this is memorized, go to Psalm 34 and write only a portion per day. DO that for a month and watch the difference  both in you and in your alone time with the Lord.

Heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus, Who is the Word Who became flesh. Your Word in the natural here on earth is all we need, after Salvation and to continue to fight that which lives accuses and attempt to deceive us. Wpsalm e thank You that Jesus shows us how to approach these less-than-ideal situations by the Sword of the Word  – as in “It is written”. Help us to be so saturated by the Word of God that it becomes second nature and we can draw on the right verse, at the right time, for any occasion, for such a time as this, in Jesus Strong Name amen.

OLD SCHOOL TENT REVIVAL SUNDAY JUNE 19 – SUNDAY JUNE 26, 2016. MEETING STARTS AT 6:30 PM NIGHTLY, SPRINGFIELD, IL

Old Fashioned Tent Revival kicks off from Sunday June 19 nightly until Sunday June 26, 2016 at the corner of North 5th and Enos Streets, Springfield Illinois(right next to the building seen in this photo). We are usually done around 8:15 pm – 8:30 pm.

Seating is available in the tent and off street parking is available all long both 5th and 6th Streets. Personal prayer or counseling (all free) are available each night on request. Please bring your bible. Jesus Christ is in the House and He is Lord! This is your REAL summer time refreshment!

ROSTER:

SUNDAY JUNE 19: Preacher: Bernie Lutchman (BMIC President & Sonshine Ministries)

MONDAY June 20:  Preacher: Pastor Daniel Yielding (Bind Up the Wounded Church, Oakford, Il.)

TUESDAY June 21: Preacher: Pastor Daniel Yielding (BUTW Church)

WEDNESDAY June 22: Preacher: Dr, Earl Powell (BMIC Chaplain)

THURSDAY June 23: Preacher: Pastor Daniel Yielding (BUTW Church)

FRIDAY June 24: Preacher: Bernie Lutchman (BMIC President & Sonshine Ministries)

SATURDAY June 25: Preacher: Faith Outreach Christian Center led by Pastors Paul and Zach Ayappa

SUNDAY June 26: Preacher: Faith Outreach Christian Center led by Pastors Paul and Zach Ayappa

Music all week led by Pastor Daniel Wilson (Clementine Church);  Terry Lynn Gaddis (BUTW Church); Bernie Lutchman (BMIC & Sonshine Ministries); Zach Ayappa (MB); Brandon Austin.

KEYS TO REVIVAL

KEY #1 - COUNT IT ALL JOY

As one whose faith in the Lord Jesus Christ was permanent affected by a revival

at age 11, it has been a life long quest to see same everywhere.  I can't remember when well-meaning church leaders have NOT prayed for revival. These are all tremendous and worthwhile goals and no one I know is against any of it. However for revival to occur, it must start with us as individuals. Unless a person has found his/her peace, joy contentment and has been rejuvenated by THE SPIRIT of the Lord, all talk of revival is elementary. 

There is a reason that revival, like Jesus tarries. The reason is that we, as a body are not ready and we are not ready because we are not repentant. We are not even engaged, apart from a bold few nationally and locally, in stand up for the Truth, the Gospel and the Way of the Lord. So why then should the Father in Heaven allow another great awakening on His Spirit in a land where even Christians act like they would rather have the world, than Jesus?

I am reading a book called "The Printer and the Preacher" by Randy Peterson and its well-researched details are stunning! The printer is Benjamin Franklin, the most memorable of all the Founding Fathers of the United States and the preacher is the man- George Whitefield - who brought the Gospel to America that gave her its now troubled soul. 

There could not have been two more different men in this world - one (Whitefield) an outcast from the state church who led the First Great Awakening/Revival in the US and was faithful to his wife and our Lord and the other (Franklin) - a genius in everything he touched, but who loved the flesh more than the Father. Yet, both cooperated in true friendship to bring a new life to a new land.

What made it work back in the mid 1700's was decency and civility towards a common goal, even from the non-Christian Franklin. What is happening to day harkens back to the earliest day in the church when Peter and John were on the run from those current rulers of iniquity - Romans and religious. Sure, these are the times which trouble men's souls, but these are also the times where many are falling away to their own future loss before a great white throne. Jesus' half brother James showed us the way to not just persevere through these days of return to the persecuted church, but to emerge victorious. The fact remains, revival or not, we are victorious at the end of the day - not the dark side, whose victory will not stand in the Day of the Lord.

James 1:2-4 says "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing".

So the first step to revival, after being justified fully and walking in righteous faith - regardless of the evil foul winds of culture - is we must "CONSIDER/COUNT/ESTEEM....or reckon it, be of the opinion..." that these kinds of days we see in the world around us today, were going to happen and we have to make it through these storms. This is not easy to do. In the Middle East and Asia we see God's people brutalized beyond description. We cannot imagine why this is happening. Yet, we are to "count it all joy". In the US, we see lives, businesses and people literally destroyed for being authentic followers of Jesus while powerful leaders only talk and claim to be of Christ, because it is the decent label to have in the west - Christian.  Still we count it all joy!

In small towns and cities and various other places, the remnant of the Lord Jesus Christ still proclaims the Love, Truth and Power of the Gospel. We count it all joy by being proactive and walking in His Light while people love the darkness more. We count it all joy to share the Hope that is within us with as many as possible because their time is short as well, and most are not ready. Revival is coming - but only to those whose hearts are open to true hope, change and transformation. This is our charge to keep, as we press forward into a new season of evangelism, proclamation and sharing the Love of the Savior. We are ready.

(Image courtesy: Christian Clip Art)