Imagine a church full of Christians devoted to prayer. No doubt, it is wishful thinking to believe that every follower of Jesus in the church would be a prayer warrior, but why not dream big for the kingdom. It also does not mean that the Wednesday night prayer time is packed (though that would be nice). But it does it mean that in every gathering there is time set apart for prayer. It also means that individual prayer would like breathing. Prayer would would be so natural that we do not even realize we are doing it.
Am I dreaming? Imagine the blessings God would lavish on the church!
Friday, July 28, 2006
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
I Am Back!
Wow, it has been a long time since I have contributed to my blog. I was basically out of town for a month. I was in St. Paul, MN (Annual Meeting of the Baptist General Conference), Sweden, Russia, Finland and Norway (vacation). I am still a little tired, and if I don't get on a plane anytime soon, that will be just fine!
Back to the subject of prayer and revival. Here is a pretty good quote on constant praying...
"He prays well who is so absorbed with God that he does not know he is praying." ... Francois de Sales (1567-1622)
Many of God's Blessing as we seek His face in prayer!
Bryan
Back to the subject of prayer and revival. Here is a pretty good quote on constant praying...
"He prays well who is so absorbed with God that he does not know he is praying." ... Francois de Sales (1567-1622)
Many of God's Blessing as we seek His face in prayer!
Bryan
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Dee Duke
Today in the Bethel Theological Seminary chapel in St. Paul, MN I spent much of the day listening to Pastor Dee Duke (Dee is a man!). He is the pastor of Jefferson Baptist Church in Jefferson, Oregon. He stated that he was excited about the Oregon State Beavers who just won the College World Series in Omaha. I was fortunate to watch the team beat Georgia last week.
As stated in my blog yesterday, God's power and glory was manifested after Pastor Duke led Jefferson Baptist Church to become a house of prayer. The motto of the church: "Much prayer, much blessing; little prayer, little blessing; no prayer, no blessing" is a good reminder for all of us to pray much.
Have a good day
Bryan
As stated in my blog yesterday, God's power and glory was manifested after Pastor Duke led Jefferson Baptist Church to become a house of prayer. The motto of the church: "Much prayer, much blessing; little prayer, little blessing; no prayer, no blessing" is a good reminder for all of us to pray much.
Have a good day
Bryan
Monday, June 26, 2006
Prayer Champions at BGC Annual Meeting at Bethel University on June 27
Below are the words of Dana Olson. His blog site is also devoted to the subject of prayer. It is www.prayerfirst.blogspot.com
On June 27th our Prayer First ministry is sponsoring a day for Prayer Champions. If you are currently trying to mobilize prayer in your church, or simply have a heart for prayer in your church, you are welcome to this event. You will receive a free copy of Dee Duke's book, Prayer Quest, and Dee will share his remarkable story and insights in two sessions. Please join us from 11:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Seminary Chapel of Bethel University. Cost for on-site registration is only $35, and that includes the free book! Here is an article I wrote briefly sharing Dee's story. It appeared this spring in the magazine, BGC World:
“What do you mean you’re leaving?”
By Dana Olson
When Dee Duke’s father took military retirement, he purchased a dairy farm in Washington. Dee’s high school graduation dream was to be the world’s greatest dairy farmer. Prior to settling down with his dad, he decided to enter Bible college.
There, the young Duke and his wife helped a pastor start a church in the small town of Jefferson, Ore. When he finished school, Duke, his wife and kids returned to the farm. It was his great love. He also became very active in his local church — so much so that the pastor wanted to make him his assistant. This sounded terrific to Duke, dairy farming and ministry together. But at the church business meeting the proposal was defeated.
Deeply disappointed, Duke poured himself into the farm. It seemed his future lay there. Then one day the telephone rang. It was Jefferson, Ore., calling. “We don’t know if you’ve heard, but things have not gone well here. The pastor left and we’re down to just a few people. We are planning to close the church, but we thought that before we did, we would call you. If you and your wife will come back to Jefferson, we’ll keep the church open and try to make a go of it.”
Whew. A tough decision. Duke loved that farm, and plans were in place for him to take it over. But there was a pull to use his ministry training. His father advised, “Perhaps if you don’t give this a try, you’ll always regret it.” So Duke and his family packed up and moved to Jefferson.
The ministry flourished. Jefferson Baptist Church grew to 50, then 75, 100 and more. The people responded, and God blessed the work.
Then there were setbacks. The church fell into a pattern of ups and downs, growing toward 200 attendees, then falling back to 100. The church remained viable, but the peaks and valleys were starting to take a toll. The breakthrough of that 200 barrier never seemed to come. Duke finally thought he had done all he could. He prepared a resignation letter.
Before he could submit it at the next board meeting, another letter arrived. It came from Joe Aldrich, then president of Multnomah School of the Bible, inviting Duke to join other pastors from the region at the first-ever “pastors prayer summit.”
No agenda, except four days of worship and prayer. No special speakers. No planning or strategy meetings. Just prayer. This seemed impossible to Duke. How could anyone pray for four days?
But the summit would be held at a camp on the gorgeous Oregon coast, and Duke thought how nice it would be to hike the coast before resigning. He would attend some of the prayer sessions and walk the coast when bored.
It never got boring. God touched that first summit with revival. Many pastors changed dramatically — Duke was one of them. He didn’t skip a session.
Before leaving the camp, he made a list of seven prayer goals for himself and his church:
Spend one uninterrupted hour per day praying by himself.
Spend one hour per day praying with at least one other person.
Pray for everyone in the church by name weekly.
Pray at least once per month with other pastors.
Preach on prayer for three months.
Plan four major church prayer events each year (always precede a major evangelistic thrust).
Identify their “farm” (20 miles in every direction from the church). Claim it and target prayer for it.
Duke returned to JBC and shared these seven items. The congregation began the journey to become a praying church. As they did, God confronted them about their lack of love. Known today as a praying church, they are also known as the loving church, because they have constantly searched for practical ways to show love to the community.
In a town of 2200 people, JBC has an attendance of well over 1000 people and has planted two daughter churches nearby, with a third starting in September. They have extensive missions work overseas. Many prayer ministries have developed, including targeted prayer teams, an official “church intercessors” group (commit to 100 hours of prayer for the year: 50 at home and 50 at church) and more than 40 prayer meetings per week.
Their motto: “Much prayer, much blessing; little prayer, little blessing; no prayer, no blessing.”
DANA OLSON IS DIRECTOR OF BGC PRAYER FIRST MINISTRIES
On June 27th our Prayer First ministry is sponsoring a day for Prayer Champions. If you are currently trying to mobilize prayer in your church, or simply have a heart for prayer in your church, you are welcome to this event. You will receive a free copy of Dee Duke's book, Prayer Quest, and Dee will share his remarkable story and insights in two sessions. Please join us from 11:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Seminary Chapel of Bethel University. Cost for on-site registration is only $35, and that includes the free book! Here is an article I wrote briefly sharing Dee's story. It appeared this spring in the magazine, BGC World:
“What do you mean you’re leaving?”
By Dana Olson
When Dee Duke’s father took military retirement, he purchased a dairy farm in Washington. Dee’s high school graduation dream was to be the world’s greatest dairy farmer. Prior to settling down with his dad, he decided to enter Bible college.
There, the young Duke and his wife helped a pastor start a church in the small town of Jefferson, Ore. When he finished school, Duke, his wife and kids returned to the farm. It was his great love. He also became very active in his local church — so much so that the pastor wanted to make him his assistant. This sounded terrific to Duke, dairy farming and ministry together. But at the church business meeting the proposal was defeated.
Deeply disappointed, Duke poured himself into the farm. It seemed his future lay there. Then one day the telephone rang. It was Jefferson, Ore., calling. “We don’t know if you’ve heard, but things have not gone well here. The pastor left and we’re down to just a few people. We are planning to close the church, but we thought that before we did, we would call you. If you and your wife will come back to Jefferson, we’ll keep the church open and try to make a go of it.”
Whew. A tough decision. Duke loved that farm, and plans were in place for him to take it over. But there was a pull to use his ministry training. His father advised, “Perhaps if you don’t give this a try, you’ll always regret it.” So Duke and his family packed up and moved to Jefferson.
The ministry flourished. Jefferson Baptist Church grew to 50, then 75, 100 and more. The people responded, and God blessed the work.
Then there were setbacks. The church fell into a pattern of ups and downs, growing toward 200 attendees, then falling back to 100. The church remained viable, but the peaks and valleys were starting to take a toll. The breakthrough of that 200 barrier never seemed to come. Duke finally thought he had done all he could. He prepared a resignation letter.
Before he could submit it at the next board meeting, another letter arrived. It came from Joe Aldrich, then president of Multnomah School of the Bible, inviting Duke to join other pastors from the region at the first-ever “pastors prayer summit.”
No agenda, except four days of worship and prayer. No special speakers. No planning or strategy meetings. Just prayer. This seemed impossible to Duke. How could anyone pray for four days?
But the summit would be held at a camp on the gorgeous Oregon coast, and Duke thought how nice it would be to hike the coast before resigning. He would attend some of the prayer sessions and walk the coast when bored.
It never got boring. God touched that first summit with revival. Many pastors changed dramatically — Duke was one of them. He didn’t skip a session.
Before leaving the camp, he made a list of seven prayer goals for himself and his church:
Spend one uninterrupted hour per day praying by himself.
Spend one hour per day praying with at least one other person.
Pray for everyone in the church by name weekly.
Pray at least once per month with other pastors.
Preach on prayer for three months.
Plan four major church prayer events each year (always precede a major evangelistic thrust).
Identify their “farm” (20 miles in every direction from the church). Claim it and target prayer for it.
Duke returned to JBC and shared these seven items. The congregation began the journey to become a praying church. As they did, God confronted them about their lack of love. Known today as a praying church, they are also known as the loving church, because they have constantly searched for practical ways to show love to the community.
In a town of 2200 people, JBC has an attendance of well over 1000 people and has planted two daughter churches nearby, with a third starting in September. They have extensive missions work overseas. Many prayer ministries have developed, including targeted prayer teams, an official “church intercessors” group (commit to 100 hours of prayer for the year: 50 at home and 50 at church) and more than 40 prayer meetings per week.
Their motto: “Much prayer, much blessing; little prayer, little blessing; no prayer, no blessing.”
DANA OLSON IS DIRECTOR OF BGC PRAYER FIRST MINISTRIES
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Are We Spiritually Bankrupt?
In the book, "The School of Charity" (1934), Evelyn Underhill made the observation that we are spiritually bankrupt when we do not love as we are called to love. "If we do not at least try to manifest something of Creative Charity in our dealings with life, whether by action, thought, or prayer, and do it at our own cost--if we roll up the talent of love in the nice white napkin of piety and put it safely out of the way, sorry that the world is so hungry and thirsty, so sick and so fettered, and leave it at that: then, even that little talent may be taken from us. We may discover at the crucial moment that we are spiritually bankrupt."
Monday, June 19, 2006
1904 Revival in Wales
Good Morning. Much has been written about the 1904 revival in Wales. Below is yet another reminder that in the same way that revival visited that country, America is in need of a fresh fire from heaven.
Revival in Wales, 1904
he second Sunday of February 1904, Florrie Evans rose to speak in a youth meeting at Tabernacle Calvinistic Methodist Church in New Quay, Wales: I am unable to say very much today but I love the Lord Jesus with all my heart he died for me.1 Her words were few, but they were quite enough to spark a nationwide revival, with 85,000 new professions of faith in Christ.
Distressed at the low spiritual state of churches in the area, her pastor, Joseph Jenkins, had scheduled meetings to address the problem. Florrie attended and became convicted of sin. When she sought Jenkins counsel, he asked if Jesus were Lord of her life. She delivered her answer at that February youth gathering, and the Word and Spirit spread from that place mightily.
The groundwork laid in previous centuries was considerable. Elizabeth I saw the Bible translated into Welsh in the 16th century.2 In the 17th century, Rees Pritchard put Puritan teaching to rhyme as a memory aid for laymen.3 In the early 18th century, Griffith Jones founded literacy schools, with the Welsh Bible as the text.4 Mid-century, the preaching of Hywel Harris and Daniel Rowland complemented the work of Wesley and Whitefield in England.5 Meanwhile, William Williams, the Welsh Charles Wesley, penned such hymns as Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah.6 With the 19th century came Non-Conformist chapels and preachers, including the Baptist Christmas Evans.7 In 1859, the New York Prayer Revival jumped the Atlantic, adding perhaps 100,000 souls to Welsh churches. But by 1900, liberalism and worldliness had sapped the strength of Welsh Christianity.8
The first Keswick-in-Wales Convention, held in the summer of 1903, stirred the hearts of many young ministers, causing them to yearn for more spiritual power. This was their prayer, and, in 1904, this was God's gift to them.9 The fire was lit in February, and the subsequent blessings were manifold and widespread. Here are some of the more noteworthy features of the revival:
1. The Prayer. Seth Joshua prayed, Bend us, Oh Lord,and that became the revival cry.10
2. The Preacher. At Seth Joshua's and the Holy Spirit's prompting, Evan Roberts prayed Bend me, Oh Lord, and God empowered him to be the revivals lead preacher.11
3. The Library. Besides the Bible, Evan Roberts credited three books with greatest impact on his ministry: Thomas Charles Christian Instructor: A Summary of Christian Teaching, The Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Hymnbook, and John Bunyan's The Pilgrims Progress.12
4. The Healing. When doctors told Roberts brother Dan that his eyesight was deteriorating, Evan said the Lord needed him, and his eyes would be healed. They were immediately.13
5. The Way. Roberts urged hearers to: (1) Confess sin to God as the Spirit reveals it; (2) Remove doubtful things from one's life; (3) Surrender to the Spirit totally; (4) Confess Christ publicly.14
6. The Revival Love Song.Annie Davies rendition of Here Is Love Vast as the Ocean.15
7. The Political Impact. Welsh MP and later British Prime Minister Lloyd George cancelled political meetings to avoid conflicts with the revival.16
8. The Social Impact. The crime rate dropped, old debts were repaid, ale houses stood empty, and work improved in the mines.17
9. The Unity. Denominational rivalry largely disappeared during the revival.18
10. The Attacks. No work of God would be complete without its detractors. Rev. Peter Price, a Congregational Minister in Dowlais, took to the newspapers to denounce Evan Roberts.19
The revival was a glorious time, but spiritual vitality is not inherited. Today, Wales languishes in spiritual disarray. But God has returned in power to that region repeatedly in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Now, in the 21st century, it is time once again for urgent utterance of the prayer, Bend us, Oh Lord. It appears that great things happen when the people thus petition God.
Footnotes :
1 Kevin Adams and Emyr Jones, A Pictorial History of Revival: The Outbreak of the 1904 Welsh Awakening (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2004), 40-43.
2 Ibid., 20.
3 Ibid., 22.
4 Ibid., 23.
5 Ibid., 24.
6 Ibid.
7 Ibid., 25.
8 Ibid., 30-31.
9 Ibid., 36.
10 Ibid., 65.
11 Ibid.
12 Ibid., 52.
13 Ibid., 75.
Revival in Wales, 1904
he second Sunday of February 1904, Florrie Evans rose to speak in a youth meeting at Tabernacle Calvinistic Methodist Church in New Quay, Wales: I am unable to say very much today but I love the Lord Jesus with all my heart he died for me.1 Her words were few, but they were quite enough to spark a nationwide revival, with 85,000 new professions of faith in Christ.
Distressed at the low spiritual state of churches in the area, her pastor, Joseph Jenkins, had scheduled meetings to address the problem. Florrie attended and became convicted of sin. When she sought Jenkins counsel, he asked if Jesus were Lord of her life. She delivered her answer at that February youth gathering, and the Word and Spirit spread from that place mightily.
The groundwork laid in previous centuries was considerable. Elizabeth I saw the Bible translated into Welsh in the 16th century.2 In the 17th century, Rees Pritchard put Puritan teaching to rhyme as a memory aid for laymen.3 In the early 18th century, Griffith Jones founded literacy schools, with the Welsh Bible as the text.4 Mid-century, the preaching of Hywel Harris and Daniel Rowland complemented the work of Wesley and Whitefield in England.5 Meanwhile, William Williams, the Welsh Charles Wesley, penned such hymns as Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah.6 With the 19th century came Non-Conformist chapels and preachers, including the Baptist Christmas Evans.7 In 1859, the New York Prayer Revival jumped the Atlantic, adding perhaps 100,000 souls to Welsh churches. But by 1900, liberalism and worldliness had sapped the strength of Welsh Christianity.8
The first Keswick-in-Wales Convention, held in the summer of 1903, stirred the hearts of many young ministers, causing them to yearn for more spiritual power. This was their prayer, and, in 1904, this was God's gift to them.9 The fire was lit in February, and the subsequent blessings were manifold and widespread. Here are some of the more noteworthy features of the revival:
1. The Prayer. Seth Joshua prayed, Bend us, Oh Lord,and that became the revival cry.10
2. The Preacher. At Seth Joshua's and the Holy Spirit's prompting, Evan Roberts prayed Bend me, Oh Lord, and God empowered him to be the revivals lead preacher.11
3. The Library. Besides the Bible, Evan Roberts credited three books with greatest impact on his ministry: Thomas Charles Christian Instructor: A Summary of Christian Teaching, The Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Hymnbook, and John Bunyan's The Pilgrims Progress.12
4. The Healing. When doctors told Roberts brother Dan that his eyesight was deteriorating, Evan said the Lord needed him, and his eyes would be healed. They were immediately.13
5. The Way. Roberts urged hearers to: (1) Confess sin to God as the Spirit reveals it; (2) Remove doubtful things from one's life; (3) Surrender to the Spirit totally; (4) Confess Christ publicly.14
6. The Revival Love Song.Annie Davies rendition of Here Is Love Vast as the Ocean.15
7. The Political Impact. Welsh MP and later British Prime Minister Lloyd George cancelled political meetings to avoid conflicts with the revival.16
8. The Social Impact. The crime rate dropped, old debts were repaid, ale houses stood empty, and work improved in the mines.17
9. The Unity. Denominational rivalry largely disappeared during the revival.18
10. The Attacks. No work of God would be complete without its detractors. Rev. Peter Price, a Congregational Minister in Dowlais, took to the newspapers to denounce Evan Roberts.19
The revival was a glorious time, but spiritual vitality is not inherited. Today, Wales languishes in spiritual disarray. But God has returned in power to that region repeatedly in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Now, in the 21st century, it is time once again for urgent utterance of the prayer, Bend us, Oh Lord. It appears that great things happen when the people thus petition God.
Footnotes :
1 Kevin Adams and Emyr Jones, A Pictorial History of Revival: The Outbreak of the 1904 Welsh Awakening (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2004), 40-43.
2 Ibid., 20.
3 Ibid., 22.
4 Ibid., 23.
5 Ibid., 24.
6 Ibid.
7 Ibid., 25.
8 Ibid., 30-31.
9 Ibid., 36.
10 Ibid., 65.
11 Ibid.
12 Ibid., 52.
13 Ibid., 75.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
A.W. Tozer on the Church Impacting Society
In the book, "God Tells the Man Who Cares", A.W. Tozer wrote that the church will actually transform the surrounding community as she prays and seeks to be uncontaminated by the world...
"By consecration, detachment, obedience and unceasing prayer we must escape the clutches of the world. Pure Christianity, instead of being shaped by its environment, actually stands in sharp opposition to it, and where the power of God has been present over a sustained period the church has sometimes reversed the direction of things and exercised a purifying effect upon society" (p. 45).
Historically, revival begins with God's people in the church, and then it moves out into the community. Revival is not needed if the church is actually being the church that God intended. Holiness and "unceasing prayer" will get us closer to what the Lord desires.
For Jesus Alone!
Bryan
"By consecration, detachment, obedience and unceasing prayer we must escape the clutches of the world. Pure Christianity, instead of being shaped by its environment, actually stands in sharp opposition to it, and where the power of God has been present over a sustained period the church has sometimes reversed the direction of things and exercised a purifying effect upon society" (p. 45).
Historically, revival begins with God's people in the church, and then it moves out into the community. Revival is not needed if the church is actually being the church that God intended. Holiness and "unceasing prayer" will get us closer to what the Lord desires.
For Jesus Alone!
Bryan
Monday, June 12, 2006
Prayer or Committees?
In the early 1900s, Samuel Chadwick said, "The church that multiplies committees and neglects prayer may be fussy, noisy, enterprising, but it labors in vain and spends its strength for naught. It is possible to excel in mechanics and fail in dynamics. There is an abundance of machinery; what is wanting is power" (quoted in Fresh Power by Jim Cymbala, p. 142).
It is not any different in the 21st century. A church that emphasis committees, programs, marketing, technology, meeting the budget or anything over fervent prayer will be wanting in power.
It is not any different in the 21st century. A church that emphasis committees, programs, marketing, technology, meeting the budget or anything over fervent prayer will be wanting in power.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Rebuilding the Church Altar
Good morning. Vance Havner passed away 10 years ago, but his word to the church is still very much alive. This article is from Kairos Journal Weekly...
Spiritual Drought—Vance Havner (1901 – 1986)
Vance Havner grew up in the hills of North Carolina in the early twentieth century. Licensed to preach at the age of twelve and ordained at fifteen, this “backwoods” Baptist preacher spent his life calling people to true repentance. Boldly proclaiming the Word of God for seventy-three years, Havner came to be loved and known for his exacting style and ingenious wordplay. In the passage below, he draws pointed parallels between the people of God during Elijah’s times—the Mt. Carmel confrontation (1 Kings 18:30-39)—and the Church of his times. As Havner observes, fire from heaven falls on faithful prophets not on slick public-relations professionals.
The conditions today are just about much the same as they were in the times of Elijah. We’re living in a spiritual drought. There’s a famine of the hearing the Word of the Lord. Ahab and Jezebel sit in high places. Idolatry abounds. And yet God has His faithful remnant. We need an Elijah who can face Ahab and call convocation on Carmel, a confrontation with Baal, and a showdown with forces of evil.
We’re a little short on prophets. We need to rebuild the broken altar and put the sacrifice of a dedicated life thereupon. But before we can expect any fire from heaven, we must drench the altar. I’ve heard plenty of preaching about rebuilding the altar. I’ve heard sermons about presenting our body as living sacrifice. But the hardest lesson for anybody in Christian service to learn is that we cannot help God out in the slightest by warming up the altar in the energy of the flesh.
We try to start a fire of our own and think that’ll help out God’s fire. It won’t do it. We’re ashamed to be laughed at by the world. We don’t dare face the Midianites with Gideon’s band, so we mob-o-lize. We don’t mobilize, we mob-o-lize a multitude who know little and care less about spiritual warfare, who never have understood that the Bible is the Lord’s and the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. We’re afraid to face old Goliath today with sling and stone. We want to wear the latest equipment, and Saul’s armory is working overtime. We must be up-to-date and borrow all the technique of the world to do the work of God. But you can’t organize revivals as you do secular things, as the world puts on its drives and campaigns.
You can’t run a church as you would a business corporation. You can’t work up mere human enthusiasm to put over the work of the Lord. We all give lip service, of course, to the Holy Spirit: “Not by might nor power, but by my Spirit” (Zech. 4:6). We sing, “Kindle a flame of sacred love in these cold hearts of ours” (Isaac Watts, “Come Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove,” 1707). But actually we’re so wired up to our own devices that if the fire doesn’t fall from heaven, we can turn on a switch and produce some false fire of our own. And if there’s no sound of a mighty rushing wind, we’ve got the bellows all set to blow hot air instead.
But God answers by fire, not by feelings, not by fame, not by finances. You can blow up quite a blaze today on Carmel. We can do it, yes. But people are not crying out today, “The LORD, he is the God” (1 Kings 18:39).1
Footnotes :
1 Vance Hanver, When God Breaks Through: Sermons on Revival, edited and complied by Dennis J. Hester (Grand Rapids, MI; Kregel Publications, 2003), 54-55.
Spiritual Drought—Vance Havner (1901 – 1986)
Vance Havner grew up in the hills of North Carolina in the early twentieth century. Licensed to preach at the age of twelve and ordained at fifteen, this “backwoods” Baptist preacher spent his life calling people to true repentance. Boldly proclaiming the Word of God for seventy-three years, Havner came to be loved and known for his exacting style and ingenious wordplay. In the passage below, he draws pointed parallels between the people of God during Elijah’s times—the Mt. Carmel confrontation (1 Kings 18:30-39)—and the Church of his times. As Havner observes, fire from heaven falls on faithful prophets not on slick public-relations professionals.
The conditions today are just about much the same as they were in the times of Elijah. We’re living in a spiritual drought. There’s a famine of the hearing the Word of the Lord. Ahab and Jezebel sit in high places. Idolatry abounds. And yet God has His faithful remnant. We need an Elijah who can face Ahab and call convocation on Carmel, a confrontation with Baal, and a showdown with forces of evil.
We’re a little short on prophets. We need to rebuild the broken altar and put the sacrifice of a dedicated life thereupon. But before we can expect any fire from heaven, we must drench the altar. I’ve heard plenty of preaching about rebuilding the altar. I’ve heard sermons about presenting our body as living sacrifice. But the hardest lesson for anybody in Christian service to learn is that we cannot help God out in the slightest by warming up the altar in the energy of the flesh.
We try to start a fire of our own and think that’ll help out God’s fire. It won’t do it. We’re ashamed to be laughed at by the world. We don’t dare face the Midianites with Gideon’s band, so we mob-o-lize. We don’t mobilize, we mob-o-lize a multitude who know little and care less about spiritual warfare, who never have understood that the Bible is the Lord’s and the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. We’re afraid to face old Goliath today with sling and stone. We want to wear the latest equipment, and Saul’s armory is working overtime. We must be up-to-date and borrow all the technique of the world to do the work of God. But you can’t organize revivals as you do secular things, as the world puts on its drives and campaigns.
You can’t run a church as you would a business corporation. You can’t work up mere human enthusiasm to put over the work of the Lord. We all give lip service, of course, to the Holy Spirit: “Not by might nor power, but by my Spirit” (Zech. 4:6). We sing, “Kindle a flame of sacred love in these cold hearts of ours” (Isaac Watts, “Come Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove,” 1707). But actually we’re so wired up to our own devices that if the fire doesn’t fall from heaven, we can turn on a switch and produce some false fire of our own. And if there’s no sound of a mighty rushing wind, we’ve got the bellows all set to blow hot air instead.
But God answers by fire, not by feelings, not by fame, not by finances. You can blow up quite a blaze today on Carmel. We can do it, yes. But people are not crying out today, “The LORD, he is the God” (1 Kings 18:39).1
Footnotes :
1 Vance Hanver, When God Breaks Through: Sermons on Revival, edited and complied by Dennis J. Hester (Grand Rapids, MI; Kregel Publications, 2003), 54-55.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Moved to Prayer Through "Non Sequitur"
Yesterday I was on my exercise bike and opened up the daily comics. The "Non Sequitur" comic reminded me that people without Jesus will burn in eternity for ever and ever. Brothers and sisters, we need to pray more urgently for those who are not followers of Jesus. At the same time, we need to build relationships with them so they can see a genuine Christian.
Bryan
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Severe Weather is Coming to Omaha
It appears that severe weather is coming to Omaha, Nebraska this evening and tonight. There will be thunderstorms and perhaps large hail. Right now the wind is howling (6:25 pm). We need the rain, but hopefully there will be no damage from hail and wind.
In Acts chapter 2, on the day of Pentecost, the early followers experienced the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit came as a violent wind. The Holy Spirit has been poured out on the church, but there is a need for a fresh wind of the Spirit to blow through American churches.
In Acts chapter 2, on the day of Pentecost, the early followers experienced the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit came as a violent wind. The Holy Spirit has been poured out on the church, but there is a need for a fresh wind of the Spirit to blow through American churches.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Do We Know How to Cry Out to God?
George Barna points out that few American Christians really cried out to God in brokenness...
"Very few American Christians have experienced a sense a brokenness that compelled them to beg God for His mercy and acceptance through the love of Christ. We have a nation of 'Christians' who took the best offer, but relatively few who were so humiliated and hopeless before a holy God that they cried out for undeserved compassion. That helps to explain why in practical terms it's hard to tell the difference between those who have beliefs that characterize them as born again and those who don't" (quoted in David Bryant, Christ is All! A Joyful Manifesto on the Supremacy of God's Son, pg. 244)
If revival is going to come to America, then more of us who claim to follow Jesus must rediscover or discover that sense of broken and desperate prayer to the Lord.
"Very few American Christians have experienced a sense a brokenness that compelled them to beg God for His mercy and acceptance through the love of Christ. We have a nation of 'Christians' who took the best offer, but relatively few who were so humiliated and hopeless before a holy God that they cried out for undeserved compassion. That helps to explain why in practical terms it's hard to tell the difference between those who have beliefs that characterize them as born again and those who don't" (quoted in David Bryant, Christ is All! A Joyful Manifesto on the Supremacy of God's Son, pg. 244)
If revival is going to come to America, then more of us who claim to follow Jesus must rediscover or discover that sense of broken and desperate prayer to the Lord.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
The Prayer Wisdom of Satchel Paige
I have no idea if famous baseball player, Satchel Paige was a follower of Jesus, but I did come across a pretty good quote of his about prayer...
"Don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines"
~Satchel Paige, 1974
Our prayers (and our cries for revival) are to be daily and consistent despite if life is good or bad.
"Don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines"
~Satchel Paige, 1974
Our prayers (and our cries for revival) are to be daily and consistent despite if life is good or bad.
Monday, May 08, 2006
How Do We Pray?
Below is today's devotional from the "Seeking Him" website (http://www.seekinghim.com/radio/today.php). It is a challenge to how we pray. Do we pray safe prayers or do we go to the edge of faith and pray that God will shake us up as people and as churches?
Nancy Leigh DeMoss: Does it seem safer to ask God to look down on us or to come down to us?
In Isaiah 63 the prophet asks God to look down from heaven. He asks God to look at the people's sin.
Then, in the next chapter, he changes his request: Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down. Isaiah is asking God to become more directly involved, to stir things up, to change the hearts of people.
It's easy to ask God to look down: Lord, please watch over us. Please keep us safe. Keep us in Your care. It's more challenging to ask God to come down: Lord, please convict us of sin. Please interrupt our routine and show us Your plans, help us to embrace suffering so we can be more like You.
Lord, rend the heavens, and come down.
With Seeking Him, I'm Nancy Leigh DeMoss.
Nancy Leigh DeMoss: Does it seem safer to ask God to look down on us or to come down to us?
In Isaiah 63 the prophet asks God to look down from heaven. He asks God to look at the people's sin.
Then, in the next chapter, he changes his request: Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down. Isaiah is asking God to become more directly involved, to stir things up, to change the hearts of people.
It's easy to ask God to look down: Lord, please watch over us. Please keep us safe. Keep us in Your care. It's more challenging to ask God to come down: Lord, please convict us of sin. Please interrupt our routine and show us Your plans, help us to embrace suffering so we can be more like You.
Lord, rend the heavens, and come down.
With Seeking Him, I'm Nancy Leigh DeMoss.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Day of Fasting
Below is an e-mail I sent out this morning to God's people at Harvey Oaks Baptist Church...
Good Morning:
Today is the second Tuesday of the month. Thus, it is the day we fast. Some will fast from food for the entire day. Others will fast during the daylight hours. Others will skip a meal or two. Others will fast from television or another activity. We fast in order to seek the Lord. We do so for spiritual breakthroughs in Harvey Oaks Baptist Church and in our lives.
Revival may even result! Elmer Towns writes in his book: Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough the following…
“Each of the sixteenth-century reformers also practiced fasting, as did the leaders of the evangelical revivals in the centuries to follow. Jonathan Edwards fasted for 22 hours prior to preaching his famous sermon, ‘Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.’ During the Layman’s Prayer Revival in America in 1859, Christians fasted during their lunch hours and attended prayer meetings in churches near their places of employment. This revival broke out in large industrial cities of the northeastern United States.
Prayer was often accompanied by fasting as people sought the Lord for spiritual blessing during worldwide awakening in 1906. Billy Graham reports fasting and praying during his voyage to England to conduct his first British crusades in the early 50’s. The response in his meetings as that time has been described as one of the greatest revivals of our time. Many revival movements have advocated a return to the early Christian practice of fasting two days each week” (pg. 27).
Let us fast and pray that revival will come to Harvey Oaks Baptist Church.
Pray also for Neil Hughes, Heartland Baptist Director of Church Health. He will be preaching this Sunday at Harvey Oaks (“Fire & Reign: Emboldened by His Courage).
Reminder: There will be a time of fervent prayer for revival this Saturday in the church board room at 8:00 pm. This will be a time for us to really cut loose and pray for the fire of the Holy Spirit to come and for the reign of Jesus over us.
Let us stay ablaze for Jesus!
Pastor Bryan
Good Morning:
Today is the second Tuesday of the month. Thus, it is the day we fast. Some will fast from food for the entire day. Others will fast during the daylight hours. Others will skip a meal or two. Others will fast from television or another activity. We fast in order to seek the Lord. We do so for spiritual breakthroughs in Harvey Oaks Baptist Church and in our lives.
Revival may even result! Elmer Towns writes in his book: Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough the following…
“Each of the sixteenth-century reformers also practiced fasting, as did the leaders of the evangelical revivals in the centuries to follow. Jonathan Edwards fasted for 22 hours prior to preaching his famous sermon, ‘Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.’ During the Layman’s Prayer Revival in America in 1859, Christians fasted during their lunch hours and attended prayer meetings in churches near their places of employment. This revival broke out in large industrial cities of the northeastern United States.
Prayer was often accompanied by fasting as people sought the Lord for spiritual blessing during worldwide awakening in 1906. Billy Graham reports fasting and praying during his voyage to England to conduct his first British crusades in the early 50’s. The response in his meetings as that time has been described as one of the greatest revivals of our time. Many revival movements have advocated a return to the early Christian practice of fasting two days each week” (pg. 27).
Let us fast and pray that revival will come to Harvey Oaks Baptist Church.
Pray also for Neil Hughes, Heartland Baptist Director of Church Health. He will be preaching this Sunday at Harvey Oaks (“Fire & Reign: Emboldened by His Courage).
Reminder: There will be a time of fervent prayer for revival this Saturday in the church board room at 8:00 pm. This will be a time for us to really cut loose and pray for the fire of the Holy Spirit to come and for the reign of Jesus over us.
Let us stay ablaze for Jesus!
Pastor Bryan
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
How Important is Fasting?
We are currently going through “Fire & Reign” at Harvey Oaks Baptist Church. Many of us are daily going through the 10-week daily devotional book. It is our prayer and goal that the “fire” of the Holy Spirit will come on us so that Jesus will “reign” in all that we do and say as God’s people.
A crucial element during “Fire & Reign” is the day of fasting on the first Tuesday of each month. For some, fasting for the day or part of the day was a brand new experience. Some could not fast from food because of health concerns. So they fasted from TV or spent more time in prayer.
Our second day of fasting will be May 2nd. It will be another opportunity to seek and long for more of God in our lives. I was at a pastor’s one-day retreat last week. One of the speakers was John Wesley Adams, an expert on the subject of revival. He said that American Christians are weak in the area of fasting. We simply do not possess the desire or discipline to fast. Researcher George Barna confirms that followers of Jesus in our country refuse to make the tough choices needed to become more like Jesus. In his latest report, he made the following observations…
“Americans are willing to expend some energy in religious activities such as attending church and reading the Bible, and they are willing to throw some money in the offering basket. Because of such activities, they convince themselves that they are people of genuine faith. But when it comes time to truly establishing their priorities and making a tangible commitment to knowing and loving God, and to allowing Him to change their character and lifestyle, most people stop short. We want to be ‘spiritual’ and we want to have God’s favor, but we’re not sure we want Him taking control of our lives and messing with the image and outcomes we’ve worked so hard to produce" (www.barna.org).
Barna’s last statement is a tough one. Yet, if he is right, then we in the church are more concerned about maintaining our own image rather than allowing the power of the Holy Spirit transform us into the image of Jesus. If God is going to change our “character and lifestyle”, then biblical and God-honoring fasting will play a part.
That takes us back to our day of fasting on the first Tuesday of each month. Why should we participate? Besides the fact that Jesus assumed we would fast (see Matthew 6.16), fasting is a discipline that will help place God in his rightful place in our lives, in the church and in the world. John Piper, in his book A Hunger for God, writes…
“The supremacy of God in all things is the great reward we long for in fasting. His supremacy in our affections and in all our life-choices. His supremacy in the salvation of the lost. His supremacy in the establishing of righteousness and justice. And his supremacy for the joy of all peoples in the evangelization of the world” (pp. 78, 79).
Longing for the Supremacy of God
Bryan
A crucial element during “Fire & Reign” is the day of fasting on the first Tuesday of each month. For some, fasting for the day or part of the day was a brand new experience. Some could not fast from food because of health concerns. So they fasted from TV or spent more time in prayer.
Our second day of fasting will be May 2nd. It will be another opportunity to seek and long for more of God in our lives. I was at a pastor’s one-day retreat last week. One of the speakers was John Wesley Adams, an expert on the subject of revival. He said that American Christians are weak in the area of fasting. We simply do not possess the desire or discipline to fast. Researcher George Barna confirms that followers of Jesus in our country refuse to make the tough choices needed to become more like Jesus. In his latest report, he made the following observations…
“Americans are willing to expend some energy in religious activities such as attending church and reading the Bible, and they are willing to throw some money in the offering basket. Because of such activities, they convince themselves that they are people of genuine faith. But when it comes time to truly establishing their priorities and making a tangible commitment to knowing and loving God, and to allowing Him to change their character and lifestyle, most people stop short. We want to be ‘spiritual’ and we want to have God’s favor, but we’re not sure we want Him taking control of our lives and messing with the image and outcomes we’ve worked so hard to produce" (www.barna.org).
Barna’s last statement is a tough one. Yet, if he is right, then we in the church are more concerned about maintaining our own image rather than allowing the power of the Holy Spirit transform us into the image of Jesus. If God is going to change our “character and lifestyle”, then biblical and God-honoring fasting will play a part.
That takes us back to our day of fasting on the first Tuesday of each month. Why should we participate? Besides the fact that Jesus assumed we would fast (see Matthew 6.16), fasting is a discipline that will help place God in his rightful place in our lives, in the church and in the world. John Piper, in his book A Hunger for God, writes…
“The supremacy of God in all things is the great reward we long for in fasting. His supremacy in our affections and in all our life-choices. His supremacy in the salvation of the lost. His supremacy in the establishing of righteousness and justice. And his supremacy for the joy of all peoples in the evangelization of the world” (pp. 78, 79).
Longing for the Supremacy of God
Bryan
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Praying for Revival
In 1949, a group of desperate people in the small village of Arnol (Scotland) gathered at a farm house to pray for revival. Revival was already sweeping through the area, but not in Arnol where religious indifference ruled. During this period of prayer, just after midnight, a man rose to his feet and prayed:
"Lord, you made a promise, are you going to fulfill you .. You have said that you 'will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon dry ground' (Isaiah 44.3, KJV)... And I tell thee now that I am thirsty. Oh, I am thirsty for a manifestation of your presence and power. And Lord, before I sit down, I want to tell you that your honor is at stake!"
As this man prayed, the room they were in literally shook just like in Acts 4. Then revival came to the village. People could not sleep. Some went outside and walked the street under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Others knelt before their beds and wept over their sins. Within 48 hours, every young person between the ages of 12 and 20 turned to Jesus. Revival came to Arnol.
Let us all pray as God's reputation was at stake
"Lord, you made a promise, are you going to fulfill you .. You have said that you 'will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon dry ground' (Isaiah 44.3, KJV)... And I tell thee now that I am thirsty. Oh, I am thirsty for a manifestation of your presence and power. And Lord, before I sit down, I want to tell you that your honor is at stake!"
As this man prayed, the room they were in literally shook just like in Acts 4. Then revival came to the village. People could not sleep. Some went outside and walked the street under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Others knelt before their beds and wept over their sins. Within 48 hours, every young person between the ages of 12 and 20 turned to Jesus. Revival came to Arnol.
Let us all pray as God's reputation was at stake
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Friday, April 14, 2006
Good Friday
This is Holy Week for Christians around the world. Today is Good Friday. It is the day that died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. Imagine the violations that we have committed against a holy God was paid for by Jesus on the cross.
Last night at Harvey Oaks Baptist Church, we had a Maundy Thursday service, and we participated in the Lord's Supper. It is appropriate to do so during Holy Week because we need to be reminded of why Jesus died on the cross
Before we celebrate the Risen Jesus on Resurrection Sunday, may we soberly reflect on our failings and sins--the very acts and thoughts and words that Jesus died for.
Last night at Harvey Oaks Baptist Church, we had a Maundy Thursday service, and we participated in the Lord's Supper. It is appropriate to do so during Holy Week because we need to be reminded of why Jesus died on the cross
Before we celebrate the Risen Jesus on Resurrection Sunday, may we soberly reflect on our failings and sins--the very acts and thoughts and words that Jesus died for.
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