We MUST Have Revival in America

We Must Have Revival in America: When God Judges a Nation

 

 

Jeremiah 9:1 describes what is needed in the Men of God and from the people in the Church, “Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!”

Psalm 85:6 should become the constant cry of each Church in America, “Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?”

Isaiah 57:15: “…. revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

Habakkuk 3:2 we hear Habakkuk pouring out his soul unto God when he prays, “O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid : O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known ; in wrath remember mercy.”

There once was a time in which revival was a good thing to have. A time in which having a revival meeting was something the people actually looked forward to. A time in which Christian would gather around the old altar late into the night, and into the early morning hour crying out for a personal and national revival.

I remember some of those days. The crying, the agonizing, the souls panting after God wanting to get a glimpse of the Glory and Majesty of God. America today is unrecognizable to me from those days of yester-year. We live in a nation on the verge of collapse. Oh my soul cries out to God to allow me to do my part in turning over a better world for my Grandchildren to live in.

Our American families have been shattered. Our faith has been compromised where you can enter a church and not even hear the name of Jesus even mentioned except at the close out each prayer. Yes, we MUST have revival in America.

Look at the Condition of our Country, Church, and Christians

 

We are living in days similar to the times of Isaiah the Prophet. He described his nation this way in Isaiah 5:20, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”

 

• We have ALLOWED Jesus Christ to be kicked out of American schools for years, with nothing more than a whimper from the Church. We now live in a world where Christians and the Church has ALLOWED Jesus Christ to be removed, while actually allowing and promoting Islam in schools across America.

 

• We allow Islam to be taught and studied, yet a child cannot even read his Bible during recess time in America without severe repercussions. Why has this happened? Because we have grown cold and complacent in America. In the Pledge of Allegiance to America, God. We must have revival in America!

 

• Since the Row vs Wade Supreme Court decision in 1973, America has stained the blood of 58 million BABIES! God help us! During the last 30 years, our countries combined have brutally murdered 1,322, 372,570 precious babies. During the first 22 DAYS of January, 2015 America has already butchered 65,000 innocent babies, with 2.2 billion priceless babies already murdered in our world. We MUST have revival in America! We have got to have a National revival. A return to godliness.

 

• We have ALLOWED, as a result of our spiritual weakness, and because we have lacked the courage, and spiritual back-bone to take a strong, uncompromising stand for Jesus Christ (Ephesians 6:11, 13).

 

• Our average American Church is lukewarm at best, hearing the preaching without the Word of God making any deep, abiding spiritual impact upon our lives. We have preachers that REFUSE to obey the admonition of Isaiah, in Isaiah 58:1 when he said rather strongly, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”

 

• Where do you go in America to hear a preacher passionately pouring out his heart against sin while promoting the holiness of Jesus Christ? The average pulpit has been stripped of its spiritual power when it quit preaching against Biblical sin! This is why we MUST have Revival in America. America will never experience revival until the preacher starts lifting up his voice to bring people back to God.

 

Last year while reading through the Books of Jeremiah and Lamentations, I was reminded of a man that likewise was very concerned about the spiritual condition of his country as some of us are this morning.

His name was Jeremiah. He was a true Man of God. Let me give you some background into the days in which Jeremiah lived and see if you can see America, or your country in the Biblical account of the nation of Judah.

Around 975 B.C., the nation of Israel had divided. Jeroboam I led the 10 northern tribes to become insurgent against King Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. The Northern Kingdom came to be known as Israel. Its capital was eventually located in Samaria. All of the kings who ruled over the Northern Kingdom were wicked, godless men. Israel was conquered by Assyria in 721 B.C. Nearly all of the people were taken into Assyrian captivity.

The Southern Kingdom was known as Judah. Judah was made up of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Their capitol city was Jerusalem, where the temple was located. Although most of its rulers were wicked, they did have a few that were faithful to God. However, Judah became a godless nation. Because of this, God allowed Babylon to conquer it in 606 B.C. Some of the leading citizens, including Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, were taken to Babylon at this time. When Judah rebelled against Babylon in 596 B.C. others, including Ezekiel, were taken as captives to Babylon. Finally, in 586 B.C. , in what was a preview of what I believe could very well happen to our blessed country of America, the army of Babylon destroyed the city of Jerusalem. Solomon’s temple was torn down. Most of the remaining people were carried away into Babylon. During Judah’s last days, Jeremiah served as God’s spokesman to them.

Jeremiah, like many in America, was born during a troubled time in his country’s history. As we face in our world of the 21st century, great nations were struggling for control of the world. Does this sound familiar with the modern day terrorists trying to seize control of the world, infiltrating one country at a time?

The powerful Assyrian Empire was slowly dying, as is some of the truly great countries in our lifetimes. Babylon became a superpower once its army defeated and conquered Nineveh. Nineveh was capital of Assyria Empire, in 612 B.C.

Egypt had been a world power for more than one thousand years. It was striving to maintain its power against threats from Babylon. The little nation of Judah was located directly between these two global giants or superpowers. When the armies from the Babylonian Empire marched to fight the armies from the Egyptian Empire in the Nile Valley, they had to go through Judah. Many times, battles were fought on Judah’s territory. Its people suffered greatly as a result. Kings of Judah were tempted to make alliances with either Babylon or Egypt as protection against the other one. Jeremiah and the other prophets warned them to trust in God instead of these alliances.

Spiritually, the people of Judah had sunk very low. After the death of Hezekiah, a good king, his wicked son, Manasseh, came to the throne (2 Kings 21:1-9). Manasseh was followed by his son, Amon, who was also wicked (2 Kings 21:19-22). When Amon was killed by his own servants, his eight year old son, Josiah, was placed on the throne (2 Kings 21:23-26). Josiah was the last of the good kings of Judah. He led the people back to God and His Law (2 Kings 22, 23). Sadly, his godly rule was cut short when he was killed in battle at the age of 39 (2 Kings 23:29). It was during these times that God called Jeremiah to prophesy during the rule of Josiah (Jeremiah 1:1-10).

Jeremiah saw what was about to happen to his country of Judah. He knew that unless the people got serious about revival that their beloved city and temple would be destroyed. Further, he knew that many men, husbands and fathers would be killed in the fierce battle. He likewise could see the women and children being carried away as slaves to the wicked Babylonians.

I can visualize the agony on the faces of the Men as they were now fighting a losing battle. Their opportunity to repent and experience a genuine revival had passed. Judgment was now in the form the battlefield where these valiant men were losing.

Judgment could be heard by the weeping and wailing of the women and children as they were being carried away from their homeland forever. The pain on the faces of the surviving men from the battle as they were now bound and absolutely helpless to prevent their women and children from going into a hostile land.

You read of Jeremiah boldly preaching to the nation of Judah to repent and return to God. As with some of you reading or listening to this message, they just do not believe that God would really bring Judah down by using a heathen nation to chasten them. Guess what, neither do you or MOST of America.

We just cannot envision God using terrorists people and countries banding together all over the modern world to bring America. Yet God is allowing this to happen, right before our very eyes. Every night on the news we read or watch of more Christians beheaded; small children and women buried alive at the hand the enemy of Jesus Christ. I believe God is allowing this to happen to create the type of persecution that will drive Christians back to Jesus Christ.

Jeremiah warned his country with tears, to flee to God. They just refused to listen. The agony upon his heart was excruciating. All through the book of Jeremiah, we see the Man of God warning, begging, and pleading for the nation to return to God. They just would not listen!

Once you begin reading the second book which Jeremiah was used of God to write, called the Book of lamentations, the judgment had fallen. Some have described Lamentations as “a funeral chant for Jerusalem. Lamentations is often called “The Tears of Jeremiah.” Each of the five chapters of Lamentations is a poem. It shows clearly that God will punish even His own people if they do not repent of their sins.

Watch the Man of God, with his heart shattered at what he was watching, the captivity had begun. It was now too late to avert the judgment of God.

America, we are very close to destruction. I just lost some of our more liberal Christians. You simply do not want to hear the truth. Therefore you are not willing to help bring America back to God. We are living during days in which the America I experienced for 60 years of my life, is coming to a close.

We have become like the frogs on the stove. If you place a number of frogs in a pan of lukewarm water, and then place that pan of living frogs on a stove, then turn up the heat all at once, and they will all jump out to save themselves. But place those same frogs in a lukewarm pan of water, and SLOWLY turn up the heat, the frogs will become immune to the slow temperature change and remain in the pan of water until they slowly boil to death.

The time has NOW come! America, Don’t Wait, until It is Too Late!

Our time IS Short (I Corinthians 7:29), so we MUST pray, we must repent, and we must GET INVOLVED (Nehemiah 1:11). Christians, we MUST have a Revival in America!

What are YOU Doing to help Save America? What are you REALLY DOING to make a difference? Will you begin by returning to God? Will you confess your sins as David had in Psalm 51:10? Will you confess your sins and receive the cleansing needed in your life as promised by God in I John 1:9?

Jesus Christ is Our ONLY hope. The early Church turned the world upside down for Jesus Christ. We can to! We MUST do all that we can, while we can!

EVERY American will soon say, “I WISH that I would have, or each will say, Thank God that I did!” It is Your Country, so it is your choice. We are living at the midnight hour. Judah let the clock pass midnight and it brought years of devastation. Will American Christians learn from Judah’s mistake? Will we return to God?

Will you contact me by replying to this message letting me know that God has spoken to your heart about revival and returning to God?   Humility is the first step to revival , (II Chronicles 7:14).

We MUST Have Revival In America!

Don’t Say That It Cannot Happen To You

A Warning for Believers:

Don’t Say That It Cannot Happen To You

 

I have a 15 year old Adopted Daughter in the Philippines by the name of Rachelle Divino, that revealed great wisdom to me during my first Missionary journey to her country during October, 2013. She said, “Pastor, pray for me, that I would NEVER do anything that would prevent God from using my life for His Glory.” Wow! I was taken back with her words of wisdom.

Throughout the Bible we read of one person after another that had failed to pray a similar prayer each day. Oh, how my heart grieves for those that once served so well, then fell through sin and have left the ministry. I do not believe that we have one that we can afford to lose.

Scripture is filled with such examples of men that said, “I have sinned.”

1. “I have sinned,” said Balaam in Numbers 22:34, as he departed from the perfect will of God for his life.

2. I have sinned,” said Achan in Joshua 7:20 after taking the money and the Babylonish garment from the city of Jericho.

3. “I have sinned,” said Saul in I Samuel 15:24, 30 when Samuel reprimanded him for his disobedience.

4. “I have sinned,” said David in II Samuel 12:13 after his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah.

5. “I have sinned,” said Shimei. It was Shimei who hurled dust at King David. It was Shimei who cursed King David as he came near Mahanaim.

6. “I have sinned,” said Job in Job 7:20. Pride had crept into his heart.

7. “I have sinned,” said Micah in Micah 7:9. He looked at his people and saw their wickedness and realized that they were a reflection of his own life.

8. “I have sinned,” said the prodigal son in Luke 15:18 and 21, as he finally came to himself and returned home to his father.

9. “I have sinned,” said Judas in Matthew 27:4 as he realized that he had betrayed the very Son of God!

10. “I have sinned,” said Pharaoh in Exodus 9:27 and Exodus 10:16, as he saw the hail mixed with fire running along the ground, as he saw the herbs of the field and trees killed and as he saw the locusts and the crops eaten by them.

11. “I have sinned,” said those who desire to return to God. Oh how my heart cries out to remain close to God.

Words of Warning About Our Sin

 

•  Let me say right now, you and I are sinners by both birth (Romans 5:12), and by choice. There is not one sin that you and I are not capable of committing under the right set of circumstances. We must always remember that we are to, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak,” (Matthew 26:41).

• Lest you think you are above sin, I have a warning to you. When you think you are free from certain sins, there WILL come a knock on your door. It will be Satan coming to see how strong you really are.

• Remember this word of warning, “Better than you and I have Fallen!”

• If you have sinned, it is not too late to return to God.

How to “Get Right With God.”

1.   You must Consider your sin.   Psalm 139:34-24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” ‘Search me’ means to “ransack my heart.” It means to search every corner of our hearts as a thief would ransack a home, looking for something valuable. This of course must be prayed sincerely for I can assure you, the Holy Spirit WILL reveal areas that have hindered your intimacy and power with God.

2.    Then you must Biblically Confess your sin.   I John 1:9 says, that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The word ‘Confess’ means “To agree with God.” It means that we are to agree with God about our sins. It further means that we are ready to take sides with God, against our sin.
The closer that I get to God, the Blacker MY sin becomes to ME. However, kit has always been black to God. My sin has ALWAYS been a source of division in our relationship. Unfortunately, we are often like Samson in Judges 16:20, “…And he awoke out of his sleep, and said , I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.” How long must we go on pretending to walk with God while secretly running with the devil and this world?

3.    We must now Cast-a-way our sin. This is Biblical Repentance. Repenting can be described in simple terms: Biblical repentance means that I am now ready to Admit and then to Quit my sin. Proverbs 28:13 reminds us that, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Though we may struggle, the desire to forsake the sin is ever present in our hearts.

This is where Galatians 6:1 should be practiced. I have learned that people are quick to criticize and condemn those that are besieged with sin. Rather than cast the insults, the judgmental attitude, why not pause and ‘Hold That Stone.” Restore! Restore! Restore that brother! He needs us. I have often wondered how many Samsons’ MIGHT return if only we Christians would attempt to restore, rather than backbite and gossip.

Consider the Consequences of Committing just one act of sin

1. No one, even the most godly person today, is invulnerable from sinning tomorrow. Consider the life of Noah for a moment. Several times in the story of Noah, the scriptures speak of his obedience to God. God described Noah in as, “Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” (Gen. 6:9). Four different times, God said that Noah did whatever the Lord commanded him (Gen. 6:22; 7:5, 9, 16). All of his obedience, though, did not keep him from getting drunk. Our temptations may be different, but this truth remains the same. Faithfulness today is no guarantee of our victory tomorrow. We must learn to walk circumspectly (Ephesians 5:15).

2. A dominant movement of God does not always prevent us from sin. Contemplate about it. God showed favor to Noah by personally walking and talking with him, warning him about the flood, providing Noah with specific directions about the ark, and then protecting he and his family through the world-wide flood. In fact, Noah’s first recorded act when his family left the ark was to build an altar to the God who had provided divine guidance and protection. Still, that history of the undeniable work of God did not prevent this great man of God from making temporary choices that brought sin and shame on himself. Regardless of what miracles God has worked in our past, we too can still fall today.

3. Even a single act of sin can mutilate the record of years of faithfulness. Again, Noah found favor in the Lord’s sight and demonstrated faithfulness for his generation (Gen. 6:8-9, 7:1). So faithful was he that the book of Hebrews includes him among the Heroes of faith (Heb. 11:7). Our same Bible, however, is not reluctant to expose Noah’s failure in Genesis 9. The account is brief, but the blemish is glaring – and the inspired Word of God does not allow us to ignore Noah’s sin even today. The danger of making a choice today that will affect the rest of our lives is ever before us. It serves as a reminder, “Better than you and I have fallen.”

4. Rarely does our sin only affect ourselves. In Noah’s situation, his sin opened the door for the sin of a son. Yes, even a single failure became a stumbling block to somebody else. Too many of us can tell stories of those whose single acts of sin have left ongoing scars in others, and the risk of that story becoming ours as well.

Here is my caution, my warning, my passionate plea to listen carefully to my words. Even one, single wrong decision can carry significant consequences. Join with me in praying that none of us would make decisions this year that will wreck our lives and testimonies.

How Does Justification Impact My Daily Life? (Part Two)

How Does Justification Impact My Daily Life?    (Part Two)

 

Romans 5:1-5:  “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope:  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

The above verses teach us how our Relationship with God has Been Dramatically Affected because of Justification.  We were once at war with God and was considered the enemy of God.   Romans 5:10: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”  We were at war, but now we have peace with God.  Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Access to God in the Old Testament

In the Old Testament, inside the tabernacle (tent of meeting), and the temple, were the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place, (also called the Holy of Holies).  This is where only the High Priest could go once a year to offer sacrifices for his sins, and also the sins of the people. When Jesus died on the cross, three of the Gospels state that the veil separating the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place was torn in two.

This indicated that direct access to the presence of God was now available for all believers. The word access only appears three times in the New Testament. It simply means introduction or entrance. Each time it is written in the Bible it is referring to Jesus and what He accomplished for believers.

 

Justification impacts our Daily Lives by Providing Access to God. 
 

• Romans 5:2: “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”  
• Ephesians 2:18: “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”
• Ephesians 3:12: “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”

The unsaved person does not have access to God, because he has no standing before God.  However, those of us  that have placed our faith in Jesus Christ, we were given admittance into the very throne room of God.  We read in Hebrews 4:16 where a gracious invitation has been extended to ALL Believers.  “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”    What a privilege and honor it is to have right of entry as one that has been saved and justified.

What Does Access To God Really Mean For the Believer?
 

 Access means that you can approach God at any time. You now have direct access to God. You don’t have to go through anybody else in order to approach God. You don’t have to confess you sins through anybody else. You don’t have to fellowship with God through anybody else. You must simply read your Bible, talk with the Lord, and fellowship directly with him.

Access means that we can bring any and all our requests to our Heavenly Father with whom nothing is too hard for Him to do.  Matthew 19:26 teaches us of the Power of God. “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”    Jeremiah 32:27 asks a question that you and I have asked when passing through difficult times. “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?”  But the answer is given in Jeremiah 32:17, in which Jeremiah boldly proclaims, “Ah Lord GOD! Behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:”

This Access to God Is INTO Grace

Romans 5:2, “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand…”  What does this mean to the Christian?  It means that our standing before God is one of the Glorious Grace of God and not as a result of keeping the law.

We must understand that grace means that GOD has provided for us; whereas the Law means that we are attempting to DO something in order to please God.     It is a magnificent truth to know, that we are living by grace, rather than by the bondage of the law.

A good friend of mine reminds us, “If you doubt your salvation, it is probably because you think you had something to do with it. News Flash: You didn’t.”  

 

How Does Justification Impact My Daily Life?

Romans 3:26 raises an interesting theological question. “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” This is exactly what we have discussed recently.  We have been teaching about what justification means and the different ways in which our holy God could be just and the Justifier of sinful man.

During our time together today, I would like to look at the doctrine of Justification from a slightly different way.  I want you to understand that though many may look at doctrinal teaching as dull and dry, it should not be so.  Doctrine affects us practically.  It is to impact our daily lives.  How we feel; how we think; how we live our lives.

In these five wonderful verses of Scripture, I would like for us to consider three definite ways that our daily lives are affected by this great and glorious doctrine.

Let us turn our thoughts to Romans 5:1-5.  “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand , and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:  And hope maketh not ashamed ; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

Our Relationship with God has Been Dramatically Affected because of Justification

We will quickly notice how our relationship with God has been impacted.  We must remember this about our prior relationship to God before we placed our faith in Him.

• “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 “ (Isaiah 64:6).
• Romans 5:6 says that we were “ungodly.”
• Romans 5:8 describes us all as “sinners.”
• Romans 3:10 says that “there is none righteous, no not one.”
• Romans 3:23 says that “we have all sinned and come short of the Glory of God.”
• “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked : who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

It paints a horrific portrait of us, doesn’t it?  In spite of this appalling description of our sinfulness, God by His Grace (Romans 3:24), and through His shed blood (Romans 5:9), and by our faith in that which Jesus Christ has done for us (Romans 4:4-5).   And the moment that we placed our faith in Jesus Christ, He declared (not made) us righteous.

 

Justification Provides the Believer with Peace with God

 
Romans 5:1 says, ““Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Remember, before we were saved, we were described as the enemy of God.  We were at war with God. With our sin nature were raging in battle against the holy, righteous and pure God that created us. In fact, Paul said in Romans 8:7: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”  Enmity carries the idea of a complete hostility towards another.  

 

What does this Enmity with God Look Like?

We can easily see it in the radical Muslims beheading, torturing, burying men, women, and children live, and setting on fire people simply because they are not Islamic. Their enmity has affected the world.

Our Enmity towards God affected Heaven

 It led God to send His only son to pay our sin debt (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). For we could not have peace with God until we first received the righteousness of God. Psalm 85:10 teaches us: “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”  As sinners we had no righteousness of our own (Isaiah 64:6).  Yet Isaiah also taught this great truth: “And the work of righteousness shall be peace…”   (Isaiah 32:17).

What does this all mean in our Everyday lives?

Justification means that the Believer is no longer at war with God.  It means that we are at peace with our Creator.   Therefore, we do not have to live in worry and terror.  We need not fear or run from God.  In fact, justification leads us to run TO God rather than FROM Him!  Hebrews 4:16: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Justification Leads the Christian to Run TO God Rather than FROM God!