REVIVAL FIRES

By Bro. Ken

Take a hard look at our world, tell me what do you see? An economic crisis is sweeping through the world at alarming speed. Little children are starving as hunger and famine are now in countries where a few years ago one would not have dreamed of such a thing. Countries are arming to the hilt with nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons.

A recent report given on CNN by one of our Senators stated, the world is in the most dangerous condition that it has been in for some time. With the many crises that are now facing our world, for the church, it can be her greatest hour. That is, if she is prepared, if she is before God in prayer, if she seeks God with all her heart, if she will be what God called her to be. Jesus said, "You are the Light of the world, you are the Salt of the earth." Jesus said to His disciples, "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my Love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love. My command is this; Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:10,12. The Church has the opportunity to see Revival, that is, if she returns to Christ as her first love and is revived herself.

What will it take to wake us up? Does crises have to come to us before we return to God with all our heart? Is the church ready to be revived? Are You Ready? Will more prosperity, teaching, or more material assets lead us to a deeper understanding of God and His love for us and His world? The fact is, history records that times of prosperity usually lead a nation and its people away from God. As Jesus writes to the Church in Laodicea, He speaks of a church that is lukewarm, not hot or cold. He goes on to say, "I wish you were either one or the other." Jesus says, that you say, "I am rich; I have acquired wealth and I do not need a thing." Revelation 3:14-22. It seems that today, many in the church have pushed God out of their lives except for those times of emergencies. The daily communion with God that he so longs for, that special time when you and God can talk and listen, are not as important in these days. Really, there is just not much time for God - you know with work and school, shopping, eating out, entertainment, activities, and my goodness at the end of the day I'm so tired, even to talk to God or listen I find myself falling asleep. So here we are living in a world where one crisis will be quickly followed by a new one. Will the church awake to Her calling? Will the revival fires burn in your life, in your church's life? Or will the crisis that will come be the means he uses to awake us. Maybe the choice is ours. Maybe, just maybe we can surrender our lives afresh and anew to the God who loves us and be protected from what is coming. If that be the case, it will require some deep changes on our part. Our priorities will have to change, and God will have to become the first love of our lives. We must return to Him for He promised, if we would return to Him, He would return to us. So what do you think? Will it be the Fire of Revival or The Fire of Judgement? The answer is within our hearts. "Send your Holy Spirit O God to turn our hearts toward you." Amen.