“REVIVAL PHOTOS”
At one time I carried photos of my kids and grandkids in my wallet, until my wallet got too bulky. But, I would, with great delight show my kids and grandkids pictures to others. I would say, “I just happen to have some pictures of my grandkids, let me show them to you.” I also made over 20 placemats 11X17 and they are covered with hundreds of different pictures of my kids and grandkids.
Physical photos reveal the outward attractiveness of a person, but it says nothing about that person’s character. For that reason, the Bible shows no physical pictures of Christ.
In order to see Christ’s majestic beauty, a person must see with the eye of his mind, and then, as he meditates on what the Scriptures say about Christ, that pictured is transferred to his spirit and worshipped.
But there is more to the photos of Christ than a picture. Some years ago when a person bought a “Get well card” or a “Happy birthday card” it would be just a card, now it has music of words. You can now get a card that you can look at and listen to at the same time.
Each picture John paints is a photo to look at, and listen to. Let us examine these pictures of Christ that can only be seen clearly with the spiritual mind.
The Savior’s Picture: In John’s life, the time was around 90 AD. John, the beloved apostle of Jesus Christ, was exiled to the Isle of Patmos to die as a criminal by the Roman government. While John was there Jesus Christ came to him and reveal Himself in a spectacular way found only in the book of Revelation, chapter one.
Then Jesus told John to reveal a different picture to each church to whom he was writing.
Christ’s Vision: (Revelation 1:13-18)
John saw Jesus as a Royal King in a majestic, kingly robe.
John saw Jesus as the Redeeming King wrapped in a golden girdle.
He saw Him as the Righteous King with His burning eyes of fire.
John saw the Lord Jesus as the Rightful King, whose feet were as brass. He would come and judge all the world; saint and sinner.
John saw the Jesus as the Ruling King, with a double edged sword.
John reveals to these seven churches a different quality of Christ. It was not just love.
Christ’s Voice: John not only saw visions of the Lord, but he heard His voice. His voice was like a trumpet. It was loud and clear (10). The Lord was getting John’s attention.
His voice was thunderous like the sound of a mighty waterfall (15). Christ spoke with absolute power.
His voice was as a two-edged sword (16). Jesus spoke truth. Truth divides right from wrong, the saint from the sinner.
The sights and sounds were so awesome that John fell down like a dead man. The Lord then, touched John and raised him up.
He says to John in verse 17 in so many words don’t be afraid, I am the eternal God. Then in verse 18 Jesus said, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
Jesus was saying to John, “I am the savior of the world. I have power over all powers and principalities. I conquered Satan, I conquered death and I conquered the grave. I am the King of kings. John, I hold life and death in my hands. Now, John I want you to write to these messages to all churches of all time.”
The Seven Churches:
These churches at one time preached the pure doctrines of God’s Word. They preached salvation, surrender, separation and service.
They preached that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, who died on Calvary, was buried and rose again.
Jesus proved that He was the Christ by His signs and wonders.
They preached man needed to be saved from sin because sin separated man from God.
That separation put man on the road to eternal damnation.
But, Jesus paid the price for man’s sin. Now, under the conviction of the Holy Spirit if man would humble his heart and commit his life to Jesus Christ through faith and belief, he could be eternally saved.
Remember these churches at one time preached these very doctrines.
When Jesus writes to these seven different churches, He reveals Himself seven different ways. There are seven different pictures or paintings and John gives one photo to each church.
How we see Christ in our minds eye has everything to do with how we live.
Those who never see Christ should be very concerned, because Paul said in Second Corinthians 4:3-4 something quite startling.
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
In this message we will give a brief examination of the Church and show you how Jesus revealed himself to each church and why? In each picture, let us look and listen.
THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS - Revelation 2:1-7:
I – Look how Jesus reveals Himself in Revelation 2:1.
1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
This is not just a snap shot but a movie. The Lord is walking down the isle of the Church. He is their in their presence, but He is not recognized.
Notice the word holdeth. It means to control or have power over. Jesus was saying to this church, “I am in control of your pastors. They are under my authority. I hold them in my hand. They are preaching truth.”
Look at the movie again. Jesus is walking in midst of the church. He is not sitting in a corner. He is not on the outside. He is being sung about and preached about. He is walking in their midst.
The words “seven golden candlesticks,” (v 1), reveals a church in contact with Christ. Here are a people mature, redeemed and witnessing for the Lord.
The picture of Jesus here is the same magnificent picture that John had in Revelation one. He is at first, at a distance. John chose to move closer to Him and in doing so saw Him in His full glory.
But, do you want to draw nearer to Him. That is your choice.
Cell phones, babies playing, and other things can distract from others seeing Jesus Christ.
Now listen to what Jesus says in verse 7, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
Listen (v 2-3): 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
3 And hast borne, and hast patience (2 Peter 1:4-8), and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
The Church of Ephesus was a church where the people were laboring for the Lord. They were faithful as clockwork. They knew doctrine. They hated false teachers. They would not quit.
Their head was right, but their heart was wrong.
This church was going, working, doing, singing, preaching, and all the while, all the while, their love is dead.
Look at verse 4 and 5: 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Again, their head was right but their heart was wrong.
Maybe you heard the story of the married couple. The wife came to her husband and said, “Honey do you love me?” And the man said, “Why of course I do, I told you I loved you twenty years ago, now move out of the way and let me watch the football game.”
Folks, that is just how some folks love Jesus. They go to church, and when put on the spot, they say, I as a Christian, but that is the only time they talk about their love relationship.
Worship is to be about Jesus. Singing is to be about Jesus. Jesus is to be thought about, exalted and fellowshipped with. He is to be loved.
Look again at this picture, Jesus walks in their midst. His eyes are like fire. His feet are like burning brass. His golden girdle and royal attire adorns His body and hardly no one notices Him.
How often are the great truths of the Gospel sung and the very breath of God is read and the man of God lifts up Christ and some people sit in the church and think, “What time is it?”
Another person is thinking, “What is for dinner?” Another person is writing notes and another person is sleepy, because he stayed up watching TV to late.
And yet, there is Jesus, all the time, in all his beauty and glory walking in their midst and few notice Him.
He is lifted up in song, by the choir, by special singers. His love letter is read each service. He is lifted up in every message and often folks never see Him or they only see Him at a distance.
May I tell you about love for a moment? I love my wife. I enjoy being in her presence. I enjoy her smile and words. I love her touch.
I believe we are more in love after 35 years of marriage because I have given my life to please her and she has given her life to please me, and love is reciprocal. I learned that from my relationship with Jesus Christ.
I found something out about my wife, when we are together; she likes me to talk about our love and our life together.
She likes me to tell her what I love about her. She likes me to show my appreciation for all she does for me. She likes to be treated like royalty. In return, that love is reciprocated.
At Ephesus, the love of the people had grown cold. Love had become a one way street. The Lord’s love was still there. The Lord stilled loved them with an awesome love, but they weren’t spending much attention to Him. His love was not being reciprocated.
So, the Lord reveals Himself to Ephesus as the one walking in their midst. In His royal purple robe and golden girdle and feet like brass, He walks around in their midst.
How did they miss Him? With eyes like fire and head like the sun, He walks. In His mouth, He speaks and His words are like a two-edged sword. He walks, but they do not notice.
To see Him would bring revival.
Anyone living in sin would be humbled and would confess that sin immediately.
Anyone living a ho-hum life style would be vexed and they to would fall at His feet.
As for those believers who were seeking Him daily, they would be filled with praise and joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Hey! He is here today. He is here every Sunday. It is just many people’s minds are so full of all the things in the world, television, sports, work, games, people, activities, and a hundred other things that many don’t take time to just see on Christ?
He is saying slowdown church. Take your eyes off of everything else in the world and worship me. Forget about the temporal and think on the eternal. And do this not just a few minutes on Sunday, but all day long, every day of the week.
Forget about lunch and supper and the ballgames. Jesus says, “Here I am, love me.”
Listen: Jesus says, “Remember, Repent, Rebuild.”
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works;
Was there ever a day in your life when you were in love with Jesus? Was there ever a day when your heart burned within.
Was there ever a day when your fellowship with Him was so precious, that you had to tell you mate or friend what Christ did for you? If your answer is no, I kindly ask that you examine your salvation and relationship to Jesus Christ.
If your answer is yes, I ask, “Is he still that precious?” If not, go back and do what you did when your love for Him was wonderful. Why? Look at verse 5b.
5b …or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
The greatest attraction and witness a Christian can give to a lost world is a person in love with Jesus Christ. If you lose your love for Christ, you have lost your witness for God.
Listen: A man can take his wife out to eat. He can eat breakfast, lunch and supper with his wife. He can live in the same house and sleep in the same room and their love can be graveyard dead.
And a person can carry a Bible to church and sing songs out of the hymnal and laugh and smile and his love for Jesus be dead.
Listen: A person can sing in a singing group, teach a Sunday school, be a deacon in a church and even preach from the pulpit and not love Christ as they should.
But, don’t you worry about anybody except the person that brushes your teeth and combs your hair.
After a person leaves their love for Christ, they will then entertain the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes.
6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.
This false teaching was introduced over 1900 years ago to the Church of Ephesus. God said about the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, “I hate it.” What was this teaching?
The Nicolaitanes taught that they were saved by grace and therefore, could live any way they wanted to. Our early church forefathers of the first and second century said this about the Nicolaitanes: “They lived lives of unrestrained indulgence.”
Sounds like some folks today. God said, “I hate that teaching.” Why did the Lord hate that teaching, because it was false doctrine?
Moe Smith walked down the church isle when he was nine years old. He was told that he was saved no matter what. Moe told me that he lived an unbelievable bad life. He said, “I actually thought I was going to heaven and I could live anyway I wanted, because that is what I heard time and time again.” I said to Moe, “When did you get saved?” He said, “When I was twenty-eight years old.”
I’ve said this before and I am going to say it again. Those that believe they can pray a prayer and live as they please, and their heart is to live in sin and in the world are 100% wrong. I personally believe these folks have trusted in the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes and need to get born again.
THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA
Look at photograph number two. It is a 3d – hologram. You know what a 3d - hologram is, don’t you? It is a picture made with a lazer with three different views. Depending on how you tile the picture and what angle you look at it, you see a different picture.
In Revelation 2:8-11 John reveals the Lord’s words to the church at Smyrna.
Look at the picture John paints of the Lord in verse 8.
8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
This picture is that of the eternal God. He hovers in the heavens as the creator of the universe. He sit upon His heavenly throne and rule from eternity.
This picture reminds these folks that they too will rule with Christ. It reminds them that this world is not their home, they are just passing through. Therefore, they have nothing to fear, not even death.
They tilt the photo to the right and in that same photo, they see a broken, beaten and bloody savior hanging on Calvary’s cross.
They see the one who suffered and died on Calvary. They see God’s great love, but, then they tilt the hologram again.
This time they see that He is alive forever more and He holds in his hand the keys of hell and death (Rev 1:17-18). To this they rejoice and jump for joy.
Now, listen to what is said in verse 9:
9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
This Church suffered greatly for the Lord. It was known as the poor but rich church. They were poor physically but rich spiritually.
These folks love the Lord and labored because of love. These folks also suffered greatly by governmental oppression.
Many of these churches existed during the days of John but more so in modern day Russia and China.
They are poor financially, but they are rich spiritually. Many have been imprisoned and beaten and some put to death for their faith.
In verse ten, Jesus says, “Fear none of those things.” You will suffer, you may be put in prison and questioned and tried. You may go through tribulation and even be put to death, but what I have for you will far out weigh those few moments of suffering on earth. I will give thee a crown of life. You will receive a crown. Remember folks, with a crown comes a throne and a kingdom.
11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
The Lord had no rebuke to this church. They were living a life for the Lord’s glory. Though tested and tried, they would not bow, they would not bend and they would not burn.
Look at this hologram again. From the front and you see the Eternal God, standing in outer space as creator of the universe.
Turn it slightly and you see the Son of man suffering on Calvary’s cross as the blood flows down His body. Turn it again and you see the resurrected Lord sitting on His throne welcoming His children home as He rules the Universe.
THE CHURCH OF PERGAMUS
Look at the third photograph: In Revelation 2:12-16
12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
This is another hologram. As we look at this picture straight we see a picture of the Lord with a sharp sword with two edges. This is a picture of judgment.
Now picture, your very best friend, knocking on your front door. You peep through the glass and see his face, you open the door and he stands there with a double edged sword draw and he aims it at your heart. What would you think?
Well, you might think your friend has gone crazy, or you might remember that this is your friend that gave you everything you have in life.
Without him you would have nothing and you would be nothing. He paid for your education. He paid for your business. He paid for your house. He paid for your health insurance. He taught you the trade you have, to work in the business, he gave you.
His requirements were for you to stay in touch daily and fellowship with him, and you forgot him. You changed the business.
The business which was to honor him and to be shut on Sunday, you changed. You began to hire evil people and engage in activities that were against the constitution of the business. The business which once gave Him glory, now mocked his name. Now, guilt and embarrassment floods your soul.
This is the picture the Lord paints of Himself as He comes to the Church of Pergamus. Why?
Listen to what he says to the Church of Pergamus.
13 I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
Pergamus was a church that would not deny that Jesus was the Christ (v 13).
Their former pastor was Antipas. They gloried in his stand and martyrdom for Christ. Their history and heritage was awesome. They would in no way deny that Jesus Christ was the only way to heaven.
But, they were living a life contrary to the way Antipas lived. They lived contrary to the way God wanted them to live.
If their pastor, Antipas came back, he would have rebuked them, just as Jesus was about to do.
Look at their sins: 14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
They had compromised in many areas, but the worse area may have been their practice of the doctrine of Balaam (v 14).
Balaam caused God’s children to compromise by worshipping in the flesh. Balaam sent the people of Moab into Israel to seduce them. The people of God compromised their beliefs and became fleshly minded and sensual.
Though many are saved in a church like Pergamus, this church used the fleshly practices of the world to attract people to it and according to verse 14. They were stumbling blocks taking many to hell, rather than stepping stones to heaven.
Notice that the seeds of the Nicolaitanes were growing larger:
15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.
In this verse you see the false teaching that was first introduced at Ephesus. It is called the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes. God said, “I hate it.” What was this teaching again? The Nicolaitanes taught that they were saved by grace and therefore could live any way they wanted to.
They claimed to know God and many did, but they lived an unholy life.
The danger was three fold.
1) Their prayers were hindered.
2) Their testimony was marred.
3) They influence on the next generation was tainted.
Jesus words to them was: 16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Look at Jesus’ photo, again, in verse 12 and 16: It is a hologram. In verse 12 Jesus was wielding a sharp, two-edged sword. Now in verse 16, the sword in some miraculous way is coming out of His mouth.
God is saying to these folks at Pergamus, who had faith in the Lord, who would not deny Him as Savior, “Separate yourself from the world. Separate yourselves from this worldly church. “Come out from among them and be ye separate.”
Look at two passages:
1) Hebrews 4:12-13, 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
2) Second Corinthians 6:17, 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
The sword, the Word of God, separates believers from non-believers. In separates that which will destroy you from that which will give you life. It separates good food from poisonous food.
I have heard “professing Christians” say, I can go to men clubs and drinking bars and restaurants like “Hooters” and it doesn’t bother me. “No,” I will say, “it doesn’t, because you probably not one of God’s children.” If the spirit of God lived in you, you would feel vexed in your soul.
Now, probably few in our church do such a thing, but if revival is to come to our church or to our family, we must realizes that it is sinful, to talk like, live like and act like this lost world.
God’s church is to be a place where we see Jesus, behold Jesus and get a vision of the Son of God.
Our church should be a place we see Calvary and the suffering Savior.
It should be a place where we think of Christ and see Him in His royalty. Church should be the place where we bow and worship the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
Church is not a place of convenience or entertainment. It is a place to worship the Holy God of the Universe in Spirit and Truth. God desires spiritual, holy, sincere worship, not fleshly worship.
Fleshly worship may make people emotional, but it won’t make people spiritual.
If your worship does not change your heart and mind, then it is fleshly and not spiritual.
True worship should not just excite our mind but it should change our hearts.
Will you see Jesus, today?
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
REVIVAL PHOTOS (4)
REVIVAL PHOTOS (4)
Learn a striking truth. The most beautiful pictures are not the ones you see with your eyes, but the ones you see with your mind.
In Revelation 1-3, John paints awesome pictures of Christ, not with a brush, but with words.
Remember that Ephesus had lost their dear love for Christ. That brought about the fleshly or worldly church Pergamus. Pergumus adopted the doctrine of Balaam and Nicolaitanes. Jesus came at them with a two-edged sword.
The next generation whose children came out of the Church of Pergamus, took upon themselves the character traits of the church of Thyatira.
THE CHURCH OF THYATIRA
Look at this fourth picture of the Lord. It is a 3d - Hologram.
Revelation 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
The picture this church is given of Christ was Him, like the Son of God.
1) As a king’s son looks kingly and as a son of Royalty looks royal, Christ looked Godly, holy, righteous, pure. This is the first picture on the hologram: Christ as the Son of God in His power, honor and glory!
2) When the hologram is tilted, that glorious sight of Christ ascending into heaven turned to a picture of burning, piercing eyes of fire. The eyes of the Lord were not eyes of love but eyes of judgment. His eyes were full of anger and fury.
His eyes were penetrating, piercing and they demanded purity.
For a person in a church like Thyatira to see the Lord, he would have been shocked. For all he heard about was a god of love. Satan had blinded many of their eyes.
3) Turn this 3d hologram again, and you would see shinny brass boots prepared for warfare.
The Lord was not coming to compliment this church. The Lord was coming to conquer it. He was coming to judge the evil that was so readily accepted and practiced within its walls.
Listen to what the Lord says to this church. 19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
This was a church that preached what we call today, the social gospel. They wanted to help the needy and rightly so. We should. They preached love and they preached love.
They wanted to feed the poor and that is good. They wanted to teach the unlearned to read and that is good. They had many social programs, but there was a problem.
Look at what Jesus says in verse 20: 20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
Wow! That is heavy preaching. Jezebel was a idol worshipper. She did not worship or know the God of heaven and this church compromised to the place where it was fellowshipping with churches that denied the cardinal doctrines of the Bible, in the name of a social gospel.
In this church, pre-marital and extra-marital relationships were accepted as OK. Homosexuality and drunkenness and “live as you please” was the accepted theme of their lives.
To them, everything was relative. It was only wrong if you thought it was wrong. They had thrown out the doctrines of God’s word and they preached, “Love everybody,” rather than, “Thus saith the Lord.”
They had compromised so much that they had Jezebel preaching to them. That means they had lost people standing in the pulpit.
The churches voted in unsaved pastors to preach and they allowed unsaved teachers to them, and they taught false doctrine.
There are many shocking surveys of preachers all over America. Many stand in the pulpits every Sunday, but deny that Jesus is God.
Many deny or doubt the resurrection and the second coming of Christ. And up to 83% of those in the mainline churches of America say they believe there is more than one way to heaven, when Jesus said, “I am the only way.”
God was merciful and gracious to this church. 21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
This church was witnessed to by the true believers, but they rejected God’s Word.
They chose to believe relativism and humanism and the social Gospel over the complete truth of God’s Word.
God tells them the outcome of such a church. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
This church has grown into a massive church over thousands of years. It has become part of the great Babylonian system that has existed for 3500 years.
Listen folks: don’t follow the teachings of your church, if those teachings contradict the Word of God. It may not take you to hell, but it may take your children to hell. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Sometimes Christian folks watch their once Bible preaching church, become the church of Thyatira, but they stay because mom and dad is buried in the cemetery. One preacher said, “Dig them up if you have to, but get into a Bible believing church.”
I’ll be more realistic, “They aren’t their friend.” They are either in heaven of hell.”
Some say, well we have family in the church and we can’t leave. Set an example and leave, and find a good Bible preaching church.
Verse 23 is saying this: don’t judge a church by its wealth or popularity. God judges a man’s motive. God sees man’s heart. God rewards everyone according to the motive of their hearts, not the works they are part of.
Thank God, there were some saved even in this wicked church. 24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
Notice God’s words of encouragement, but first you must ask, “What is the doctrine?” It was the idea of using man’s methods to reach the masses, when God judges a person’s motive.
This was the teaching of Thyatira. It said used the devil methods to reach people for God.
What they did not realize was they would miss heaven. Those living when Christ comes back will miss the rapture and enter the tribulation period to face the judgment of God.
Here is the encouragement. The Lord says, be faithful and stand true to me in the midst of this church age when few will stand for truth and you won’t have to face the burden of the tribulation or hell.
25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
From verse 26, we see believers that stand for the unchanging Christ even in the last days. To them, the Lord says, I will make you rulers over nations.
For you that were listening, when I first addressed the Church of Thyatira, you recall I said the picture was a 3d hologram.
But now we find what is called a Holographic message. Today, technology is being worked on where a person can leave you a holographic message on special holographic cell phones.
That means certain cell phones will have the ability to project an image of a man, standing on the phone some two inches tall with a 360 degree image.
The resurrected Son of God was the first picture, then eyes of fire and then feet of brass.
Now in verse 27, Christ is seen ruling with a rod of iron as he picks up a clay pot and breaks it in a thousand pieces. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
This pictures the Lord when he comes back. He will break every government and the will of every man on the earth.
28 And I will give him the morning star.
Jesus is called the morning star because that is the first star seen in the morning. Those who stand true and firm will have first place and the highest positions in the millennial reign of Christ.
29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Remember the picture is that of the Lord who is a mighty Judge. He does not picture himself as a baby in the arms of Mary, nor of one hanging on a cross, but that of a mighty warrior coming to judge. His eyes are filled with the wrath of God and he is coming to stomp out the wickedness of sin.
THE CHURCH OF SARDIS
The next downward step of a church is like unto the Church of Sardis (Rev 3:1). It was on a respirator. She was dying. They had canceled prayer meetings. They had canceled Sunday night services. Why? They were so far from God spiritually, living in the flesh, believing false doctrine, they thought, “Why pray?”
They had become pretty much a country club or social gathering. The Bible was hardly ever read from or taught. Social issues had become the message of the hour, not “Thus saith the Lord.” They had explained away God’s word as a mere book of literature.
Look how the Lord reveals himself.
Revelation 3:1, 1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
When Jesus revealed His photo to them, He revealed Himself as the omniscience God, who sees all, and knows all. Why?
Here was a church that trusted in intellectual knowledge and scientific investigation. They did not walk by faith but by sight.
Tilt the hologram and Jesus reveals in his hand that He controls those who preach truth, but sadly, these folks would not listen.
They said, “We are alive and moving and going for God, look at our large crowds, look at the fun we are having. Look at the excitement.” They did have large crowds and excitement, but it was all focused on self and self pleasure and not God and holiness.
Jesus said, ‘You are spiritually dead.” You don’t love me. You don’t love righteousness or holiness or purity or virtue. You think it is OK to lie and cuss and fornicate and do whatever you want. You say you are alive and free, but you are spiritually dead!
Jesus gives them a warning in Revelation 3:3: Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Remember it! Go back and remember the way it use to be. Yes, the old fashion way is God’s way. Receive it! Hear, “Faith cometh by hearing my word.” Hear and believe and hold fast and repent.
The word “watch” is to look and be cautious and know what is going on around you. If you do not know the truth and if you play the religious game, when I return, you will be left behind.
THE CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA
Listen: The church of Philadelphia was a great church. They were mission minded. They believed all the doctrines of the Bible. They were faithful to the Lord. They did not deny the Lord’s name with their lips or with their life (v 8).
They had opposition (v 9) but stayed true to the Scriptures. The Lord tells this body of believers, I will keep you from the tribulation period. I will take you to the Bema Seat and give you a crown and then you will reign with me in the New Jerusalem.
Look: The photograph of our Lord to this church is one of the True God. They see the Lord that is Holy and pure and just and righteous. Look at Revelation 3:7: And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
The church of Philadelphia saw Christ in His holiness. Verse 7 says “he that is holy.” That revealed His righteousness, sacredness, divinity, wholesomeness and innocence. They saw “He that is true.” He was absolute truth. His word is never questioned. It was final. Jesus was the only way to heaven. He was the lamb who gave His life on Calvary. He said, “Ye must be born again.’ And everybody that goes to heaven must come to Christ under the conviction of the Spirit and receive Him as Savior.
They knew through prayer, God opened doors and shut doors. They were a praying church.
Keep in mind this thought. There are these different type of churches all over the world today. And there are members like unto these in every church that the Spirit of the living God tries to reveal Himself to. But, many are blind by the pleasures and cares of this world.
THE CHURCH OF LAODICEA
The last church is the church of Laodicea. What would you think if a person wandered in this building and they were blind? You approach them to help them and you notice that they had not had a bath in a year. They had a distinct sweaty rancid smell.
Then you noticed that they were nearly naked. Their cloths had been all, but ripped off.
You caring for their safety, modesty and well being, run to them. You throw your coat over them to cover their shame and to warm them, and they look at you in anger and astonished pride and say, leave me alone. Who do you think you are? Do you think you are better than me? I don’t need your help. I don’t need anybody’s help. I am just fine, just like I am.
This was the church of Laodicea. I don’t need to be holy. I don’t need forgiveness. I don’t need to get any closer to God. I’m OK!
Look at Christ’s appearance at Laodicea. Jesus reveals Himself in v 14 as the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Jesus is the “Amen” of the Church. This is what Church is all about. It is about Jesus. He is to be exalted and praised and taught and lifted up and exalted.
Jesus reminds them how faithful He was to the church. He died for the church and rose again for the church and established the church. He gave gifts to the church. He is the head of the church.
He was the true witness. Any and all who contradict what the Bible says are false. It matters not their denominational tag.
He says, “I am God, the creator. I am the royal, redeeming, righteous and rightful king.” I am the center of the church.
Listen to what He has to say to the church: 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Their works were on and off, on and off. They were unfaithful to the services, to prayer, to worship. They were not on fire for God and they were not doctrinally sound.
They were proud and arrogant (17), and they didn’t want anybody telling them to get closer to God.
Therefore Jesus says this: 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; They sat and heard truth and stuck their spiritual nose in the air and said, “I won’t change. I won’t change.”
Notice the last part of verse 17: …and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Wretched means worthless. Miserable means depressed. Depression can fall on a scale of just being unhappy to down right in the dumps.
Poor here refers to their spiritual bankruptcy. They did not have any thing invested in heaven. They were a selfish people living for the pleasures of this world and their church worship was no different than their life style.
They were blind by Satan. Remember 2 Corinthians 4:3-4. Satan had blinded their eyes to the gospel and to truth.
Though they wore the most beautiful clothing outwardly and they did in Ephesus, Jesus told them they were naked. Why? Their souls were naked. They had not put on salvation or sanctification or submission or surrender. They were naked and had nothing to present to God when they stood before Him.
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Jesus says, you would be wise to walk through the fires for God than to miss heaven all together.
To suffer humility for Christ will make you rich. It will cloth you with a righteous garment and take away your shame.
Your eyes would then be open with the eye salve of the Holy Spirit and then you could see clearly how to live.
In verse 19, Jesus says, I know it sounds like I am rebuking you but that is only because I love you. Be passionate about spiritual things. Repent of evil. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Notice verse 20. Probably the most shocking thing about this church is they have kicked out God’s Word. They did not enjoy fellowshipping with Christ. They wanted to fellowship with Jesus but could not because Jesus is holy and this church was totally carnal.
Jesus, who revealed himself as God, the Amen, the faithful one and the Truth, now reveals Himself in this hologram removed from the Church completely. You twist the hologram and Christ has been kicked out of the church.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Know that Jesus knocks gently, but he knocks faithfully at your hearts’ door. He won’t yell at you. He won’t knock you down, but gently, He knocks at your heart’s door. When are you going to let Him in?
Will you ask Him to come in and take over your life today, or will you wait till tragedy strikes?
Learn a striking truth. The most beautiful pictures are not the ones you see with your eyes, but the ones you see with your mind.
In Revelation 1-3, John paints awesome pictures of Christ, not with a brush, but with words.
Remember that Ephesus had lost their dear love for Christ. That brought about the fleshly or worldly church Pergamus. Pergumus adopted the doctrine of Balaam and Nicolaitanes. Jesus came at them with a two-edged sword.
The next generation whose children came out of the Church of Pergamus, took upon themselves the character traits of the church of Thyatira.
THE CHURCH OF THYATIRA
Look at this fourth picture of the Lord. It is a 3d - Hologram.
Revelation 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
The picture this church is given of Christ was Him, like the Son of God.
1) As a king’s son looks kingly and as a son of Royalty looks royal, Christ looked Godly, holy, righteous, pure. This is the first picture on the hologram: Christ as the Son of God in His power, honor and glory!
2) When the hologram is tilted, that glorious sight of Christ ascending into heaven turned to a picture of burning, piercing eyes of fire. The eyes of the Lord were not eyes of love but eyes of judgment. His eyes were full of anger and fury.
His eyes were penetrating, piercing and they demanded purity.
For a person in a church like Thyatira to see the Lord, he would have been shocked. For all he heard about was a god of love. Satan had blinded many of their eyes.
3) Turn this 3d hologram again, and you would see shinny brass boots prepared for warfare.
The Lord was not coming to compliment this church. The Lord was coming to conquer it. He was coming to judge the evil that was so readily accepted and practiced within its walls.
Listen to what the Lord says to this church. 19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
This was a church that preached what we call today, the social gospel. They wanted to help the needy and rightly so. We should. They preached love and they preached love.
They wanted to feed the poor and that is good. They wanted to teach the unlearned to read and that is good. They had many social programs, but there was a problem.
Look at what Jesus says in verse 20: 20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
Wow! That is heavy preaching. Jezebel was a idol worshipper. She did not worship or know the God of heaven and this church compromised to the place where it was fellowshipping with churches that denied the cardinal doctrines of the Bible, in the name of a social gospel.
In this church, pre-marital and extra-marital relationships were accepted as OK. Homosexuality and drunkenness and “live as you please” was the accepted theme of their lives.
To them, everything was relative. It was only wrong if you thought it was wrong. They had thrown out the doctrines of God’s word and they preached, “Love everybody,” rather than, “Thus saith the Lord.”
They had compromised so much that they had Jezebel preaching to them. That means they had lost people standing in the pulpit.
The churches voted in unsaved pastors to preach and they allowed unsaved teachers to them, and they taught false doctrine.
There are many shocking surveys of preachers all over America. Many stand in the pulpits every Sunday, but deny that Jesus is God.
Many deny or doubt the resurrection and the second coming of Christ. And up to 83% of those in the mainline churches of America say they believe there is more than one way to heaven, when Jesus said, “I am the only way.”
God was merciful and gracious to this church. 21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
This church was witnessed to by the true believers, but they rejected God’s Word.
They chose to believe relativism and humanism and the social Gospel over the complete truth of God’s Word.
God tells them the outcome of such a church. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
This church has grown into a massive church over thousands of years. It has become part of the great Babylonian system that has existed for 3500 years.
Listen folks: don’t follow the teachings of your church, if those teachings contradict the Word of God. It may not take you to hell, but it may take your children to hell. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Sometimes Christian folks watch their once Bible preaching church, become the church of Thyatira, but they stay because mom and dad is buried in the cemetery. One preacher said, “Dig them up if you have to, but get into a Bible believing church.”
I’ll be more realistic, “They aren’t their friend.” They are either in heaven of hell.”
Some say, well we have family in the church and we can’t leave. Set an example and leave, and find a good Bible preaching church.
Verse 23 is saying this: don’t judge a church by its wealth or popularity. God judges a man’s motive. God sees man’s heart. God rewards everyone according to the motive of their hearts, not the works they are part of.
Thank God, there were some saved even in this wicked church. 24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
Notice God’s words of encouragement, but first you must ask, “What is the doctrine?” It was the idea of using man’s methods to reach the masses, when God judges a person’s motive.
This was the teaching of Thyatira. It said used the devil methods to reach people for God.
What they did not realize was they would miss heaven. Those living when Christ comes back will miss the rapture and enter the tribulation period to face the judgment of God.
Here is the encouragement. The Lord says, be faithful and stand true to me in the midst of this church age when few will stand for truth and you won’t have to face the burden of the tribulation or hell.
25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
From verse 26, we see believers that stand for the unchanging Christ even in the last days. To them, the Lord says, I will make you rulers over nations.
For you that were listening, when I first addressed the Church of Thyatira, you recall I said the picture was a 3d hologram.
But now we find what is called a Holographic message. Today, technology is being worked on where a person can leave you a holographic message on special holographic cell phones.
That means certain cell phones will have the ability to project an image of a man, standing on the phone some two inches tall with a 360 degree image.
The resurrected Son of God was the first picture, then eyes of fire and then feet of brass.
Now in verse 27, Christ is seen ruling with a rod of iron as he picks up a clay pot and breaks it in a thousand pieces. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
This pictures the Lord when he comes back. He will break every government and the will of every man on the earth.
28 And I will give him the morning star.
Jesus is called the morning star because that is the first star seen in the morning. Those who stand true and firm will have first place and the highest positions in the millennial reign of Christ.
29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Remember the picture is that of the Lord who is a mighty Judge. He does not picture himself as a baby in the arms of Mary, nor of one hanging on a cross, but that of a mighty warrior coming to judge. His eyes are filled with the wrath of God and he is coming to stomp out the wickedness of sin.
THE CHURCH OF SARDIS
The next downward step of a church is like unto the Church of Sardis (Rev 3:1). It was on a respirator. She was dying. They had canceled prayer meetings. They had canceled Sunday night services. Why? They were so far from God spiritually, living in the flesh, believing false doctrine, they thought, “Why pray?”
They had become pretty much a country club or social gathering. The Bible was hardly ever read from or taught. Social issues had become the message of the hour, not “Thus saith the Lord.” They had explained away God’s word as a mere book of literature.
Look how the Lord reveals himself.
Revelation 3:1, 1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
When Jesus revealed His photo to them, He revealed Himself as the omniscience God, who sees all, and knows all. Why?
Here was a church that trusted in intellectual knowledge and scientific investigation. They did not walk by faith but by sight.
Tilt the hologram and Jesus reveals in his hand that He controls those who preach truth, but sadly, these folks would not listen.
They said, “We are alive and moving and going for God, look at our large crowds, look at the fun we are having. Look at the excitement.” They did have large crowds and excitement, but it was all focused on self and self pleasure and not God and holiness.
Jesus said, ‘You are spiritually dead.” You don’t love me. You don’t love righteousness or holiness or purity or virtue. You think it is OK to lie and cuss and fornicate and do whatever you want. You say you are alive and free, but you are spiritually dead!
Jesus gives them a warning in Revelation 3:3: Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Remember it! Go back and remember the way it use to be. Yes, the old fashion way is God’s way. Receive it! Hear, “Faith cometh by hearing my word.” Hear and believe and hold fast and repent.
The word “watch” is to look and be cautious and know what is going on around you. If you do not know the truth and if you play the religious game, when I return, you will be left behind.
THE CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA
Listen: The church of Philadelphia was a great church. They were mission minded. They believed all the doctrines of the Bible. They were faithful to the Lord. They did not deny the Lord’s name with their lips or with their life (v 8).
They had opposition (v 9) but stayed true to the Scriptures. The Lord tells this body of believers, I will keep you from the tribulation period. I will take you to the Bema Seat and give you a crown and then you will reign with me in the New Jerusalem.
Look: The photograph of our Lord to this church is one of the True God. They see the Lord that is Holy and pure and just and righteous. Look at Revelation 3:7: And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
The church of Philadelphia saw Christ in His holiness. Verse 7 says “he that is holy.” That revealed His righteousness, sacredness, divinity, wholesomeness and innocence. They saw “He that is true.” He was absolute truth. His word is never questioned. It was final. Jesus was the only way to heaven. He was the lamb who gave His life on Calvary. He said, “Ye must be born again.’ And everybody that goes to heaven must come to Christ under the conviction of the Spirit and receive Him as Savior.
They knew through prayer, God opened doors and shut doors. They were a praying church.
Keep in mind this thought. There are these different type of churches all over the world today. And there are members like unto these in every church that the Spirit of the living God tries to reveal Himself to. But, many are blind by the pleasures and cares of this world.
THE CHURCH OF LAODICEA
The last church is the church of Laodicea. What would you think if a person wandered in this building and they were blind? You approach them to help them and you notice that they had not had a bath in a year. They had a distinct sweaty rancid smell.
Then you noticed that they were nearly naked. Their cloths had been all, but ripped off.
You caring for their safety, modesty and well being, run to them. You throw your coat over them to cover their shame and to warm them, and they look at you in anger and astonished pride and say, leave me alone. Who do you think you are? Do you think you are better than me? I don’t need your help. I don’t need anybody’s help. I am just fine, just like I am.
This was the church of Laodicea. I don’t need to be holy. I don’t need forgiveness. I don’t need to get any closer to God. I’m OK!
Look at Christ’s appearance at Laodicea. Jesus reveals Himself in v 14 as the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Jesus is the “Amen” of the Church. This is what Church is all about. It is about Jesus. He is to be exalted and praised and taught and lifted up and exalted.
Jesus reminds them how faithful He was to the church. He died for the church and rose again for the church and established the church. He gave gifts to the church. He is the head of the church.
He was the true witness. Any and all who contradict what the Bible says are false. It matters not their denominational tag.
He says, “I am God, the creator. I am the royal, redeeming, righteous and rightful king.” I am the center of the church.
Listen to what He has to say to the church: 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Their works were on and off, on and off. They were unfaithful to the services, to prayer, to worship. They were not on fire for God and they were not doctrinally sound.
They were proud and arrogant (17), and they didn’t want anybody telling them to get closer to God.
Therefore Jesus says this: 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; They sat and heard truth and stuck their spiritual nose in the air and said, “I won’t change. I won’t change.”
Notice the last part of verse 17: …and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Wretched means worthless. Miserable means depressed. Depression can fall on a scale of just being unhappy to down right in the dumps.
Poor here refers to their spiritual bankruptcy. They did not have any thing invested in heaven. They were a selfish people living for the pleasures of this world and their church worship was no different than their life style.
They were blind by Satan. Remember 2 Corinthians 4:3-4. Satan had blinded their eyes to the gospel and to truth.
Though they wore the most beautiful clothing outwardly and they did in Ephesus, Jesus told them they were naked. Why? Their souls were naked. They had not put on salvation or sanctification or submission or surrender. They were naked and had nothing to present to God when they stood before Him.
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Jesus says, you would be wise to walk through the fires for God than to miss heaven all together.
To suffer humility for Christ will make you rich. It will cloth you with a righteous garment and take away your shame.
Your eyes would then be open with the eye salve of the Holy Spirit and then you could see clearly how to live.
In verse 19, Jesus says, I know it sounds like I am rebuking you but that is only because I love you. Be passionate about spiritual things. Repent of evil. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Notice verse 20. Probably the most shocking thing about this church is they have kicked out God’s Word. They did not enjoy fellowshipping with Christ. They wanted to fellowship with Jesus but could not because Jesus is holy and this church was totally carnal.
Jesus, who revealed himself as God, the Amen, the faithful one and the Truth, now reveals Himself in this hologram removed from the Church completely. You twist the hologram and Christ has been kicked out of the church.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Know that Jesus knocks gently, but he knocks faithfully at your hearts’ door. He won’t yell at you. He won’t knock you down, but gently, He knocks at your heart’s door. When are you going to let Him in?
Will you ask Him to come in and take over your life today, or will you wait till tragedy strikes?
REVIVAL PERSISTENCE
REVIVAL PERSISTENCE
In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus gives a parable of a widow that had a need that troubled her greatly. In her distressed she made her request to a judge, over and over again, until it exhausted the judge.
1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
In this parable we notice three very important thoughts to keep in mind as we pray for revival.
I – Be Patient in your prayers
Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
The word “always” means evermore. The word “Pray” means to offer prayers. And the word “Faint” means to be weary or spirit list.
Every believer falls into one of two categories in this parable:
1) THE FAITHFUL SOUL
Be a faithful soul. Be faithful to a time of prayer. We get up in the morning at a certain time. We eat breakfast at a certain time. We go to work at a certain time. We exercise at a certain time. We all live by a schedule. Be sure prayer is included in your schedule. Have a prayer partner, whether it is your mate, a child or a friend. This is what is meant when Jesus says, “Men ought always to pray.”
“Praying always” is not being on your knees 24-7. But, it is always being in a state or prayer. That means, never let sin separate you from fellowship with God.
If you fall, immediately go aside and renew your fellowship with the Lord.
Claim First John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Obey Ephesians 4:26. “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.”
Why should we immediately renew that fellowship?
1) Prayer is the greatest power in the universe. It touches God’s heart that controls His hand. His hand lifts up kings and sets them down.
2) Prayer moves God to soften hard hearts and to open blind eyes.
3) Prayer is more important than breathing. How long would you want oxygen to be cut off from your lungs? Would you like to be under water a minute, or two or maybe three minutes? Your answer is probably, “I don’t want to be without oxygen for ten seconds.” Then don’t allow sin to separate you from God any longer than you would want to be without air.
Patiently praying is a major key to revival. It was the key in every major revival ever experienced in any church and in the world.
The word “pray” or “prayer” is found 451 times in the Bible and that doesn’t include the scriptures where people cry out to God in prayer, or call upon His name or ask of Him.
Look at a few Scriptures about prayer:
I Thessalonians 5:17, Pray without ceasing.
I Thessalonians 5:23, And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I Thessalonians 5:25, Brethren, pray for us.
Second Timothy 3:1, Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
2) THE FAINT SOUL
Be a faithful soul. Don’t be a faithless soul. The Lord said, “not to faint.” That means "don’t lose heart" or "quit." Don’t grow weary or give up. Don’t give in to evil or to turn coward. We must resist the human tendency of growing weary in prayer. We have a duty as God’s royal priesthood to pray.
Prayer is our power. It is our privilege. It is our means of taking the control of our family and friends out of the hands of Satan, and putting that control into the hands of God.
There are several major causes of losing heart or fainting:
1 – Defilement: The defilement of sin kills interest in the spiritual exercises of prayer. Sin does not promote a good prayer life. In fact, it will stop it dead in its tracts. King David wrote, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear" (Psalms 66:18).
2 – Doubt: Praying with doubt is fatal, making one’s prayer useless. Doubting God’s promises or believing a false doctrine such as Calvinism hinders prayer. Hyper Calvinism teaches that God has ordained some people for heaven and others for hell and there is nothing man can do about it. That is a heretical teaching.
Paul wrote, “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (First Timothy 2:8). Prayer and faith go hand in hand, so unbelief and prayerlessness goes hand in hand.
We are to witness for Christ, but the one who softens the harden heart and opens the blinded eyes and gives hearing to the spiritual deaf is Jesus Christ.
3 – Danger: Prayer must sometimes be done at dangerous times. Danger weeds out the coward from the courageous. Daniel faced real danger in praying, but he kept on praying, even though it led to him being thrown into the lion's den (Daniel 6).
Today, our dangers are varied, but the danger of embarrassment or mockery or losing friends, often affects people more than danger of physical harm.
4 – Distractions: Satan is a master of causing distractions, especially during prayer time. Probably every saint has experienced his mind wandering, causing him to think about everything except what he should be praying about.
That is why it is good to have a prayer list, a prayer time, a prayer partner and some prayer Scriptures.
5 – Delays: Few things cause us to lose heart in praying more than delays in answers to our requests. Jesus uses this parable to teach us that, though answers sometimes appear to take a long time in coming, we should be patient and not grow weary in praying to God.
If you pray, then you know that prayers for provisions or protections seem to come much more quickly than prayers for people. The reason may be due to the earnest and sincere request for souls must come from a heart truly in tune with God.
II – Be Persistent in your prayers
2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
A judge would often sit in the gate of a city. People could freely present their request to the judge. Some people would come once or twice and maybe three times, making a request, and then never return. The judge would know that their request was only an emotional request or one of little importance to them. He could also, detect if the request was sincere or selfish.
But, this widow woman came every day and probably twice a day, day after day, and week after week. Every day she had the same request, “Your honor, avenge me of mine adversary.” “Your honor, avenge me of mine adversary.” What was her major problem?
A – HER CRY
Day after day, “Your honor, avenge me of mine adversary.” “Your honor, avenge me of mine adversary.”
This little lady did not have a husband and it may be that she had no children or maybe her children did not care enough to help mom out. Or maybe she was wise enough to know that she should go to the most powerful man in the city and that is what she did.
She did not let her unfortunate and difficult condition keep her from the highest authority in the land. She went straight to the top.
Her prayer was equivalent to, “God do for me, what I can’t do for myself.”
This little lady had an adversary that was causing her woe. Have you ever had an adversary causing you trouble? What did you do?
Well, you can worry. Most people do this. You can cry. That is also an option. Then, you can complain, or you can pout, or you can get mad and quit, or you can find someone bigger than you, who will take care of your problem.
This little lady knew she had an adversary but she knew something else. She had an advocate. She had someone stronger and mightier that she. She had someone stronger and mightier than her adversary. Know this: Satan is mighty, but our God is Almighty!
Rather than fighting a battle she knew she could not win, she went to her advocate. She went to the judge.
Christian, are you listening?
B – HER COMPASSION
One thing you don’t see, nor is it addressed in this passage, but it is implied throughout the Scriptures and that is her compassion.
Read James 3: 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
I believe this lady’s heart was pure. I believe she was at peace with everyone, especially the judge. I believe she was gentle and easy to talk to. I kind of think, that the judge might have been a little ruff and gruff with her at first. But, her quiet spirit and her kind presentation moved the wicked judge’s hard heart.
I believe the judge sense that she had no guile or revenge in her own heart, but simply wanted him to do for her what she was incapable of doing.
What can’t you do? You can work. You can fix things around your house. You can do many things, but you can’t save a soul. You can’t make a backslid Christian get right with God. You can’t turn this nation around for God. You can’t revive this church. You can’t even revive your own heart. Only God can do all of this.
C – HER CONCERN
What was her request? The Lord leaves that open for you to put your greatest concern there. We all have the same adversary. His name is Satan, but he attacks each of us different ways. He is the accuser of the brethren, but greater than that, he blinds people’s minds to what is most important in life. Maybe the adversary hits you with certain sins, doubts, worry, fear, discouragement, pride or a thousand other things. Go to your advocate and pray.
Think for a moment, “If you go before God every day and you say, “God I need more money, or God I wish you would give me this job, or God I hope one day I might have this.” God sees that request as the greatest desire of your heart.
Now, if on the top of your prayer list is the salvation of a soul or another great spiritual need, God sees that as your greatest need. Then your sincere and earnest prayer is heard.
When God ask Solomon what he wanted in life, Solomon could have asked for prosperity, peace and power, but he asked for wisdom to lead God’s people. His request was so selfless and so Biblically correct, that God not own gave him wisdom, but God gave him prosperity, peace and power.
As you pray, make sure your will becomes His will. Remember the story of the stone cutter hammering away at a rock a hundred times without so much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the 101st blow the rock split in two parts. I know it was not the one blow that did it, but all that had gone before.
Consider again the story of the man who invested his life’s earnings in an oil well. He dug and hit no oil. He dug deeper and still, no oil. He dug again and again and no oil. Finally, he gave up and quit. Some time later, someone bought the oil well from the man. The new owner dug but a few feet and hit oil. Never give up in your prayer life. Your answer may be only around the corner.
Florence Chadwick wanted desperately to be a great speed swimmer. At the age of six she persuaded her parents to enter her in a 50-yard race. They did and she came in last, so she practiced every day for the next year. Again she entered and lost.
When she was 11 years old, Florence won attention and praise for completing the San Diego Bay endurance swim of 6 miles in all. But she still wanted to be a speed swimmer.
At 14 she tried for the national backstroke championship but came in second.
At 18 she tried out for Olympic speed swimming team and came in fourth -- only three made the team.
Frustrated, she gave it up, married, and moved on to other interests. As she matured, however, Florence began to wonder if she might not have done better if she had specialized in endurance swimming. She began swimming distances again.
On the Fourth of July in 1951, she attempted to swim from Catalina Island to the California coast. The challenge was not so much the distance, but the bone-chilling waters of the Pacific.
To complicate matters, a dense fog lay over the entire area, making it impossible for her to see land. After about 15 hours in the water, and within a half mile of her goal, Chadwick gave up.
Later she told a reporter, "Look, I'm not excusing myself. But if I could have seen land, I might have made it." Not long afterward she attempted the feat again.
Once more a misty veil obscured the coastline and she couldn't see the shore. But this time she made it because she kept reminding herself that land was there. With that confidence she bravely swam on and achieved her goal. In fact, she broke the men's record by 2 hours!
Florence Chadwick had a cry, a concern, and a compassion that became a reality. She gave herself to that love for 23 years before victory was one. Our prayers are answered when they become the passion of our soul.
III – Be Persevering
Whereas persistence relates to one who is determined and unrelenting, perseverance refers to one who continues faithfully until a task is accomplished.
Many folks begin will, but do not finish well. Let it be said of us that we persevered till the end.
The unjust judge said in Luke 18:5, Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
Weary in the Greek means to render black and blue. It is the idea of a fight whereby one is embarrassed by the defeat.
Now the Lord makes the application in Luke 18:6-8. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Cry means to use a loud, strong voice.
8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
The word “avenge” means to acquit, to set free, to exonerate or vindicate. This is God’s promise to those who persevere in prayer.
Listen to the illustration on persevering: President Andrew Jackson’s boyhood friends just couldn't understand how he became a famous general and then the President of the United States.
They knew of other men who had greater talent but who never succeeded. One of Jackson's friends said, "Why, Jim Brown, who lived right down the street from Jackson, was not only smarter but he could throw Andy three times out of four in a wrestling match. But look where Andy is now."
Another friend responded, "But you said, that Jim could throw Andy three times out of four? Weren’t you supposed to be out after three times?
"Sure, they were supposed to, but not Andy. He would never admit he was beat -- he would never stay 'thrown.' Jim Brown would get tired, and on the fourth try Andrew Jackson would throw him and win."
Picking up on that idea, someone has said, "The thing that counts is not how many times you are 'thrown,' but whether you are willing to stay 'thrown'."
We may face setbacks, but we must take courage and go forward in faith. Then, through the Holy Spirit's power we can be the eventual victor over sin and the world. The battle is the Lord's, so there is no excuse for us to stay "thrown"!
The word speedily means quickly, promptly, soon.
I believe the promptness of God answering prayer is a two-way street. Though, salvation is a free gift to those who repent and receive Jesus Christ as savior, answers to prayer carry a condition and consequence.
The condition is our heart. Are our hearts clean and are they concerned about that which we are praying for? Are our motives pure? Do we pray for God’s glory or for some selfish ambition or idea that will make life easier on us?
If our hearts are pure, then the consequence or result will be prompt from God.
Remember that prayer is offered first to change us before God will change others.
In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus gives a parable of a widow that had a need that troubled her greatly. In her distressed she made her request to a judge, over and over again, until it exhausted the judge.
1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
In this parable we notice three very important thoughts to keep in mind as we pray for revival.
I – Be Patient in your prayers
Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
The word “always” means evermore. The word “Pray” means to offer prayers. And the word “Faint” means to be weary or spirit list.
Every believer falls into one of two categories in this parable:
1) THE FAITHFUL SOUL
Be a faithful soul. Be faithful to a time of prayer. We get up in the morning at a certain time. We eat breakfast at a certain time. We go to work at a certain time. We exercise at a certain time. We all live by a schedule. Be sure prayer is included in your schedule. Have a prayer partner, whether it is your mate, a child or a friend. This is what is meant when Jesus says, “Men ought always to pray.”
“Praying always” is not being on your knees 24-7. But, it is always being in a state or prayer. That means, never let sin separate you from fellowship with God.
If you fall, immediately go aside and renew your fellowship with the Lord.
Claim First John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Obey Ephesians 4:26. “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.”
Why should we immediately renew that fellowship?
1) Prayer is the greatest power in the universe. It touches God’s heart that controls His hand. His hand lifts up kings and sets them down.
2) Prayer moves God to soften hard hearts and to open blind eyes.
3) Prayer is more important than breathing. How long would you want oxygen to be cut off from your lungs? Would you like to be under water a minute, or two or maybe three minutes? Your answer is probably, “I don’t want to be without oxygen for ten seconds.” Then don’t allow sin to separate you from God any longer than you would want to be without air.
Patiently praying is a major key to revival. It was the key in every major revival ever experienced in any church and in the world.
The word “pray” or “prayer” is found 451 times in the Bible and that doesn’t include the scriptures where people cry out to God in prayer, or call upon His name or ask of Him.
Look at a few Scriptures about prayer:
I Thessalonians 5:17, Pray without ceasing.
I Thessalonians 5:23, And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I Thessalonians 5:25, Brethren, pray for us.
Second Timothy 3:1, Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
2) THE FAINT SOUL
Be a faithful soul. Don’t be a faithless soul. The Lord said, “not to faint.” That means "don’t lose heart" or "quit." Don’t grow weary or give up. Don’t give in to evil or to turn coward. We must resist the human tendency of growing weary in prayer. We have a duty as God’s royal priesthood to pray.
Prayer is our power. It is our privilege. It is our means of taking the control of our family and friends out of the hands of Satan, and putting that control into the hands of God.
There are several major causes of losing heart or fainting:
1 – Defilement: The defilement of sin kills interest in the spiritual exercises of prayer. Sin does not promote a good prayer life. In fact, it will stop it dead in its tracts. King David wrote, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear" (Psalms 66:18).
2 – Doubt: Praying with doubt is fatal, making one’s prayer useless. Doubting God’s promises or believing a false doctrine such as Calvinism hinders prayer. Hyper Calvinism teaches that God has ordained some people for heaven and others for hell and there is nothing man can do about it. That is a heretical teaching.
Paul wrote, “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (First Timothy 2:8). Prayer and faith go hand in hand, so unbelief and prayerlessness goes hand in hand.
We are to witness for Christ, but the one who softens the harden heart and opens the blinded eyes and gives hearing to the spiritual deaf is Jesus Christ.
3 – Danger: Prayer must sometimes be done at dangerous times. Danger weeds out the coward from the courageous. Daniel faced real danger in praying, but he kept on praying, even though it led to him being thrown into the lion's den (Daniel 6).
Today, our dangers are varied, but the danger of embarrassment or mockery or losing friends, often affects people more than danger of physical harm.
4 – Distractions: Satan is a master of causing distractions, especially during prayer time. Probably every saint has experienced his mind wandering, causing him to think about everything except what he should be praying about.
That is why it is good to have a prayer list, a prayer time, a prayer partner and some prayer Scriptures.
5 – Delays: Few things cause us to lose heart in praying more than delays in answers to our requests. Jesus uses this parable to teach us that, though answers sometimes appear to take a long time in coming, we should be patient and not grow weary in praying to God.
If you pray, then you know that prayers for provisions or protections seem to come much more quickly than prayers for people. The reason may be due to the earnest and sincere request for souls must come from a heart truly in tune with God.
II – Be Persistent in your prayers
2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
A judge would often sit in the gate of a city. People could freely present their request to the judge. Some people would come once or twice and maybe three times, making a request, and then never return. The judge would know that their request was only an emotional request or one of little importance to them. He could also, detect if the request was sincere or selfish.
But, this widow woman came every day and probably twice a day, day after day, and week after week. Every day she had the same request, “Your honor, avenge me of mine adversary.” “Your honor, avenge me of mine adversary.” What was her major problem?
A – HER CRY
Day after day, “Your honor, avenge me of mine adversary.” “Your honor, avenge me of mine adversary.”
This little lady did not have a husband and it may be that she had no children or maybe her children did not care enough to help mom out. Or maybe she was wise enough to know that she should go to the most powerful man in the city and that is what she did.
She did not let her unfortunate and difficult condition keep her from the highest authority in the land. She went straight to the top.
Her prayer was equivalent to, “God do for me, what I can’t do for myself.”
This little lady had an adversary that was causing her woe. Have you ever had an adversary causing you trouble? What did you do?
Well, you can worry. Most people do this. You can cry. That is also an option. Then, you can complain, or you can pout, or you can get mad and quit, or you can find someone bigger than you, who will take care of your problem.
This little lady knew she had an adversary but she knew something else. She had an advocate. She had someone stronger and mightier that she. She had someone stronger and mightier than her adversary. Know this: Satan is mighty, but our God is Almighty!
Rather than fighting a battle she knew she could not win, she went to her advocate. She went to the judge.
Christian, are you listening?
B – HER COMPASSION
One thing you don’t see, nor is it addressed in this passage, but it is implied throughout the Scriptures and that is her compassion.
Read James 3: 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
I believe this lady’s heart was pure. I believe she was at peace with everyone, especially the judge. I believe she was gentle and easy to talk to. I kind of think, that the judge might have been a little ruff and gruff with her at first. But, her quiet spirit and her kind presentation moved the wicked judge’s hard heart.
I believe the judge sense that she had no guile or revenge in her own heart, but simply wanted him to do for her what she was incapable of doing.
What can’t you do? You can work. You can fix things around your house. You can do many things, but you can’t save a soul. You can’t make a backslid Christian get right with God. You can’t turn this nation around for God. You can’t revive this church. You can’t even revive your own heart. Only God can do all of this.
C – HER CONCERN
What was her request? The Lord leaves that open for you to put your greatest concern there. We all have the same adversary. His name is Satan, but he attacks each of us different ways. He is the accuser of the brethren, but greater than that, he blinds people’s minds to what is most important in life. Maybe the adversary hits you with certain sins, doubts, worry, fear, discouragement, pride or a thousand other things. Go to your advocate and pray.
Think for a moment, “If you go before God every day and you say, “God I need more money, or God I wish you would give me this job, or God I hope one day I might have this.” God sees that request as the greatest desire of your heart.
Now, if on the top of your prayer list is the salvation of a soul or another great spiritual need, God sees that as your greatest need. Then your sincere and earnest prayer is heard.
When God ask Solomon what he wanted in life, Solomon could have asked for prosperity, peace and power, but he asked for wisdom to lead God’s people. His request was so selfless and so Biblically correct, that God not own gave him wisdom, but God gave him prosperity, peace and power.
As you pray, make sure your will becomes His will. Remember the story of the stone cutter hammering away at a rock a hundred times without so much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the 101st blow the rock split in two parts. I know it was not the one blow that did it, but all that had gone before.
Consider again the story of the man who invested his life’s earnings in an oil well. He dug and hit no oil. He dug deeper and still, no oil. He dug again and again and no oil. Finally, he gave up and quit. Some time later, someone bought the oil well from the man. The new owner dug but a few feet and hit oil. Never give up in your prayer life. Your answer may be only around the corner.
Florence Chadwick wanted desperately to be a great speed swimmer. At the age of six she persuaded her parents to enter her in a 50-yard race. They did and she came in last, so she practiced every day for the next year. Again she entered and lost.
When she was 11 years old, Florence won attention and praise for completing the San Diego Bay endurance swim of 6 miles in all. But she still wanted to be a speed swimmer.
At 14 she tried for the national backstroke championship but came in second.
At 18 she tried out for Olympic speed swimming team and came in fourth -- only three made the team.
Frustrated, she gave it up, married, and moved on to other interests. As she matured, however, Florence began to wonder if she might not have done better if she had specialized in endurance swimming. She began swimming distances again.
On the Fourth of July in 1951, she attempted to swim from Catalina Island to the California coast. The challenge was not so much the distance, but the bone-chilling waters of the Pacific.
To complicate matters, a dense fog lay over the entire area, making it impossible for her to see land. After about 15 hours in the water, and within a half mile of her goal, Chadwick gave up.
Later she told a reporter, "Look, I'm not excusing myself. But if I could have seen land, I might have made it." Not long afterward she attempted the feat again.
Once more a misty veil obscured the coastline and she couldn't see the shore. But this time she made it because she kept reminding herself that land was there. With that confidence she bravely swam on and achieved her goal. In fact, she broke the men's record by 2 hours!
Florence Chadwick had a cry, a concern, and a compassion that became a reality. She gave herself to that love for 23 years before victory was one. Our prayers are answered when they become the passion of our soul.
III – Be Persevering
Whereas persistence relates to one who is determined and unrelenting, perseverance refers to one who continues faithfully until a task is accomplished.
Many folks begin will, but do not finish well. Let it be said of us that we persevered till the end.
The unjust judge said in Luke 18:5, Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
Weary in the Greek means to render black and blue. It is the idea of a fight whereby one is embarrassed by the defeat.
Now the Lord makes the application in Luke 18:6-8. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Cry means to use a loud, strong voice.
8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
The word “avenge” means to acquit, to set free, to exonerate or vindicate. This is God’s promise to those who persevere in prayer.
Listen to the illustration on persevering: President Andrew Jackson’s boyhood friends just couldn't understand how he became a famous general and then the President of the United States.
They knew of other men who had greater talent but who never succeeded. One of Jackson's friends said, "Why, Jim Brown, who lived right down the street from Jackson, was not only smarter but he could throw Andy three times out of four in a wrestling match. But look where Andy is now."
Another friend responded, "But you said, that Jim could throw Andy three times out of four? Weren’t you supposed to be out after three times?
"Sure, they were supposed to, but not Andy. He would never admit he was beat -- he would never stay 'thrown.' Jim Brown would get tired, and on the fourth try Andrew Jackson would throw him and win."
Picking up on that idea, someone has said, "The thing that counts is not how many times you are 'thrown,' but whether you are willing to stay 'thrown'."
We may face setbacks, but we must take courage and go forward in faith. Then, through the Holy Spirit's power we can be the eventual victor over sin and the world. The battle is the Lord's, so there is no excuse for us to stay "thrown"!
The word speedily means quickly, promptly, soon.
I believe the promptness of God answering prayer is a two-way street. Though, salvation is a free gift to those who repent and receive Jesus Christ as savior, answers to prayer carry a condition and consequence.
The condition is our heart. Are our hearts clean and are they concerned about that which we are praying for? Are our motives pure? Do we pray for God’s glory or for some selfish ambition or idea that will make life easier on us?
If our hearts are pure, then the consequence or result will be prompt from God.
Remember that prayer is offered first to change us before God will change others.
REVIVAL PERCH
REVIVAL PERCH
Psalms 61: Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.
5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.
A perch is a resting place or prominent position or a vantage point. A military leader will seek for a perch or a vantage over his enemies.
A bird in flight seeking for a place of rest will perch on an object. Small insignificant birds will perch on a twig and built their nest in a small bush. Often its eggs are unprotected and destroyed by an enemy.
A mighty eagle however, will perch in a mighty tree and built its nest in the rocks of a tall mountain, where the eagle’s young are protected.
In life, man makes decisions where to put his faith, yea were to perch his faith in life. Some put their faith in religious twigs and are therefore ashamed to stand and speak of their faith, for their faith is founded on little or nothing of value. Their perch is a religious idea or image that one has of God.
Others put their faith in the rock of ages and boldly and unashamedly speak for that in which they have anchored their souls.
When true salvation takes a hold of a person’s life, that person will perch on the rock of ages and take hold of the truth of God’s Word, unashamedly.
Read the Scriptures in Matthew 10:32-39.
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
The salvation that Jesus Christ teaches is radically different from religion. When a person is confronted with Christ and that person surrenders his life to Christ a change will take place that will make the average religious and worldly person very uncomfortable.
Jesus said in these verses that when a person comes to Christ and breaks from religion, it may cost them the friendship of some family and friends because of the new life they will live.
Look at three passages found in the book of Romans.
Romans 1:16 reads, 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 9:33 reads, 33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Romans 10: 8-11, 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Let me give you four thoughts about a life perched on the Rock of Ages.
I - THE UNASHAMED FAITH CHANGES LIVES
Rodney “Gypsy” Smith, born among gypsies in 1860 said, “Although I was a mischievous boy, I was not a really bad boy. I knew in my heart what religion meant. I had seen it in the new lives of my father, sisters, and brother. I had seen the wonderful change in the gypsy’s home. I had seen the transformation that had taken place there.”
“I had seen the transformation scene but I had not felt it myself, and in my heart there was a deep longing for the strange experiences which I knew to be my father's.”
Not everyone is going to have the same salvation experience, but everyone is going to experience the same salvation.
Read the Scriptures in Second Corinthians 5:14-17
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: The word “constraineth” means to compel or force. What changed us from the creature we once were? Paul said the love of Christ changes us.
The word for constrain is not a obligatory word but a delightful word. A person that has experienced salvation desires to and wants live a life for the Lord.
15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Paul reveals that once we are saved we live for Christ. We no longer live the selfish life for self, now we live for Jesus Christ.
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. What does that mean? It means that often folks know of Christ mentally and physically for years. They know of his glorious works and miracles and even salvation. Then one day, they are born again and they no longer just know the facts of the life of Christ, they know the Christ. Then verse 17 becomes true.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Let me say this folks. Please learn the Scriptures. Don’t compare yourself to the religious experience of your parents or your friends. Listen to and obey the Word of God through the Spirit of God., because often adults and youth, preachers and teachers profess Christ but some are perched on a twig and not the rock.
II – THE UNASHAMED FAITH INFLUENCES LIVES.
Gypsy continues his writing: “I had got it into my mind that religion was a thing which first took hold of the head of the house, and then stepped down in the order of the ages of the children.
My heart was heavy because I felt that I was standing in the way of my sister, Tilly’s salvation, who was younger than I.
I remember one evening sitting on the trunk of an old tree not far from my father's tent and wagon. Around the fallen trunk grass had grown about as tall as me.”
“I had gone there to think, because I was under the deepest conviction (Gypsy was 16) and had an earnest longing to love the Savior and to be a good lad.
I thought of my mother in heaven, and I thought of the beautiful life my father, brother, and sisters were living, and I said to myself, "Rodney, are you going to wander about as a gipsy boy and a gipsy man without hope, or will you be a Christian and have some definite object to live for?"
Everything was still, and I could almost hear the beating of my heart. For the answer to my question, I found myself startling myself by my own voice when I said, "By the grace of God, I will be a Christian and I will meet my mother in heaven!"
My decision was made. I believe I was as much accepted by the Lord Jesus that day as I am how, for with all my heart I had decided to live for Him.
Gypsy felt as if his decision for Christ would affect the decision that his younger sister would make.
Let it be know that you older teens will influence your younger brothers and sisters. Some teens accept Christ and unashamedly live for Him and thus influence their brothers and sisters for life. Other teens chose the wrong path and sadly, blind children. They thus seek to perch their lives upon twigs rather than the rock of ages and fall short of eternal life.
My wife is now working towards her Masters. She is reading a book about reaching our children for Christ. The author of the book, states that over years of study, 88% of children professing faith in Christ in evangelical churches, when they become adults, never go back to church. Why? I’ll tell you why. Where there is no conviction, no confrontation, no conversion, no change, there is no salvation.
Gypsy said again,, “My decision was made. My choice was made for ever, and if I at once confessed Christ, I believe that the witness of the Spirit would have been mine, the witness which gives one the assurance of acceptance. Remember Matthew 10:32.
I knew I had said "I will" to God, but I made the mistake of not declaring my decision publicly, and I believe that thousands do likewise. The devil tells them to keep it quiet. They are ashamed.
Gypsy says, “This is a cunning device by which he shuts hundreds out of the light and joy of God's salvation.”
Still I was not satisfied. A few days afterwards I wandered one evening into a little Methodist Chapel in Fitzroy Street, Cambridge, where I heard a sermon by the Rev. George Warner.
Oddly enough, I cannot remember a word of what Mr. Warner said, but I made up my mind in that service that if there was a chance I would publicly give myself to Christ.
After the sermon a prayer meeting was held, and Mr. Warner invited all those who desired to give themselves to the Lord to come forward and kneel at the altar.
I was the first to go forward. I do not know whether anybody else was there or not. I think not. While I prayed the congregation sang The Resolve.
I found an old Hymnal on the internet today, dated 1858. It had some tremendous songs for invitation, that we never sing today. Why? They are to convicting: But, here are the words to The Resolve.
“Come trembling sinner, in whose breast a thousand thoughts revolve;
Come with your guilt and fear oppressed, and make this last resolve.
I’ll go to Jesus, though my sin high as the mountains rose; I know his courts, I’ll enter in whatever may oppose.
Prostrate I’ll lie before His throne, And there my guilt confess: I’ll tell him I am a wretch undone, without His sovereign grace.
I can but perish if I go; I am resolved to try; for if I stay away, I know I must for ever die.
"I can but perish if I go, I am resolved to try, for if I stay away I know, I must for ever die."
III – THE UNASHAMED FAITH ENCOURAGES LIVES
Gypsy speaks again: “Soon there was a dear old man beside me at the altar, an old man with great flowing locks, who put his arm round me and began to pray with me and for me. I did not know his name. I do not know it even now.
I told him that I had given myself to Jesus for time and eternity, to be His boy for ever.
He said, "You must trust in Him completely to be saved. Then he said, ‘To as many as received Him, to them gave He power to be the sons of God; even to them that believed on His name.'”
"Well," I said to my dear old friend, "I cannot trust myself, for I am nothing; and I cannot trust in what I have, for I have nothing; and I cannot trust in what I know, for I know nothing.
So there and then I placed myself by simple trust and committal to Jesus Christ. I knew He died for me; I knew He was able to save me, and I just believed Him to be as good as His word. And thus the light broke and assurance came. I knew I was different now.
I went home and told my father that his prayers were answered, and he wept tears of joy with me. Turning to me, he said,
"Tell me how you know you are converted?" I hardly knew what to say, but placing my hand on my heart, I said, "Daddy, I feel so warm here." I had got a little of the feeling that the disciples had when they had been talking with Jesus on the way to Emmaus: "Did not our heart burn within us?" The date of Gypsy’s conversion was the 17th of November, 1876.
Gypsy says, “The next morning I was going out to sell my goods. My first desire was to see again the little place where I had kneeled the night before, before I began my work for the day. There I stood for some minutes gazing at the little chapel, almost worshipping the place.
As I stood, I heard a shuffling of feet, and turning round I saw the dear old man who had knelt by my side. I said to myself, "Now that I have my goods, (clothes, pegs and tin-ware) with me, he will see that I am a gipsy, and will not care for me or speak to me. Nobody cares for me but my father."
But I was quite wrong. Seeing me, he remembered me at once, and came over to speak to me, though he walked with great difficulty and with the aid of two sticks. Taking my hands in his, he seemed to look right down into my innermost soul. Then he said to me, "The Lord bless you, my boy. The Lord keep you, my boy."
I wanted to thank him, but the words would not come. There was a lump in my throat, and my thoughts were deep beyond the power of utterance. My tears swelled up in my eyes and the words of my tongue I could not utter.
The dear old man passed on, and I watched him turning the corner out of sight for ever. I never saw him again. But when I reach the glory land, I will find out that dear old man, and while angels shout and applaud, and the multitudes who have been brought to Christ through the gipsy boy, I will thank that grand old saint for his shake of the hand and for his "God bless you!"
For, he made me feel that somebody outside the gypsy tent really cared for a gipsy boy's soul. His kindness did me more good than a thousand sermons would have done just then. It was an inspiration that has never left me, and has done more for me than I can describe.
Many a young convert has been lost to the Church of God, who would have been preserved and kept for had someone showed such kindness as that which fell to my lot that day.
Gypsy Smith was converted in 1876 and, the next year, was invited by General William Booth to join him in evangelistic work. He served as an officer with the Salvation Army until 1882.
He then began ministering as an evangelist working with a variety of organizations all over the world, but particularly in Britain and America. History tells us that Gypsy Smith influenced over one million souls for Jesus Christ in his life time.
This boy, who at the age of sixteen could not read, learned to read. He found Christ and gave himself to learning everything he could for God’s glory and for one purpose. He wanted the world to know his Savior.
IV – THE UNASHAMED FAITH IS THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
- I am not an evangelist except in the respect that all Christians are to be witnesses, but I am a pastor. My mission is the Church. My mission is to tell you precious folks, that God is holy and he wants His people to be holy. God is sinless and He wants his people to be sinless.
If our family and friends are to be saved, we must know Jesus Christ in an experiential way and a phenomenal way. Our lives must be perched on the Rock of Ages.
Our lives must be clean and our prayers sincere.
We need to die to our selfish ways and unashamedly live for the Lord.
-We must realize if we aren’t right with our brother, we aren’t right with God.
God hears our prayers and blesses because of the cleanliness of our hearts, not our attempt to make a good showing at church.
I believe we ought to take the gospel to all the earth, but we need to begin at Jerusalem. That means at home. That means inside the house we live in.
If our homes are Christian, Jesus should be the center. The Bible should be read. A saved couple should pray together and live for God’s glory. Children should never question mom and dad’s salvation and love for God.
They should see parents in love and hear the sweet name of Jesus often.
Home should be a place of joy and love and harmony.
-I heard of a woman who got into politics and got so busy, she neglected her family. She came home one day and told her husband it looks like we are going to sweep the State. Her husband said, ‘Good, how about starting in the living room.” And that is where we all need to start cleaning; in the living room of our hearts.
-Times have changed! Fifty years ago, church members were busy, busy, busy. They were doing so many things, but the essential things, such as family time, personal devotionals and prayer time with God was suffering.
-As a youth director I was directed to have things going with the kids all the time. We had teen meetings, teen visitation, teen choir practice and teen Sunday school, and teen outings five and six days a week.
I kept the kids busy and it kept them out of trouble. But, that was supposed to be the job of the parents. The parents were to pray for, plan for and purpose to love and train their kids for God.
My time with them was to say, “Amen” to the life mom and dad was living before them.
-Folks, we need to become narrow minded, again. We need to focus on Christ. We need to quit getting involved in every activity that we are introduced to.
I’ve seek families that got their kids involved in baseball, softball, football, soccer, girls scouts, boys scouts, track, this club and that club. And I watched the children go wayward. We need to focus on Christ, the Bible and His return.
We need to focus on how can I memorize Scripture? How can I be a better Christian? How can I be a witness for my Lord in the stormy days to come? Focus on Christ!
--I heard the story of a grandpa who took his grandson squirrel hunting. They saw a squirrel and the little boy took aim, shot and missed. Grandpa said, “Let me try, son.” He took the gun and he was shaking so bad, he couldn’t hardly aim. He aimed high, then he aimed low. He aimed east and then west and fired, and down the squirrel came, grave yard dead. Grandpa said, “What do you think about that?” The grandson said, “I could have hit it too grandpa, if I aimed all over the place.”
Jesus said to have a single eye. That means we are to have a single purpose in life. We that are saved should live for His glory and for His honor.
Today, lots of folks are busy doing things, sometimes in the church, sometimes in the school and sometimes in the community. Sometimes they are busy serving people and busy going here and there, not because they are spiritual, but just the opposite. They are not spiritual, so they fill their lives with things, because fellowshipping with Jesus and his people are enjoyable anymore.
Busyness is not spirituality. If things aren’t right at home we are to busy. If marriages aren’t right we are to busy. If our family is in disarray, we need to slowdown and stop and focus on Christ again. Make His Word, the reading of Scriptures and prayer a vital part of our lives. Our families, our churches and our nation are suffering.
I said years ago, you can get so involved in your church that your own family can go to hell.
Now, let me explain that. going to Church twice on Sunday and once for prayer for a total 5 hours a week won’t hurt anybody. It will help you. But, when you have a meeting every night of the week, be careful, someone is going to burn out.
If we need to give up something, it is ball practice, or TV, or yard work, or our hobbies. If we can give ten hours to ball, we can give 5 hours to God. And that will make a difference in our children?
When revival comes there will be a great change among church members, whereby church members get things in their heart with God and each other. That change will influence others.
Revival will then change our homes. As Gypsy Smith saw the great change in the lives of his father and brothers and sisters and desired to know the Lord. Revival will make us salty.
Let me say this: You can’t have revival if you haven’t been vived. You can’t enjoy something again if you never enjoyed it the first time.
-Once you are revived, church won’t be a place you have to go. It will be a place you want to go.
-You won’t dread the sermons. You will delight in the sermons.
-People you once hated, you will love.
-The things you once hated you will love and things you once loved you will hate.
Dr. Torrey, said, many churches are praying for revival but they don’t rally want revival.
They think revival means more members. And that means more money. That isn’t revival.
People think, if we have revival, maybe my friend, or family member will come and get saved.
That isn’t what it is about. God wants us concerned with our relationship to Him.
God wants revival to take place in “my” heart, where “I” fall in love with the Lord again.
When people mean business with God, revival begins in the heart, first, of the one praying for revival. Pray: “Revive our church ‘O God, and let it begin with me.”
Psalms 61: Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.
5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.
A perch is a resting place or prominent position or a vantage point. A military leader will seek for a perch or a vantage over his enemies.
A bird in flight seeking for a place of rest will perch on an object. Small insignificant birds will perch on a twig and built their nest in a small bush. Often its eggs are unprotected and destroyed by an enemy.
A mighty eagle however, will perch in a mighty tree and built its nest in the rocks of a tall mountain, where the eagle’s young are protected.
In life, man makes decisions where to put his faith, yea were to perch his faith in life. Some put their faith in religious twigs and are therefore ashamed to stand and speak of their faith, for their faith is founded on little or nothing of value. Their perch is a religious idea or image that one has of God.
Others put their faith in the rock of ages and boldly and unashamedly speak for that in which they have anchored their souls.
When true salvation takes a hold of a person’s life, that person will perch on the rock of ages and take hold of the truth of God’s Word, unashamedly.
Read the Scriptures in Matthew 10:32-39.
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
The salvation that Jesus Christ teaches is radically different from religion. When a person is confronted with Christ and that person surrenders his life to Christ a change will take place that will make the average religious and worldly person very uncomfortable.
Jesus said in these verses that when a person comes to Christ and breaks from religion, it may cost them the friendship of some family and friends because of the new life they will live.
Look at three passages found in the book of Romans.
Romans 1:16 reads, 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 9:33 reads, 33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Romans 10: 8-11, 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Let me give you four thoughts about a life perched on the Rock of Ages.
I - THE UNASHAMED FAITH CHANGES LIVES
Rodney “Gypsy” Smith, born among gypsies in 1860 said, “Although I was a mischievous boy, I was not a really bad boy. I knew in my heart what religion meant. I had seen it in the new lives of my father, sisters, and brother. I had seen the wonderful change in the gypsy’s home. I had seen the transformation that had taken place there.”
“I had seen the transformation scene but I had not felt it myself, and in my heart there was a deep longing for the strange experiences which I knew to be my father's.”
Not everyone is going to have the same salvation experience, but everyone is going to experience the same salvation.
Read the Scriptures in Second Corinthians 5:14-17
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: The word “constraineth” means to compel or force. What changed us from the creature we once were? Paul said the love of Christ changes us.
The word for constrain is not a obligatory word but a delightful word. A person that has experienced salvation desires to and wants live a life for the Lord.
15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Paul reveals that once we are saved we live for Christ. We no longer live the selfish life for self, now we live for Jesus Christ.
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. What does that mean? It means that often folks know of Christ mentally and physically for years. They know of his glorious works and miracles and even salvation. Then one day, they are born again and they no longer just know the facts of the life of Christ, they know the Christ. Then verse 17 becomes true.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Let me say this folks. Please learn the Scriptures. Don’t compare yourself to the religious experience of your parents or your friends. Listen to and obey the Word of God through the Spirit of God., because often adults and youth, preachers and teachers profess Christ but some are perched on a twig and not the rock.
II – THE UNASHAMED FAITH INFLUENCES LIVES.
Gypsy continues his writing: “I had got it into my mind that religion was a thing which first took hold of the head of the house, and then stepped down in the order of the ages of the children.
My heart was heavy because I felt that I was standing in the way of my sister, Tilly’s salvation, who was younger than I.
I remember one evening sitting on the trunk of an old tree not far from my father's tent and wagon. Around the fallen trunk grass had grown about as tall as me.”
“I had gone there to think, because I was under the deepest conviction (Gypsy was 16) and had an earnest longing to love the Savior and to be a good lad.
I thought of my mother in heaven, and I thought of the beautiful life my father, brother, and sisters were living, and I said to myself, "Rodney, are you going to wander about as a gipsy boy and a gipsy man without hope, or will you be a Christian and have some definite object to live for?"
Everything was still, and I could almost hear the beating of my heart. For the answer to my question, I found myself startling myself by my own voice when I said, "By the grace of God, I will be a Christian and I will meet my mother in heaven!"
My decision was made. I believe I was as much accepted by the Lord Jesus that day as I am how, for with all my heart I had decided to live for Him.
Gypsy felt as if his decision for Christ would affect the decision that his younger sister would make.
Let it be know that you older teens will influence your younger brothers and sisters. Some teens accept Christ and unashamedly live for Him and thus influence their brothers and sisters for life. Other teens chose the wrong path and sadly, blind children. They thus seek to perch their lives upon twigs rather than the rock of ages and fall short of eternal life.
My wife is now working towards her Masters. She is reading a book about reaching our children for Christ. The author of the book, states that over years of study, 88% of children professing faith in Christ in evangelical churches, when they become adults, never go back to church. Why? I’ll tell you why. Where there is no conviction, no confrontation, no conversion, no change, there is no salvation.
Gypsy said again,, “My decision was made. My choice was made for ever, and if I at once confessed Christ, I believe that the witness of the Spirit would have been mine, the witness which gives one the assurance of acceptance. Remember Matthew 10:32.
I knew I had said "I will" to God, but I made the mistake of not declaring my decision publicly, and I believe that thousands do likewise. The devil tells them to keep it quiet. They are ashamed.
Gypsy says, “This is a cunning device by which he shuts hundreds out of the light and joy of God's salvation.”
Still I was not satisfied. A few days afterwards I wandered one evening into a little Methodist Chapel in Fitzroy Street, Cambridge, where I heard a sermon by the Rev. George Warner.
Oddly enough, I cannot remember a word of what Mr. Warner said, but I made up my mind in that service that if there was a chance I would publicly give myself to Christ.
After the sermon a prayer meeting was held, and Mr. Warner invited all those who desired to give themselves to the Lord to come forward and kneel at the altar.
I was the first to go forward. I do not know whether anybody else was there or not. I think not. While I prayed the congregation sang The Resolve.
I found an old Hymnal on the internet today, dated 1858. It had some tremendous songs for invitation, that we never sing today. Why? They are to convicting: But, here are the words to The Resolve.
“Come trembling sinner, in whose breast a thousand thoughts revolve;
Come with your guilt and fear oppressed, and make this last resolve.
I’ll go to Jesus, though my sin high as the mountains rose; I know his courts, I’ll enter in whatever may oppose.
Prostrate I’ll lie before His throne, And there my guilt confess: I’ll tell him I am a wretch undone, without His sovereign grace.
I can but perish if I go; I am resolved to try; for if I stay away, I know I must for ever die.
"I can but perish if I go, I am resolved to try, for if I stay away I know, I must for ever die."
III – THE UNASHAMED FAITH ENCOURAGES LIVES
Gypsy speaks again: “Soon there was a dear old man beside me at the altar, an old man with great flowing locks, who put his arm round me and began to pray with me and for me. I did not know his name. I do not know it even now.
I told him that I had given myself to Jesus for time and eternity, to be His boy for ever.
He said, "You must trust in Him completely to be saved. Then he said, ‘To as many as received Him, to them gave He power to be the sons of God; even to them that believed on His name.'”
"Well," I said to my dear old friend, "I cannot trust myself, for I am nothing; and I cannot trust in what I have, for I have nothing; and I cannot trust in what I know, for I know nothing.
So there and then I placed myself by simple trust and committal to Jesus Christ. I knew He died for me; I knew He was able to save me, and I just believed Him to be as good as His word. And thus the light broke and assurance came. I knew I was different now.
I went home and told my father that his prayers were answered, and he wept tears of joy with me. Turning to me, he said,
"Tell me how you know you are converted?" I hardly knew what to say, but placing my hand on my heart, I said, "Daddy, I feel so warm here." I had got a little of the feeling that the disciples had when they had been talking with Jesus on the way to Emmaus: "Did not our heart burn within us?" The date of Gypsy’s conversion was the 17th of November, 1876.
Gypsy says, “The next morning I was going out to sell my goods. My first desire was to see again the little place where I had kneeled the night before, before I began my work for the day. There I stood for some minutes gazing at the little chapel, almost worshipping the place.
As I stood, I heard a shuffling of feet, and turning round I saw the dear old man who had knelt by my side. I said to myself, "Now that I have my goods, (clothes, pegs and tin-ware) with me, he will see that I am a gipsy, and will not care for me or speak to me. Nobody cares for me but my father."
But I was quite wrong. Seeing me, he remembered me at once, and came over to speak to me, though he walked with great difficulty and with the aid of two sticks. Taking my hands in his, he seemed to look right down into my innermost soul. Then he said to me, "The Lord bless you, my boy. The Lord keep you, my boy."
I wanted to thank him, but the words would not come. There was a lump in my throat, and my thoughts were deep beyond the power of utterance. My tears swelled up in my eyes and the words of my tongue I could not utter.
The dear old man passed on, and I watched him turning the corner out of sight for ever. I never saw him again. But when I reach the glory land, I will find out that dear old man, and while angels shout and applaud, and the multitudes who have been brought to Christ through the gipsy boy, I will thank that grand old saint for his shake of the hand and for his "God bless you!"
For, he made me feel that somebody outside the gypsy tent really cared for a gipsy boy's soul. His kindness did me more good than a thousand sermons would have done just then. It was an inspiration that has never left me, and has done more for me than I can describe.
Many a young convert has been lost to the Church of God, who would have been preserved and kept for had someone showed such kindness as that which fell to my lot that day.
Gypsy Smith was converted in 1876 and, the next year, was invited by General William Booth to join him in evangelistic work. He served as an officer with the Salvation Army until 1882.
He then began ministering as an evangelist working with a variety of organizations all over the world, but particularly in Britain and America. History tells us that Gypsy Smith influenced over one million souls for Jesus Christ in his life time.
This boy, who at the age of sixteen could not read, learned to read. He found Christ and gave himself to learning everything he could for God’s glory and for one purpose. He wanted the world to know his Savior.
IV – THE UNASHAMED FAITH IS THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
- I am not an evangelist except in the respect that all Christians are to be witnesses, but I am a pastor. My mission is the Church. My mission is to tell you precious folks, that God is holy and he wants His people to be holy. God is sinless and He wants his people to be sinless.
If our family and friends are to be saved, we must know Jesus Christ in an experiential way and a phenomenal way. Our lives must be perched on the Rock of Ages.
Our lives must be clean and our prayers sincere.
We need to die to our selfish ways and unashamedly live for the Lord.
-We must realize if we aren’t right with our brother, we aren’t right with God.
God hears our prayers and blesses because of the cleanliness of our hearts, not our attempt to make a good showing at church.
I believe we ought to take the gospel to all the earth, but we need to begin at Jerusalem. That means at home. That means inside the house we live in.
If our homes are Christian, Jesus should be the center. The Bible should be read. A saved couple should pray together and live for God’s glory. Children should never question mom and dad’s salvation and love for God.
They should see parents in love and hear the sweet name of Jesus often.
Home should be a place of joy and love and harmony.
-I heard of a woman who got into politics and got so busy, she neglected her family. She came home one day and told her husband it looks like we are going to sweep the State. Her husband said, ‘Good, how about starting in the living room.” And that is where we all need to start cleaning; in the living room of our hearts.
-Times have changed! Fifty years ago, church members were busy, busy, busy. They were doing so many things, but the essential things, such as family time, personal devotionals and prayer time with God was suffering.
-As a youth director I was directed to have things going with the kids all the time. We had teen meetings, teen visitation, teen choir practice and teen Sunday school, and teen outings five and six days a week.
I kept the kids busy and it kept them out of trouble. But, that was supposed to be the job of the parents. The parents were to pray for, plan for and purpose to love and train their kids for God.
My time with them was to say, “Amen” to the life mom and dad was living before them.
-Folks, we need to become narrow minded, again. We need to focus on Christ. We need to quit getting involved in every activity that we are introduced to.
I’ve seek families that got their kids involved in baseball, softball, football, soccer, girls scouts, boys scouts, track, this club and that club. And I watched the children go wayward. We need to focus on Christ, the Bible and His return.
We need to focus on how can I memorize Scripture? How can I be a better Christian? How can I be a witness for my Lord in the stormy days to come? Focus on Christ!
--I heard the story of a grandpa who took his grandson squirrel hunting. They saw a squirrel and the little boy took aim, shot and missed. Grandpa said, “Let me try, son.” He took the gun and he was shaking so bad, he couldn’t hardly aim. He aimed high, then he aimed low. He aimed east and then west and fired, and down the squirrel came, grave yard dead. Grandpa said, “What do you think about that?” The grandson said, “I could have hit it too grandpa, if I aimed all over the place.”
Jesus said to have a single eye. That means we are to have a single purpose in life. We that are saved should live for His glory and for His honor.
Today, lots of folks are busy doing things, sometimes in the church, sometimes in the school and sometimes in the community. Sometimes they are busy serving people and busy going here and there, not because they are spiritual, but just the opposite. They are not spiritual, so they fill their lives with things, because fellowshipping with Jesus and his people are enjoyable anymore.
Busyness is not spirituality. If things aren’t right at home we are to busy. If marriages aren’t right we are to busy. If our family is in disarray, we need to slowdown and stop and focus on Christ again. Make His Word, the reading of Scriptures and prayer a vital part of our lives. Our families, our churches and our nation are suffering.
I said years ago, you can get so involved in your church that your own family can go to hell.
Now, let me explain that. going to Church twice on Sunday and once for prayer for a total 5 hours a week won’t hurt anybody. It will help you. But, when you have a meeting every night of the week, be careful, someone is going to burn out.
If we need to give up something, it is ball practice, or TV, or yard work, or our hobbies. If we can give ten hours to ball, we can give 5 hours to God. And that will make a difference in our children?
When revival comes there will be a great change among church members, whereby church members get things in their heart with God and each other. That change will influence others.
Revival will then change our homes. As Gypsy Smith saw the great change in the lives of his father and brothers and sisters and desired to know the Lord. Revival will make us salty.
Let me say this: You can’t have revival if you haven’t been vived. You can’t enjoy something again if you never enjoyed it the first time.
-Once you are revived, church won’t be a place you have to go. It will be a place you want to go.
-You won’t dread the sermons. You will delight in the sermons.
-People you once hated, you will love.
-The things you once hated you will love and things you once loved you will hate.
Dr. Torrey, said, many churches are praying for revival but they don’t rally want revival.
They think revival means more members. And that means more money. That isn’t revival.
People think, if we have revival, maybe my friend, or family member will come and get saved.
That isn’t what it is about. God wants us concerned with our relationship to Him.
God wants revival to take place in “my” heart, where “I” fall in love with the Lord again.
When people mean business with God, revival begins in the heart, first, of the one praying for revival. Pray: “Revive our church ‘O God, and let it begin with me.”
REVIVAL PHENOMENON
REVIVAL PHENOMENON
A phenomenon is a special experience or event or even a miracle that takes place in the life of a person.
Some people talk about a salvation phenomenon and other people actually experience salvation’s miracle.
Many folks observe this miracle of salvation, in the life of friends and others and desire it for themselves.
Some come to that place whereby they too receive God’s gift and some never come to that place though they are truly interested.
In this message, “Revival Phenomenon’s” we will look at three thoughts:
I – A SALVATION EXAMPLE
II – A SALVATION EXPLAINED
III – A SALVATION EXPERIENCE
I – A SALVATION EXAMPLE
Acts 9:1 1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
In this story, Saul, a Roman citizen and a very religious Jew, had a great hatred for Christianity. Whereas many people just ignore the facts of Christianity, hoping it will go away; Saul made it his life’s ambition to wipe it off the face of the earth.
He may have been the instigator of those who stoned Stephen to death in Acts 6-7. But, something phenomenal happens to Saul. He experiences a meeting with Jesus Christ.
In this salvation example, there is a confrontation, a conviction, a conversion and a commitment.
Saul is simply doing what he does every day and Jesus revealed Himself to Saul. Saul is convicted and literally knocked off his horse.
Saul inquires who this person is he is speaking with and the Lord Jesus reveals to Saul that it is He. This event of Saul’s conversion may have transpired over an hour or more. Saul surrenders his life to Christ and commits his life to the Lord. He says, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” This is a simple example of salvation.
II – A SALVATION EXPLAINED
Though the plan of salvation may be explained many times to a person, not until the Holy Spirit convicts a person and the light of God is revealed in their hearts, with a understanding of surrender and commitment to Christ, can a person be saved.
1) When God created man, He created man for fellowship, but man sinned in the Garden of Eden and that fellowship was broken. Throughout the Old Testament, God revealed how He would save man from his sins by the sacrifice of a lamb. That Lamb would come one day. He would be the Lord Jesus Christ.
2) Jesus came and died on Calvary to pay for the sins of man, for everybody in the world is guilty of sin.
The Jews had a very difficult time admitting that they were sinners. They believed they were good enough to get to heaven just like they were, wrapped in their religious clothing and good works.
A person must recognize and admit to Jesus Christ that he is a sinner, before salvation. Romans 3:23 reads, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
3) The law is a schoolmaster that reveals our lost condition before God. Anyone who reads the Bible, realizes, “I am lost. I cannot obtain heaven by my good works or religion.”
That lost condition reveals to our heart and mind that our sins have separated us from God. Romans 6:23 reads, “The wages of sin is death.” Death is a separation from God. It means a person will die physically and spiritually.
Physical death is heart wrenching, but spiritual death is horrifying. It is called the second death in Revelation 20:14-15. It is a horrible truth that a person will die and spend a billion years in a lake of fire, and that eternity of separation and suffering will just be starting.
Summarize this: Our sins separated us from God and nailed Jesus to the cross. Our payment is eternal death in hell forever.
4) In order for a person to escape God’s judgment, a person must receive God’s grace.
Grace is seen in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus left heaven and came to earth. He had to be born of a virgin to be our “kinsman redeemer.” He had to be kin to us.
He taught the people the ways of life and proved to the world He was the Christ by His many miracles and sings. Then He gave His life on Calvary for the sins of the world.
In order for man’s sins to be paid for there had to be a perfect, sinless, human sacrifice. All men are sinners except one, Jesus Christ. He died for man’s sins, was buried and rose again and lives forever more (I Corinthians 15:1-4, Ephesians 2:1-10).
5) Now, when a person sees and understands God’s magnificent love and under the 1) conviction of the Spirit realizes that his sins separation him from God and crucified Christ, that person begins a journey towards salvation.
Now, by faith, that person repents and 2) commits their lives to Christ or as John said 63 times, that person believes on the Lord Jesus Christ.
He is then 3) converted and his life is 4) changed. (Converted speaks of a barren field becoming a fruitful field.)
Paul said, “If we believe that Jesus died for us and was buried and rose again, and we trust Him as our savior, we will then openly and willingly 5) confess Him before others (Romans 10:8-11).
When a person understands all of that, they naturally, 6) “Call upon the Lord for salvation.” Romans 10:13 reads, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Do you understand salvation? Have you ever called on the Lord or cried out to Him to forgive you for your sins and ask Him to save your soul, with the unashamed confidence of confessing Him to others.
1) Have you ever under the conviction of God’s Spirit, saw yourself as a sinner?
2) Did you realize that being a sinner would separation you from God for all eternity? The labor pains of death, the burning pain of fire will part of that eternity.
3) Did you realize that Jesus paid for your sins when He gave His life on Calvary?
4) Was there a vivid time in your mind, a vivid time, not a cloudy, dusty time, but a time when you clearly remember the precious conviction of the Holy Spirit? And at that time, you willingly yield your life completely to Jesus Christ?
If not, don’t let Satan’s many religious ideas, or your pride take you to hell, when Jesus wants to take you to heaven.
One of the tragedies of today, is we have never had more church membership, more means of publicity, and more money to do what we want in our churches and we have never had more wickedness as we do today in our churches.
I don’t get excited over 100 million people in America professing church membership. I don’t get excited over 45 million people professing to be born again.
The FBI couldn’t find most of them on Sunday morning, much less Sunday, night, Prayer night and at revival meetings.
Way back before most of you were born, in 1954, the big quest of the Southern Baptist Church was “A million more in 54.” One preacher back then, 54 years ago, said, “If we get a million more like some we already got we are sunk.”
We’ve increased the sizes of most churches but we decreased the salt.
We have more love, or so we say, but we have less light.
Another preacher said, “The trouble with us Baptist is we are many but we aren’t much.”
Do you realize 20% of the members of most Baptist churches can’t be found?
Another 20% never attend church. 50% haven’t been to the altar to pray in years and another 50% never give a testimony.
Don’t you think it is strange to recruit new members when the crowd we have won’t come out and stand up to practice their faith?
Most new converts have to backslide to fit into most churches.
We need to take inventory.
Vance Havner said, “I believe it is time to give up preaching to the ungodly and preach to Christians to get right with God.
Jesus said, “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.” Christians we aren’t doing a very good job lifting up Jesus.
How do we lift Him up? We lift Him up in our hearts and then in worship. Then we lift Him up in our lives and lastly, our lips.
One preacher said, “I would rather wake up a sleeping church than arouse a sleeping world.”
Do you know what that means? It means if we get people saved out of the wicked world and bring them into a church that is not much different then the world, then it won’t be long before the new Christians would say, “Why go to church?” My worldly friend cuss, drink and partied, and so do these folks, so why go to church? That must not be!
III – A SALVATION EXPERIENCE
THE SALVATION OF A GYPSY
Rodney (Gypsy) Smith was born in 1860, in a gypsy’s tent, raised on a gypsy’s camp and never attended a day of school! Yet he influenced the lives of millions of people for God through his powerful preaching. How could that be when ninety-nine percent of Gypsies could not read, nor did he own a Bible?
Rodney (Gypsy) Smith’s father was named Cornelius Smith and his mother was Mary.
Cornelius Smith and his wife, Mary, were gypsies during the 1800’s when 25,000 gypsies roamed England. They lived in their gypsies wagons and sold their gypsies goods.
Gypsy Smith was the fourth of five living children. He was saved out of a life of coning and fraud and deception.
He said “God called me to preach to the church to get right with God.”
Gypsy Smith wrote a book and told of the family life of gypsies in the 1800’s. I read the book this pass week. Listen to some interesting facts.
As I read, I was amazed at how close the family life and love life was in the life of gypsies.
-- He told that when couples courted, they did so only in the day light hours and in sight and earshot of their parents.
He told of their virtue and how they valued being virgins when they married. He told of the close relationship of couples.
-- They made most of what they sold by hand; working diligently many hours a day, except for Sunday. Though they could not read, nor owned a Bible, nor attended church, Sunday was a day of rest.
I want you to see how God’s spirit confronts, convicts, converts and changes Gypsy’s Smith’s family.
Mary, Rodney’s mother, had five children and was expecting the sixth, when two of her children came down with small pox. Cornelius, Rodney’s dad, set up tent for the family to live in, while he move the trailer or van down the road a tenth of a mile to care for his two sick children.
He hoped his wife would not take sick, for she was expecting. Mary would make meals and take them half way to the trailer and lay them on the ground and head back to the tent. Cornelius would then come and get the meals for him and children.
But, as the long days and weeks past, Mary began to edge closer and closer to the trailer. Then, she contacted small pox. Now, Cornelius had to take care of his expecting wife and two children. The baby was born, but left Mary to weak to live.
Listen to Gypsy’s words, “Mother knew she was dying. Our hands were stretched out to hold her, but they were not strong enough. Other hands, omnipotent and eternal, were taking her from us.”
“Father seemed to realize, too, that she was going. He sat beside her one day and asked her if she thought of God. For the poor gypsies believe in God, and believe that He is good and merciful. And she said, "Yes, I believe in God."
My dad asked her, "Do you try to pray, my dear?" She said, "Yes, I am trying, and while I am trying to pray it seems as though a black hand comes before me and shows me all that I have done, and something whispers, 'There is no mercy for you!'"
Gypsy said, but my father, who was not a believer, had great assurance that God would forgive her, and he told her about Christ and asked her to look to Him. He told her how Christ died for sinners and that He was the Savior of the world.
My father had learned those truths when he was in prison for three months. He believed the Bible and the preacher’s words, but had never accepted Christ as his own.
He tried to teach my mother, what he learned in prison. After my father had told her all he knew of the Gospel she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Then he went outside, stood behind the wagon, and wept bitterly.
When he went back again to see her she looked calmly into his face, and said with a smile: "I want you to promise me one thing. Will you be a good father to my children?" He promised her that he would; and again he went outside and wept, and while he was weeping he heard her sing:
"I have a Father in the promised land. My God calls me, I must go, To meet Him in the promised land."
My father went back to her and said: "Polly, my dear, where did you learn that song?"
She said: "Cornelius, I heard it when I was a little girl. One Sunday my father's tents were pitched on a village green, and seeing the young people and others going into a little church, I followed them in and they sang those words." That was twenty years earlier.
My mother could not read the Bible, but in her dying moments, the words of that song and the witness of her lost husband, allowed God to shine His light in her heart and my mother trusted in God’s amazing grace.
In her dying moments she sang the song again and again. "I have a Father in the promised land. My God calls me, I must go, To meet Him in the promised land."
Turning to my father, she said, "I am not afraid to die now. I feel that it will be all right.
When Monday morning dawned suddenly I heard my name called: "Rodney!" and running to see what I was wanted for, I encountered my sister Emily. She had crawled out of bed, for bed could not hold her that morning, and she said to me, "Rodney, mother's dead!"
I remember falling on my face in the dirt as though I had been shot, and weeping my heart out and saying to myself, "I shall never be like other boys, for I have no mother!"
At the time of my mother's death, my father was under deep conviction, but there was no light. He could not read, nor could any of his friends read, and there was no one to whom he could go for instruction and guidance.
All this time, to erase the conviction of God’s Spirit, my father was living a life of fiddling and drinking and sinning. He was under the deepest conviction.
He always said his prayers night and morning, and asked God to give him power over drink, but every time temptation came his way he fell before it. He was like the chaff driven before the wind.
His sister and her husband, who had no children, came to travel with us. She had learned to read a little. She could struggle her way through a little of the New Testament, and used to read to my father about the sufferings of Christ and His death upon the tree for sinful men.
She told my father it was the sins of the people which nailed Him there, and my father often felt in his heart that he was one of them.
I have seen father when we children were in bed at night, and supposed to be asleep, sitting over the fire with tears falling like ripples in mountain streams as he talked to himself about mother and his promise to her to be good.
He would say to himself aloud, "I do not know how to be good," and laying his hand upon his heart he would say, "I wonder when I shall get this burden removed?"
We lay awake listening, not daring to speak, and shed bitter tears. Many a time I have said the next morning to my sisters and my brother, "We have no mother and we shall soon have no father." We thought he was going out of his mind. We did not understand the conviction of sin. It was all quite foreign to us.
One day we saw two gipsy wagons coming towards us and when they got near we discovered to our great delight that they belonged to dad’s brothers Woodlock and Bartholomew.
They fell on each other's necks and wept. As they talked my father told them of his great loss, and they tried to sympathize with him.
Cornelius said, "Brothers, I have a great burden that I must get removed. A hunger is gnawing at my heart; I can not eat, drink, or sleep. If I do not get this burden satisfied I shall die!"
And then the brothers said, "Cornelius, we feel just the same. We have talked about this to each other for weeks."
Though these three men had been far apart, yet, God had been dealing with them at the same time and in the same way.
These men were all hungry for the truth. They could not read and so knew nothing of the Bible. They had never been taught, and they knew very little of Jesus Christ.
As the brothers talked they felt how sweet it would be to go to God's house and learn of Him, for they had all got tired of their roaming life. My father was on the way to London, and fully resolved to go to a church and find out what it was his soul needed.
His two brothers said, “We will go as well.” When they arrived, they parked their wagons next to a beer-shop. They went in and told the lady inside how God was dealing with them and ask if she knew of a place they could go to get help.
God had been dealing with the landlady of this beer-house as well. When the brothers spoke to her she began to weep, and said, "I am in the same condition as you. I have a book upstairs that will just help you, for it makes me cry every time I read it."
The book was “Pilgrims Progress.” As my dad and two brothers sat in the street, not able to read the book, a young man came by and offered to read from the book to them.
When he got to the point where Pilgrim's burden of sin drops off as he looks at the cross, Bartholomew rose from his seat by the wayside and excitedly walking up and down, and cried, "That is what I want. I want my burden removed. If God does not save me I shall die!"
All the brothers at that moment felt the conviction of sin, and wept like little children, but still were not saved.
On the following Sunday the three brothers went to a Methodist Chapel, three times. In the evening the Rev. Henry Gunns preached.
Speaking of that service, Cornelius says: "His points were very cutting to my soul. He seemed to aim directly at me. I tried to hide myself behind a pillar in the chapel, but he, looking and pointing in that direction, said, "He died for thee!" People were invited forward to receive Christ, and in the prayer time and invitation, the preacher came to where I was sitting and asked me if I was saved.
I cried out, "No; but that is what I want." The preacher tried to show me that Christ had paid my debt, but the enemy of souls had blinded my eyes. Instead of receiving Christ by faith I went from that house of prayer still a convicted sinner, but not a converted one."
We now resumed our way to London, my father put his horse in somebody's field, intending, of course, to avoid detection of this wrongdoing by coming for it early in the morning.
That night he dreamed a dream. In the dream he was traveling through a rugged country over rocks and boulders, thorns and briars. His hands were bleeding and his feet torn. Utterly exhausted and worn out, he fell to the ground.
A person, then, in white raiment appeared to him, and as this person lifted up his hands my father saw the mark of the nails, and then he knew it was the Lord. The figure in white said to my father, showing him His hands, "I suffered this for you, and when you give up all and trust Me I will save you." Then my father awoke.
The following morning, when he went to fetch his horses his tender conscience told him very clearly and very pointedly that he had done wrong. As he removed the horses from the field and closed the gate he resolved "That shall be the last known sin I will ever willfully commit."
My father was now terribly convicted. He told all the other gypsies that he was through with his roaming and wrong doings, and that he meant to turn to God.
They looked at him and wept. My father sold his horses, being determined not to move from that place until he had found the way to God.
Says my father "I meant to find Christ if He was to be found. I could think of nothing else but Him. I believed His blood was shed for me, but I was not saved."
Then my father prayed that God would direct him to some place where he might learn the way to heaven, and prayed as he went. One morning he went out searching as usual for the way to God. He met a kind man mending the road, and began to talk with him.
As God would have it, the man was a Christian, and said to my father, "I know what you want; you want to be converted." "I do not know anything about that," said my father, "but I want Christ, and I am resolved to find Him."
"Well," said the working-man "there is a meeting tonight. I shall come for you and take you there."
In the evening before leaving, my father said to us, "Children, I shall not come home again until I am converted," and I shouted to him, "Daddy, who is he?" I did not know who this converted, guy was.
I thought my father was losing his mind, and resolved to follow him. The Mission Hall was crowded and everyone was singing. My father marched right up to the front, boldly.
The people were singing the well-known hymn – "There is a fountain filled with blood, Drawn from Emmanuel's veins, And sinners, plunged beneath that flood, Lose all their guilty stains."
The refrain was, "I do believe, I will believe, that Jesus died for me." "I do believe, I will believe, that Jesus died for me."
Conviction fell on my father and in the agony of his soul he fell on the floor weeping and praying and calling out to God.
Then he lay there on the floor for half an hour, without moving. I was in great distress, and thought my father was dead, and shouted out, "Oh dear, our father is dead!"
But presently he came to himself, stood up and, leaping joyfully, exclaimed, "I am converted!" He walked about the hall looking at his flesh. He said, it did not seem to be all quite the same color to him and shouted that his burden was gone.
When my father got home to the wagon that night he gathered us all around him. I saw at once that the old haggard look that his face had worn for years was now gone, and, indeed, it was gone for ever.
Father sat down in the wagon, as tender and gentle as a little child. He called his motherless children to him one by one, beginning with the youngest, my sister Tilly.
"Do not be afraid of me, my dears. God has sent home your father a new creature and a new man."
He put his arms as far round the five of us as they would go, kissing us all, and before we could understand what had happened he fell on his knees and began to pray.
Never will my brother, sisters, and I forget that first prayer. I still feel its sacred influence on my heart and soul till this day.
There was no sleep for any of us that night for Father was singing, "I do believe, I will believe, that Jesus died for me," and we soon learned the song too.
Morning, when it dawned, found my father full of this new life and this new joy. He again prayed with his children, asking God to save them, and while he was praying God told him he must go to the other gypsies that were encamped on the same piece of land.
That day my father went to about twenty families. When dad finished, thirteen gypsies professed to find Christ that morning as their Savior.
Many people know of God’s salvation experience. Many have had it explained time and time again.
Many folks have felt God’s conviction time and time again, and could see the light beyond the door of repentance, but never opened that door.
My question for you this morning is this: “Can you give a personal example of what God has done in your life?”
Could you stand today and tell of the day of your confrontation with Christ?
Can you tell of that conviction, that conversion, that commitment and that change when you willingly and joyfully called on the Lord to be your savior?
Gypsy Smiths’ testifies of the change in his father and brothers all the days of their lives after they were converted.
A phenomenon is a special experience or event or even a miracle that takes place in the life of a person.
Some people talk about a salvation phenomenon and other people actually experience salvation’s miracle.
Many folks observe this miracle of salvation, in the life of friends and others and desire it for themselves.
Some come to that place whereby they too receive God’s gift and some never come to that place though they are truly interested.
In this message, “Revival Phenomenon’s” we will look at three thoughts:
I – A SALVATION EXAMPLE
II – A SALVATION EXPLAINED
III – A SALVATION EXPERIENCE
I – A SALVATION EXAMPLE
Acts 9:1 1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
In this story, Saul, a Roman citizen and a very religious Jew, had a great hatred for Christianity. Whereas many people just ignore the facts of Christianity, hoping it will go away; Saul made it his life’s ambition to wipe it off the face of the earth.
He may have been the instigator of those who stoned Stephen to death in Acts 6-7. But, something phenomenal happens to Saul. He experiences a meeting with Jesus Christ.
In this salvation example, there is a confrontation, a conviction, a conversion and a commitment.
Saul is simply doing what he does every day and Jesus revealed Himself to Saul. Saul is convicted and literally knocked off his horse.
Saul inquires who this person is he is speaking with and the Lord Jesus reveals to Saul that it is He. This event of Saul’s conversion may have transpired over an hour or more. Saul surrenders his life to Christ and commits his life to the Lord. He says, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” This is a simple example of salvation.
II – A SALVATION EXPLAINED
Though the plan of salvation may be explained many times to a person, not until the Holy Spirit convicts a person and the light of God is revealed in their hearts, with a understanding of surrender and commitment to Christ, can a person be saved.
1) When God created man, He created man for fellowship, but man sinned in the Garden of Eden and that fellowship was broken. Throughout the Old Testament, God revealed how He would save man from his sins by the sacrifice of a lamb. That Lamb would come one day. He would be the Lord Jesus Christ.
2) Jesus came and died on Calvary to pay for the sins of man, for everybody in the world is guilty of sin.
The Jews had a very difficult time admitting that they were sinners. They believed they were good enough to get to heaven just like they were, wrapped in their religious clothing and good works.
A person must recognize and admit to Jesus Christ that he is a sinner, before salvation. Romans 3:23 reads, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
3) The law is a schoolmaster that reveals our lost condition before God. Anyone who reads the Bible, realizes, “I am lost. I cannot obtain heaven by my good works or religion.”
That lost condition reveals to our heart and mind that our sins have separated us from God. Romans 6:23 reads, “The wages of sin is death.” Death is a separation from God. It means a person will die physically and spiritually.
Physical death is heart wrenching, but spiritual death is horrifying. It is called the second death in Revelation 20:14-15. It is a horrible truth that a person will die and spend a billion years in a lake of fire, and that eternity of separation and suffering will just be starting.
Summarize this: Our sins separated us from God and nailed Jesus to the cross. Our payment is eternal death in hell forever.
4) In order for a person to escape God’s judgment, a person must receive God’s grace.
Grace is seen in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus left heaven and came to earth. He had to be born of a virgin to be our “kinsman redeemer.” He had to be kin to us.
He taught the people the ways of life and proved to the world He was the Christ by His many miracles and sings. Then He gave His life on Calvary for the sins of the world.
In order for man’s sins to be paid for there had to be a perfect, sinless, human sacrifice. All men are sinners except one, Jesus Christ. He died for man’s sins, was buried and rose again and lives forever more (I Corinthians 15:1-4, Ephesians 2:1-10).
5) Now, when a person sees and understands God’s magnificent love and under the 1) conviction of the Spirit realizes that his sins separation him from God and crucified Christ, that person begins a journey towards salvation.
Now, by faith, that person repents and 2) commits their lives to Christ or as John said 63 times, that person believes on the Lord Jesus Christ.
He is then 3) converted and his life is 4) changed. (Converted speaks of a barren field becoming a fruitful field.)
Paul said, “If we believe that Jesus died for us and was buried and rose again, and we trust Him as our savior, we will then openly and willingly 5) confess Him before others (Romans 10:8-11).
When a person understands all of that, they naturally, 6) “Call upon the Lord for salvation.” Romans 10:13 reads, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Do you understand salvation? Have you ever called on the Lord or cried out to Him to forgive you for your sins and ask Him to save your soul, with the unashamed confidence of confessing Him to others.
1) Have you ever under the conviction of God’s Spirit, saw yourself as a sinner?
2) Did you realize that being a sinner would separation you from God for all eternity? The labor pains of death, the burning pain of fire will part of that eternity.
3) Did you realize that Jesus paid for your sins when He gave His life on Calvary?
4) Was there a vivid time in your mind, a vivid time, not a cloudy, dusty time, but a time when you clearly remember the precious conviction of the Holy Spirit? And at that time, you willingly yield your life completely to Jesus Christ?
If not, don’t let Satan’s many religious ideas, or your pride take you to hell, when Jesus wants to take you to heaven.
One of the tragedies of today, is we have never had more church membership, more means of publicity, and more money to do what we want in our churches and we have never had more wickedness as we do today in our churches.
I don’t get excited over 100 million people in America professing church membership. I don’t get excited over 45 million people professing to be born again.
The FBI couldn’t find most of them on Sunday morning, much less Sunday, night, Prayer night and at revival meetings.
Way back before most of you were born, in 1954, the big quest of the Southern Baptist Church was “A million more in 54.” One preacher back then, 54 years ago, said, “If we get a million more like some we already got we are sunk.”
We’ve increased the sizes of most churches but we decreased the salt.
We have more love, or so we say, but we have less light.
Another preacher said, “The trouble with us Baptist is we are many but we aren’t much.”
Do you realize 20% of the members of most Baptist churches can’t be found?
Another 20% never attend church. 50% haven’t been to the altar to pray in years and another 50% never give a testimony.
Don’t you think it is strange to recruit new members when the crowd we have won’t come out and stand up to practice their faith?
Most new converts have to backslide to fit into most churches.
We need to take inventory.
Vance Havner said, “I believe it is time to give up preaching to the ungodly and preach to Christians to get right with God.
Jesus said, “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.” Christians we aren’t doing a very good job lifting up Jesus.
How do we lift Him up? We lift Him up in our hearts and then in worship. Then we lift Him up in our lives and lastly, our lips.
One preacher said, “I would rather wake up a sleeping church than arouse a sleeping world.”
Do you know what that means? It means if we get people saved out of the wicked world and bring them into a church that is not much different then the world, then it won’t be long before the new Christians would say, “Why go to church?” My worldly friend cuss, drink and partied, and so do these folks, so why go to church? That must not be!
III – A SALVATION EXPERIENCE
THE SALVATION OF A GYPSY
Rodney (Gypsy) Smith was born in 1860, in a gypsy’s tent, raised on a gypsy’s camp and never attended a day of school! Yet he influenced the lives of millions of people for God through his powerful preaching. How could that be when ninety-nine percent of Gypsies could not read, nor did he own a Bible?
Rodney (Gypsy) Smith’s father was named Cornelius Smith and his mother was Mary.
Cornelius Smith and his wife, Mary, were gypsies during the 1800’s when 25,000 gypsies roamed England. They lived in their gypsies wagons and sold their gypsies goods.
Gypsy Smith was the fourth of five living children. He was saved out of a life of coning and fraud and deception.
He said “God called me to preach to the church to get right with God.”
Gypsy Smith wrote a book and told of the family life of gypsies in the 1800’s. I read the book this pass week. Listen to some interesting facts.
As I read, I was amazed at how close the family life and love life was in the life of gypsies.
-- He told that when couples courted, they did so only in the day light hours and in sight and earshot of their parents.
He told of their virtue and how they valued being virgins when they married. He told of the close relationship of couples.
-- They made most of what they sold by hand; working diligently many hours a day, except for Sunday. Though they could not read, nor owned a Bible, nor attended church, Sunday was a day of rest.
I want you to see how God’s spirit confronts, convicts, converts and changes Gypsy’s Smith’s family.
Mary, Rodney’s mother, had five children and was expecting the sixth, when two of her children came down with small pox. Cornelius, Rodney’s dad, set up tent for the family to live in, while he move the trailer or van down the road a tenth of a mile to care for his two sick children.
He hoped his wife would not take sick, for she was expecting. Mary would make meals and take them half way to the trailer and lay them on the ground and head back to the tent. Cornelius would then come and get the meals for him and children.
But, as the long days and weeks past, Mary began to edge closer and closer to the trailer. Then, she contacted small pox. Now, Cornelius had to take care of his expecting wife and two children. The baby was born, but left Mary to weak to live.
Listen to Gypsy’s words, “Mother knew she was dying. Our hands were stretched out to hold her, but they were not strong enough. Other hands, omnipotent and eternal, were taking her from us.”
“Father seemed to realize, too, that she was going. He sat beside her one day and asked her if she thought of God. For the poor gypsies believe in God, and believe that He is good and merciful. And she said, "Yes, I believe in God."
My dad asked her, "Do you try to pray, my dear?" She said, "Yes, I am trying, and while I am trying to pray it seems as though a black hand comes before me and shows me all that I have done, and something whispers, 'There is no mercy for you!'"
Gypsy said, but my father, who was not a believer, had great assurance that God would forgive her, and he told her about Christ and asked her to look to Him. He told her how Christ died for sinners and that He was the Savior of the world.
My father had learned those truths when he was in prison for three months. He believed the Bible and the preacher’s words, but had never accepted Christ as his own.
He tried to teach my mother, what he learned in prison. After my father had told her all he knew of the Gospel she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Then he went outside, stood behind the wagon, and wept bitterly.
When he went back again to see her she looked calmly into his face, and said with a smile: "I want you to promise me one thing. Will you be a good father to my children?" He promised her that he would; and again he went outside and wept, and while he was weeping he heard her sing:
"I have a Father in the promised land. My God calls me, I must go, To meet Him in the promised land."
My father went back to her and said: "Polly, my dear, where did you learn that song?"
She said: "Cornelius, I heard it when I was a little girl. One Sunday my father's tents were pitched on a village green, and seeing the young people and others going into a little church, I followed them in and they sang those words." That was twenty years earlier.
My mother could not read the Bible, but in her dying moments, the words of that song and the witness of her lost husband, allowed God to shine His light in her heart and my mother trusted in God’s amazing grace.
In her dying moments she sang the song again and again. "I have a Father in the promised land. My God calls me, I must go, To meet Him in the promised land."
Turning to my father, she said, "I am not afraid to die now. I feel that it will be all right.
When Monday morning dawned suddenly I heard my name called: "Rodney!" and running to see what I was wanted for, I encountered my sister Emily. She had crawled out of bed, for bed could not hold her that morning, and she said to me, "Rodney, mother's dead!"
I remember falling on my face in the dirt as though I had been shot, and weeping my heart out and saying to myself, "I shall never be like other boys, for I have no mother!"
At the time of my mother's death, my father was under deep conviction, but there was no light. He could not read, nor could any of his friends read, and there was no one to whom he could go for instruction and guidance.
All this time, to erase the conviction of God’s Spirit, my father was living a life of fiddling and drinking and sinning. He was under the deepest conviction.
He always said his prayers night and morning, and asked God to give him power over drink, but every time temptation came his way he fell before it. He was like the chaff driven before the wind.
His sister and her husband, who had no children, came to travel with us. She had learned to read a little. She could struggle her way through a little of the New Testament, and used to read to my father about the sufferings of Christ and His death upon the tree for sinful men.
She told my father it was the sins of the people which nailed Him there, and my father often felt in his heart that he was one of them.
I have seen father when we children were in bed at night, and supposed to be asleep, sitting over the fire with tears falling like ripples in mountain streams as he talked to himself about mother and his promise to her to be good.
He would say to himself aloud, "I do not know how to be good," and laying his hand upon his heart he would say, "I wonder when I shall get this burden removed?"
We lay awake listening, not daring to speak, and shed bitter tears. Many a time I have said the next morning to my sisters and my brother, "We have no mother and we shall soon have no father." We thought he was going out of his mind. We did not understand the conviction of sin. It was all quite foreign to us.
One day we saw two gipsy wagons coming towards us and when they got near we discovered to our great delight that they belonged to dad’s brothers Woodlock and Bartholomew.
They fell on each other's necks and wept. As they talked my father told them of his great loss, and they tried to sympathize with him.
Cornelius said, "Brothers, I have a great burden that I must get removed. A hunger is gnawing at my heart; I can not eat, drink, or sleep. If I do not get this burden satisfied I shall die!"
And then the brothers said, "Cornelius, we feel just the same. We have talked about this to each other for weeks."
Though these three men had been far apart, yet, God had been dealing with them at the same time and in the same way.
These men were all hungry for the truth. They could not read and so knew nothing of the Bible. They had never been taught, and they knew very little of Jesus Christ.
As the brothers talked they felt how sweet it would be to go to God's house and learn of Him, for they had all got tired of their roaming life. My father was on the way to London, and fully resolved to go to a church and find out what it was his soul needed.
His two brothers said, “We will go as well.” When they arrived, they parked their wagons next to a beer-shop. They went in and told the lady inside how God was dealing with them and ask if she knew of a place they could go to get help.
God had been dealing with the landlady of this beer-house as well. When the brothers spoke to her she began to weep, and said, "I am in the same condition as you. I have a book upstairs that will just help you, for it makes me cry every time I read it."
The book was “Pilgrims Progress.” As my dad and two brothers sat in the street, not able to read the book, a young man came by and offered to read from the book to them.
When he got to the point where Pilgrim's burden of sin drops off as he looks at the cross, Bartholomew rose from his seat by the wayside and excitedly walking up and down, and cried, "That is what I want. I want my burden removed. If God does not save me I shall die!"
All the brothers at that moment felt the conviction of sin, and wept like little children, but still were not saved.
On the following Sunday the three brothers went to a Methodist Chapel, three times. In the evening the Rev. Henry Gunns preached.
Speaking of that service, Cornelius says: "His points were very cutting to my soul. He seemed to aim directly at me. I tried to hide myself behind a pillar in the chapel, but he, looking and pointing in that direction, said, "He died for thee!" People were invited forward to receive Christ, and in the prayer time and invitation, the preacher came to where I was sitting and asked me if I was saved.
I cried out, "No; but that is what I want." The preacher tried to show me that Christ had paid my debt, but the enemy of souls had blinded my eyes. Instead of receiving Christ by faith I went from that house of prayer still a convicted sinner, but not a converted one."
We now resumed our way to London, my father put his horse in somebody's field, intending, of course, to avoid detection of this wrongdoing by coming for it early in the morning.
That night he dreamed a dream. In the dream he was traveling through a rugged country over rocks and boulders, thorns and briars. His hands were bleeding and his feet torn. Utterly exhausted and worn out, he fell to the ground.
A person, then, in white raiment appeared to him, and as this person lifted up his hands my father saw the mark of the nails, and then he knew it was the Lord. The figure in white said to my father, showing him His hands, "I suffered this for you, and when you give up all and trust Me I will save you." Then my father awoke.
The following morning, when he went to fetch his horses his tender conscience told him very clearly and very pointedly that he had done wrong. As he removed the horses from the field and closed the gate he resolved "That shall be the last known sin I will ever willfully commit."
My father was now terribly convicted. He told all the other gypsies that he was through with his roaming and wrong doings, and that he meant to turn to God.
They looked at him and wept. My father sold his horses, being determined not to move from that place until he had found the way to God.
Says my father "I meant to find Christ if He was to be found. I could think of nothing else but Him. I believed His blood was shed for me, but I was not saved."
Then my father prayed that God would direct him to some place where he might learn the way to heaven, and prayed as he went. One morning he went out searching as usual for the way to God. He met a kind man mending the road, and began to talk with him.
As God would have it, the man was a Christian, and said to my father, "I know what you want; you want to be converted." "I do not know anything about that," said my father, "but I want Christ, and I am resolved to find Him."
"Well," said the working-man "there is a meeting tonight. I shall come for you and take you there."
In the evening before leaving, my father said to us, "Children, I shall not come home again until I am converted," and I shouted to him, "Daddy, who is he?" I did not know who this converted, guy was.
I thought my father was losing his mind, and resolved to follow him. The Mission Hall was crowded and everyone was singing. My father marched right up to the front, boldly.
The people were singing the well-known hymn – "There is a fountain filled with blood, Drawn from Emmanuel's veins, And sinners, plunged beneath that flood, Lose all their guilty stains."
The refrain was, "I do believe, I will believe, that Jesus died for me." "I do believe, I will believe, that Jesus died for me."
Conviction fell on my father and in the agony of his soul he fell on the floor weeping and praying and calling out to God.
Then he lay there on the floor for half an hour, without moving. I was in great distress, and thought my father was dead, and shouted out, "Oh dear, our father is dead!"
But presently he came to himself, stood up and, leaping joyfully, exclaimed, "I am converted!" He walked about the hall looking at his flesh. He said, it did not seem to be all quite the same color to him and shouted that his burden was gone.
When my father got home to the wagon that night he gathered us all around him. I saw at once that the old haggard look that his face had worn for years was now gone, and, indeed, it was gone for ever.
Father sat down in the wagon, as tender and gentle as a little child. He called his motherless children to him one by one, beginning with the youngest, my sister Tilly.
"Do not be afraid of me, my dears. God has sent home your father a new creature and a new man."
He put his arms as far round the five of us as they would go, kissing us all, and before we could understand what had happened he fell on his knees and began to pray.
Never will my brother, sisters, and I forget that first prayer. I still feel its sacred influence on my heart and soul till this day.
There was no sleep for any of us that night for Father was singing, "I do believe, I will believe, that Jesus died for me," and we soon learned the song too.
Morning, when it dawned, found my father full of this new life and this new joy. He again prayed with his children, asking God to save them, and while he was praying God told him he must go to the other gypsies that were encamped on the same piece of land.
That day my father went to about twenty families. When dad finished, thirteen gypsies professed to find Christ that morning as their Savior.
Many people know of God’s salvation experience. Many have had it explained time and time again.
Many folks have felt God’s conviction time and time again, and could see the light beyond the door of repentance, but never opened that door.
My question for you this morning is this: “Can you give a personal example of what God has done in your life?”
Could you stand today and tell of the day of your confrontation with Christ?
Can you tell of that conviction, that conversion, that commitment and that change when you willingly and joyfully called on the Lord to be your savior?
Gypsy Smiths’ testifies of the change in his father and brothers all the days of their lives after they were converted.
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