Well, as I stated a little over a week ago, I was planning on being absent for a bit while we had our annual Revival at my church. I must say, I am glad I took the time off, because I know now that focusing on that, and that alone, was what The Lord preferred that I do.
It’s over now. That is, the event we call revival is over. Of course, we will have one next year, just as we always do. Heck if somebody gets really fired up, we might even have TWO revivals! The event has ended, but has the Revival? Maybe the question is; Has the Revival even begun? What happened during the last week? Where are we going with what happened? Did anything actually happen? As you can see, my mind is simply bubbling with thoughts that even to me seem to make little organized sense. Since I fancy myself a writer, writing them down and tossing them out seems to be a proper response. Please bear with me if they are somewhat disjointed and disorganized.
First things first. Any week when I get to go to God’s House for worship and fellowship seven times in one week is just a good week. I love the local church, and truly believe that is where God primarily would have me to be to worship Him. The location is irrelevant, but God clearly desires that we gather in local, called out assemblies of believers to worship Him and perform His works. Now, that is from God’s standpoint. From my stand point, things just get better. I clearly understand church is not about me, but the God who loves me so much has made it so that I am blessed and filled with joy by it. That is just very cool. What’s it in for me?
I get to learn about God and HIs Word.
I get to be with the people of God who I love dearly.
I get my focus back on God instead of the world
I get to pray for others and they pray for me. There is power in corporate prayer, I believe.
I get to sing. Singing God’s praises in song is awesome, but even more so with a multitude of voices lifted up together.
I get to hear God’s Word preached. I am convicted regarding the things I need to do, and I learn how to get them done. I am exhorted, commanded, and encouraged in the direction I need to go.
The music, ah, the music. I already mentioned I love the music. Call me old fashioned, but next to prayer, picking up an old time Hymn book and singing together about things pulled directly from God’s Word is uplifting and edifying in ways that simply cannot be expressed. I love to hear others sing. Some of the individual special music touches like nothing else. I must add, we have the best music director on the planet. If a person pays any attention to what they are singing, they will quickly see that what we sing are not just random assortments of songs she likes, but they always have a point, a theme, and a message. You could almost say we get two sermons for the price of one. One is in song, and the other is in spoken words.
The message, or the point of the whole thing. The powerful, true, convicting presentation of God’s Word. This weeks messages were all preached from 1 Kings and relayed the story of the Prophet Elijah from his calling by God up until his confrontation with Ahab and the prophets of Baal. The message was entitled. “The Elijah Factor, How One Man Made a Difference.” If any readers have not really read the story, I strongly encourage you to do so. We see one man, living in an unGodly nation. We see one man called by God for a mission. We see one man who answered that call, willing to move forward in the face of daunting odds and great opposition. Over the next little bit, in our morning devotionals, we will explore this great story in some detail.
Okay. We had an event called Revival. Big deal. Now that the event is over, is the Revival over? Well, earlier in our series on this topic, I made it clear that Revival is NOT just an event; it is NOT just a thing we do once a year, or maybe twice if we get really excited. To be revived is a lifestyle, not a happening. Now that the happening is over, will we take what we heard and become changed? Or Monday morning will we be be the same as we were last Monday when we walked into the church building? Let’s take a look at some things quickly:
We live in a Godless nation, filled with sin and transgression of every sort.
We face opposition from the Godless, often it is heated and hateful.
We all have been called to stand, and to take a stand. Not all will answer, but we have all been called.
One man, one woman, one family, or one church can make a difference
What are you doing next week? Next month? Till the day you draw your last breath?
Truth in Palmyra 
August 8, 2015 at 13:09
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
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August 8, 2015 at 15:13
So glad you got to spend a week in the presence of the Lord Wally. I have to find a good revival or conference to attend. My last church had an annual men’s conference that left me feeling less than inspired. (I told you about the evangelist who throws his suit jacket on church members and blows in their faces as if he believes his garment contains the glory of God. Just left me feeling weird, not edified. I think the true church is in store for quite a revival. This is going to come about as we stand against the devil, false prophets, extremists, persecutors, and detractors. The Lord Jesus is coming back in all his glory. Oh what a wonderful day that will be.
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August 8, 2015 at 15:28
Yikes! I sent you to the trash can for some reason! Sorry.
Steve, my burden is very heavy for those who seem to be not able to find a church, a local assembly of believers to serve with. It just literally breaks my heart. I pray daily that so many I talk to seem to be disenfranchised from a local body of believers. Didn’t you say you were visiting another church? How did that go? I know you are from a charismatic background, but have you considered other directions?
And agreed that the day of Jesus’ return will be a glorious one, but there is still so much to be done while we are here and I pray that all of us will get busy so that when He comes, we have as much company in Heaven as we can.
Btw, if you don’t want to cover you search for a church in comments, feel free to E mail me at wfry1962@gmail.com
Peace and blessings.
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August 9, 2015 at 14:59
Leading worship as I do, I like the congregational hymns. What a lot of kids don’t realize is that they are singing them too in contemporary worship… Hymns, wrapped in a contemporary chorus is 1/3 of what Christian radio is playing.
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August 9, 2015 at 15:14
Hey David, hope you are having a good Sunday. Thanks for the input, and I hope I didn’t come over as anti contemporary music, because I am not by any means. In fact, much of the special music our choir does is contemporary takes on hymns, and most of the individual special music too. For, us, anyway the Hymn book seems to generate the most enthusiasm for praising God with music. But, we like lots of stuff. And what you said about the kids not realizing what they are singing, very true LOL.
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August 9, 2015 at 15:32
Not at all… I just think it’s funny when the kids are singing My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less, and think they’re singing Hillsong’s Cornerstone.
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August 9, 2015 at 15:35
That is actually pretty funny now that you mention it..ha!
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August 9, 2015 at 17:07
What you call a revival others call a retreat, I think. So you had me little puzzled.
What the observation about kids thinking they are singing Hillsong’s Cornerstone makes me think about is the fact most children are educated in government-run schools. So they don’t actually get much time to learn about such things.
I suppose we are hardly the first to fail to instruct our children. The Psalms are suppose to be sung, but no one remembers the original music.
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August 9, 2015 at 19:30
Sorry for the puzzlement Tom. Yes, most kids are educated in government run schools, mine included were, and I still have one left in them. I don’t across the board condemn government supported education, Tom. I know you do, but if not for that I would not be able to sit at this keyboard and type this response. I have a stepson educated in the public schools who is a man called by God to preach the Gospel. As long as parents dont’ abdicate their responsibilities it can all work out fine. Thanks for coming by and commenting brother.
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August 9, 2015 at 19:46
I don’t support government-run schools for two primary reasons.
1. For the most part it has not worked. The public run school system started to take off in the 1830’s. Since then our education system has become more and more secular. That includes our nation’s premier universities. Once seminaries, Harvard and Yale are now hardly the best places to learn about our Lord.
2. It makes no sense whatsoever to bring up youngsters who are suppose to learn how to function in a republic with a free market economy government-run schools. What that says it that we don’t practice what we preach.
Check it out. Our nation’s literacy rate was probably higher when our nation was founded.
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August 9, 2015 at 19:48
typo
with a free market economy IN government-run schools
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August 9, 2015 at 19:56
Well, perhaps we simply won’t see eye to eye on this one Tom. But, really the point here was Revival and a question concerning what we as Christians, particularly the ones I meet with at church, plan to do about the messages we heard this week. Elijah was one man wiling to stand in the gap so so speak. Are we willing to stand in the gap? That’s the message of this post. On man, one family, one church can make a difference. Are we willing to?
By the way, I am not brushing off your political concerns, don’t think I am. But, politics is not where I am led, telling the gospel is. It really doesn’t matter what changes we make to our government, unless we help our neighbor in changing his heart and mind, nothing will change.
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August 9, 2015 at 20:10
I too see the Gospel as the solution. Here is why. Because of the fact it is not taught in our schools, few of us seriously consider a great many ethical issues.
Consider what is rapidly becoming a popular notion. Religion, the discussion of it, does not belong in the public square. Why would people entertain such a stupid idea? There are a great many people who do not understand that Christianity has practical applications, that what we believe about God is not just a private matter. That includes many Conservative Christians who think religion and politics are separate matters. They never stop to think why the Bible refers to the Old Testament as the Law, that ancient Israel was once a theocracy.
To illustrate, let me ask you a question. Why is taxation moral? What justifies forcing private citizens to give some of their money and wealth to the government? When does taxation become immoral?
The average person has no answer. They have never even considered the question. So I would not be surprised if you have not considered the question.
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August 9, 2015 at 20:14
Anyway, I doubt I will easily persuade you to my way of thinking, and I don’t want to force discussion of politics onto your blog. But there is a reason I consider religion and politics linked.
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August 9, 2015 at 20:19
Thanks Tom I appreciate that. Fact is, you would find discussing politics with me to be quite boring. You and Keith have better discussions than you and I ever could.That’s why I mostly just read when I go over there, as I know my limits. But you know I always appreciate seeing you around, brother.
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August 11, 2015 at 10:03
Been offline for a while. Hope you enjoyed your birthday.
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August 11, 2015 at 10:05
I did Kate, thank you. Although it’s been unusually hot this year even for a place that is unusually hot. Seems to be tougher as the years go by. Sigh
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August 11, 2015 at 10:12
Pretty warm here too. Allegedly hottest summer in our part of Spain. Once it goes over 25 I just shrug.
Do you want me to point out your sexist comment? 🙂
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August 11, 2015 at 10:40
Sexist comment? Where?
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August 11, 2015 at 13:13
There ya goes:
I know you don’t see it the same way, nor do many of your religious colleagues, but every time I see someone refer to people in general as he or him, it just hurts to be denied my existence.
Is it really that difficult to say ‘their heart and mind’, or if you want to be picky, ‘our neighbours … their hearts and minds’?
It’s not that long since women didn’t have the vote, couldn’t own property, couldn’t stand for Parliament etc. Back then that was laughable too. And people arguing for suffrage etc were seen as radical.
You seem like a nice person. I don’t understand why you use the gender specific masculine default in your language.
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August 11, 2015 at 13:29
Really roughseas?
Do you think that much of yourself that you find offense at THAT?
Do male RN’s take umbrage at being called nurses when the designation is almost always female? Hellooooo. Red Cross. Nurses. Women in white. Remember the policemen?
Yet today, the word nurses is all inclusive, and maybe you think that male nurses should be offended.
‘Let it be known to all men presents……………..’ (ahem, this includes men and women) Feminism has a way of warping the very vocabulary of history. Newsflash roughseas, the world does not revolve around you, nor should you expect reasonable people to cater to your whims 😉
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August 11, 2015 at 14:04
Apart from the fact that I was addressing Wally …
I think enough of women that they shouldn’t be ruled by ancient books written by men that deman and degrade and basically ignore them.
Nurse is not a gender specific word. By the designation is not always female, do you mean not all nurses are women? Indeed not. My nurses last year were a 50:50 mix, and my main nurse who introduced himself to me was a Spanish man.
If you are interested in this topic I would refer you to an article in the peer-reviewed British Journal of Nursing, March 2015, looking at the role of men in nursing. In fact in non-western settings, men make up the majority of the nursing workforce (95% in Jordan).
No. Nor do I have any idea where you get that fatuous concept from.
Those who write history choose how to write it. They have usually been men. How many women wrote your book of myths?
I am not dealing with reasonable people when I venture upon religious blogs. Equal human rights are not whims. Whims, CS, are your odd and strange beliefs based on nothing remotely valid.
I don’t argue religion with you. I suggest you leave health care and feminism alone should you engage with me. We should all know our strengths and weaknesses.
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August 11, 2015 at 14:08
Actually Kate you just did talk religion when you commented about a book written by men that degrades women. The point seems to be that any word that comes from a Christian mouth is flawed from the start
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August 11, 2015 at 14:11
This rabbit trail only distracts from my message in post which is clearly about reaching out to people. You assume by my language that I must be a misogynistic bigot and that is simply not so
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August 11, 2015 at 14:26
Then surely reaching out to people should be inclusive. I don’t think I called you a misogynistic bigot? Did I? Please point it out. I merely pointed out your language was sexist because it seems to me you are I’ll-informed. Not the same.
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August 11, 2015 at 14:26
*ill*!
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August 11, 2015 at 14:42
@roughs
The strength of scripture yes, and the weakness of feminism, indeed.
Health care is good though.
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August 11, 2015 at 16:26
I was referring to our personal strengths and weaknesses. Well, if you have any weaknesses CS? And indeed scripture is strong because of indoctrination and patriarchy, feminism us weak, because of, um, indoctrination and patriarchy, but I think Eally has suggested we don’t digress further as he would prefer we stick to the subject he writes about. Some people accept off topic, others don’t. Apple Wally that CS and I wandered well off.
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August 11, 2015 at 16:54
I’m guessing Wally will not mind one bit rs, as your comment here IS related to the post.
Scripture being strong because of ‘indoctrination…………….???’
Uh, scripture is strong because it is true. Without the truth of scripture, there is no revival.
And your patriarchy?
Merely a cloak for the fact that male and female are not equal; not better mind you, but positively different, where it is senseless to blend the sexes under the guise of progress.
Once more, scripturally and naturally true.
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August 11, 2015 at 17:08
But not if one doesn’t believe in scripture. Then your views are irrelevant. It’s not my patriarchy it’s yours.
Self belief is strong too. With belief in ourself we wake up every day and enjoy another day of life, whatever it brings.
Not my patriarchy. Yours. That’s the one that discriminates between men and women. My world sees men and women cooperating, sharing, working together. No gender specific roles. Just life as it should be, in harmony.
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August 11, 2015 at 17:14
Kate on what basis do you assume I somehow second class the women in my life. You admit not being fluent with the Bible so on what do you base your assertion
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August 11, 2015 at 17:23
I’m not talking about the women in your life Wally, I’m referring to women generally. Big difference. Police officers are male. Your neighbours are make. No. They aren’t. Please Wally, don’t refer to everyone as though they are male. Half of us aren’t. And I don’t care if your Christian cohorts want to be men. I don’t.
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August 11, 2015 at 17:31
My cohorts? It’s a pronoun Kate. Many of those who fail to be offended are not in fact my cohorts. The fact of the matter is you keep making a very negative connection between my faith and my pronouns when there is none. This patriarchy you are so hung up on does not exist. Like it or not we are not the same. I personally thank God for that every day. That is the very thing that makes a marriAge based on Jesus harmonious.
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August 11, 2015 at 17:47
OK, so you want to go into denial. Your faith may be the reason why you choose sexist language, but I don’t know. The fact is however, that you, and other religious people do use sexist language that discriminates against women.
I am not hung up on patriarchy as you put it. I am not sure you understand the concept however. It’s basically where men are in charge. That’s called patriarchy.
It exists.
I do like that we are not the same. I like that I believe in equal opportunities, equal rights for marriage, blah blah etc. I like that in two weeks I’ll have been married thirty years to the same person. Not Jesus. And if you’ve been married twice, for whatever reason, I don’t care. I don’t judge you. But starting on marriage is the wrong battle Wally, you should know that by now.
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August 11, 2015 at 17:56
Really? And why is it the wrong battle Kate? Just because I screwed it up once? Now my thought become invalid? Guess what? I was, and am a sinner. I screwed up, yep. But your inference that somehow that renders my thoughts in this matter moot is very condescending. I am very happy you have been happily married 30 years, that is awesome and I mean that. But, if my thoughts are made irrelevant by my mistakes, then I must now simply cease communicating at all.
And as far as that, apparently you do care about my two tries at this, because you just slapped me in the head with it like a baseball bat.
Peace
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August 11, 2015 at 18:02
Awesome comment W.
The Great Physician is more than able………….and willing…………..
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August 11, 2015 at 18:13
You said a marriage based on Jesus was harmonious. Maybe. But mine is based on Jesus. And it’s still lasted thirty years. That, is my point. That your way isn’t the only way.
I certainly wouldn’t call you a sinner. As I said, not mine to judge. But you can’t say a marriage based on Jesus is the only way to go. Not true. Maybe to you. But plenty of religious people get divorced. Other non-rel ones don’t. My university peers are also on the thirty year mark. None go to church. Marriage does not need your god, and that was my point, not to deride you, and I’m sorry if you thought that. A union between two people doesn’t need a supernatural deity. Just a little human effort.
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August 11, 2015 at 18:16
In that case, thank you.
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August 11, 2015 at 17:49
No rough, not discriminates, but differentiates; as in the natural reason why women have no desire to work atop a 30 story building walking a 12 inch girder doing iron work.
Or noticing that the Creator placed the baby first in the womb, then in the arms of the Woman.
Do tell me about the days when men gave birth…………..and I’ll also purchase your fables of feminism that the sexes are equal.
Seems there also needs to be a revival of common sense.
But co-operating, sharing, working together? Yep.
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August 11, 2015 at 17:35
No sir I do not mind a bit
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August 11, 2015 at 14:06
Sorry CS, couple of errors in that as it was a long comment.
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August 11, 2015 at 14:04
Kate do you actually read the content? Or do you stop at the grammar.? My choice of language imparts exactly the point and harms no one. The way that was written is no reflection of how I treat any human. I could pick another way and somebody else would be offended so it’s a no win. The point was reaching out to a neighbor no exceptions intended.
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August 11, 2015 at 14:24
I haven’t spent 30 years in printing, publishing, PR, etc not to read content.
Ignoring women does harm them. They are just as capable of being judges, police officers, fire officers, whatever. But 100 years or so ago they didn’t have the vote, couldn’t own property etc etc.
And recalcitrant attitudes saying it doesn’t matter doesn’t help
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August 11, 2015 at 14:27
How about you come hang out for a bit and see how I treat my wife and mother before you make sweeping generalizations about me Kate. You are doing the very thing you accuse me of which is stereotyping
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August 11, 2015 at 14:31
Its how you treat women in general that bothers me. But hey, don’t take it personally, atheists are shit at it too 😀 you seem reasonable, approachable, nice to women as individuals so that’s why I raise it with you. Gets me nowhere but …
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August 11, 2015 at 14:33
Eh ok I can roll with that lol
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August 11, 2015 at 14:15
And by the way many women read here and I am pretty sure they don’t feel excluded by me
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August 11, 2015 at 14:28
I know. They are all as gloriously sexist as most Christians!! Try moving out of your comfy environment … it’s not as though Christianity is known for its showering achievements for women.
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August 11, 2015 at 14:30
I assume you came to that conclusion by personal observation? If not that would be stereotyping
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August 11, 2015 at 14:35
Personal observation? Don’t be silly. Objective analysis with clear criteria. What else? 🙂
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August 11, 2015 at 14:37
Exactly Kate. Your clear criteria. But did I mention that it is actually good to see you back around?
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August 11, 2015 at 14:42
No. And I have been offline for a while. Have you ever had kidney stones? I wouldn’t wish it on a Christian!
But, I do work logically and to criteria. Whether I’m reviewing books, or editing or whatever. I use parameters. And, I’m adaptable, things change. Years ago, I referred to madam chairman. I’d shoot myself first now! Ok, maybe not. But, you get the idea. Must dash, need a quick walk before supper, chat later?
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August 11, 2015 at 14:43
Yes I have had them and it is awful. I feel it for you . Bye bye for now
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August 11, 2015 at 18:14
He is sure healing me brother…thanks
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August 21, 2015 at 09:43
Hi Wally,
If God was in your midst then I’m sure that He did His work the the hearts and lives of His people. Our God is so gracious to work within us no matter where we are. May God bless us with the joy of knowing His presence.
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August 21, 2015 at 09:48
I pray that is so Eliza. Thank you and bless you
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August 21, 2015 at 10:36
I thought about the times God did a mighty work in my heart; each and every time He did that work while I was either at home or driving in my car. Isn’t our God amazing? His work within the hearts of His children isn’t constrained to the four walls of a religious building. Praise Him for His mercy to us.
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August 21, 2015 at 10:41
Good point and very encouraging thank you
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