We (Trevor, myself and the Outfitters) have just returned from a Revival conference in Indianapolis. It was a fasten-your-seat belt couple of days. We were all deeply challenged and walked away transformed in one way of another. I am still processing all that God said to me. I think we all are. God improved the "one-accord" atmosphere among the six of us and brought unity in many ways. Now, as a result, we meet for the Furnace on Mondays and Fridays as well as the original Wednesday meeting time. 6:30 a.m. prayer on these mornings is a challenge, but I believe this time together is moving from the "sacrifice" category to the "privilege" category. Feel free to join us in prayer during these times. Our prayers lately have been focused on our recently-rekindled burden for those who don't know the One True God (John 17:3) and for the world. God's heart is for the whole world, not just our little bubbles of existence and He showed us a bit of His heart for this world at the conference. Personal revival or Body-of-Christ revival cannot be separated from an increased love and burden for the world! The more I know Him, the more my heart is broken for nations and regions of the earth.
It's good to be back in the blogging world. Hopefully these thoughts are an encouragement to be revived and to ask God to give you (us!) His heart for the world. Open our eyes, Lord! Open our eyes! Let us not just sit in our comfy, cappuccino churches and sing louder to drown out the cries of the lost, hungry, un-sheltered, diseased, oppressed, possessed, idolatrous, empty, depressed, hopeless people that are passing by on a path headed in the opposite direction of God. It is time to stop messing around with nice Jesus ideas. It's time to advance His kingdom and be used by God to bring people out of the kingdom of darkness. It's time to stop living to pursue cute clothes for your kids. Stop seeking new furniture. Stop seeking financial gain. It's all going to burn anyway and you're just going to have the biggest fire. You'll be pretty ashamed of how big your fire is. Give it away if you don't need it. Need? We don't know how to live according to what we "need". We live according to what we want. Christmas is coming. What do you WANT for Christmas???
I'm a little fired up today, but I'm tired of pretending like I agree with the way American Christians live. It's not okay and it's repulsive to our God who sees our disgusting abundance. We have much and much is expected of us. Challenge: take 1/2 of what you spend on Christmas and support as many native missionaries as you can through Gospel for Asia. We think we have so much time. It's a lie. Start today to live whole-heartedly for the One True God. How would your day be different? Live this crazy life with us - join us in rejecting the lies of the current ruler of the air. Whew! Take a breath... I only share these things because I love you and hope you can be set free from luke-warm Christianity. I thought I was on fire for the Lord, but He showed me how pathetically luke-warm I have been. No more! My wish is the same as Lady Galadriel (LOTR, Tolkien) - "That what should be shall be".
1 comment:
We had a similar experience this past weekend with a prayer group. There is no better time than NOW. Many think they are sacrificing but they do not know what it is like to be hungry and without. We can go to the store and get whatever we need whenever we want. There is a fire in our hearts like nothing we've ever experienced before. And there will be a time soon like we've never experienced before.
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