February 15, 2023
By now, you've likely heard the news or heard rumors and rumblings of the revival that's been going on for a week now at Asbury University in Kentucky. It started at the end of a student chapel with simple worship and since then has exploded into nonstop worship and ministry with standing-room only and people traveling from all over to be a part of this fresh move of God.
Something like this always brings out the critics, from both side of the issue. Either it's just a publicity stunt to bring notoriety to the university or a person involved, or its not real revival because it doesn't meet certain criteria set by revivals past.
But what should our response be as real disciples of Jesus when news of something like this comes?
I'll admit that my initial response was casual and possibly even skeptical. "Let's see how this plays out." "Young people will get excited about something silly and it's go away soon enough." or "That's great for them, they must have really needed it."
Wow. That's ugly as I read it back. But it's honest. What was your first response?
Let's define "revival" as God supernaturally re-awakening something that is dead, dying, or otherwise non-functional, and restoring it to life. To revive a faint or weary one, or resuscitate something pronounced dead.
The truth is that we ALL need, and I mean desperately NEED, revival. Our love for Jesus tends to grow cold and our passion for knowing and loving God can go dormant, even while we attend church services and serve in His name. We need the Holy Spirit to revive our hearts and return us to our first love. We are not capable of doing this ourselves!
All this has re-stirred in me a longing for the presence of God to be our main pursuit. When I hear the reports of God moving in power, I'm reminded that I must pursue His move HERE, in our church and in my own heart. I need to ask ASK Him for it!
Will you join me in asking God to move and revive us again? Boy, do we need it...
Last week at church, we studied Acts 9 where Saul goes to Jerusalem again and then has to be sent away to learn and grow up. Just like Saul, we need to do some growing up! The war between our regenerated heart that wants to love and obey God and our human flesh is an everyday thing. We're learning to live by the Spirit, and not by the flesh and we'll be doing this till we meet Jesus face to face.
This reality and how we approach it has MAJOR implications on how we live out our faith. On Sunday, I'm coming back to this subject of salvation and sanctification. Big Christian words for how God saves your life and how He grows and matures you as His child. Don't miss this!
I'll see you at church!
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Jonathan
Something like this always brings out the critics, from both side of the issue. Either it's just a publicity stunt to bring notoriety to the university or a person involved, or its not real revival because it doesn't meet certain criteria set by revivals past.
But what should our response be as real disciples of Jesus when news of something like this comes?
I'll admit that my initial response was casual and possibly even skeptical. "Let's see how this plays out." "Young people will get excited about something silly and it's go away soon enough." or "That's great for them, they must have really needed it."
Wow. That's ugly as I read it back. But it's honest. What was your first response?
Let's define "revival" as God supernaturally re-awakening something that is dead, dying, or otherwise non-functional, and restoring it to life. To revive a faint or weary one, or resuscitate something pronounced dead.
The truth is that we ALL need, and I mean desperately NEED, revival. Our love for Jesus tends to grow cold and our passion for knowing and loving God can go dormant, even while we attend church services and serve in His name. We need the Holy Spirit to revive our hearts and return us to our first love. We are not capable of doing this ourselves!
All this has re-stirred in me a longing for the presence of God to be our main pursuit. When I hear the reports of God moving in power, I'm reminded that I must pursue His move HERE, in our church and in my own heart. I need to ask ASK Him for it!
Will you join me in asking God to move and revive us again? Boy, do we need it...
Last week at church, we studied Acts 9 where Saul goes to Jerusalem again and then has to be sent away to learn and grow up. Just like Saul, we need to do some growing up! The war between our regenerated heart that wants to love and obey God and our human flesh is an everyday thing. We're learning to live by the Spirit, and not by the flesh and we'll be doing this till we meet Jesus face to face.
This reality and how we approach it has MAJOR implications on how we live out our faith. On Sunday, I'm coming back to this subject of salvation and sanctification. Big Christian words for how God saves your life and how He grows and matures you as His child. Don't miss this!
I'll see you at church!
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Jonathan
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