Disappointment is something that all of us have encountered one time or another. I think that I would be safe in saying that some of you are battling it right now. We dream and we hope and we set our hearts on certain goals. Then the time comes when we realize that our dreams are not coming true. This is an experience that happens eventually to every person.
The word “disappointment” is comprised of 2 parts. First, there is the pre-fix “dis-” which means: reversal, negation or lack, removal or separation. The second part is the word “appointment” which means: an agreement to meet, engagement. So we see the word coming to life. It is a reversal of an appointment. It is a lack of appointment, or a removal of an appointment. Webster says the word means: to fail to fulfill the expectations or wishes of. So, as you can see, we've all experienced disappointment: having hopes and dreams shattered! And if you're there now, this message is your's!
I am reminded of an occurrence in the life of the greatest Christian preacher that ever lived – the Apostle Paul!
Let’s read Acts 16:7, 8 very carefully:
Ac 16:7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
This verse is simply stating that Paul’s heart was set on going to Bithynia. If you are familiar with his life and the circumstances of this experience, you know this was his dream. Bithynia was the richest province in all of Asia, but somehow circumstances prevented him going there. Instead, he ended up in Troas, a place he despised, had no interest in, and in which he could see no future.
This has happens to a lot of people. We set our minds and hearts on some Bithynia, and then we end up in Troas.
You must understand that God had a perfect plan for Bithynia, Troas, Paul and we can’t leave out Peter. Because, later, Peter would go to Bithynia and bring a great revival. As a matter of fact, the epistle of 1st Peter was addressed to Christians at Bithynia.
2Co 2:12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
It wasn’t God’s will for Paul to go to Bythinia because he had a greater work and another door open for him in Troas.
He visited Troas at least 3 times. On his second missionary journey to Troas, he saw the vision of a "man of Macedonia," who appeared to him, saying, "Come over, and help us." It was because of this vision in Troas we have the 16th chapter of Acts, which consists of Paul and Silas, the jailer, the earthquake, and its subsequent revival.
At his third recorded visit he tarried only a week; at the close of which he miraculously raised Eutychus from the dead!
Consider the following stories: In Boston, outside of the Old Trinity Church, stands a statue of one of the greatest preachers that ever lived, the Rev. Phillip Brooks. Phillip Brooks always desired to be a school teacher – that was his Bithynia. Though he wanted it bad and tried hard to achieve it, he failed at it miserably. His Bithynia was denied him, but in his Troas he found immortality.
The Citadel, one of the most famous books ever written was wrote by a man named A. J. Cronin. A. J. Cronin was a medical doctor who grew so sick that he had to give up his profession. He ended up in a little town, despondent, defeated, and unhappy. He began to write, but he decided his writing was so poor that he took it and threw it in the garbage can. Later, he reluctantly retrieved the pages he had written and eventually they were published. His Bithynia was the practice of medicine, but had he stayed there, we would never have heard of him. His Troas was writing.
Perhaps some of you have heard of the famous writer Sir Walter Scott. His dream was to be a poet. That was his Bithynia. But if he had succeeded there, we would never have had such novels as Waverly, Ivan Hoe, Kenilworth, Old Mortality, and Rob Roy. Being disappointed as a poet, he was forced to write prose in which he became world renown.
Likewise, Paul’s Troas, his disappointment, brought about the establishment of the Christian faith in Europe. Had he gone to Bithynia, it is very possible we would never have heard of him or his faith.
Finally, I am reminded of the preacher whose church bought him and his wife tickets to go on a luxury cruise. Just a few days before they were scheduled to leave, his wife became deathly sick. At first, he grieved over his wife's sickness, but soon saw the providence of God in it ... he had missed the maiden voyage of the Titanic!
So, if you've been denied your Bythinia, rejoice, your destiny lies in Troas! You can’t wait for Bithynia! You must move on to Troas! There’s a miracle waiting there for you!
God bless!
David Lamb
.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Something Changed (My Magnus Opus)
I recently turned 35 years old! Usually, I just move right through my birthdays without much thought, but this one was different than all of the rest. For some reason there was an unusual realization of time. I know I'm not old, but I suddenly understood that I am getting older; that I've lived a lot of life, witnessed and experienced a lot of pain, and cried and laughed and loved and gained and lost a great deal for one man. I noticed the pain in my back and wrinkles on my face haven't gone away. I was startled by the thought that 20 year old young men and women look at me like a father. I gasped at the fact that 35 is half of 70 and that my uncles and aunts are in their 70's and my grandmother died in her 70's and that was 25 years ago. I realized that I don't want my children to grow up anymore; that I want them to stay just like they are. I was shaken by the thought that I want time to stop.
But I also realized there's a good chance that I may have another 35 years; that I may have another 35 years to love and live and heal and cry and forgive and help and hope and give and strengthen and build and pray and preach and listen and care.
I realized that there are 5 people (my wife and 4 children) that I'm not expendable to. I realized that my babies are going to grow up and be my best friends tomorrow, so I better cultivate that friendship now, making sure they are indeed my best friends tomorrow. I realized that I actually have some friends that are good and faithful more than they are bad and unfaithful. I realized that I have some people that I can call at midnight. I realized that when they act stupid and forget me, they are important enough to remind them to not forget me anymore. I realized that I have been bad and unfaithful at times. I realized that I have forgotten them sometimes. I realized I had better pick the phone up at midnight when they call.
I realized a smile goes a long way. I realized that I haven't been laughing enough and laughing is fun. I found that I am at my wisest when I'm just listening and shaking my head up and down and saying "uh huh".
I realized people are fallible, very important, but fallible. I realized people are going to lie to me, ignore my wife and I, talk about us, use us, think they're better than us, forget us, and a million other things that fallible people do. And, to my surprise, I realized I didn't mind that as much as I used to; that I've come to expect it and can always forgive them and act like I don't recall all of the bad things they've done to us when they come back around and bless us. And I realized that I want them to come back around ... if they want to. And if they don't want to come back around, I can hope they are happy. I realized they are hurting, too, and that I can choose to heal, even if they do not.
I realized that the pure in heart see God; that all things are working for me and not against me. I realized that God has used every person in my life (family, friend and foe) to make me a better Christian, husband, father, friend, and preacher. I realized pride and selfishness are two of the most deadly things in the world because they build walls and shut life out.
I realized that, that although He wants my best, God knows I'm human and doesn't expect me to be anything but human; that He doesn't expect greatness out of me; He wants me to die, so He can be great through me. I realized that through Christ I can be truly free, liberated from this world.
I also was overcome by the thought that my days are few and that I must make the most of them. So, since I'm blessed enough to have a hand full of people that actually care enough about me to read this little note, I promise you, I am going to love, live, and bless more the second half of my life than I did the first.
(To be continued...)
David Lamb
But I also realized there's a good chance that I may have another 35 years; that I may have another 35 years to love and live and heal and cry and forgive and help and hope and give and strengthen and build and pray and preach and listen and care.
I realized that there are 5 people (my wife and 4 children) that I'm not expendable to. I realized that my babies are going to grow up and be my best friends tomorrow, so I better cultivate that friendship now, making sure they are indeed my best friends tomorrow. I realized that I actually have some friends that are good and faithful more than they are bad and unfaithful. I realized that I have some people that I can call at midnight. I realized that when they act stupid and forget me, they are important enough to remind them to not forget me anymore. I realized that I have been bad and unfaithful at times. I realized that I have forgotten them sometimes. I realized I had better pick the phone up at midnight when they call.
I realized a smile goes a long way. I realized that I haven't been laughing enough and laughing is fun. I found that I am at my wisest when I'm just listening and shaking my head up and down and saying "uh huh".
I realized people are fallible, very important, but fallible. I realized people are going to lie to me, ignore my wife and I, talk about us, use us, think they're better than us, forget us, and a million other things that fallible people do. And, to my surprise, I realized I didn't mind that as much as I used to; that I've come to expect it and can always forgive them and act like I don't recall all of the bad things they've done to us when they come back around and bless us. And I realized that I want them to come back around ... if they want to. And if they don't want to come back around, I can hope they are happy. I realized they are hurting, too, and that I can choose to heal, even if they do not.
I realized that the pure in heart see God; that all things are working for me and not against me. I realized that God has used every person in my life (family, friend and foe) to make me a better Christian, husband, father, friend, and preacher. I realized pride and selfishness are two of the most deadly things in the world because they build walls and shut life out.
I realized that, that although He wants my best, God knows I'm human and doesn't expect me to be anything but human; that He doesn't expect greatness out of me; He wants me to die, so He can be great through me. I realized that through Christ I can be truly free, liberated from this world.
I also was overcome by the thought that my days are few and that I must make the most of them. So, since I'm blessed enough to have a hand full of people that actually care enough about me to read this little note, I promise you, I am going to love, live, and bless more the second half of my life than I did the first.
(To be continued...)
David Lamb
Saturday, October 2, 2010
They Follow the Pied Piper
I felt the Spirit quicken my heart.I had to rise and ask His design. My heart hurts. Oh, the burden!
Our young people! They are running hard toward hell. They march like mindless zombies. Their stride is in rhythm with the Pied Piper's, with Satan's hypnotizing melody. It is beautiful, but wicked. It is unlike anything they've ever known, saw, or felt, but it numbs them from feeling the sting of their conscience; the pull of the Spirit, checking them, convicting them over the crimes they've commited against God.
Even many of those that sit on our pews are dabbling in the forbidden. They move forward with a glazed expression upon their faces. They're oblivious to the thick darkness that moves upon our land; of the imminent destruction that looms near. Their eyes are blinded by the god of this world. While their life consists of little more than cell phones and social net works, Delilah rocks them into a deep coma. Like Samson, they will be afflicted.
To the luke-warm; the self-righteous pharisee; the hypocrite; the prayerless mother: the burdenless, Spiritless father: Will anyone try and stop them? Will anyone lift their voices, breaking the trance? Will anyone be alarmed? Will anyone break free from the steely cords that hold them, that have them entangled, making them slaves to this deceitful world and its diabolical ruler, long enough to make an eternal difference? Is there anyone who will pray; intercede for the souls of our youth?
God, wake us,shake us, break us before it's everlastingly too late. In Jesus' name, Amen!
Our young people! They are running hard toward hell. They march like mindless zombies. Their stride is in rhythm with the Pied Piper's, with Satan's hypnotizing melody. It is beautiful, but wicked. It is unlike anything they've ever known, saw, or felt, but it numbs them from feeling the sting of their conscience; the pull of the Spirit, checking them, convicting them over the crimes they've commited against God.
Even many of those that sit on our pews are dabbling in the forbidden. They move forward with a glazed expression upon their faces. They're oblivious to the thick darkness that moves upon our land; of the imminent destruction that looms near. Their eyes are blinded by the god of this world. While their life consists of little more than cell phones and social net works, Delilah rocks them into a deep coma. Like Samson, they will be afflicted.
To the luke-warm; the self-righteous pharisee; the hypocrite; the prayerless mother: the burdenless, Spiritless father: Will anyone try and stop them? Will anyone lift their voices, breaking the trance? Will anyone be alarmed? Will anyone break free from the steely cords that hold them, that have them entangled, making them slaves to this deceitful world and its diabolical ruler, long enough to make an eternal difference? Is there anyone who will pray; intercede for the souls of our youth?
God, wake us,shake us, break us before it's everlastingly too late. In Jesus' name, Amen!
Friday, September 17, 2010
The Home Stretch and America's Days of Darkness
I write today because my heart carries a heavy burden. I will be brief, but straight to the point.
We are in the home stretch now. You and I are the generation that will see the coming of the Lord. For some, that is a glorious thing, but for the vast majority, that should be the most frightening thing that could be said because they are not ready for what is about to take place in America.
Eschatologically, I lean toward the pretribulation rapture doctrine. This is the idea that the church will be called out of this world into heaven with Christ before the last 7 year period of tribulation and wrath described by Daniel and John the Revelator happens. But this doctrine has seemingly caused men to rest, to be at ease in Zion. They seem to think that nothing tragic can happen in this country. That we will live life in the fast lane and be raptured out of our paradise into God's paradise. This merely reflects the image of their spiritual condition: loose, fast, and not concerned with the eternal. 2000 years ago our Christ told us to lift our heads, watching and praying for His coming, that we would not enter into temptation! The vast majority of people today are not watching and praying for His coming. They are so consumed and have such a love affair with this world, they would probably be disappointed if Christ were to actually take them to heaven to be with Him.
Please, read the words of the Apostle Paul:
2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that LOVE HIS APPEARING. (stress added by author)
I want to warn you, if you are not loving, looking, and praying for His appearing, you will be caught off guard. The crown is laid up exclusively for those that "love His appearing".
A dear friend of mine, a very humble man of God, told me the following occurence. He and his family are much like myself, they travel from church to church preaching the gospel, trying to stir the hearts of God's people, and trying to bring lost men to Christ. They were staying at a church that had an evangelist's quarter and were sleeping there instead of their RV. About two or three that morning, the Spirit woke him, impressing upon his heart the need to go out to his RV and pray. As he knelt, the Spirit came upon him--he was not sure if it was a dream or a vision. When he came to himself, he heard the voice of the Lord saying, "The church is not ready for what is coming upon America".
On September 15th, I was told the following story. Months ago, a mighty man of God prophesied 3 things. First, the exact date of B. H. Clendennen's (the founder of the School of Christ) death. Secondly, he prophesied that the School of Christ would be split up into three divisions and that a particular brother would be offered the oversight of one of those three divisions. Thirdly, he prophesied that seventeen months after B. H. Clendennen's death, great havoc would come upon America. Two of the three prophesies have come to pass exactly as he said.
B. H. Clendennen died on December 13, 2009. If this man's prophesy is true, we have only eight months to prepare.
David Wilkerson (founder of Teen Challenge) has been prophesying the destruction of America for years. The following is a quote from one of those prophesies:
"AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE - EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US. For ten years I have been warning about a thousand fires coming to New York City. It will engulf the whole megaplex, including areas of New Jersey and Connecticut. Major cities all across America will experience riots and blazing fires—such as we saw in Watts, Los Angeles, years ago. There will be riots and fires in cities worldwide. There will be looting—including Times Square, New York City. What we are experiencing now is not a recession, not even a depression. We are under God’s wrath."
These are just a few of the many prophesies that have been given concerning America over the past few years.
Brothers and sisters, I am nothing. I am a nobody straight out of no where, but I must warn you. God has revealed to me that a great darkness is coming upon this country. A day like we've never seen before and 99% of the church is not ready for it; they will be caught off guard.
It will require more than living an external standard of Christianity. It will require more than going to church and shouting and dancing and leaping in the aisles. We must repent of our sins. We must put off the world. We must come out from among it and be separate (2Co 6:17). We must burn the mid-night oil. We must fast like never before. We must pray that God rend the heavens and come down. We must see revival.
God bless you.
Your servant,
David Lamb
We are in the home stretch now. You and I are the generation that will see the coming of the Lord. For some, that is a glorious thing, but for the vast majority, that should be the most frightening thing that could be said because they are not ready for what is about to take place in America.
Eschatologically, I lean toward the pretribulation rapture doctrine. This is the idea that the church will be called out of this world into heaven with Christ before the last 7 year period of tribulation and wrath described by Daniel and John the Revelator happens. But this doctrine has seemingly caused men to rest, to be at ease in Zion. They seem to think that nothing tragic can happen in this country. That we will live life in the fast lane and be raptured out of our paradise into God's paradise. This merely reflects the image of their spiritual condition: loose, fast, and not concerned with the eternal. 2000 years ago our Christ told us to lift our heads, watching and praying for His coming, that we would not enter into temptation! The vast majority of people today are not watching and praying for His coming. They are so consumed and have such a love affair with this world, they would probably be disappointed if Christ were to actually take them to heaven to be with Him.
Please, read the words of the Apostle Paul:
2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that LOVE HIS APPEARING. (stress added by author)
I want to warn you, if you are not loving, looking, and praying for His appearing, you will be caught off guard. The crown is laid up exclusively for those that "love His appearing".
A dear friend of mine, a very humble man of God, told me the following occurence. He and his family are much like myself, they travel from church to church preaching the gospel, trying to stir the hearts of God's people, and trying to bring lost men to Christ. They were staying at a church that had an evangelist's quarter and were sleeping there instead of their RV. About two or three that morning, the Spirit woke him, impressing upon his heart the need to go out to his RV and pray. As he knelt, the Spirit came upon him--he was not sure if it was a dream or a vision. When he came to himself, he heard the voice of the Lord saying, "The church is not ready for what is coming upon America".
On September 15th, I was told the following story. Months ago, a mighty man of God prophesied 3 things. First, the exact date of B. H. Clendennen's (the founder of the School of Christ) death. Secondly, he prophesied that the School of Christ would be split up into three divisions and that a particular brother would be offered the oversight of one of those three divisions. Thirdly, he prophesied that seventeen months after B. H. Clendennen's death, great havoc would come upon America. Two of the three prophesies have come to pass exactly as he said.
B. H. Clendennen died on December 13, 2009. If this man's prophesy is true, we have only eight months to prepare.
David Wilkerson (founder of Teen Challenge) has been prophesying the destruction of America for years. The following is a quote from one of those prophesies:
"AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE - EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US. For ten years I have been warning about a thousand fires coming to New York City. It will engulf the whole megaplex, including areas of New Jersey and Connecticut. Major cities all across America will experience riots and blazing fires—such as we saw in Watts, Los Angeles, years ago. There will be riots and fires in cities worldwide. There will be looting—including Times Square, New York City. What we are experiencing now is not a recession, not even a depression. We are under God’s wrath."
These are just a few of the many prophesies that have been given concerning America over the past few years.
Brothers and sisters, I am nothing. I am a nobody straight out of no where, but I must warn you. God has revealed to me that a great darkness is coming upon this country. A day like we've never seen before and 99% of the church is not ready for it; they will be caught off guard.
It will require more than living an external standard of Christianity. It will require more than going to church and shouting and dancing and leaping in the aisles. We must repent of our sins. We must put off the world. We must come out from among it and be separate (2Co 6:17). We must burn the mid-night oil. We must fast like never before. We must pray that God rend the heavens and come down. We must see revival.
God bless you.
Your servant,
David Lamb
Saturday, August 21, 2010
How Kindness Won Me a Friend (A Lesson For the Angry Preacher)
I have always been tenacious; if I believe something, I will stand for it no matter what it costs me; I will fight until there is no fight left in me. Over the last sixteen years, God has refined this quality (as much as I have allowed Him to) and used it to win souls and steer men to truth. It has helped me to fight the good fight of faith, to keep on the firing line. For this I am thankful. However, at times, this trait has been a thorn in my flesh, a stumbling block. When coupled with pride, anger, bitterness, or resentment it has been very dangerous.
To my defense, I have had to do a lot of fighting to get to where I am today. I was raised up to believe many false doctrines and my departure from them wasn't easy. My family, friends, and acquaintances did not want me to leave their churches and the doctrines they held so dear. For some, it was because they loved me and didn't want me going astray. For others, it was the pride and arrogance of their hearts. After years of arguing and warring with them, I became frustrated, hardened, and even angry. I started fighting with them in ways that did not represent Christ well. And I did it so often, it became a part of who I was; I started thinking it was proper and even God's way. And, please, don't get me wrong, I wasn't that way every time I dealt with people. If I felt the person I was talking to was sincere, I would be extremely careful with my speech and the demeanor in which I approached them. I would soften my voice; I would be respectful, gentle, and patient. But if I thought they wanted to fight . . . it was on.
It was very easy for me to win the debates; I had the Word of God backing me up and they did not. And, typically, I had a much vaster arsenal of Scripture verses to use in the warfare than they did, so I would try to humiliate them. I would try to smash them. I would try to destroy them. After all, they were the "enemy". The louder they got, the louder I got. The louder I got, the louder they got. The angrier they got, the angrier I got. The angrier I got, the angrier they got. It was a never-ending cycle and was almost always counterproductive.
When I wrote the book Absolutely Trinity! and uploaded the teaching series to youtube.com), it happened on an even larger scale; I was engaged by hundreds of angry Oneness adherents. When I responded to their emails, phone calls, comments, etc., I almost always used my "righteous indignation" against them! And very seldom did that approach bring good fruit. It was pretty much a repeat of what I had done my entire life. On a side note: God has used the Absolutely Trinity! book and teaching series to bring many Oneness adherents (pastors and laity) to the truth of the holy Trinity, but I wonder how many more I could have won if my personal encounters with them had not been so aggressive and disrespectful?
I think it was about a year ago that God began to deal with my heart about this subject in depth. He didn't tell me I shouldn't defend the truth of His Word; He didn't tell me that I shouldn't confront false prophets and teachers; He didn't tell me to stop trying to expose false doctrine; in fact, He has placed a very strong calling on my life to do just those things. He told me there was a more Christ-like manner to do it. He showed me how I had allowed past hurts and conflicts to open the door to anger and bitterness. He showed me that it was the SPIRIT and truth that breaks the hearts of men, not ANGER and truth. He did this by showing me 2 Timothy 2:24-26:
2Ti 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
The word strive means to "war, quarrel, dispute, or fight". It speaks of the spirit and attitude the minister possesses when approaching those he is trying to minister to. God told me to be gentle, patient, and meek when I dealt with people that opposed me because it wasn't really me they were opposing, it was themselves and sometimes Him. He reminded me of Proverbs 15:1:
Pr 15:1 a soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
He also brought 2 Timothy 2:23 and Titus 3:9 to my attention:
2Ti 2:23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
Tit 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
God used these verses to show me that I need to try and discern those who want to engage in a productive and godly discussion about the Scripture from those that merely want to fight and "prove a point". Those that want a godly discussion; those that I feel can be won to the truth need to be dealt with in meekness and love. Those that want to fight and argue merely to prove their point need to be ignored and prayed for, but also treated with meekness and love. This is the way of Christ.
I said all of that to lay some ground work for the testimony I want to share with you now.
Several months ago I posted a blog entitled "Do You Desire a Desire?" A pastor friend of mine contacted me, telling me of a fellow evangelist who had gotten very aggravated at my blog. He had previously shown interest in attending a revival I was going to hold in his area, but, after reading the blog, said he would never come hear me and made some pretty cutting remarks about me (to his defense, he did not submit my name). He didn't know me, so when he read my blog he misunderstood what I was saying to be a slam at the denomination he belongs to. I am an independent Pentecostal preacher and he had had some terrible experiences with independent Pentecostal people. He assumed I fit the stereotype and cut me off.
In the past, I would have just shrugged him off and labeled him as a hypocritical devil, but God is changing me. I felt the Lord would have me pursue this brother. God showed me that he, too, was dealing with issues of the past, so I contacted him. I told him that I did not appreciate the things he was saying about me because they were not true. I told him that he was equating me with those that had hurt him without even knowing who I am. He responded. I responded. He responded. I responded again. We went back and forth for hours. We both spoke straight, plain, and openly, but I did not use my "righteous indignation" against him like I always had when engaged in conflict. I was getting weary and felt like I was wearying him, but I knew he was worth any effort I may have had to put forth.
The conclusion of this story is we are very good friends now! We are ministry partners, helping each other carry one another's burden. We pray for each other and have made each other's life a little better (at least he has made mine better).
Kindness and patience won me a life long friend. I said a lot of the same things I would have said two years ago, but I said it with meekness, patience, and gentleness, and it worked. (My brother also overcame much and learned a great deal about himself, but that's his testimony).
I'll be honest, I have a long ways to go. These engagements aren't easy for me. I have to weigh every word. I have to take a deep breath and think every response and action through before taking them. I have to go very slowly. I am a work in progress, but I am so glad that God is merciful and patient with preachers like myself.
To my defense, I have had to do a lot of fighting to get to where I am today. I was raised up to believe many false doctrines and my departure from them wasn't easy. My family, friends, and acquaintances did not want me to leave their churches and the doctrines they held so dear. For some, it was because they loved me and didn't want me going astray. For others, it was the pride and arrogance of their hearts. After years of arguing and warring with them, I became frustrated, hardened, and even angry. I started fighting with them in ways that did not represent Christ well. And I did it so often, it became a part of who I was; I started thinking it was proper and even God's way. And, please, don't get me wrong, I wasn't that way every time I dealt with people. If I felt the person I was talking to was sincere, I would be extremely careful with my speech and the demeanor in which I approached them. I would soften my voice; I would be respectful, gentle, and patient. But if I thought they wanted to fight . . . it was on.
It was very easy for me to win the debates; I had the Word of God backing me up and they did not. And, typically, I had a much vaster arsenal of Scripture verses to use in the warfare than they did, so I would try to humiliate them. I would try to smash them. I would try to destroy them. After all, they were the "enemy". The louder they got, the louder I got. The louder I got, the louder they got. The angrier they got, the angrier I got. The angrier I got, the angrier they got. It was a never-ending cycle and was almost always counterproductive.
When I wrote the book Absolutely Trinity! and uploaded the teaching series to youtube.com), it happened on an even larger scale; I was engaged by hundreds of angry Oneness adherents. When I responded to their emails, phone calls, comments, etc., I almost always used my "righteous indignation" against them! And very seldom did that approach bring good fruit. It was pretty much a repeat of what I had done my entire life. On a side note: God has used the Absolutely Trinity! book and teaching series to bring many Oneness adherents (pastors and laity) to the truth of the holy Trinity, but I wonder how many more I could have won if my personal encounters with them had not been so aggressive and disrespectful?
I think it was about a year ago that God began to deal with my heart about this subject in depth. He didn't tell me I shouldn't defend the truth of His Word; He didn't tell me that I shouldn't confront false prophets and teachers; He didn't tell me to stop trying to expose false doctrine; in fact, He has placed a very strong calling on my life to do just those things. He told me there was a more Christ-like manner to do it. He showed me how I had allowed past hurts and conflicts to open the door to anger and bitterness. He showed me that it was the SPIRIT and truth that breaks the hearts of men, not ANGER and truth. He did this by showing me 2 Timothy 2:24-26:
2Ti 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
The word strive means to "war, quarrel, dispute, or fight". It speaks of the spirit and attitude the minister possesses when approaching those he is trying to minister to. God told me to be gentle, patient, and meek when I dealt with people that opposed me because it wasn't really me they were opposing, it was themselves and sometimes Him. He reminded me of Proverbs 15:1:
Pr 15:1 a soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
He also brought 2 Timothy 2:23 and Titus 3:9 to my attention:
2Ti 2:23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
Tit 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
God used these verses to show me that I need to try and discern those who want to engage in a productive and godly discussion about the Scripture from those that merely want to fight and "prove a point". Those that want a godly discussion; those that I feel can be won to the truth need to be dealt with in meekness and love. Those that want to fight and argue merely to prove their point need to be ignored and prayed for, but also treated with meekness and love. This is the way of Christ.
I said all of that to lay some ground work for the testimony I want to share with you now.
Several months ago I posted a blog entitled "Do You Desire a Desire?" A pastor friend of mine contacted me, telling me of a fellow evangelist who had gotten very aggravated at my blog. He had previously shown interest in attending a revival I was going to hold in his area, but, after reading the blog, said he would never come hear me and made some pretty cutting remarks about me (to his defense, he did not submit my name). He didn't know me, so when he read my blog he misunderstood what I was saying to be a slam at the denomination he belongs to. I am an independent Pentecostal preacher and he had had some terrible experiences with independent Pentecostal people. He assumed I fit the stereotype and cut me off.
In the past, I would have just shrugged him off and labeled him as a hypocritical devil, but God is changing me. I felt the Lord would have me pursue this brother. God showed me that he, too, was dealing with issues of the past, so I contacted him. I told him that I did not appreciate the things he was saying about me because they were not true. I told him that he was equating me with those that had hurt him without even knowing who I am. He responded. I responded. He responded. I responded again. We went back and forth for hours. We both spoke straight, plain, and openly, but I did not use my "righteous indignation" against him like I always had when engaged in conflict. I was getting weary and felt like I was wearying him, but I knew he was worth any effort I may have had to put forth.
The conclusion of this story is we are very good friends now! We are ministry partners, helping each other carry one another's burden. We pray for each other and have made each other's life a little better (at least he has made mine better).
Kindness and patience won me a life long friend. I said a lot of the same things I would have said two years ago, but I said it with meekness, patience, and gentleness, and it worked. (My brother also overcame much and learned a great deal about himself, but that's his testimony).
I'll be honest, I have a long ways to go. These engagements aren't easy for me. I have to weigh every word. I have to take a deep breath and think every response and action through before taking them. I have to go very slowly. I am a work in progress, but I am so glad that God is merciful and patient with preachers like myself.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
You Can't Out Give God!
I have struggled with whether or not I should give this testimony. A lot of people love to jump to conclusions and misrepresent your every move and this is one area that I don't want my motives to be misconstrued. The thing is God has done some amazing things and I want to share them with the hope of encouraging some of you. So, here it goes.
Lu 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
We evangelists aren't getting rich (maybe some, but none that I know), so every dollar we get is a great blessing. I want to testify to you that the greater blessing comes from giving it back and letting Him multiply it.
Several weeks ago we were preaching a revival in Florida. A sister there gave my wife $30.00 to spend on herself, to buy clothes, etc. My wife really appreciated it, but she felt very strongly that she should give it to a widow lady who has a prison ministry, so she did. A couple Friday nights ago, after I had preached at a church in Kentucky, a lady handed my wife a $50 bill. We were able to send it off to pay bills immediately. $30.00 became $50.00 simply by giving it to God.
A few weeks ago we were needing to travel to a certain place to attend a youth camp that we have attended for 8 years straight, but did not have the funds to do so. I really didn't know what we were going to do, but a pastor that was there (who knew nothing of our financial plight) gave us $100.00 which was just enough for us to make the trip. But as soon as he handed me the money the Lord told me to give it to the night speaker of that meeting, so I did. Back to square one! Saturday morning, the day after the campmeeting ended, I heard a knock on our camper door. A preacher that I met in the meeting told me that as he passed by our camper the Lord told him to give me a piece of money. Guess how much? $100.00. God gave it back in just a day or two.
This past week we were atttending another campmeeting in Alabama. The offering plate was passed every night, but we had nothing to put in. It troubled me terribly bad, so I asked God to bless us. Just a few hours later a lady handed my wife a $20.00 bill. We were then able to give in the offering. The next night, a pastor handed me $50.00 more dollars; he said a lady had given it to him to give to us!
Today, we arrived in Waynesboro, Mississippi. After we parked our trailer, we left for town. When we pulled in to a parking lot I noticed a young man walking toward my window. It was a pracher that I hadn't seen for many years. I have no idea what he was doing in this area, but he said as we passed by the Lord told him to give us $50.00. I'd like to know how much that young man's $50.00 turns into for him.
Here is the most amazing thing that happened today. After we got back to the trailer, I began leveling it. As I did so, a car pulled up in the parking lot. A lady I have never met stepped out. I thought it was a member of the church, so I jokingly asked, "Did you bring us some money?" To my surprise, she said, "Yes". She was weeping. She said, "I don't know who you are, but God told me to give you everything in my purse." It was $28.00. I asked her if she was a member of the church I'm preaching revival at this coming week. She said, "No". She was a local pastor's wfe. She was still weeping when she got back into her car. Before she shut the door, she said, "God is going to bless you." That was worth more than the $28.00. So, $20.00 turned into $128.00 simply by giving to God.
I intentionally left out another very important story that happened to me about two months ago. It really places the finishing touch on this lesson. We were pulling our trailer down through Florida, trying to get to another revival. We pulled into a gas station. As I did, I noticed a friend of mine walking to his car. He came over to me and we began to talk. As we talked, he handed me a $50.00 bill; he said the Lord told him to do so. You need to understand that $50.00 is a MAJOR blessing to us.$50.00 is a step closer to us getting our bills paid when we often don't know how they're going to be so. We concluded our conversation and we parted ways.
A couple of weeks later he came to a service that I was preaching. After the service was over, we stepped outside the church and we began to talk. He said he had something he needed to tell me. He referred me back to the night he gave me the $50.00. He said he had three denominations of money in his front pocket: a $20 bill, a $50 bill, and a $100 bill. He said God told him that whatever he gave me, God would bless him 10 fold. If you remember, he gave me the $50 bill. At church the next Sunday, after he gave me the money, he was given $500.00. He told me he wished he had given it all. I chuckled to myself because I wished he had too! LOL!
The moral of the story is this: you can't outgive God! I know that the money I've mentioned isn't a whole lot, but it was to us and knowing that God is watching over us is the greatest blessing of all.
If you need a financial blessing, try giving someone else a blessing. You may have to ask God to give you some money in order to give some money, but it will be well worth it.
I'll conclude this little message with the following story:
We were completely broke and had a bill due. God told me to go to a certain church and he would bless us, so I did. I had one dollar to my name; I put it in the offering plate. As I left the church that night, I was confused as to why no one had given us any money. I heard the door open and man came running after me. He handed me a $10.00 bill. I didn't know what it was; I just stuck it in my pocket. I thanked him and told him that it was a great blessing; that we had a bill due and I didn't know how I was going to pay it. He hung his head, ran his hand back into his pocket, and said, "Man, I knew I should have given you this." He handed me a $100.00 bill. $1.00 became a $110.00 simply by giving it to God. And that gentlemen could have saved himself $10.00 if he had of gave what God told him to in the first place.
So, if you're struggling financially, find somone to bless and God will multiply it! You can't outgive God!
David Lamb
Lu 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
We evangelists aren't getting rich (maybe some, but none that I know), so every dollar we get is a great blessing. I want to testify to you that the greater blessing comes from giving it back and letting Him multiply it.
Several weeks ago we were preaching a revival in Florida. A sister there gave my wife $30.00 to spend on herself, to buy clothes, etc. My wife really appreciated it, but she felt very strongly that she should give it to a widow lady who has a prison ministry, so she did. A couple Friday nights ago, after I had preached at a church in Kentucky, a lady handed my wife a $50 bill. We were able to send it off to pay bills immediately. $30.00 became $50.00 simply by giving it to God.
A few weeks ago we were needing to travel to a certain place to attend a youth camp that we have attended for 8 years straight, but did not have the funds to do so. I really didn't know what we were going to do, but a pastor that was there (who knew nothing of our financial plight) gave us $100.00 which was just enough for us to make the trip. But as soon as he handed me the money the Lord told me to give it to the night speaker of that meeting, so I did. Back to square one! Saturday morning, the day after the campmeeting ended, I heard a knock on our camper door. A preacher that I met in the meeting told me that as he passed by our camper the Lord told him to give me a piece of money. Guess how much? $100.00. God gave it back in just a day or two.
This past week we were atttending another campmeeting in Alabama. The offering plate was passed every night, but we had nothing to put in. It troubled me terribly bad, so I asked God to bless us. Just a few hours later a lady handed my wife a $20.00 bill. We were then able to give in the offering. The next night, a pastor handed me $50.00 more dollars; he said a lady had given it to him to give to us!
Today, we arrived in Waynesboro, Mississippi. After we parked our trailer, we left for town. When we pulled in to a parking lot I noticed a young man walking toward my window. It was a pracher that I hadn't seen for many years. I have no idea what he was doing in this area, but he said as we passed by the Lord told him to give us $50.00. I'd like to know how much that young man's $50.00 turns into for him.
Here is the most amazing thing that happened today. After we got back to the trailer, I began leveling it. As I did so, a car pulled up in the parking lot. A lady I have never met stepped out. I thought it was a member of the church, so I jokingly asked, "Did you bring us some money?" To my surprise, she said, "Yes". She was weeping. She said, "I don't know who you are, but God told me to give you everything in my purse." It was $28.00. I asked her if she was a member of the church I'm preaching revival at this coming week. She said, "No". She was a local pastor's wfe. She was still weeping when she got back into her car. Before she shut the door, she said, "God is going to bless you." That was worth more than the $28.00. So, $20.00 turned into $128.00 simply by giving to God.
I intentionally left out another very important story that happened to me about two months ago. It really places the finishing touch on this lesson. We were pulling our trailer down through Florida, trying to get to another revival. We pulled into a gas station. As I did, I noticed a friend of mine walking to his car. He came over to me and we began to talk. As we talked, he handed me a $50.00 bill; he said the Lord told him to do so. You need to understand that $50.00 is a MAJOR blessing to us.$50.00 is a step closer to us getting our bills paid when we often don't know how they're going to be so. We concluded our conversation and we parted ways.
A couple of weeks later he came to a service that I was preaching. After the service was over, we stepped outside the church and we began to talk. He said he had something he needed to tell me. He referred me back to the night he gave me the $50.00. He said he had three denominations of money in his front pocket: a $20 bill, a $50 bill, and a $100 bill. He said God told him that whatever he gave me, God would bless him 10 fold. If you remember, he gave me the $50 bill. At church the next Sunday, after he gave me the money, he was given $500.00. He told me he wished he had given it all. I chuckled to myself because I wished he had too! LOL!
The moral of the story is this: you can't outgive God! I know that the money I've mentioned isn't a whole lot, but it was to us and knowing that God is watching over us is the greatest blessing of all.
If you need a financial blessing, try giving someone else a blessing. You may have to ask God to give you some money in order to give some money, but it will be well worth it.
I'll conclude this little message with the following story:
We were completely broke and had a bill due. God told me to go to a certain church and he would bless us, so I did. I had one dollar to my name; I put it in the offering plate. As I left the church that night, I was confused as to why no one had given us any money. I heard the door open and man came running after me. He handed me a $10.00 bill. I didn't know what it was; I just stuck it in my pocket. I thanked him and told him that it was a great blessing; that we had a bill due and I didn't know how I was going to pay it. He hung his head, ran his hand back into his pocket, and said, "Man, I knew I should have given you this." He handed me a $100.00 bill. $1.00 became a $110.00 simply by giving it to God. And that gentlemen could have saved himself $10.00 if he had of gave what God told him to in the first place.
So, if you're struggling financially, find somone to bless and God will multiply it! You can't outgive God!
David Lamb
Saturday, July 10, 2010
The Burden Of My Heart (Revival)
When I speak of revival, I mean a couple of different things. Revival is simply bringing that which is dead back to life, or restoring something back to usefulness. So, revival could happen in an individual's life, in a family, in a church, or in a community. What I am ultimately longing for is another awakening in America as a whole.
I don't mean to be a pessimist, but the American church of today is not what it was a hundred years ago; much less what it was in the book of Acts 2,000 yrs ago. True Godly, powerful Christianity is dying in this country. I have dedicated my life to seeing it revived.
As I travel the country preaching week after week, I find that some want revival, some don't, and some don't think they need it. But whether we see it or not, our churches are losing their hunger for the lost and are almost powerless. Where are the signs, wonders, and gifts of the Spirit? Revival would restore the church to what it's supposed to be. And if the country as a whole will not seek God for revival, then I'm looking for congregations, or individuals that want revival.
Revival will come when we adhere to 2Chronicles 7:14. And if the American church does adhere to it, we may see another great awakening.
This is just a brief description of the burden of my heart.
I don't mean to be a pessimist, but the American church of today is not what it was a hundred years ago; much less what it was in the book of Acts 2,000 yrs ago. True Godly, powerful Christianity is dying in this country. I have dedicated my life to seeing it revived.
As I travel the country preaching week after week, I find that some want revival, some don't, and some don't think they need it. But whether we see it or not, our churches are losing their hunger for the lost and are almost powerless. Where are the signs, wonders, and gifts of the Spirit? Revival would restore the church to what it's supposed to be. And if the country as a whole will not seek God for revival, then I'm looking for congregations, or individuals that want revival.
Revival will come when we adhere to 2Chronicles 7:14. And if the American church does adhere to it, we may see another great awakening.
This is just a brief description of the burden of my heart.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Revival In Tavares, Florida
Revival In Tavares, Florida
On May the 23rd of 2010, we started what was scheduled to be a two week revival at the Covenant Holiness Church in Tavares, FL. where Brother J. R. Smith is the pastor. Although two backsliders came back to the Lord, for the most part, it was the polar opposite of the meeting we held in Busy, Ky. just prior to it. In Busy, I preached to the lost every night, seeing nearly seventy souls turn to Christ; in Tavares, God directed me to preach to the church.
When I came in the first Sunday morning I figured it would be business as usual; preaching on prayer, revival, drawing close to God, witnessing, etc.–messages provoking the lukewarm to repentance, causing them to cry out to God for the fire of the Holy Ghost. After I had preached and ministered around the altar, I sat down. It was at that point the Lord began to speak to my heart about the direction He wanted the revival to go. He told me to look upon the faces of the people. As I looked into each face, I discerned deep hurt and grievous pain. He revealed to me some very intimate details about each one of them, and then He thundered the following words into my heart and mind: “They have terrible wounds and I want to heal them. And if they will reveal it, I will heal it.”
When I came back to the Sunday night service, I preached about our marvelous God and His capacity to heal the wounded. On Monday night the Lord directed me to preach about God’s unfathomable love. On Tuesday night, I preached that there must come a point in our life that we divert our eyes off of our own selves; a point that we must stop the perpetual autopsy of a living person, and get our eyes upon the Christ. God used those three messages to catapult us into a mighty move of God; into a true revival.
Over the next three weeks, God healed hearts and minds in unspeakable ways. Great repentance and reconciliation took place night after night. We had several one hour, and even two and a half hour, altar calls. They were often without the accompaniment of music or singing; the only sound being the weeping of saints crying out to the Almighty God, asking Him to renew them and fill them with His Holy Spirit! I marveled as a six year old boy lay prostrate in the floor, weeping for over an hour. The second Sunday night service of the revival lasted nearly five hours! We experienced wave after wave of God’s glory; much of the congregation claimed to having been refilled with the Holy Ghost; three of the pastors children in one night! Great confession of sins was prominent, many of which the person said they didn’t even know they harbored within their hearts prior to God revealing it to them in that meeting. Backsliders, including a preacher, came back to Christ. And pretty much every member of the church professed to having experienced God in a deeper way than they had ever experienced Him before.
My heart leaped for joy after hearing the testimony of a precious sister. She said she had lost her hunger for lost souls. She had allowed her burden to be extinguished by the cares of this life. I wish you could have seen the excitement in her face, the sparkle in her eyes, as she told how God had placed a new fire within her to reach the lost at any cost! It was precious indeed!
I am presently thinking about the testimony a particular preacher offered up one night in testimony service. He said that before the revival, his prayer life, Bible study, witnessing, and zeal for the things of God were zero. In so many words, he conceded that he had been operating in a backslid condition, but proclaimed that God had restored him, that he was now praying and seeking God continually. The truth is there were many similar testimonies.
No one but God can get the glory for the things which happened in Tavares. In fact, my family was just as much recipients of that move of God as anyone else. One night, I rejoiced as my nine year old daughter was kneeling and crying out to God. When she got up from where she was praying, I asked her if God had helped her. She said, “Yes”. I asked her how and she said, “I can’t explain it. He just made me interested again”! Oh, how God made men interested in Him again during that revival!
On another night, as I knelt at the altar, crying out to God, I felt a very little person kneel down beside me. I looked down and saw my little pip-squeak-six year old daughter Rebecca Eden kneeling beside me. She can melt my heart in unspeakable ways already, but she was weeping which made it worse. I took her up and cradled her in my lap. I asked her if the Lord had helped her. With tears running down her cheeks, she said, "My heart hurts." I said, "My heart hurts too. Let's pray for the lost." So my six year old baby and I wept for the lost together, sitting in the floor of Covenant Holiness Church. It was a good day.
Honestly, I could go on and on telling all the wonderful things that God did amongst that precious people. The pastor told me that God not only restored the church, but put it in a higher place than it had ever been. God brought revival to the Covenant Holiness Church. He restored that which needed to be restored. He healed everything that was revealed. He put them back into a state of usefulness.
The Covenant Holiness Church had a real REVIVAL, now it’s time for them to seek God and do those things necessary to see an AWAKENING in Tavares, Florida. It’s time for them to go on the offensive, wreaking great havoc upon the enemy’s kingdom! Will they do so? I don’t know. Will they sustain the fire that God has placed in their hearts and lives? I don’t know. I believe they can and I hope they will; but they, just like you and me, have to make a conscious decision every day to be men and women of God; to be consistent; to never go back to their comfort zone; to choose everyday to be prayer warriors and intercessors for the souls of men. Yes, they must choose.
But I guess the real question isn’t will THEY do it, but will YOU and I do it?
David Lamb
On May the 23rd of 2010, we started what was scheduled to be a two week revival at the Covenant Holiness Church in Tavares, FL. where Brother J. R. Smith is the pastor. Although two backsliders came back to the Lord, for the most part, it was the polar opposite of the meeting we held in Busy, Ky. just prior to it. In Busy, I preached to the lost every night, seeing nearly seventy souls turn to Christ; in Tavares, God directed me to preach to the church.
When I came in the first Sunday morning I figured it would be business as usual; preaching on prayer, revival, drawing close to God, witnessing, etc.–messages provoking the lukewarm to repentance, causing them to cry out to God for the fire of the Holy Ghost. After I had preached and ministered around the altar, I sat down. It was at that point the Lord began to speak to my heart about the direction He wanted the revival to go. He told me to look upon the faces of the people. As I looked into each face, I discerned deep hurt and grievous pain. He revealed to me some very intimate details about each one of them, and then He thundered the following words into my heart and mind: “They have terrible wounds and I want to heal them. And if they will reveal it, I will heal it.”
When I came back to the Sunday night service, I preached about our marvelous God and His capacity to heal the wounded. On Monday night the Lord directed me to preach about God’s unfathomable love. On Tuesday night, I preached that there must come a point in our life that we divert our eyes off of our own selves; a point that we must stop the perpetual autopsy of a living person, and get our eyes upon the Christ. God used those three messages to catapult us into a mighty move of God; into a true revival.
Over the next three weeks, God healed hearts and minds in unspeakable ways. Great repentance and reconciliation took place night after night. We had several one hour, and even two and a half hour, altar calls. They were often without the accompaniment of music or singing; the only sound being the weeping of saints crying out to the Almighty God, asking Him to renew them and fill them with His Holy Spirit! I marveled as a six year old boy lay prostrate in the floor, weeping for over an hour. The second Sunday night service of the revival lasted nearly five hours! We experienced wave after wave of God’s glory; much of the congregation claimed to having been refilled with the Holy Ghost; three of the pastors children in one night! Great confession of sins was prominent, many of which the person said they didn’t even know they harbored within their hearts prior to God revealing it to them in that meeting. Backsliders, including a preacher, came back to Christ. And pretty much every member of the church professed to having experienced God in a deeper way than they had ever experienced Him before.
My heart leaped for joy after hearing the testimony of a precious sister. She said she had lost her hunger for lost souls. She had allowed her burden to be extinguished by the cares of this life. I wish you could have seen the excitement in her face, the sparkle in her eyes, as she told how God had placed a new fire within her to reach the lost at any cost! It was precious indeed!
I am presently thinking about the testimony a particular preacher offered up one night in testimony service. He said that before the revival, his prayer life, Bible study, witnessing, and zeal for the things of God were zero. In so many words, he conceded that he had been operating in a backslid condition, but proclaimed that God had restored him, that he was now praying and seeking God continually. The truth is there were many similar testimonies.
No one but God can get the glory for the things which happened in Tavares. In fact, my family was just as much recipients of that move of God as anyone else. One night, I rejoiced as my nine year old daughter was kneeling and crying out to God. When she got up from where she was praying, I asked her if God had helped her. She said, “Yes”. I asked her how and she said, “I can’t explain it. He just made me interested again”! Oh, how God made men interested in Him again during that revival!
On another night, as I knelt at the altar, crying out to God, I felt a very little person kneel down beside me. I looked down and saw my little pip-squeak-six year old daughter Rebecca Eden kneeling beside me. She can melt my heart in unspeakable ways already, but she was weeping which made it worse. I took her up and cradled her in my lap. I asked her if the Lord had helped her. With tears running down her cheeks, she said, "My heart hurts." I said, "My heart hurts too. Let's pray for the lost." So my six year old baby and I wept for the lost together, sitting in the floor of Covenant Holiness Church. It was a good day.
Honestly, I could go on and on telling all the wonderful things that God did amongst that precious people. The pastor told me that God not only restored the church, but put it in a higher place than it had ever been. God brought revival to the Covenant Holiness Church. He restored that which needed to be restored. He healed everything that was revealed. He put them back into a state of usefulness.
The Covenant Holiness Church had a real REVIVAL, now it’s time for them to seek God and do those things necessary to see an AWAKENING in Tavares, Florida. It’s time for them to go on the offensive, wreaking great havoc upon the enemy’s kingdom! Will they do so? I don’t know. Will they sustain the fire that God has placed in their hearts and lives? I don’t know. I believe they can and I hope they will; but they, just like you and me, have to make a conscious decision every day to be men and women of God; to be consistent; to never go back to their comfort zone; to choose everyday to be prayer warriors and intercessors for the souls of men. Yes, they must choose.
But I guess the real question isn’t will THEY do it, but will YOU and I do it?
David Lamb
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
What's Happening While You Sleep
One night, a preacher and his 6-7 yr old son were coming home from church. They came upon an overpass, upon which there were a great number of ambulances, firetrucks, and police cars-there had been a terrible wreck. The man got his son out of the vehicle and walked up the embankment to see if there was anything he could do to help. When he came to the top of the embankment, he beheld, to his shock and unbelief, the mangled, lifeless corpse of an individual who had been thrown from a vehicle during the wreck. He covered the eyes of his son, picked him up, and carried him back down the hill as fast as he could. He tried to explain to his son what they had just witnessed in an attempt to comfort his little heart.
Once they got home, the father prayed for his son, hugged and kissed him, and then sent him to bed. At about 2 o'clock in the morning, the dad got up. He noticed that his son's bedroom light was still on. He opened door and reached for the light switch, but noticed that his son was still fully dressed, sitting on the side of the bed, quietly weeping. His dad asked him why he wasn't asleep. His son replied with these heart crushing words, "Dad, how can we sleep when people are dying?"
That's my question for you today: How can we sleep when people are dying lost and going to hell? While we sleep, hell fills! While we sleep, the enemy works! While we sleep, the enemy sows his seeds of confusion and death!
My cry for the American church is as follows:
Isa 51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake...
What will happen when we wake from our sleep?
Lu 9:32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory...
When the church decides to wake from her slumber, we'll see the glory God! When the church repents for allowing her heart to grow lukewarm, and for some, cold and indifferent, we'll see God rend the heavens and come down! When we humble ourselves, confessing we're not where we're supposed to be with God, confessing that we can do nothing without God, we'll see a breaking in our churches. When the American church spends more time in prayer, supplication, and intercession than they do in basketball practice, gospel sings, and self promotion, the sound of battering rams will be heard crashing the gates of hell. We'll have revival in no time. We'll see sinners being born again on our altars! We'll see saints refilled with the power and glory of Holy Ghost! We'll see lethargic church members burning with the fire of God.
Wake up brothers and sisters! It doesn't matter who you are, what your name is, how long you've been saved, or what church and denomination you belong too, we're all the same while we sleep!
David Lamb
Once they got home, the father prayed for his son, hugged and kissed him, and then sent him to bed. At about 2 o'clock in the morning, the dad got up. He noticed that his son's bedroom light was still on. He opened door and reached for the light switch, but noticed that his son was still fully dressed, sitting on the side of the bed, quietly weeping. His dad asked him why he wasn't asleep. His son replied with these heart crushing words, "Dad, how can we sleep when people are dying?"
That's my question for you today: How can we sleep when people are dying lost and going to hell? While we sleep, hell fills! While we sleep, the enemy works! While we sleep, the enemy sows his seeds of confusion and death!
My cry for the American church is as follows:
Isa 51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake...
What will happen when we wake from our sleep?
Lu 9:32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory...
When the church decides to wake from her slumber, we'll see the glory God! When the church repents for allowing her heart to grow lukewarm, and for some, cold and indifferent, we'll see God rend the heavens and come down! When we humble ourselves, confessing we're not where we're supposed to be with God, confessing that we can do nothing without God, we'll see a breaking in our churches. When the American church spends more time in prayer, supplication, and intercession than they do in basketball practice, gospel sings, and self promotion, the sound of battering rams will be heard crashing the gates of hell. We'll have revival in no time. We'll see sinners being born again on our altars! We'll see saints refilled with the power and glory of Holy Ghost! We'll see lethargic church members burning with the fire of God.
Wake up brothers and sisters! It doesn't matter who you are, what your name is, how long you've been saved, or what church and denomination you belong too, we're all the same while we sleep!
David Lamb
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
The Hebrides Revival
The Hebrides Revival
In the year 1949, in a small cottage by the roadside in the village of Barvas lived two elderly women, Peggy and Christine Smith. They were eighty-four and eighty-two years old. Peggy was blind and her sister almost bent double with arthritis. Unable to attend public worship, their humble cottage became a sanctuary where they met with God. To them came the promise: "I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground," they pleaded this day and night in prayer. One night Peggy had a revelation, revival was coming and the church of her fathers would be crowded again with young people! She sent for the minister, the Rev. James Murray MacKay, and told him what God had shown her, asking him to call his elders and deacons together for special times of waiting upon God. In the same district a group of men praying in a barn experienced a foretaste of coming blessing. One night as they waited upon God a young deacon rose and read part of the twenty-fourth Psalm: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord." Turning to the others he said: "Brethren, it seems to me just so much humbug to be waiting and praying as we are, if we ourselves are not rightly related to God." Then lifting his hands toward heaven he cried: "Oh God, are my hands clean? Is my heart pure?" He got no further, but fell prostrate to the floor. An awareness of God filled the barn and a stream of supernatural power was let lose in their lives. They had moved into a new sphere of God realization, believing implicitly in the promise of revival.
When the movement was at its height Peggy sent for Duncan Campbell, asking him to go to a small, isolated village to hold a meeting. The people of this village did not favor the revival and had already made clear they weren't getting involved. Duncan explained the situation to Peggy and told her that he questioned the wisdom of her request. "Besides," he added, "I have no leadings to go to that place." She turned in the direction of his voice, her sightless eyes seemed to penetrate his soul. "Mr. Campbell, if you were living as near to God as you ought to be, He would reveal His secrets to you also." Duncan felt like a subordinate being reprimanded for defying his general. He humbly accepted the rebuke as from the Lord, and asked if he and Mr. MacKay could spend the morning in prayer with them. She agreed, and later as they knelt together in the cottage, Peggy prayed: "Lord, You remember what You told me this morning, that in this village You are going to save seven men who will become pillars in the church of my fathers. Lord, I have given Your message to Mr. Campbell and it seems he is not prepared to receive it. Oh Lord, give him wisdom, because he badly needs it!" "All right, Peggy, I'll go to the village," said Duncan when they had finished praying. She replied, "You'd better!" "And God will give you a congregation." Arriving in the village at seven o'clock they found a large bungalow crowded to capacity with many assembled outside. Duncan gave out his text: "The times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent." When he had finished preaching, a minister beckoned him to the end of the house to speak again to a number of people who were mourning over their sins - among them, Peggy's seven men!
The Hebrides Revival didn't start with a preacher; it didn't begin with a big name evangelist. It began in the hearts of two elder women who loved God and were deeply concerned with the spiritual condition of their community! It began in the hearts of some working men who were seeking God in an obscure barn. You can move the hand of God too, but it will require more than just an occasional "polly-wanna-cracker" prayer that has no heat and no heart. You may have to do like the Smith sisters and start praying from early afternoon until two and three in the morning, but it will be worth it when it comes!
Let's pray for revival!
In the year 1949, in a small cottage by the roadside in the village of Barvas lived two elderly women, Peggy and Christine Smith. They were eighty-four and eighty-two years old. Peggy was blind and her sister almost bent double with arthritis. Unable to attend public worship, their humble cottage became a sanctuary where they met with God. To them came the promise: "I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground," they pleaded this day and night in prayer. One night Peggy had a revelation, revival was coming and the church of her fathers would be crowded again with young people! She sent for the minister, the Rev. James Murray MacKay, and told him what God had shown her, asking him to call his elders and deacons together for special times of waiting upon God. In the same district a group of men praying in a barn experienced a foretaste of coming blessing. One night as they waited upon God a young deacon rose and read part of the twenty-fourth Psalm: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord." Turning to the others he said: "Brethren, it seems to me just so much humbug to be waiting and praying as we are, if we ourselves are not rightly related to God." Then lifting his hands toward heaven he cried: "Oh God, are my hands clean? Is my heart pure?" He got no further, but fell prostrate to the floor. An awareness of God filled the barn and a stream of supernatural power was let lose in their lives. They had moved into a new sphere of God realization, believing implicitly in the promise of revival.
When the movement was at its height Peggy sent for Duncan Campbell, asking him to go to a small, isolated village to hold a meeting. The people of this village did not favor the revival and had already made clear they weren't getting involved. Duncan explained the situation to Peggy and told her that he questioned the wisdom of her request. "Besides," he added, "I have no leadings to go to that place." She turned in the direction of his voice, her sightless eyes seemed to penetrate his soul. "Mr. Campbell, if you were living as near to God as you ought to be, He would reveal His secrets to you also." Duncan felt like a subordinate being reprimanded for defying his general. He humbly accepted the rebuke as from the Lord, and asked if he and Mr. MacKay could spend the morning in prayer with them. She agreed, and later as they knelt together in the cottage, Peggy prayed: "Lord, You remember what You told me this morning, that in this village You are going to save seven men who will become pillars in the church of my fathers. Lord, I have given Your message to Mr. Campbell and it seems he is not prepared to receive it. Oh Lord, give him wisdom, because he badly needs it!" "All right, Peggy, I'll go to the village," said Duncan when they had finished praying. She replied, "You'd better!" "And God will give you a congregation." Arriving in the village at seven o'clock they found a large bungalow crowded to capacity with many assembled outside. Duncan gave out his text: "The times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent." When he had finished preaching, a minister beckoned him to the end of the house to speak again to a number of people who were mourning over their sins - among them, Peggy's seven men!
The Hebrides Revival didn't start with a preacher; it didn't begin with a big name evangelist. It began in the hearts of two elder women who loved God and were deeply concerned with the spiritual condition of their community! It began in the hearts of some working men who were seeking God in an obscure barn. You can move the hand of God too, but it will require more than just an occasional "polly-wanna-cracker" prayer that has no heat and no heart. You may have to do like the Smith sisters and start praying from early afternoon until two and three in the morning, but it will be worth it when it comes!
Let's pray for revival!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Revival in Busy, Ky.
I have spent a considerable amount of time promoting revival. It’s the burden God has laid upon me. I have grown weary with these special meetings that we label “revival”. Now, don’t get me wrong, they are fun, people get help, the fellowship is usually great, and the food is almost always fantastic, but they aren’t really revival. I have seen true revival spring forth out of these meetings, but generally as a rule, they are just good meetings. Real revival changes things. It changes people. Real revival is a drawing into God; it is a renewing of life within the heart of the believer; and ultimately the congregation. True revival changes people in such a way they can no longer remain silent. They are filled with God and want to tell everyone they see about what God has done in them. In revival, God steps down. Revival happens on many different levels and often takes different forms. A single individual could have revival within themselves, or it could break-out, spreading through a church, community, or even an entire nation. But regardless of what degree revival comes, there is always a drawing into God; a heart rekindled by the Spirit.
May 9th through May 20th of 2010, God allowed me to partake in a genuine revival. It was at the Hickory Gap Pentecostal Church, a small church in the mountains of Busy, Ky. where my friend, Larry Gross, is the pastor. I had already preached a meeting there in November of 2009. We had several good services and the people were encouraged, but almost immediately things went back to the way they were before I came–unfortunately most of today’s so-called revivals are this way. As far as the pastor could see, nothing eternal had taken place, but we found out later that something eternal had indeed taken place.
The church had a van that was hardly ever used, so Pastor Gross decided the best thing to do was sell it and use the money for something else. Come to find out, a young man named Jamie had been stirred by the meeting in November and got hungry to see the lost saved. God placed it upon his heart to start a bus ministry, so he and his wife did just that. They knocked doors and filled the bus up with children, teenagers, and parents. At the same time, Pastor Gross felt like having a weekly prayer meeting to prepare for our upcoming services, so for five weeks prior to my coming they met on Wednesday nights and prayed for revival. Meanwhile, the bus ministry exploded. Jamie and his wife Melissa were having to make two trips per service. This prompted Pastor Gross to buy a second church van; Brother Jamie and Sister Melissa were each driving a separate van.
This all took place five to six weeks prior to me coming. In November, they had about eighteen to twenty-five people attending each service, but when I got there in May they were busing in as many as forty people a night. Before the revival was over we were seeing anywhere from seventy-five to a hundred people attending every service; the bus ministry had nearly doubled. Most nights Bro. Jamie and Sis. Melissa were having to make two trips a piece!
I am giving you these details so you will understand that I had very little to do with what I am about to tell you. I don’t want someone to hear about what happened in Hickory Gap and think I’m some kind of great evangelist that carries revival around in his briefcase because I’m not. Revival broke out because some people were hungry for it. Revival broke out because of a pastor who was willing to call a five week prayer meeting. Revival broke out because a couple of people were willing to go into the highways and hedges to compel sinners to come to church. Revival broke out because God is faithful and unbelievably merciful.
When I opened the altar up the first night, I knew something special was taking place. I would say half a dozen or so lost souls came down to the altar seeking God; at least three of them professed to being saved that Sunday evening. I found out later that the young people that were coming had not been in any of the main services; they were always placed in a children’s church environment and had not been preached to. I was the first preacher many of them had ever heard!
Night after night, for eleven nights, three, four, five, as high as fifteen lost souls came to the altar with great weeping and brokenness. I’m not really into evangelistic statistics, but I’d guess there were sixty-five to seventy sinners that came forward for salvation. I saw a ten year old girl weep so intensely that she nearly soaked the entire front of her shirt. It wasn’t uncommon to see twenty teenagers on the altar crying out to God. We saw sinners weeping in the parking lot after church, still under conviction. One night, a school teacher and one of her students got saved at the same time! It was beautiful. I watched a fifteen year old girl weep, almost uncontrollably, for thirty straight minutes while I was preaching.
Although it wasn’t the case with all of them, many of the young people came in dirty, hair unkempt, and wearing ragged clothing. I found out that the vast majority of them were from broken homes; living in very poor conditions. Several of them had fathers that were in jail and had mothers that were drug addicts. Numerous were in abusive homes, having guardians that couldn’t have cared less about their future. As each night went by my heart grieved more and more for them. The more I learned about their pitiful lives, the more burdened I became. I was able to feel the burden of the Lord and some of the love He has for them. If I ever saw the love of the Lord Jesus to sinners, I saw it during that eleven night span.
If I had to choose one characteristic that made this revival unique, it would be the number of young people that prayed. It was very obvious that God was reaching out to those children in a very special way. I have had as many as a hundred sinners pray in a single revival, but never so many broken young people. Don’t get me wrong, there were adults that got saved too, but the vast majority of those that were saved were teenagers and young children! The pastor projected that twenty-five percent of the local elementary and middle school were on his altars praying for salvation.
Here’s the thing about all the young people that were coming: there were no gimmicks or ploys. Typically, the pastor would have his wife sing two congregationals, an usher take up the offering, and then give me the floor to preach. There were no hotdogs, hamburgers, or fun-in-games. They came to hear the gospel preached! And with that said, the longer the revival went on, more and more young people came. It amazed me at how quiet they would get while I preached; you could hear a pin drop. The Holy Ghost captivated them; He arrested their minds night after night. It was incredible!
Well, I could go on and on about individual occurrences, but I would like to share one last experience with you; an experience that changed my life forever. There was a young lady there named Megan; she attended nearly every night of the revival. I pulled and pulled for her, but it seemed she wasn’t going to break. But on Thursday night, the last night of the revival, she came down to the altar. It was while I was playing the piano and my wife was singing that Megan changed my life. Overtop of all the noise in that church, I heard the most beautiful sound I had ever heard: Megan was weeping. She was weeping with such brokenness, such travail that I couldn’t do anything but weep with her. She cried with such anguish I could feel her pain. I found out later that she came from a terrible environment; a background so painful most of us couldn’t even fathom it. But she poured her hurts and pains out to Christ. She begged him for forgiveness with such anguish we all knew heaven was standing at attention for this broken little lady. I became instantly addicted. In an hour where people profess to get born again in less time than it takes me to wash my car, I will never be satisfied except I hear that sound again and again. She wanted to be baptized the following Sunday, but when the van pulled up to her house she was standing on the side of the road weeping; her father wouldn't allow it. Please, pray for these children.
That was our revival at Hickory Gap Pentecostal Church in a nutshell. I hope it stirs your heart and makes you hungry to see the same in your home church.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Monitoring Your Motives
“Mastering Your Motives” or “Monitoring Your Motives”
--For the most part, we do things without really thinking about why. Sure, we think about the how(s), when(s), and where(s), but the why(s) of our deeds are often ignored. Why we do something is called “motive”. The official definition for the word motive is “a factor inducing a person to act in a particular way”. There should be a conscious purpose behind everything we do and say; a particular intent that drives our actions. Nothing is more aggravating than talking to someone who has absolutely no idea why they are saying the things they are saying; they are talking heads, just talking to be heard. And although there are plenty of people like that–people who lethargically drift through life seemingly without purpose–there is always a motive behind people’s actions, whether they take the time to think about them or not.
--In most areas of life we can get by with ignoring our motives, but when it comes to our walk with God, there is no escaping it: they are vitally important. Our motives will determine whether we spend eternity in heaven or hell. Motive will determine whether God answers our prayers or not. Really, in the spiritual realm, our motives will determine everything.
--Let me get to the crux of the matter. The Bible says in Colossians 3:17, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
Why? Because Colossians 1:16 states, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, AND FOR HIM:”
--Everything that exists (time, space, and matter) exists for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. The heavens and the earth were created by Jesus and for Jesus. Revelations 4:11 states that even you and I were created for Jesus’ pleasure. 1John 2:12 tells us that our sins are forgiven, not for our sakes, but for Jesus’ sake. That’s right! God didn’t forgive you of your sins so you’d feel better about yourself; He forgave you of your sins because it pleased Jesus. This can only mean that everything we do in this life must be done in the name of Jesus and with Him in mind.
--Listen carefully. We must guard ourselves from humanism. Humanism is a rationalistic system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. You may say, “I don’t attach prime importance to human matters. I’m so heavenly minded I’m of no earthly good.” Well, let’s see about that. I know you want your husband, or wife, and children saved, but why? So your life will be better? So that your husband/wife will be kinder to you? So your child will respect you more? I’m sure that some of you are sick and want God to heal you, but why? Is it so you can feel better when doing your housework; so you can sleep better at night; or is it so you can be a greater soul winner for Christ? Is it so you can be a more effective soldier in God’s army? Now, I’m not saying that it is wrong to want to be healed in order to feel better in your everyday life, but it is wrong when that is your primary motive. Most people are doing nothing for the kingdom of God and, more or less, want God to heal them so they’ll feel better while continuing to do nothing for the kingdom of God.
--I am reminded of a story concerning two Moravian missionaries who were consumed by a great burden for a particular slave island. The slave master that owned the island and the slaves on that island hated Christianity and would not allow a preacher to come there. Two young Moravian boys sold themselves to that slave master in order to preach to the slaves on that island. They went knowing they would never see their families and loved ones again. They went knowing that they would die as slaves. Why do you think they did such a drastic thing? Is your mind thinking upon the slaves right now? Buckle your seatbelt! That’s humanism: a rationalistic system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters! Fortunately, those two Moravian missionaries weren’t humanists. As their boat sailed away, they called out, “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.” Their primary motive for surrendering their lives into slavery was their unwavering conviction that Jesus paid too great a price for those precious souls to allow them to die and go to hell. Their primary motive for selling themselves into slavery was their love for Christ, not their love for people.
--Why do we do the things we do? Why do we say the things we say? What motives are behind our actions? Humans can be the most selfish, self-centered creatures on the planet and it is motive that determines whether they are self-serving narcissists or selfless Christians living and breathing to please Jesus.
--Would you like to know why so many sinners come to the altar and leave exactly like they came? Motives. They come to the altar for no other reason than they want God to make their lives better. For them to get saved, they must see Christ and the manner in which they have rebelled against Him. Their hearts will have to grieve for transgressing His law. Their hearts will have to be more concerned about how they’ve trampled the blood of Jesus under foot than they are their own predicament. God is no spare tire! Christ will be Lord of all or Lord not at all! All for Christ!
--Please, ask yourself: Why do you pray? Why do you go to church? Why do you memorize the Bible? Why have you chosen the friends you spend time with? Yes. Ask yourself those questions regarding every facet of your life. Why do you do the things you do?
--If God will grant me the gift of brevity, I’ll quickly conclude this blog entry. Please, pay attention to the manner in which you pray. Do you spend most of your time worshiping God; praying for others; or asking God for blessings upon yourself? When you go to church; do you go with a testimony, a song, a piece of money, etc., to bless others, or do you go primarily to get blessed? Do you even think about it before you go? What was the primary subject of your prayers; the kingdom of God or your own personal welfare?
--The reason I write this blog entry–Lord, I pray it’s not humanistic–is Christ wants you. I also want you to draw closer to Christ. I want you to be blessed. I want your prayers to be answered. And in order for you to be truly blessed; and in order for your prayers to be answered, you will have to die to yourself. Your life will have to be wrapped up in Christ and what pleases Him. In Luke 14:26, Jesus said: “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” You must die and live only for Christ. After all, He is worthy.
--What do you think will move the hand of God quicker: praying “God, save my husband/wife/child. Jesus died for them and they’ll be a mighty witness for you”; or “Lord, save my husband/wife/child. I can’t take this anymore”?
--What do you think touches the heart of God more; what do you think would cause Him to be more willing to heal you; praying “God, heal me. I can’t take this pain anymore”; or “God, heal me so I can go into the highways and hedges to bring souls to Christ; to glorify Him in all I do”?
--Now, just saying these things won’t move God, He knows your true motives. Christ’s glory must be your primary concern. Christ’s kingdom must be the driving motive of everything you engage in. Not what’s best for you; what’s best for God.
--Monitor your motives. God may or may not move when you call out for yourself, but when you call out for Jesus’ sake heaven will come to attention.
David
--For the most part, we do things without really thinking about why. Sure, we think about the how(s), when(s), and where(s), but the why(s) of our deeds are often ignored. Why we do something is called “motive”. The official definition for the word motive is “a factor inducing a person to act in a particular way”. There should be a conscious purpose behind everything we do and say; a particular intent that drives our actions. Nothing is more aggravating than talking to someone who has absolutely no idea why they are saying the things they are saying; they are talking heads, just talking to be heard. And although there are plenty of people like that–people who lethargically drift through life seemingly without purpose–there is always a motive behind people’s actions, whether they take the time to think about them or not.
--In most areas of life we can get by with ignoring our motives, but when it comes to our walk with God, there is no escaping it: they are vitally important. Our motives will determine whether we spend eternity in heaven or hell. Motive will determine whether God answers our prayers or not. Really, in the spiritual realm, our motives will determine everything.
--Let me get to the crux of the matter. The Bible says in Colossians 3:17, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
Why? Because Colossians 1:16 states, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, AND FOR HIM:”
--Everything that exists (time, space, and matter) exists for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. The heavens and the earth were created by Jesus and for Jesus. Revelations 4:11 states that even you and I were created for Jesus’ pleasure. 1John 2:12 tells us that our sins are forgiven, not for our sakes, but for Jesus’ sake. That’s right! God didn’t forgive you of your sins so you’d feel better about yourself; He forgave you of your sins because it pleased Jesus. This can only mean that everything we do in this life must be done in the name of Jesus and with Him in mind.
--Listen carefully. We must guard ourselves from humanism. Humanism is a rationalistic system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. You may say, “I don’t attach prime importance to human matters. I’m so heavenly minded I’m of no earthly good.” Well, let’s see about that. I know you want your husband, or wife, and children saved, but why? So your life will be better? So that your husband/wife will be kinder to you? So your child will respect you more? I’m sure that some of you are sick and want God to heal you, but why? Is it so you can feel better when doing your housework; so you can sleep better at night; or is it so you can be a greater soul winner for Christ? Is it so you can be a more effective soldier in God’s army? Now, I’m not saying that it is wrong to want to be healed in order to feel better in your everyday life, but it is wrong when that is your primary motive. Most people are doing nothing for the kingdom of God and, more or less, want God to heal them so they’ll feel better while continuing to do nothing for the kingdom of God.
--I am reminded of a story concerning two Moravian missionaries who were consumed by a great burden for a particular slave island. The slave master that owned the island and the slaves on that island hated Christianity and would not allow a preacher to come there. Two young Moravian boys sold themselves to that slave master in order to preach to the slaves on that island. They went knowing they would never see their families and loved ones again. They went knowing that they would die as slaves. Why do you think they did such a drastic thing? Is your mind thinking upon the slaves right now? Buckle your seatbelt! That’s humanism: a rationalistic system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters! Fortunately, those two Moravian missionaries weren’t humanists. As their boat sailed away, they called out, “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.” Their primary motive for surrendering their lives into slavery was their unwavering conviction that Jesus paid too great a price for those precious souls to allow them to die and go to hell. Their primary motive for selling themselves into slavery was their love for Christ, not their love for people.
--Why do we do the things we do? Why do we say the things we say? What motives are behind our actions? Humans can be the most selfish, self-centered creatures on the planet and it is motive that determines whether they are self-serving narcissists or selfless Christians living and breathing to please Jesus.
--Would you like to know why so many sinners come to the altar and leave exactly like they came? Motives. They come to the altar for no other reason than they want God to make their lives better. For them to get saved, they must see Christ and the manner in which they have rebelled against Him. Their hearts will have to grieve for transgressing His law. Their hearts will have to be more concerned about how they’ve trampled the blood of Jesus under foot than they are their own predicament. God is no spare tire! Christ will be Lord of all or Lord not at all! All for Christ!
--Please, ask yourself: Why do you pray? Why do you go to church? Why do you memorize the Bible? Why have you chosen the friends you spend time with? Yes. Ask yourself those questions regarding every facet of your life. Why do you do the things you do?
--If God will grant me the gift of brevity, I’ll quickly conclude this blog entry. Please, pay attention to the manner in which you pray. Do you spend most of your time worshiping God; praying for others; or asking God for blessings upon yourself? When you go to church; do you go with a testimony, a song, a piece of money, etc., to bless others, or do you go primarily to get blessed? Do you even think about it before you go? What was the primary subject of your prayers; the kingdom of God or your own personal welfare?
--The reason I write this blog entry–Lord, I pray it’s not humanistic–is Christ wants you. I also want you to draw closer to Christ. I want you to be blessed. I want your prayers to be answered. And in order for you to be truly blessed; and in order for your prayers to be answered, you will have to die to yourself. Your life will have to be wrapped up in Christ and what pleases Him. In Luke 14:26, Jesus said: “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” You must die and live only for Christ. After all, He is worthy.
--What do you think will move the hand of God quicker: praying “God, save my husband/wife/child. Jesus died for them and they’ll be a mighty witness for you”; or “Lord, save my husband/wife/child. I can’t take this anymore”?
--What do you think touches the heart of God more; what do you think would cause Him to be more willing to heal you; praying “God, heal me. I can’t take this pain anymore”; or “God, heal me so I can go into the highways and hedges to bring souls to Christ; to glorify Him in all I do”?
--Now, just saying these things won’t move God, He knows your true motives. Christ’s glory must be your primary concern. Christ’s kingdom must be the driving motive of everything you engage in. Not what’s best for you; what’s best for God.
--Monitor your motives. God may or may not move when you call out for yourself, but when you call out for Jesus’ sake heaven will come to attention.
David
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Do You Desire a Desire?
Do You Desire a Desire?
To the American church:
--I have been a Christian since 1994 (approximately 16 years). I have preached the gospel for nearly 14 years of that time period. I have met many different people from many different walks of life and have preached in many different types of churches (independent Pentecostal, Church of God, Church of God of Prophecy, Assemblies of God, Baptist, etc). I am no authority on the subject of revival, but I do know that all of these denominations were started with a mighty outpouring of God's Spirit-a revival of religion. The same can be said of every true born again Christian: they were birthed into the Kingdom of God by a life changing encounter with The One. Unfortunately, the revival fires that birthed these great movements are now merely smoke and ashes; and most would be glad to have even that. Now, I'm not saying that there aren't congregations that are experiencing New Testament level manifestations of Divine power, but I will say I don't know of any, and if there are some, they are very few and far between.
--Some will say, "Well, I know of a church with 10,000 people in it. They have to be on fire with God!" No, they don't! People are attracted to personalities. You want proof? It was just today that I heard of a Jimmy Buffett concert that sold out in 6 minutes. 6 minutes! Is Jimmy Buffett on fire for God? Is he full of God? Of course not! (If you answered "yes" to either of those questions you may want to head toward Benny Hinn's website immediately). The truth is any charismatic preacher that will go light on sin and will hire some good musicians can fill a church with gullible souls! It also helps if they have good hair and an attractive smile like Joel "Smiley" Olsteen; a man that admits he doesn't think it is necessary to use the Bible during his sermons or books. Joel makes people feel good by smiling at them and telling them that they are good people. The end product? They stay exactly the same way they have been for years, if not worse.
--Dear reader, the sobering fact of it is there is no revival in America today. Why? What happened? These denominations (and nearly every Christian I know) did not continue doing the things that brought the fire of God into their lives in the first place. Preachers became silvered tongued orators. They quit preaching hell-fire and brimstone messages. They became politically correct in order to keep from offending lukewarm Christians who might withhold their tithe. Churches forfeited their all night prayer meetings. Fasting became non-existent. Their Bibles gathered dust. The concept of the traditional family unit became perverted (men were feminized, women masculinized, and children became head of the house). The end product is a church world full of unregenerate men and women who hate the holiness of God; an American church world that operates quite well with Jesus standing on the porch, knocking, wanting in; a church world that thinks they can build the Kingdom of God with the arm of flesh.
Ga 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
--I'd like to ask you to search your own heart. Can you remember when you first came to God? How your heart was consumed with passion and desire for Christ and the things which pertain to Him? How you sought God day and night for the baptism in the Holy Ghost? How you couldn't get enough of the Word of God? How it grieved your heart if you were hindered from going to church? How you wanted everyone to receive the same life changing experience that Christ gave you? How your heart overflowed with love toward everyone?
--Now, let me ask you if you presently find that these traits are no longer a part of your every day life? That you are simply saved by association? That you claim to be born again because you go to church and no longer smoke cigarettes? Do you find that the love, joy, zeal, and desire you once had is a thing of the past, a relic of days gone by? Have you become entangled with the affairs of this life? Entangled to such a degree that you go days without visiting your secret place of prayer? Days without reading the Word of God? Months without pushing the plate back? Years without winning a soul to Christ? Are you now doing things (sinning) that you one time would never do? Honestly, have you allowed the fire of God to die out of your life? Have you allowed troubles, trials, heartaches, pain, death, sickness, sin, or something else to get the best of you?
--The bottom line is this: are you on fire with God or are you lukewarm? Have you become apathetic and disconnecting from God? Honestly, are you walking in the Spirit?
For the vast majority of you, I know the answer to that question. So I want to ask you whether or not you still care that you are in this condition? Do you even care whether you get up? Do you no longer "feel like traveling on"? Tell me, do you have a desire to get up?
--If you are finding it hard to get up; if you are finding it hard to locate a DESIRE to get up; I want you to do something for me. I want you to pray that God will give you a desire for a desire. I know that sounds strange, but it's not. If you're not willing to do right, become willing to be made willing. God will come to you. He will help you. If you can find even an iota of desire He will place a divine spark in your heart that you can kindle into a holy inferno!
No matter what, you cannot stay like you are. You cannot stay lukewarm. Listen to what the Bible says about the lukewarm soul:
--Re 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
--You will be vomited out of the body of Christ. You are not going to leave here in the rapture! You must get concerned about your soul. Pray that God will give you a desire for a desire. When the desire comes, the rest will be much easier. You will find that God will send a great fire into your hearts. You must maintain that fire or it will go out, leaving you in the same condition you were in the beginning.
God bless!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
