The Foolishness of Brilliance (Aug 5)

Posted on August 5, 2012 by pastorjeffsneighborhood
Today’s Scripture Readings: 
Psalm 83:9-16 | Ezra 1:1 – 2:70 | 1 Corinthians 1:18 – 2:5 | Proverbs 20:22-23

Today’s Scripture Focus: 1 Corinthians 1

I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy human wisdom and discard their most brilliant ideas.” (1:18-19, NLT)
I was invited to the home of two college professors to fellowship with one of their colleagues.  They all had advanced degrees in science—mostly chemistry.  Often the conversation moved toward advanced topics in chemistry.  I’m sure the conversation was brilliant.  But to me it seemed like foolishness.  It was over my head.  I didn’t get it.    

Many of the greatest minds of history have found their revolutionary ideas to be rejected initially because they seemed to be foolishness.  People just couldn’t understand.

Imagine trying to understand the wisdom of the most brilliant being in the universe—the creator of the universe.  Is it any wonder that Paul tells us that the message of the cross is foolishness to many?It does seem foolish that God would love us so much that he would send his Son to die for us in the most cruel, shameful way possible: a cross.  That which was an instrument of death became an instrument of life to all who would believe.  That which was meant for defeat revealed God’s great triumphant victory.   What others had meant for evil, God used for the ultimate good.

We will never be able to completely comprehend the brilliance of God’s plan—his wisdom is beyond ours.  But what we do know is that God loves foolish people like you and me and seems to delight in transforming the foolish, to frustrate the wisdom of this world.  How does he do that?  He accomplishes his plan by the foolishness of preaching the foolish message of the cross to the foolish people of the world (like you and me).  Does that seem foolish to you? I think it’s brilliant!

With Joy,
Pastor Jeff

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:
Psalm 84:1-4
Ezra 3:1 – 4:24
1 Corinthians 2:6 – 3:4
Proverbs 20:24-25
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Amazing Grace! (Aug 3)

Posted on August 3, 2012 by pastorjeffsneighborhood
Today’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 82:1-8 | 2 Chronicles 33:14 – 34:33 | Romans 16:8-27 | Proverbs 20:19

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Chronicles 33:1 – 34:33

“In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea.  So he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.” (33:13)
Grace always amazes me—especially when I find it’s sweet sound in unexpected places.  There was a day when I was surprised to find grace in the Old Testament at all, but now I see it all the time.  But this story of Manasseh is more unexpected than most—I’m still amazed by it.  Here is one of the most evil kings of the whole bunch—could grace save a wretch like Manasseh?

Here is the description of his reign: “He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.  He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them…In both courts to the Temple, he built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrifices his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced sorcery, divination and witchcraft and consulted mediums and spiritists.  He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, provoking him to anger.”

Here is a man who undid all the good done by Hezekiah.  He totally reversed it…and made it even worse.  He even erected altars to Baal and defiled the temple with altars to all the starry hosts.  He was even willing to sacrifice his sons in pagan rituals.  He took the term “Evil King” to a new low.For years, the Lord tried to get his attention (and the attention of the people).  They wouldn’t listen.  Then one day, judgment came.  Put into shackles, he was carried off to Babylon by the hook they placed in his nose.  Then listen to this verse: it’s amazing grace for sure!

“In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea.  So he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.” (33:13)

Just as amazing to me, is that the people of Judah, didn’t see it and didn’t get it.  They were so quick to turn back to the idols and rebuild the high places.  How amazing is that?  But then again, don’t we often take grace for granted?

Grace truly is amazing.  If it can find and change a man like Manasseh, there might be hope yet for you and me.

With Joy (and standing in His grace),
Pastor Jeff

Tomorrow’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 83:1-8
2 Chronicles 35:1 – 36:23
1 Corinthians 1:1-17
Proverbs 20:20-21
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The Mountaintop (Aug 2)

Posted on August 2, 2012 by pastorjeffsneighborhood
Today’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 81:8-16 | 2 Chronicles 32:1-33:13 | Romans 15:23-16:7 | Proverbs 20:16-18

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Chronicles 32:1 –  33:13

“In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered” (31:21).
The crisp, cool air blows through your hair as you as gaze upon the majestic beauty of other mountain peaks—you are above them all.  You are on the mountaintop.  It’s an exhilarating place to be, a dangerous place.  It was quite an adventure to get there and even more difficult to stay there.

Hezekiah found the way to the mountaintop.  “In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered” (31:21).

The list of Good kings in Israel and Judah was a pretty short list, but Hezekiah made the list.  He did something very few had done before.  He actually dealt with the idolatry of Judah; he smashed the Asherah poles and got rid of the high places.  He listened and obeyed.  When he prayed, God listened.  And the people of Judah were praying too. . . and the prayers were getting through.  Revival was beginning to take place in the Land (30:20, 27).  Because of Hezekiah’s obedience, God answered his prayers, and the nation of Judah was on a mountaintop!

But it’s tough to stay on a mountaintop. When others see your success, they criticize, they attack, they envy.  Sennacherib, the mighty King of Assyria fell prey to those temptations.  He mocked, he attacked and when God showed up, he ran back to Assyria like a puppy with his tail between his legs, devastated and put in his place. There is always someone trying to knock you from your place of blessing.  But it’s not just the attack of other humans; there are also the attacks of the “evil one” and his armies.  They too, try to knock us down from our mountaintop—the place of God’s blessing.  Stand firm and resist his attacks!

Sometimes the tougher opposition comes from within.  Success breeds pride which leads to a fall. Good King Hezekiah began to slip because of his pride.  The success began to go to his head (32:25).  Remember where the blessings come from.  Remember the reason for your success.  “Every good and perfect gift comes from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights” (James 1:17). Hezekiah recognized the problem and he prayed through it (32:26).  The blessings of the mountaintop are wonderful, but can become a temptation to pride.  That is one foothold that you don’t want to even try—it leads to a quick and devastating slide to the bottom.

Repentance, prayer and obedience brought blessing.  They always do.  They also help to keep us from slipping.  Look to God for the fullness of his blessing (Romans 15:29) and for the humility to enjoy each and every blessing and any success he brings.

With Joy,
Pastor Jeff

Tomorrow’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 82:1-8
2 Chronicles 33:14 – 34:33
Romans 16:8-27
Proverbs 20:16-18
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Starting and Finishing Well (July 30)

Posted on July 30, 2012 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Today’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 80:1-7 | 2 Chronicles 26:1 – 28:27 | Romans 13:1-14 | Proverbs 20:11

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Chronicles 26:1 – 28:27

Uzziah was off to a great start.  Things were going extremely well, maybe too well.  Then he crashed and had a hard time finishing the race.  He had good intentions and a great start, but lost his way near the end of the race.

Uzziah, the King of Judah,  started out young—he started out well.  One of the keys to the race is finding the right advisors.  He had a great one: Zechariah.  “He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.” 
Don’t underestimate the importance of spiritual advisors in your life, people who will guide you on the path of “reverent obedience” to “live a godly life” (The Message, 26:5).  Apparently, Uzziah’s “crash and burn” came after Zechariah had left the scene.  But as he was instructed and guided by his chief “spiritual director”, Zechariah, he was successful.Uzziah’s good start also points out the importance of a good theology of God.  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10).  A.W. Tozer said: “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” (The Knowledge of the Holy, p. 7).  He taught that our understanding of God affects our every action.  Uzziah is a good example of that, both positively and negatively.  When he feared God (reverent awe, not cowering fear), he obeyed and was successful.  When he lost the rightful reverence of God, he grew arrogant and proud and careless.

 Uzziah’s “crash and burn” came because of his pride.  Eugene Peterson paraphrases it well: “Everything seemed to go his way. But then the strength and success went to his head. Arrogant and proud, he fell (The Message, 15, 16).”  Lofty thoughts of God led to his success.  Lofty thoughts about himself led to his downfall.

Knowing God deeply and intimately is the key to life lived to the full—having right attitudes toward him is the beginning of wisdom.  When we become the object of our worship, instead of the God who created us and is the source of all our blessings, we set ourselves up for the same tragic end. Keep your eyes on Jesus the author and finisher or your faith, and everything else is kept in its right perspective.  That gets us on the right path, and keeps us there all the way to the finish line.

With Joy,
Pastor Jeff

Tomorrow’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 80:8-19
2 Chronicles 29:1-36
Romans 14:1-23
Proverbs 20:12
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I Stand in Awe (July 28)

Posted on July 28, 2012 by pastorjeffsneighborhood
Today’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 79: 1-8 | 2 Chronicles 21:1 – 23:21 | Romans 11:13-36 | Proverbs 20:7Today’s Scripture Focus: Romans 11:13-36“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable his judgments,  And his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God That God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” Rom. 11:33-36, NIV
Some truths set my mind on a major “spin cycle”—my mind spins and spins and spins and just can’t quite grasp the complexity of the truths.  The trinity is like that.  The incarnation—Christ coming as God in human flesh—is another such truth.  Thinking about eternity makes my mind spin until it locks up tighter than a Windows operating system and crashes.Trying to understand God’s purposes and sovereign working is another truth that sends me looking for the “control—alt—delete” keys to restart my brain. Evidently, it did for Paul too.  But when Paul contemplated those “mind blowing” truths, they always seemed to lead him to worship the God whose plans are too complicated and glorious for us to figure out.

Knowing God leads us to worship.  But often it’s the mysteries—the things we don’t know and can’t comprehend—that take us to a higher place in our worship.  
It makes us stand in awe of God and his wisdom that is “just plain” beyond our ability to comprehend.

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
And his paths beyond tracing out!
Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?
Who has ever given to God
That God should repay him?
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.”

God’s plan is sometimes difficult to understand.  Especially when we try to figure out how he’s “working all things together for good”.  There’s a lot of mystery there.  Some things are beyond our knowing.  But instead of trying to figure it all out, worship the God who knows and understands and is working it all out according to his plan in the most mysterious but glorious way.

“God is too good to be unkind. He is too wise to be confused. If I cannot trace His hand, I can always trust His heart.”  –C.H. Spurgeon–
With Joy,
Pastor Jeff

Tomorrow’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 79:9-13
2 Chronicles 24:1 – 25:28
Romans 12:1-21
Proverbs 20: 8-10
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What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do (July 27)

Posted on July 27, 2012 by pastorjeffsneighborhood
Today’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 78:65-72
2 Chronicles 19:1 – 20:37
Romans 10:14 – 11:12
Proverbs 20:4-6

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Chronicles 19:1 – 20:37

“O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.” 2 Cor. 20:12, NIV
Jehoshaphat’s words could often be our own: “We don’t know what to do, we’re looking to you” (The Message, 20:12).  Facing a battle that seemed too big to overcome, he was tempted to discouragement and fear.  Instead he admitted his confusion—his weakness—and looked to the Lord for help.

So, what should we do, when we don’t know what to do?  Jehoshaphat’s example is a good one to follow.

They prayed.  “O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you” (20:12).  He looked to the Lord, along with all the men of Judah and their families.  They stood and waited.  They listened. They prayed.

They Stood Firm in Faith. “You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you…(17)” As they set out for this unusual battle, Jehoshaphat reminded them to put on their armor—their faith: “Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld, have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.”  Imagine the test of faith involved in this unusual battle strategy.  Imagine being a singer on the front lines of the battle armed with only a song to fight the mighty army.  When you don’t know what to do, stand firm in your faith.They Praised.  The heart of the unusual battle strategy was to sing “at the top of their lungs” (Message, vs. 19).  Jehoshaphat ordered the singers to the front lines of the battle.  They led the people to sing and praise the splendor of God’s holiness: “Give thanks to the Lord for his love endures forever.”  The Lord took care of the rest.  The enemy fell into confusion and began to fight among themselves.  Victory was won through praise. Praise is a powerful weapon when we are up against a battle we think is too big for us.  When you don’t know what to do, sing! Sing loud and see the deliverance God brings!

Lord, we don’t know what to do, but we’re looking to you.  We’re looking with expectation as we pray, and stand firm in our faith, and praise you at the top of our lungs!

With Joy,

Pastor Jeff

Tomorrow’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 79:1-8
2 Chronicles 21:1 – 23:21
Romans 11:13 – 36
Proverbs 20:7
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The Agony and the Ecstasy (July 26)

Posted on July 26, 2012 by pastorjeffsneighborhood
Today’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 78:56-64 | 2 Chronicles 17:1 – 18:34 | Romans 9:22 – 10:13 | Proverbs 20:2-3

Today’s Scripture Focus: Romans 9:22-10:13  

Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. (Romans 10:1 NIV)
Do you know the agony and ecstasy of being an intercessor?  Paul did.  He clearly understood that intercession was at the heart of the work God had called him to.  Yes, it was often a struggle to “pray through” as he stood in the gap for those he ministered to.  He knew the agony of intercession—but he also knew its joys.  Paul knew that intercession (praying faithfully and intensely for others) was essential to ministry—he couldn’t do ministry in his own strength and power.  He had a prayer burden: “my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved” (10:1). He needed to pray. 

He describes the agony of intercession earlier when he wrote: “I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit—I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. (9:1-3) That’s agony: Great sorrow and unceasing anguish and a willingness to be cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of those he has the prayer burden for.  To the Colossians Paul wrote: “I want you to know how much I am struggling for you…”  When God gives us a prayer burden to intercede for others we should know that it is hard work.When God trusts us enough to give us such an intense prayer burden, we know that we have been growing in our prayer lives.  Many of us know little of prayer burdens.  We haven’t grown deep enough and close enough to the Father’s heart to be able to feel his sorrow and anguish.  But as we grow in our prayer lives, he will begin to give us prayer assignments and prayer burdens.  As we prove faithful, those assignments and burdens will likely grow into bigger assignments with even greater prayer burdens.  Do you know the agony—the struggle—of really standing in the place of another in prayer?

Thankfully, there is more than agony, there is also the ecstasy of intercession. To the one who has wrestled in prayer—to the intercessor who knows the agony of spiritual battle on behalf of others—God also gives great joy as they see the fruit of those prayers.  “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy…“ (Philippians 1:4).  There is great joy when we have prevailed in prayer and see the answer.

But that joy is overshadowed by the joy of just spending time in the presence of the one who loves us most. “In his presence is fullness of joy…(Psalm 16:11 KJV)” said the Psalmist.  The intercessor knows that truth deeply and experientially (and often wonders why others are in such a hurry when they pray).

Intercession is both agony and ecstasy—both deep struggle and “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8).  Open your heart to Jesus, feel the burdens of his heart and allow him to teach you to pray.  He has much to teach you. The ecstasy makes all the agony worthwhile.

With Joy,

Pastor Jeff

Tomorrow’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 78:65-72
2 Chronicles 19:1 – 20:37
Romans 10:14 – 11:12
Proverbs 20:4-6
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Time After Time (July 25)

Posted on July 25, 2012 by pastorjeffsneighborhood
Today’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 78:32-55 | 2 Chronicles 14:1 – 16:14 | Romans 9:1-21 | Proverbs 20:1

Today’s Scripture Focus: Psalm 78:32-55

Psalm 78:41-42 (ESV)
They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel. [42] They did not remember his power      or the day when he redeemed them from the foe, 
How quickly we forget.  The children of Israel had plenty of opportunities to learn.  Time after time, they saw the faithfulness of God – his miraculous intervention.  Time after time, they drifted from wholehearted devotion and proved rebellious and unfaithful.

They had seen so many miracles, yet “in spite of all this, they kept on sinning. In spite of all the wonders, they did not believe.”  It all started out in simple things.  They longed for the way things used to be (Egypt). They grumbled and complained at his provision for them (manna—the bread of angels, vs. 23-25). But these subtle forms of unbelief turned to ever increasing wickedness as they abandoned their covenant with God and worshiped and served created things rather than the creator.  They were so quick to abandon their Deliverer for gods of their own making.

Then God would bring judgment.  Taken into captivity, they would finally come to their senses again and turn and seek the Lord.  But even judgment showed the mercy of God. Instead of abandoning them, he used the adverse circumstances to bring them back to himself. “Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again…” (32-24)Then the cycle would repeat itself, they would drift again into unbelief and rebellion. ‘Their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful…” “Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger…”(37-38)

“Again and again they put God to the test…They did not remember his power.” (41)

The Children of Israel were so quick to forget all the wonderful answers to prayer.  They so quickly forgot the wonders and miracles.  Like sheep they quickly went astray.  Yet in spite of all this, “He brought his people out like a flock; he led them like sheep through the desert. He guided them safely, so they were unafraid.”

We are forgetful people and our forgetfulness keeps us from trusting God fully.  Is he not faithful, even when we are faithless?  Is he not powerful, even when we are powerless? Is he not loving and gracious?  Is he not good?  He has demonstrated these qualities in our lives over and over again.  Yet we so quickly forget.

Open your heart to Jesus today, and don’t forget to thank Him for the ways he has proved himself faithful time after time.  

With Joy,
Pastor Jeff

Tomorrow’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 78:56-64
2 Chronicles 17:1 – 18:34
Romans 9:22 – 10:13
Proverbs 20:2-3
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Nothing Can Separate Us From His Love! (July 24)

Posted on July 24, 2012 by pastorjeffsneighborhood
Today’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 78:17-31 | 2 Chronicles 11:1 – 13:22 | Romans 8:22-39 | Proverbs 19:27-29

Today’s Scripture Focus: Romans 8:22-39

Romans 8:35-39 (NIV)  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? [37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, [39] neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nothing can separate you from Christ’s love!  Nothing!  Absolutely nothing.  Despite the things you do, he still loves you.  Sometimes people don’t treat us with love, but He always loves us.  Sometimes in the circumstances of our lives we wonder if he has forgotten us—if he has stopped loving us.  Paul makes it clear: “nothing can separate us from the love of Christ”! 

This is the foundational truth that ties all these wonderful promises together.

Because God loves me, I can endure the present sufferings knowing, that they “are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” And that brings the hope to wait eagerly  “…for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. “ (23-25) It may be tough now, but God loves me and the best is yet to come!  I will be rewarded for my patient endurance in suffering.  There will come a day when I realize that it has been worth it all.Because God loves me I have confidence of knowing that  “…all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (KJV)  He is good, and he will not allow this circumstance in the life of one of his children without somehow using it for good.

Because God loves me and demonstrated that love in the most sacrificial way possible, I can trust him for all the things I need:  “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32, NIV).  Did you catch the logic of that verse?  If God loves you so much to send his son to die for you, can’t he be trusted to graciously give you everything you need?  Will he not graciously give us all things?  What a promise!

Because God loves us, we are “more than conquerors” through Him who loves us (37).  Whatever you may be facing today, remember that God loves you.  Jesus and the Holy Spirit are both interceding for you and the Father is working good, somehow, through this situation.  Patiently wait in hope and see how he brings you through by “graciously giving you all things” and enabling you to become “more than a conqueror through Him who loves you.”

Open your heart to his love today.  Let him pour it out into your heart.  It’s just what you need to face the storms of life and come out the other side more than a conqueror reflecting more and more of the glory of Christ who lives in us.

With Joy,
Pastor Jeff
Tomorrow’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 78:32-55
2 Chronicles 14:1 – 16:14
Romans 9:1-21
Proverbs 20:1
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Revival (July 23)

Posted on July 23, 2012 by pastorjeffsneighborhood
Today’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 78:1-16 | 2 Chronicles 7:11 – 10:19 | Romans 8: 9-21 | Proverbs 19:26

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Chronicles 7:11 – 10:19

2 Chron. 7:14 (NIV)  
    If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 
When they get together to pray, it is very common to hear Christians praying for revival. They wax eloquent about how “this world” needs revival and about how bad things are today in “the last days”.  In the abstract, everyone seems to want revival.  Who wouldn’t want the church to be growing, exciting and alive?  Who doesn’t want to see lives transformed by powerful encounters with the manifest presence of God? But when you get specific few seem willing to pay the price.  Revival would be wonderful, but it is costly.

The reason we don’t have revival has little to do with the world (though they would benefit by it, of course).  It has everything to do with you and me in the church.  Judgment begins in the house of God (1 Pet. 4:17).  Revival waits for the church, and more importantly, you and me to pay the price.  What is the price?

“If my people will humble themselves…” (7:14) Revival will not come to religious pretenders.  It begins when we lay aside our self-righteous games and get real and authentic before God and each other.  Confession of sin is a hallmark of revival.  When we get so fed up by our lukewarm lives, that we only want to get right with God, we have set the stage for revival.  True humility means that we stop pretending and start confessing our true condition.  “You say I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor blind and naked.” The needed confession and repentance requires great humility.“and pray and seek my face…”(14).  Most Christians struggle to spend a few minutes in prayer. Because their personal prayer lives are shallow, they stay away from corporate prayer. They haven’t really learned even the basics of prayer. They don’t know the joy that is found in the presence of the Lord when we take the time to open our hearts to him in prayer…real prayer.  Prayer that seeks God’s face requires quality and quantity.  

“and turn from the wicked ways”(14)  Repentance is necessary.  Studies show that Christians are not all that much different than the world around us in beliefs, attitudes and behaviors.  Before revival can come to this world (that does desperately need it) and before it can come to the church (which needs it just as bad), it must come in you and me.

It will cost you something: humility, repentance and much prayer and seeking his face.  But the joy of revival will be worth it.  Let’s pay the price for admission to see the glory of God fill “the temple” again.

“Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?”  

With Joy,
Pastor Jeff
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:
Psalm 78:17-31
2 Chronicles 11:1 – 13:22
Romans 8:22-39
Proverbs 19:27-29
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