Revival Call

My personal devotions have been spent in the book of Joel for the last few days. The theme of Joel is revival. Revival to the nation of Israel. Joel opens his book by lamenting Israels plight. A nation that has lost sight of and touch with its God, ground that is no longer fruitful, crops destroyed by locust swarms, people enjoying the lives of sin with no regard for closeness with God.

Joel begins to call his people back to their God, with this admonition,

Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! (Joel 2:1)

It is important to pause here and look at the significance of the "trumpet". The horn referred to here was most likely the rams horn or shofar. In Hebrew culture the shofar was blown only on certain occasions:

• to summon warriors to battle, and signal the beginning of an attack.
• to summon worshippers to Jerusalem.
• blown by watchmen to indicate important news (of celebration, or disaster)
• on holy occasions (Day of Atonement, return of the Ark, renewal of the covenant, temple worship)

Joel was calling Israel to revival! He was calling them to a spiritual attack, signaling the beginning of a spiritual battle to take back the hearts and minds of the Israelites, and return them to the things of God. He was calling the people to put aside their sinful ways and return to their worship of God, that they once couldn't escape from. Joel was warning of the disaster of life without God.

Joel does not just give warning, he also proclaims the battle plan,

"Now, therefore," says the LORD, "Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." (Joel 2:12)

Perhaps Joel's call to the Israelites, also serves as a call to Revival for us today. As "Christians" become more and more casual in their relationship with God, happy to come and go to church, without ever experiencing the face and power of God, happy to return home to a life void of devotion to Him, perhaps this is the call that God wants us to heed. The call to revival!

Joel's strategy for battle for the Israelites, is our strategy for revival today. "Turn to Me with all your heart", we have to actively turn our hearts to Him. We need to step away from the distractions, and the things that pull us from His presence, and make a concentrated effort to turn all our heart to Him.

As committed and captive Christians God is calling us to battle. To battle the things of this world, the distractions that draw us away from God, the lack of a "need" to worship, God is calling us to fight for our souls, and the souls of those around us. He is calling us to fight for Revival!

Revival of our hearts will require fasting, weeping, mourning. It will require fervent, dedicated, and focused prayer. It will require weeping, mourning, remorse, and regret over the condition of ours and others souls. It will require a desire to be close to God!

What is it in your life that you need to battle? What actions do you need to take to draw close to the heart of God? What distractions do you need to step away from, so you can see Him more clearly?

In conclusion I would like to close with this story of the Boston Tea Party:

After the Boston Tea Party, the British navy retaliated by blockading the port of Boston. The colonies surrounding Massachusetts responded with sympathy and action. On May 24, 1773, the House of Burgesses in Virginia proposed and approved a Day of Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer:

This House, being deeply impressed with apprehension of the great dangers to be derived to British America from the hostile invasion of the city of Boston in our Sister Colony of Massachusetts Bay, whose commerce and harbor are, on the first day of June next, to be stopped by an armed force, deem it highly necessary that the said first day of June be set apart, by the members of this House, as a Day of Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer, devoutly to implore the Divine interposition, for averting the heavy calamity which threatens destruction to our civil rights and the evils of civil war; to give us one heart and mind firmly opposed, by all just and proper means, every injury to American rights; and that the minds of his Majesty and his Parliament, may be inspired from above with wisdom, moderation, and justice, to remove from the loyal people of America all cause of danger from a continued pursuit of measures pregnant with their ruin. (from The American Patriot's Bible)

Disruptive Innovation

Reading Wired magazine this month I came across an article concerning the automotive industry and its demise. Harvard Business School professor, Clayton Christensen believes that the only way the automakers are going to make it is if they apply disruptive innovation. Christensen defines disruptive innovation as a kind of change that alters the trajectory of an industry.

We all have family, friends, co-workers, whose lives seem to be going the way of the auto industry. We watch them consistently make poor choices, that lead them deeper and deeper into a life of self-destruction. I remember as a teenager in high school, being faced with choices and decisions every day and watching my friends respond poorly to these situations. There are so many people (especially young people) whose lives are already in a mess, and in bondage due to unwise decision making.

The only thing that can save these people, and begin to unravel the mess their life has become is a spiritual disruptive innovation.

Philippians 4:8-9 give us the necessary elements for disruptive innovation:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Think how the trajectory of our lives (and the lives of young people) would be changed if we chose to live in peace, if we made every decision based on this passage of scripture. The promise is the the God of peace will be with us.

When I was 18 years old, moving out of the house, starting my own life, a wise person told me, "Remember, the course of your life is not determined by one wrong decision, but by a series of small ones."

Does your life need to go through disruptive innovation?

RIT

Rapid Intervention Teams. These are the firefighter's firefighters. When a firefighter is in trouble, or needs help, this is who the call. They call in the Rapid Intervention Team (RIT).

RIT members are trained and have all the tools to rescue firefighters that become trapped, run out of air, or are disoriented. They can create an opening where one does not exist. They can get emergency air supply to the trapped firefighter, or get him enough air to make it out of the situation. RIT is who the firefighter calls when he has an emergency.

"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.
For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Mat 18:19-20 )

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." (Ecc 4:9-12 )

As Christians our church family becomes a sort of Rapid Intervention Team for us. In times of need we can turn to our church family to "intervene" (intercede) on our behalf. When we have burdens that are too heavy for us to bear alone, we can call for others to rescue us, and help us to bear these burdens. When we have nowhere to turn, we don't know what to do, the RIT team can support us.

One of my father's good friends was in a bad car accident. Immediately, my dad called me, and I in turn called other Believers. The "Rapid Intervention Team" was activated. We all began to pray and intercede on his behalf (he has since recovered from the accident).

This is the purpose of the church (body of Christ), to rescue those who are perishing. Activating the RIT team is one way in which this can be accomplished.

UL Listed Life

Part of my responsibility as a fire inspector is to ensure that products are properly "listed" for their intended use. An organization called Underwriters Laboratories (no doubt you have seen their "UL" mark on household items), puts various items through a rigorous testing process to certify them for their planned purpose.

For example, if a building requires a 2 hour fire wall it must be installed according to UL specifications. If there are any openings (doors, windows, etc.) in that "rated" fire wall they must have an equal UL listed, "rated" door/window/etc. Also, various products must be UL listed or they are not permitted (kitchen hood systems, surge protectors, extension cords, etc.).

At the UL facility, they have massive furnaces that these various products/assemblies are tested in. If a new product wants to be accepted worldwide it must pass all the UL tests.

In the following video we witness a window, and its assembly, going through part of this process, the hose stream test. One window assembly passes the test, another is seen to fail.



James 1: 2-4 says this, "Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing." (HCSB)

Just as the above windows must endure a series of trials to ensure that they are not lacking any manufacturer integrity, as Christians we endure the same trials.

James says to "count it all joy" when we go through times of hardship, trial, and testing. It is in these times that God is making us mature and complete Christians. As we endure these things our walk and relationship with Christ is strengthened, and we grow closer to Him.

The "believer" who lacks faith will fail these tests of endurance.

As a Christian, has your life passed the test of endurance? Have you gone through various trials, and tests, only to come out "mature and complete"?

Just as the products that pass the UL process gain the coveted "UL listing", as a Believer, have you passed the test of endurance, is the life you live worthy of the label, "Christian"?

Whatever Happened to Loyalty?

The problem with professional sports is lack of player/team loyalty. Players do not play with a team because they believe in it. They jump from team to team based on monetary gain (20 million vs. 16 million, etc.). However, most teams are not loyal to their players, they work under contract, they trade based on income, or viewership.

A lot of parishoners are not loyal to their churches. People jump from church to church, never staying at a church long enough to build, or become part of, the church family. People will leave a church they have been attending, when a new church comes into town, just for the newness of it. New pastor in town, that preaches in a different way, let's leave and go there. Potluck dinners at the other church, "See ya!". Parishoners bounce from church to church based on job opportunities. They will attend one, just to get into the church job, when that doesn't work out, their off to the next church ("job opportunity").

Whatever happened to loyalty in the church? Whatever happened to attending a church because that is where God has called you to attend?

Just as parishoners are not loyal to the church, the church is not loyal to its parishoners. This seems to be more prevalent in large churches (1,000+). Often times when there is a position to be filled, rather than hiring from within the pool of capable volunteers, they will look to fill from the outside. Rather than utilize its people, churches often spend their money to bring in consultants. Instead of trying to plug new/different people into various ministries, they rely solely on the "regulars" (they always sing, she always teaches, their always in charge of the pageant, etc.).

Why has the church stopped being loyal to its parishoners?

Christian Porn Church

The people that brought us XXXChurch.com (a ministry to those addicted to porn, and involved in the porn industry), now have a church on the Las Vegas Strip....Strip Church.

This is an awesome ministry, that is serving these people in a way the traditional church never could or would.



Check out their ministry and get involved!