Bobby Conner was a recent guest at Birmingham Bridge Christian Fellowship. One of the thoughts that was expressed during his visit has struck me and stuck with me over the past several days. When I cannot shake a word or thought from my mind, it usually means that God wants me to pay attention to it. In this case that thought was expressed in a single word - “EXPECTATION”. This word can be defined as “the prospect of future good or profit” and calls to mind all sorts of exciting thoughts.
When it comes to expectations, I am afraid that the church has been woefully lacking in them. Paul wrote the following to the Ephesians in regard to expectations:
God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Ephesians 3:20 (The Message)
Consider these words for a moment and you can understand why I think the church has come up short when it comes to expectations. God desires to do more than you can imagine, but that means we must be willing to imagine something, and not just anything, but something great. We, as Americans, have been taught to believe that our “wildest dreams” are actually attainable when it comes to this natural world. I want to suggest to you that we, as the Church of Jesus Christ, need to believe that our “wildest dreams” are actually attainable when it comes to the things of the Spirit.
The Word of the Lord for this hour is “expectation”. So . . . What are yours?
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Lakeland "Revival"
Wow, God is so good. It seems that the events in Lakeland, Florida have set the world to talking about revival again. I am certainly convinced that there is a great move of God going on there, whether or not I would call it revival yet, I am unsure. For me revival produces great fruit evidenced by salvation and most of what I have seen in Lakeland so far is more about an “Outpouring” on God’s people. Now, let me be clear about one thing – whether we call it revival or outpouring – this is an exciting move of God. Prophetic voices around the country have spoken into this event and many of the words that have come forth indicate that this is the birthing of something even greater than what we presently see.
With this praise for what God is doing spoken first, I also feel that it is important to convey a word of caution to those over whom God has given me charge and to all those who will listen. In many of the more contemporary moves of God that have proven to be valid, real and life changing, there has been a tendency for the people of God to run to the “location” where the outpouring was occurring. There is certainly nothing wrong with going to where God is moving – there is in fact a clear Biblical precedent for taking such action. However, there can be such a rush to go where “revival” is, that the people fail to remember that such an action is not our primary focus. Instead, our primary focus it to bring “revival” to where we are.
What God imparts into the lives of those who travel to Lakeland and even into those who watch on God TV is not meant to be held inside or to be reverenced in some way. It is intended to be given away. “Freely you have received, freely give!” Prayer is our first response to what God is doing in Lakeland – deep heartfelt prayer that cries out to God to bring such a movement to my church, my community, my state, my nation and to my world. The next response is to begin to move and respond to what God puts within us, so that we become his hands and feet – where we live- to see it happen. Finally, we must never become critical of our local church or our own community when we don’t see the same thing that is being seen in Lakeland. We must ask whether the ground has been fully prepared or will our prayers complete that process. We must recognize that God is big enough to show himself mightily in every city around the world and yet look different everywhere that He does it.
Let the move of God in Lakeland become a challenge to you. Not a challenge to go and be a part or in on what God is doing there, but rather a challenge to see God move right here, where you are in an awesome and mighty way!
With this praise for what God is doing spoken first, I also feel that it is important to convey a word of caution to those over whom God has given me charge and to all those who will listen. In many of the more contemporary moves of God that have proven to be valid, real and life changing, there has been a tendency for the people of God to run to the “location” where the outpouring was occurring. There is certainly nothing wrong with going to where God is moving – there is in fact a clear Biblical precedent for taking such action. However, there can be such a rush to go where “revival” is, that the people fail to remember that such an action is not our primary focus. Instead, our primary focus it to bring “revival” to where we are.
What God imparts into the lives of those who travel to Lakeland and even into those who watch on God TV is not meant to be held inside or to be reverenced in some way. It is intended to be given away. “Freely you have received, freely give!” Prayer is our first response to what God is doing in Lakeland – deep heartfelt prayer that cries out to God to bring such a movement to my church, my community, my state, my nation and to my world. The next response is to begin to move and respond to what God puts within us, so that we become his hands and feet – where we live- to see it happen. Finally, we must never become critical of our local church or our own community when we don’t see the same thing that is being seen in Lakeland. We must ask whether the ground has been fully prepared or will our prayers complete that process. We must recognize that God is big enough to show himself mightily in every city around the world and yet look different everywhere that He does it.
Let the move of God in Lakeland become a challenge to you. Not a challenge to go and be a part or in on what God is doing there, but rather a challenge to see God move right here, where you are in an awesome and mighty way!
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