Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Just One More Thing

One of the things that happened periodically during my time in the hospital recently was for a nurse or a doctor to come in and tell me what to expect before I would be allowed to go home. I began to quickly notice a disturbing pattern. One person would come in and tell me one thing and the next person would tell me that plus one more thing. One day it was a test that started as a simple scan and was changed four times before I actually took the test. Then it was the medication. Next it was one more night to observe me on the medication. It was always just one more thing.

When Jesus was on the Cross He said, “It is finished,” then He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit, (John 19:30). While His human task was finished there was still more to come. The third day after the cross He walked away from His grave resurrected from the dead. He had one more thing to do to prove God’s power of life over death. Later, He appeared to His disciples and told them to wait for one more thing, the promise of the Holy Spirit.

When God says, “Just one more thing,” He has something good in store for us. He promises eternal life with an eternity filled with more than He could tell us, more than we can imagine. He promises a life filed with His presence. When we pray for Revival we are praying for a renewal of His presence within us and our relationship with Him.

As the Disciples watched Jesus ascend into Heaven angels appeared to them and said, just one more thing, “This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)

Bro. Robin

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Prayer Meetings

I remember when I was a child we would have people over at our house for prayer for a couple of weeks before Revival. They were called “Cottage Prayer Meetings” because they were always held in homes. They were happy times with conversation and the smell of coffee. Then they would all bow their heads and almost everyone prayed. I remember the Revivals that followed for all the people who went to the altar and went away changed by the touch of God.

Revivals have taken place over the centuries in many different places and groups big and small in and out of churches. The one thing they all have in common is the prayer meeting. Every great Revival in history began in a prayer meeting. From the time Jesus ascended into heaven the Disciples and followers of Jesus met for prayer daily. An unstoppable movement of God resulted that we call the Church. Revival is first a revival of prayer.

In prayer we make contact with the God of all creation. In prayer we appeal to the savior who has promised to redeem us by His mercy. In prayer we receive salvation and the seal of our salvation, the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, “If two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:19-20 hcsb)There is something special that happens when you meet in a group for prayer. Jesus is there with you.

I call on you and challenge you to meet together to pray for Revival between now and the Life Action Summit, April 11-18. If you teach or attend a Sunday School class, or belong to a group of any kind, set a date to meet in a home and pray for Revival. If your class is big divide into small groups and pray together. Pray for Revival when you pray with your family. Invite friends over for coffee and prayer. Meet at least once, more if you can, and pray together for Revival. By all means and at every opportunity pray for Revival.

Bro. Robin