Mary led group in worship…
Erika shared…
We’re going down the road of the awakening, the revival because there is no other road to go down. We’ll see a little more clearly today why I say that. In 2nd Timothy 3:1 it says, “But know this that in the last days perilous times will come.”
That word “perilous” means harsh, savage, difficult, dangerous, painful, fierce, grievous, hard to deal with. The word describes a society that is barren of virtue but abounding in vices.
“But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. 2 For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, 3 [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them. … Now you have closely observed and diligently followed my teaching, conduct, purpose in life, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, 11 Persecutions, sufferings—such as occurred to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, persecutions I endured, but out of them all the Lord delivered me.”
So we see this and know it’s happening. We know we live in perilous times. But what did it say? I endured persecutions and out of them all, the Lord delivered. That’s what we’re looking for. It didn’t say the government is going to deliver you. It didn’t say your neighbor is going to deliver you. It didn’t say your witty ideas are going to deliver you. It didn’t say your friends are going to deliver you. It said the Lord. He will.
Then go to Matthew 24:7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in place after place; 8 All this is but the beginning of sorrows…”
Luke 21:11 “And there will be signs in the sun and in the moon and in the stars and on earth, distress of nations with perplexities, the sea and the waves roaring. Men’s hearts failing them for fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.”
I like what Miss Billye said and I believe it. “One thing will save America and it is not an election. One thing will avail for Israel and the nations. It is an awakening to God.” I like how she read in a book from Ireland’s Lost Heritage the definition.
“A cause could be made for saying that a revival could be described as a visitation of God’s Spirit on God’s people, but an awakening as a time of such intense visitation that both Christian and non-Christian communities are affected. Revivals alter the lives of individuals. Awakenings alter worldview of a whole people or culture.”
Are we looking for that? It’s wonderful. God wants you revived. You better be revived or perilous times are going to swallow you up. That’s the Bible. So we want revived individuals revived in the Church of the Living God. But we want and need an awakening. It’s not an option. How would that look? You get through it. Good. He wants you to get through everything. “Me and my four and no more?” Jesus came for the whole world.
I thought this was an interesting article from Herald of His Coming.
The Only Hope for Turning America
By Del Fehsenfeid, Jr.America did not become great because of her vast resources, her superior intellect, or her sheer willpower. America became great because God made her great. The Bible says that righteousness exalts a nation, and that the nation whose God is the Lord is a blessed nation (Pro. 14:34; Ps 33:12). In First Samuel 2:30, God says, “For them that honor Me I will honor…”
God honored America because America honored Him and upheld His standard of righteousness. This nation was forged out by men who recognized their dependence on almighty God. In fact, many of those founding fathers had more respect as lost sinners for the living God and His Word, than many so-called believers in the church today. They knew that neither they nor their nation could make it without the assistance of God.
In this generation, we are forever looking for better methods to deal with the perplexing problems of our day, but God is still looking for better men—men like our founding fathers who were willing to risk everything for what they believed. Many of these men had much to lose in the struggle for liberty. They were men of means, well-educated, and respected by their contemporaries. But one common thread bound their hearts together, and it was for this that they risked their wealth, their sacred honor, and their very lives to give birth to the great experiment of freedom that we call America.
These were men of conviction who stood for what they believed, no matter the cost. They were men of character, who refused to give up in the face of adversity and hardship. They were men of creative wisdom. For example, they didn’t form a democracy based on the changing whims of each passing generation. Rather, they formed a republic based on the unchanging, eternal absolutes of God and His Word.
They were also men of commitment. They were men committed to God, to His authority, and to the foundational principles of His Word. They did not hesitate to legislate morality. For the first 160 years of our history, most of our laws (for example, blue laws, divorce laws, property laws, criminal laws) were based on the laws of God.
These men of conviction, character, creative wisdom, and commitment, purchased with their own blood the freedom that you and I enjoy. Because they honored God, God honored them, and we are still reaping those blessings today.
In just 200 years, God elevated America from a place of infancy to work leadership in almost every field of endeavor—technology, industry, medicine, agriculture, aerospace, business, science, electronics and communications. When you stop to think about it, it is really incredible. And it never could have happened apart from heaven’s aid.
Erica continued…
I’ve read this before but I’m going to read it again.
The First Landing
God’s hand had to have been upon the arduous 144-day crossing that left England December 20, 1606 and did not arrive to Virginia until April 26, 1607. Without His protection, the 105 English colonists and 40 seamen could never have made what came to be known as “The First Landing.”
The settlers landed on the shores of Virginia on April 26, 1607. Before permitting the colonists to continue inland, Reverend Robert Hunt required that every person wait before God in a time of personal examination and cleansing.
Three days later, on April 29, 1607, the expedition, led by Parson Hunt, went ashore to dedicate the continent to the glory of God. They carried one item with them from England for the purpose of giving glory to God in the endeavor—a round-hewn wooden cross. As the party landed on the wind-swept shore, they erected the seven-foot oak cross in the sand…
Raising his hands to heaven, Rev. Robert Hunt claimed the land for country and king and consecrated the continent to the glory of God. In covenantal language he declared, “…from these very shores the Gospel shall go forth to not only this New Word, but the entire world.”
Erika continued…
As I was thinking and praying about all of this, I was led to go to Genesis 15. It says, “For I know he [speaking of Abraham] will command his children and his household after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment. That the Lord may bring up Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”
Think of that individually and collectively as the body of Christ and the individual call we each have and about commanding children and households after us. One of the great influences that we’ve seen in the past revivals is the effect it had upon the core of the family. Family life was changed dramatically. I believe that is one thing that the church needs to pray about. We need to believe for it. We need to expect it in our own families. We need Him more.
I was recently in a place where I saw a bunch of young students, Jr. and Sr. High for maybe five minutes. I saw how they interacted and their actions. I have to say I was a little taken aback. Not that you can’t have fun. The Father wants us to enjoy life and be filled with joy. But I sensed a missing element. God Himself.
So today as we pray, one of the things I would like us to pray about is the family, to pray about the heads of family. Who God has trusted with children. I want to touch those Christian families who through whatever reason they have been beaten down so they can’t raise up and hold up the Word of God as a standard for their families any longer. We need an outpouring in families.
Prayed…
We need an outpouring in families, an outpouring of Your Spirit
Heads of families need an outpouring… a divine visitation
A deep spiritual awakening of the families of the US
A great waking up… there is no answer apart from God
More of You in the families … for precious children at the mercy of dysfunction
We yearn for an awakening that pervades every facet of society
Pull us out of a death sleep and awake us to You
Leaders to lead this nation from godlessness to godliness
Our forefathers were brave and sacrificed everything… let there be a restoration of the call of God upon this nation
Let it be revealed in schools and remove attempts to remove from history
The inroads that would allow Your Word to come
We look for a divine invasion of Your Word
Boldness to say we must turn to God… boldly saying “Yes, Father, I am not ashamed…”
We are free to be who God created us to be
Men and women you have strategically placed for such a time as this
Each must respond in obedience to You, Father… the quickenings
Quicken us… awaken us… speak to us, Father
We desire to be Your messengers… your hands and feet… the distinguishing marks will be seen and experienced
We look for change that only comes by Your hand and mercy and grace
We look for bold preachers whose words come from heaven
We look for revelation knowledge coming at a greater level
That we would understand the lateness of the hour
Give boldness to preachers
We look for the holy reverential fear of a loving, mighty, caring Father God
Mary led group in worship…
