We had such a blessed Sunday night with the youth. The sense of God’s presence was a blessing both in this worship and then later in the word.
Category: revival
The Fire and the Whisper of God
…And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper 1 Kings 19:11-12
A lot has been said (and sung) about the fire of God falling. There are many contemporary songs calling on God to send the fire, or that God’s fire is falling. Though on the day of Pentecost the Bible does tell us that the Holy Spirit manifested himself in tongues of flame over the heads of the disciples, it was not the same. The fire Elijah saw both on the mountain of God and at Mount Carmel was a fire that fell and burned everything up in its path. It was a manifestation of the Holiness and the Judgement of God. Anything that fire fell on was consumed.
But in fact, the revival we need is not in the wind, it is not in the earthquake and it is not in the fire. The revival we need is in listening to the quiet voice of God. I recall back when I was younger working long hot days in the woods, cutting trees. At lunch time on the hottest days, I liked nothing better than to take off my heavy work boots, and sit on a rock in a stream letting the cool water flow over my aching feet. The strangest thing w
as the power of the gentle sound of that stream. When lunch hour was over one of the other guys working with me could call my name over and over again, but unless we made eye contact I couldn’t hear a sound. The whisper of the stream carried away all other sounds and filled me up with a quietness all its own.
In the same way the revival, both in our church and in our own personal life comes only when the sounds of the earthquakes, the windstorms and the fires are washed away with the gentle whisper of God. He longs to draw us to Himself, fill us and send us on our way with a new hope and purpose. We need to take off our shoes, sit in the holy presence of God and open our heart to that low whisper from heaven. That is true revival and that is the heart of God.
An Outbreak of Prayer
No photograph can capture or express the power of prayer we have been experiencing in our meetings over the last month. In the face of hard trials and painful circumstances the body of Christ has rallied together to seek God. We have met in early morning hours and have stayed late through night vigils. All I can say after this month of such earnest intense seeking, is that God hears His people when they cry.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles Psalm 34:6
We have cried out with all our hearts and Jesus has come to NCF church and has begun to pour out His love through our hearts. Experiencing the raw power of the Love of God is not just some sweet thing but is a wrenching and tearing away as we sense God’s broken heart and passion for those who are perishing or those suffering right now for the cause of Jesus Christ. When it seems time has stood still at the altar and no one wants to leave of say Amen, then the earnest intense longings of His Spirit begins to penetrate into every hidden inner place and stamp His image there.
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly Acts 4:31
