Brothers and Sisters,
I appreciate Alec's honesty and transparency so much! As I read his post it seemed a striking confirmation of so many things that I have been convicted about recently. I just started a book that details the revival of the late 60's and early 70's in Indonesia (Like a Mighty Wind by Mel Tari), and here again I read that the Holy Spirit was poured out in power on these believers as 200 people cried out in corporate prayer to God. This happened in a VERY conservative Presbyterian church that formerly only allowed written prayers to be read. As the Holy Spirit suddenly prompted members of the congregation to cry out to God in corporate prayer in UNISON, the pastors tried to stop them from such disorder (they attributed this to the Enemy). But, this spontaneous move of corporate prayer and confession was confirmed by a miraculous move of the Holy Spirit that sounds exactly like Pentecost. There was repentance leading to salvation, repentance of Christians that led to restored relationships with God and man and spontaneous worship that was undirected by man. The pastors were helpless to intervene and that evening the sermon was delivered by an uneducated layman who shared that God was now directing the congregation to go out by teams immediately and spread the gospel.
This book that I have referenced is over 30 years old but I just discovered it and had found many people critical of this account since some equate it with the "signs and wonders" movement. As I read it I am becoming more and more convinced that the detractors are not so much concerned about a false doctrine, but are more concerned with explaining away our own weak and powerless faith.
I have not finished this book so I can't report today my conclusions. I will however challenge you to carefully consider Alec's words. I must prayerfully consider more of this in light of my experiences in Canton and I hope others who were there will weigh in as the Lord leads.
I, for one, agree completely with Alec and I have been searching to diagnose what went wrong in Canton and how things got off-track. Alec's post is a powerful and truthful assessment of several troubling practices that seem to keep us at arm's length from revival.
God Bless each one of you on this journey.
Steve
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
Conference Report
Dear Brothers,
It was good to be with you at Canton. I am sorry I have not been in touch since then, but I have been very busy, and am only now getting round to typing this at nearly three o` clock in the morning.
I am sure we all have our own feelings about the conference, but may I be allowed to give you my honest thoughts. Dave already knows about these, as I have posted them to him as he is one of The Interceders.
I thought that the conference was very well organized, and things went according to plan. The venue was large and more than adequate for the purpose. The speakers all spoke very well. The attendance was good, though much less than the number who had booked.
One of the noticeable things was the presence of some large families of Christian parents. I was very impressed to see them, not only well dressed and well behaved, but also attentive to what was said to them. They were in such contrast to the badly behaved, noisy, disrespectful, selfish anddisobedient children and young people so prevalent in the churches here in Britain. America is a land of contrasts. On the one hand, all the worst excesses of child and teenage rebellion have come from that country, but, on the other hand, there is a measure of spirituality and church attendanceand Bible believing and religious observance that is no longer found in Britain, and I, for one, think we should thank God for that.
There were some wonderful speakers at the conference, including some who had experienced
revival, but I was disappointed that more did not happen, and I believe God was disappointed also. Many of us had prayed for some time that God would visit us in power at Canton, and Daryl Miller, the pastor who was responsible for the conference being held in Canton, believed that the programme would not be concluded, because God would intervene. So why did this not happen?
I believe there were two main reasons for this. Firstly we allowed the focus of the conference
to move away from God to the speakers. It may not have been intended and it may not have been a large move, but it was enough to make it just a speaking conference, as I feared it would.
Secondly, the speakers themselves moved the focus of the conference away from an urgent
plea for God to have mercy on America and the Western World to a personal, individual response to what was being said.
When I visited the Trinity Gospel Temple, where the conference was to be held, two or three
days before it started, the sense of the presence of the Lord when I stood on the platform was so strong that I felt I had to pray openly. Daryl Miller was standing there in front of me, and all I
could do was to plead for God to have mercy on us and on the country. I am sure when God
truly visits us, we will all feel terribly unworthy of Him, and will call out for Him to have mercy
on us.
The evening before the conference started, a prayer meeting was held in the church building
where the conference was originally planned to be held; and it was a powerful time of prayer,
people praying individually and in small groups.
On the first day of the conference, a long period of prayer was held, just for the speakers. All
this was good and right, for by the following day, the sense of the Lord`s presence was so strong
that I was completely broken in spirit before Him, and wanted to tell everyone about Him. That
to me, however, was the high point , for the power then waned.
I am convinced that we were disobedient to the Lord. We were not all united in prayer, and
crying out to God to revive His work. There was no corporate sense of desperation, no agonizing,
no travail. We did not all lift up our voices together to God and pray to Him, as we should have
done. Consequently, the place where we were gathered was not shaken, and we were not all filled with the Holy Spirit, nor did we speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts. 4: 24-31)
Once the meetings addressed by speakers started on the first evening of the conference proper, there were no more open prayer meetings. Each speaking session did not lead to a time of corporate prayer, as it should have done, but merely to an opportunity for people to respond in their own personal prayer.
Thus it was that we failed collectively, and I failed personally. Before the conference I had a
dream or vision in which I saw myself at the conference. The speakers were speaking, but we
were not having times of corporate prayer. I felt so disappointed that I got up from my seat and
addressed the conference, saying that we were not there to hear speakers, but to pray and ask
God to come down. I then started to pray from the front. The tragedy was that what I had
feared actually took place. We had speaker after speaker with no corporate prayer following,
but I did not get up to intervene as I should have done. Somehow, the devil had his way, and
made me forget all about my dream.
Moreover, to make matters worse, a man from a church in Canton spoke to me before the
conference and told me that the Lord had revealed to him that I would be standing up on the
platform speaking. I merely told him that I wasn`t one of the speakers! It seems incredible
that the devil made me forget about that as well, or that I had become so insensitive to the
Holy Spirit that I did not do what He wanted me to do. All I remember was that I just felt
terribly disappointed. Either way, I have apologized to the Lord about it , and I apologize to
you now, brothers, and trust I have learned from what happened.
That is why I believe God was very disappointed. However, our God is a gracious,
forgiving God, and I am sure He still wants to do a great work in the city of Canton, Ohio,
which, I was told, has more churches per head of population than any other place in the U.S.A.
I met two people there, who had set up an interdenominational house of prayer, and who had
been praying for at least two years for God to come down in power on the city, yet who knew
nothing about the conference until just a few weeks before it took place! They were so thrilled
to learn of it taking place, and to be there. I feel we let them down.
When Carter Conlan, the pastor of Times Square Church in New York City, spoke at the
conference, he said he had never herd of Canton, Ohio, and it caused me to think of Nathaniel
thinking that nothing good could come out of Nazareth. That is why I am convinced that God
does want to do something there, especially when I think of Daryl Miller and his yearning for
revival, and when I think of Dave Lombardi, the pastor of Trinity Gospel Temple, a lovely man,
who has been there for over 40 years, and who has seen his church go right down. He and his
members gave the building and the facilities quite freely to the conference. He deserves to see
the Lord visit the place and come down in power. Moreover, one of the speakers, Richard
Sipley, who experienced a touch of revival in Akron, the neighbouring city, in 1972, has felt
the call of the Lord to return to the area from Canada. So it appears that the Lord had already been preparing the ground for another time of visitation.
So I feel we should continue to pray for Canton, for all the pastors there, especially Daryl Miller, Dave Lombardi and Richard Sipley, that the Lord will answer their prayers and revive His work there.
My experience in Canton has strengthened my conviction that to see the Lord work, we have to pray and not lose heart, as Jesus said. (Lk.18:1) We have to build on what we have. My study of revivals and awakenings has led me to believe that God rends the heavens and pours out His Spirit when his people build up such a momentum of prayer that they rise way above the levels reached at other times, until a breakthrough is made.
When prayers are focussed upon God working in a particular place or area, or upon a particular preacher or preachers, and these prayers are maintained, and not allowed to subside, but increased to the point of desperation and great faith, then a breakthrough is made and the Spirit is poured out. This is why praying occasionally will never achieve the desired result, for that only takes our prayers up so far, and then we go down again, and past victories are not built upon. We have to maintain and increase the momentum to achieve a breakthrough, and not be sidetracked or dampened down by anything else We are tempted to be satisfied with what we have done or what has been achieved, when the Lord always has greater things in store for us. He wants to send the fire.
We need to maintain the hammering away at the gates of heaven, (while letting God break us
and remake us and refine us and increase our faith,) until we will not take no for an answer, and until God, seeing that we are really determined, that we are willing to pay the price, that we are
really focussed on Him and nothing else, and are ready to receive what He wants to give,
releases His power, and comes in like a pent up flood.
I believe that could have happened at Canton, if we had maintained and increased the
momentum, and it could happen in our own places if we apply the same principles. Please
let me know what you think and feel before the Lord.
Certainly we need to pray for the Lord to increase our faith, our persistence and our
earnestness;
to pray that we will go further in our prayers than we have ever gone before;
to pray that we will maintain our momentum, and will build up on the highest place we have
ever reached before;
to pray for the Holy Spirit to take hold of us and intercede through us with sighs too deep
for words (Rom.8;26);
to pray for the Holy Spirit to teach us how how to strive and wrestle in prayer:
“When the Holy Spirit comes and fills the soul with his beloved presence, prayer
becomes more than a cry. It ceases to be a feeble request, and often becomes a strife for
greater things, a conflict, an invincible argument, a wrestling with God; and through it men
enter into the divine councils.” (Samuel Logan Brengle)
“Lord, lead us through to victory. Let us not be satisfied with anything less. Increase our
fervency and zeal. Cause us to be so taken over by the Spirit of God, that we are taken up into
that realm where we touch the throne, where we lay hold on You and your power, and
command it to be released.
Inspire us, inflame us, stir us up to seek You with greater passion, and not let go until our
prayers are answered, the breakthrough is made, the heavens are rent, the mountains are shaken, Your name is made known to Your enemies, the nations tremble at Your presence, the Spirit is poured out from on high, and the Lord Jesus Christ is honoured, enthroned and adored.”
Yours for Him alone
Alec
It was good to be with you at Canton. I am sorry I have not been in touch since then, but I have been very busy, and am only now getting round to typing this at nearly three o` clock in the morning.
I am sure we all have our own feelings about the conference, but may I be allowed to give you my honest thoughts. Dave already knows about these, as I have posted them to him as he is one of The Interceders.
I thought that the conference was very well organized, and things went according to plan. The venue was large and more than adequate for the purpose. The speakers all spoke very well. The attendance was good, though much less than the number who had booked.
One of the noticeable things was the presence of some large families of Christian parents. I was very impressed to see them, not only well dressed and well behaved, but also attentive to what was said to them. They were in such contrast to the badly behaved, noisy, disrespectful, selfish anddisobedient children and young people so prevalent in the churches here in Britain. America is a land of contrasts. On the one hand, all the worst excesses of child and teenage rebellion have come from that country, but, on the other hand, there is a measure of spirituality and church attendanceand Bible believing and religious observance that is no longer found in Britain, and I, for one, think we should thank God for that.
There were some wonderful speakers at the conference, including some who had experienced
revival, but I was disappointed that more did not happen, and I believe God was disappointed also. Many of us had prayed for some time that God would visit us in power at Canton, and Daryl Miller, the pastor who was responsible for the conference being held in Canton, believed that the programme would not be concluded, because God would intervene. So why did this not happen?
I believe there were two main reasons for this. Firstly we allowed the focus of the conference
to move away from God to the speakers. It may not have been intended and it may not have been a large move, but it was enough to make it just a speaking conference, as I feared it would.
Secondly, the speakers themselves moved the focus of the conference away from an urgent
plea for God to have mercy on America and the Western World to a personal, individual response to what was being said.
When I visited the Trinity Gospel Temple, where the conference was to be held, two or three
days before it started, the sense of the presence of the Lord when I stood on the platform was so strong that I felt I had to pray openly. Daryl Miller was standing there in front of me, and all I
could do was to plead for God to have mercy on us and on the country. I am sure when God
truly visits us, we will all feel terribly unworthy of Him, and will call out for Him to have mercy
on us.
The evening before the conference started, a prayer meeting was held in the church building
where the conference was originally planned to be held; and it was a powerful time of prayer,
people praying individually and in small groups.
On the first day of the conference, a long period of prayer was held, just for the speakers. All
this was good and right, for by the following day, the sense of the Lord`s presence was so strong
that I was completely broken in spirit before Him, and wanted to tell everyone about Him. That
to me, however, was the high point , for the power then waned.
I am convinced that we were disobedient to the Lord. We were not all united in prayer, and
crying out to God to revive His work. There was no corporate sense of desperation, no agonizing,
no travail. We did not all lift up our voices together to God and pray to Him, as we should have
done. Consequently, the place where we were gathered was not shaken, and we were not all filled with the Holy Spirit, nor did we speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts. 4: 24-31)
Once the meetings addressed by speakers started on the first evening of the conference proper, there were no more open prayer meetings. Each speaking session did not lead to a time of corporate prayer, as it should have done, but merely to an opportunity for people to respond in their own personal prayer.
Thus it was that we failed collectively, and I failed personally. Before the conference I had a
dream or vision in which I saw myself at the conference. The speakers were speaking, but we
were not having times of corporate prayer. I felt so disappointed that I got up from my seat and
addressed the conference, saying that we were not there to hear speakers, but to pray and ask
God to come down. I then started to pray from the front. The tragedy was that what I had
feared actually took place. We had speaker after speaker with no corporate prayer following,
but I did not get up to intervene as I should have done. Somehow, the devil had his way, and
made me forget all about my dream.
Moreover, to make matters worse, a man from a church in Canton spoke to me before the
conference and told me that the Lord had revealed to him that I would be standing up on the
platform speaking. I merely told him that I wasn`t one of the speakers! It seems incredible
that the devil made me forget about that as well, or that I had become so insensitive to the
Holy Spirit that I did not do what He wanted me to do. All I remember was that I just felt
terribly disappointed. Either way, I have apologized to the Lord about it , and I apologize to
you now, brothers, and trust I have learned from what happened.
That is why I believe God was very disappointed. However, our God is a gracious,
forgiving God, and I am sure He still wants to do a great work in the city of Canton, Ohio,
which, I was told, has more churches per head of population than any other place in the U.S.A.
I met two people there, who had set up an interdenominational house of prayer, and who had
been praying for at least two years for God to come down in power on the city, yet who knew
nothing about the conference until just a few weeks before it took place! They were so thrilled
to learn of it taking place, and to be there. I feel we let them down.
When Carter Conlan, the pastor of Times Square Church in New York City, spoke at the
conference, he said he had never herd of Canton, Ohio, and it caused me to think of Nathaniel
thinking that nothing good could come out of Nazareth. That is why I am convinced that God
does want to do something there, especially when I think of Daryl Miller and his yearning for
revival, and when I think of Dave Lombardi, the pastor of Trinity Gospel Temple, a lovely man,
who has been there for over 40 years, and who has seen his church go right down. He and his
members gave the building and the facilities quite freely to the conference. He deserves to see
the Lord visit the place and come down in power. Moreover, one of the speakers, Richard
Sipley, who experienced a touch of revival in Akron, the neighbouring city, in 1972, has felt
the call of the Lord to return to the area from Canada. So it appears that the Lord had already been preparing the ground for another time of visitation.
So I feel we should continue to pray for Canton, for all the pastors there, especially Daryl Miller, Dave Lombardi and Richard Sipley, that the Lord will answer their prayers and revive His work there.
My experience in Canton has strengthened my conviction that to see the Lord work, we have to pray and not lose heart, as Jesus said. (Lk.18:1) We have to build on what we have. My study of revivals and awakenings has led me to believe that God rends the heavens and pours out His Spirit when his people build up such a momentum of prayer that they rise way above the levels reached at other times, until a breakthrough is made.
When prayers are focussed upon God working in a particular place or area, or upon a particular preacher or preachers, and these prayers are maintained, and not allowed to subside, but increased to the point of desperation and great faith, then a breakthrough is made and the Spirit is poured out. This is why praying occasionally will never achieve the desired result, for that only takes our prayers up so far, and then we go down again, and past victories are not built upon. We have to maintain and increase the momentum to achieve a breakthrough, and not be sidetracked or dampened down by anything else We are tempted to be satisfied with what we have done or what has been achieved, when the Lord always has greater things in store for us. He wants to send the fire.
We need to maintain the hammering away at the gates of heaven, (while letting God break us
and remake us and refine us and increase our faith,) until we will not take no for an answer, and until God, seeing that we are really determined, that we are willing to pay the price, that we are
really focussed on Him and nothing else, and are ready to receive what He wants to give,
releases His power, and comes in like a pent up flood.
I believe that could have happened at Canton, if we had maintained and increased the
momentum, and it could happen in our own places if we apply the same principles. Please
let me know what you think and feel before the Lord.
Certainly we need to pray for the Lord to increase our faith, our persistence and our
earnestness;
to pray that we will go further in our prayers than we have ever gone before;
to pray that we will maintain our momentum, and will build up on the highest place we have
ever reached before;
to pray for the Holy Spirit to take hold of us and intercede through us with sighs too deep
for words (Rom.8;26);
to pray for the Holy Spirit to teach us how how to strive and wrestle in prayer:
“When the Holy Spirit comes and fills the soul with his beloved presence, prayer
becomes more than a cry. It ceases to be a feeble request, and often becomes a strife for
greater things, a conflict, an invincible argument, a wrestling with God; and through it men
enter into the divine councils.” (Samuel Logan Brengle)
“Lord, lead us through to victory. Let us not be satisfied with anything less. Increase our
fervency and zeal. Cause us to be so taken over by the Spirit of God, that we are taken up into
that realm where we touch the throne, where we lay hold on You and your power, and
command it to be released.
Inspire us, inflame us, stir us up to seek You with greater passion, and not let go until our
prayers are answered, the breakthrough is made, the heavens are rent, the mountains are shaken, Your name is made known to Your enemies, the nations tremble at Your presence, the Spirit is poured out from on high, and the Lord Jesus Christ is honoured, enthroned and adored.”
Yours for Him alone
Alec
Monday, November 19, 2007
25 A.D. Who Will I Serve This Hour?
Greetings fellow travelers,
In past days I have been spending my study time in Romans. It is a good place to spend quality time with my Lord and it speaks directly to my daily struggles.
"Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin." Romans 6:6-7
As we near the one-month anniversary since Canton, I have been recently asking myself, "Which master will I serve this hour, this morning, this day?" It seems that throughout my day, my decisions show a conflict between serving my former master (Satan), and serving my Lord Jesus Christ. Every time I behave selfishly, I invite my old master to step in and affix his chains. When I recognize my sin and feel the familiar misery of my old master, I repent and Jesus graciously comes and unlocks the shackles, setting me free once again.
Because I know the sweet taste of freedom in Christ, I now despise the bitterness of sin. Yet long ago, my flesh developed an affection for this putrid taste. In the same way that the drunk in the park can swig an entire bottle of Listerine, my old man of the flesh has a great appreciation for the bitter taste of sin.
The truth revealed in Romans 6:6-7 is that I am no longer powerless in my chains. Before I was redeemed (bought), I was hopelessly bound and powerless to get free from my master. Jesus broke the chains and gave me the power and authority to never again be in that hopeless condition. When I sin, I now willingly allow my enemy to bind me in his chains, but, thanks be to God, he can only keep me there as long as I allow him to. It is as though I am back in my former prison, but this time, because of the power of Christ, I have the key to the prison doors. I will remain in prison only as long as I desire. Unfortunately, every visit to this prison leaves me filthy and reeking of the stench of sin. Only the blood of Christ can wash me clean.
What a miserable body of sin I inhabit! No sooner am I back in communion with my Lord, than my old cruel master comes to me as an Angel of Light, He holds out that bitter bottle of Sin, and says "Come on you old drunk, you know you want a taste." And like the old drunk in park, I am tempted. As soon as I take my eyes off Christ, my attention goes back to that bottle.
I guess from the tone of this post you can tell what my past month has been like. I know that ultimate victory is certain and that God has so much for us to do in His service. But more than our service, I know He wants our hearts. He wants me to abandon that old master forever and enjoy the sweet taste of fellowship with Him.
I intended to share some thoughts from Carter Conlon's message at the conference but I've been sidetracked. Next time. For now it has been good for me to get this down in writing. I pray I will be more conscious of the bitterness of sin and the sweetness of fellowship with Him.
Pressing forward, Steve
In past days I have been spending my study time in Romans. It is a good place to spend quality time with my Lord and it speaks directly to my daily struggles.
"Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin." Romans 6:6-7
As we near the one-month anniversary since Canton, I have been recently asking myself, "Which master will I serve this hour, this morning, this day?" It seems that throughout my day, my decisions show a conflict between serving my former master (Satan), and serving my Lord Jesus Christ. Every time I behave selfishly, I invite my old master to step in and affix his chains. When I recognize my sin and feel the familiar misery of my old master, I repent and Jesus graciously comes and unlocks the shackles, setting me free once again.
Because I know the sweet taste of freedom in Christ, I now despise the bitterness of sin. Yet long ago, my flesh developed an affection for this putrid taste. In the same way that the drunk in the park can swig an entire bottle of Listerine, my old man of the flesh has a great appreciation for the bitter taste of sin.
The truth revealed in Romans 6:6-7 is that I am no longer powerless in my chains. Before I was redeemed (bought), I was hopelessly bound and powerless to get free from my master. Jesus broke the chains and gave me the power and authority to never again be in that hopeless condition. When I sin, I now willingly allow my enemy to bind me in his chains, but, thanks be to God, he can only keep me there as long as I allow him to. It is as though I am back in my former prison, but this time, because of the power of Christ, I have the key to the prison doors. I will remain in prison only as long as I desire. Unfortunately, every visit to this prison leaves me filthy and reeking of the stench of sin. Only the blood of Christ can wash me clean.
What a miserable body of sin I inhabit! No sooner am I back in communion with my Lord, than my old cruel master comes to me as an Angel of Light, He holds out that bitter bottle of Sin, and says "Come on you old drunk, you know you want a taste." And like the old drunk in park, I am tempted. As soon as I take my eyes off Christ, my attention goes back to that bottle.
I guess from the tone of this post you can tell what my past month has been like. I know that ultimate victory is certain and that God has so much for us to do in His service. But more than our service, I know He wants our hearts. He wants me to abandon that old master forever and enjoy the sweet taste of fellowship with Him.
I intended to share some thoughts from Carter Conlon's message at the conference but I've been sidetracked. Next time. For now it has been good for me to get this down in writing. I pray I will be more conscious of the bitterness of sin and the sweetness of fellowship with Him.
Pressing forward, Steve
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
We're Back!....but where were YOU? 6 A.D.
After 134 days of build-up, praying, fasting and dreaming about what God would reveal in Canton on October 23-25, 2007....the conference has come and gone. I remember my excitement as we drove up to the church 1 hr. before the start of the conference. I remember checking to be sure I was at the right place. The large parking lot was deserted except for a few cars scattered up near the main entrance. For a split second I thought "Oh no! I've got the dates mixed up!", but then I noticed the large sign announcing that yes, this was the first day of the conference.
I was puzzled as I walked in the front door of the church and saw several small groups of people scattered about the foyer. Where was everyone? I remember reading that over 1100 had registered. I thought perhaps they are all gathered in the sanctuary getting prepared for the concert of prayer scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. I was momentarily distracted as I caught sight of my brother Bill, waiting just inside the front doors of the church. We quickly found Alec and our group was together for the first time. What a thrill to be with like-minded brothers!
We walked in the huge sanctuary for the Concert of Prayer and once again, I was stunned...the place was almost empty! Where was everybody? We took seats in the front row, dropped our jackets and bags, and headed to a distant corner that was to become our "special" prayer closet. That distant corner at the front of the sanctuary was hallowed ground as we continually gathered here over the 3 days to pray. As we got down to the business at hand, our prayers became focused and the empty sanctuary faded into the background as each man prepared his heart to hear from God. I noticed our prayers were directed inward as we all realized our unworthiness and distance from our Holy God. As brothers cried out in repentance and worship, I knew that God was preparing us for an adventure unlike anything we had ever known.
As I review my notes, there are so many things that God revealed through His humble servants. This gathering, and the men that coordinated it, was so unlike anything I have ever known. The atmosphere was steeped in humility and each man esteemed others as greater than himself. It was a true picture of the authentic church as our elders worshipped with us and exhorted us to go deeper with God. In the hallways and restrooms we would talk with mighty men of God who willingly took the time to listen to our burdens and pray with us. The following list contains some of the deep messages of truth that God revealed to me over those precious 3 days.
From Richard Shipley, God revealed:
1. What is wrong with God's people? They live in the wicked way of worldliness, powerlessness, and are passionless.
2. Am I willing to be hated by the world?
3.Which would disturb me most, my neighbor dying and going to hell, or, a scratch on my new car?
4.Worldliness: To give priority to the things of the world rather than the things of God.
5.The only prescription for worldliness: Galatians 2:20 = DEATH
6.Look forward to heaven and NEVER look for heaven on earth.
7.I am an alien...I do not belong to this world.
8.God's love will never be real to me until I honestly ask God to search my heart and reveal any wickedness (worldliness) in me. Until then, God's love is just a concept, not a reality.
9.I will never be worthy of the Father's love...it is only by His grace.(both boys in the parable of the Prodigal son were equally unworthy of the father's love...the difference is in their heart attitude. The Prodigal recognized he was unworthy while the older son was righteously indignant...he considered himself worthy.
Don Currin:
Amos 6:1-8 (addressed to the spiritually complacent)
What does it mean to be "at ease in Zion"?
I was puzzled as I walked in the front door of the church and saw several small groups of people scattered about the foyer. Where was everyone? I remember reading that over 1100 had registered. I thought perhaps they are all gathered in the sanctuary getting prepared for the concert of prayer scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. I was momentarily distracted as I caught sight of my brother Bill, waiting just inside the front doors of the church. We quickly found Alec and our group was together for the first time. What a thrill to be with like-minded brothers!
We walked in the huge sanctuary for the Concert of Prayer and once again, I was stunned...the place was almost empty! Where was everybody? We took seats in the front row, dropped our jackets and bags, and headed to a distant corner that was to become our "special" prayer closet. That distant corner at the front of the sanctuary was hallowed ground as we continually gathered here over the 3 days to pray. As we got down to the business at hand, our prayers became focused and the empty sanctuary faded into the background as each man prepared his heart to hear from God. I noticed our prayers were directed inward as we all realized our unworthiness and distance from our Holy God. As brothers cried out in repentance and worship, I knew that God was preparing us for an adventure unlike anything we had ever known.
As I review my notes, there are so many things that God revealed through His humble servants. This gathering, and the men that coordinated it, was so unlike anything I have ever known. The atmosphere was steeped in humility and each man esteemed others as greater than himself. It was a true picture of the authentic church as our elders worshipped with us and exhorted us to go deeper with God. In the hallways and restrooms we would talk with mighty men of God who willingly took the time to listen to our burdens and pray with us. The following list contains some of the deep messages of truth that God revealed to me over those precious 3 days.
From Richard Shipley, God revealed:
1. What is wrong with God's people? They live in the wicked way of worldliness, powerlessness, and are passionless.
2. Am I willing to be hated by the world?
3.Which would disturb me most, my neighbor dying and going to hell, or, a scratch on my new car?
4.Worldliness: To give priority to the things of the world rather than the things of God.
5.The only prescription for worldliness: Galatians 2:20 = DEATH
6.Look forward to heaven and NEVER look for heaven on earth.
7.I am an alien...I do not belong to this world.
8.God's love will never be real to me until I honestly ask God to search my heart and reveal any wickedness (worldliness) in me. Until then, God's love is just a concept, not a reality.
9.I will never be worthy of the Father's love...it is only by His grace.(both boys in the parable of the Prodigal son were equally unworthy of the father's love...the difference is in their heart attitude. The Prodigal recognized he was unworthy while the older son was righteously indignant...he considered himself worthy.
Don Currin:
Amos 6:1-8 (addressed to the spiritually complacent)
What does it mean to be "at ease in Zion"?
- to be careless, secure, resting on prosperity and complacent
- one at ease with a comfortable life
- neglect of God, living indifferently, neglect of prayer
- "Where there is no holy living, there is no Holy Ghost." J.C. Ryle
- II Cor. 5:15 "and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again."
Effects of "living at ease":
- Complacency about approaching judgement
- love for pleasure
- Sensual entertainment..."If you are on the narrow road you will be narrow-minded."
The Test for Music:
- Can I hear the Word of God clearly over the music? (Sinners must be able to hear and understand God's Word)
- Does the music enlarge my vision of God?
- Does it produce the fruit of holiness in my life?
- Does the music sedate the mind and appeal to the body?
How to stir from Complacency?
- Remove ANY DOUBTFUL PRACTICE that may cause my spiritual passion to wane.
- Resolve to live only for eternity.
- Count not your life dear unto yourself.
- Never be content with where I am spiritually. Phil. 3:14
I realize this has been a long post and I will close for today. I look forward to sharing more truth in future posts that God revealed through other servants. If you missed Canton you missed a spiritual feast...a banquet unlike anything I have ever experienced. I am heartbroken that in the supposed "one nation under God", His church was too distracted to attend the feast. Reminds me of a parable....
I grieve for the sorry state of our faith in America and I fear that my children will "reap the whirlwind." If God would not spare the apple of His eye, how can He not pour judgement out on us, for surely our wickedness rises to the heavens as a wretched stench.
Canton was a wake-up call and the North American church DID NOT simply roll over and go back to sleep....THEY COMPLETELY SLEPT THROUGH THE ALARM! They never stirred.
Thank God that revival is coming and I pray I will live long enough to see it. I know that revival is coming...for persecution is surely coming. David Wilkerson has said that revival cannot come to North America until God destroys our materialistic idols of money and toys, and eliminates our distractions so we will hear HIM.
As the Lord gives us the grace to continue, I trust that the CPU blog will be a historical record that future men can access to see how God brought revival in...2007, or 2008, or 2009....He will bring revival. Could it begin today?
Watching for His appearing.....Steve
Message from a DEAD MAN !
After 134 days BC (Before Canton), We are now into day 5 AD (after death). I truly thank God for our time in Canton. A revival has begun. It has begun in me. The conference was not what I had expected ( I really don't know if I had any clear idea of what to expect), it was not even what I really wanted to hear, BUT it was exactly what God needed to say to me. I called my wife the night before returning home to tell her that her "2nd husband" was coming home, and that her first husband (me) had "died" in Canton. God had much to tell me, and much to remove in my life. I am certain that God is not finished with me but will continue the work He has begun. Praise God. Some may claim that we had a mountain top experience but I declare no, no, it was a "hill top" experience. I had to go back to the hill where the cross is and get back on it. I have been crucified with Christ!
I arrived home with great excitement ready to begin this journey with my Lord and to watch and be involved in His revival of His people. I am deeply saddened by the apathy I am greeted with. We had started a prayer meeting (specifically for revival) before the morning service at our church, 4 weeks prior to leaving for Canton. I was excited to return to the prayer room at our church and be joined with the people who had said that they wanted to pray for revival. There were 4 of us. Myself, Tim (a brother who joined me in Canton), and 2 14 year old girls. Praise God for the youth who prayed with broken hearts, and praise God for my faithful brother Tim,....but my heart aches for the lack of "men of God" who are desperate for revival. Where are the church leaders? God is teaching me about trusting Him, but I long for the church to wake up. "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then...." 2 Chron.7:14. It appears that there is a sense of satisfaction with how things are (God have mercy on us). I am certain that God is not pleased. I WILL continue to pray for revival, even if I am alone in that. I will be one of those "hidden springs" that we heard about at the conference. I will soon stand back in awe of what God has done. There will be nothing that man can take credit for (guard my heart,O God against spiritual pride), we will see God at work in his people. On Oct 7, God said "I have heard your prayers". I am incredibly encouraged with this word from my Lord, and am satisfied that revival will come. We will continue to pray and wait upon Gods timing. It is my prayer today that God will show me anything in my life today that is grieving his heart and hindering His work.
I will share a few of my "Canton" verses that the Lord gave to me. "...we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon YOU." 2 Chron. 20:12. When discouragement set in with the small attendance at the first post Canton prayer meeting, God showed me what my role must be. I read a little further in this same chapter to find verse 17 "You will not have to fight this battle. TAKE UP YOUR POSITIONS(on my knees); STAND FIRM AND SEE...."
Praise God, it is not for me to worry about, it is the Lords battle, I must get on my knees (my "position") and stand firm ( do not waiver or grow weary).
My other "Canton" verse is Philippians 4:8 " Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable,- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think on such things." This scripture has been such a blessing and a safe guard of reminding me that I have made a "calculated covenant with my eyes, my mind and my lips." Thank you Kieth for this message.
Finally the verse of my life from 1 AD and onward, "I have been crucified with Christ..." Gal. 2:20. Why has it taken me so long to recognize that it does not say come "to" the cross, but it says "get on the cross". I am most thankful for this truth. I am a new man because Christ lives in me!
I have so much more that I would like to share here, but I must move on. I will close with a quote from T A Hegre's book, "The Cross and Sanctification"
"Furthermore,if one does want to step out in faith,he must almost "go it alone"; he must be a pioneer, with the dead weight of an unbelieving church holding him back. Now is the very time, therefore, for those who are willing to believe God and willing to take His Word as it is, to refuse to let the devil steal from them any fragment of it"
Praise God for what He IS doing!!!
Your brother in the battle,
Bill
I arrived home with great excitement ready to begin this journey with my Lord and to watch and be involved in His revival of His people. I am deeply saddened by the apathy I am greeted with. We had started a prayer meeting (specifically for revival) before the morning service at our church, 4 weeks prior to leaving for Canton. I was excited to return to the prayer room at our church and be joined with the people who had said that they wanted to pray for revival. There were 4 of us. Myself, Tim (a brother who joined me in Canton), and 2 14 year old girls. Praise God for the youth who prayed with broken hearts, and praise God for my faithful brother Tim,....but my heart aches for the lack of "men of God" who are desperate for revival. Where are the church leaders? God is teaching me about trusting Him, but I long for the church to wake up. "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then...." 2 Chron.7:14. It appears that there is a sense of satisfaction with how things are (God have mercy on us). I am certain that God is not pleased. I WILL continue to pray for revival, even if I am alone in that. I will be one of those "hidden springs" that we heard about at the conference. I will soon stand back in awe of what God has done. There will be nothing that man can take credit for (guard my heart,O God against spiritual pride), we will see God at work in his people. On Oct 7, God said "I have heard your prayers". I am incredibly encouraged with this word from my Lord, and am satisfied that revival will come. We will continue to pray and wait upon Gods timing. It is my prayer today that God will show me anything in my life today that is grieving his heart and hindering His work.
I will share a few of my "Canton" verses that the Lord gave to me. "...we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon YOU." 2 Chron. 20:12. When discouragement set in with the small attendance at the first post Canton prayer meeting, God showed me what my role must be. I read a little further in this same chapter to find verse 17 "You will not have to fight this battle. TAKE UP YOUR POSITIONS(on my knees); STAND FIRM AND SEE...."
Praise God, it is not for me to worry about, it is the Lords battle, I must get on my knees (my "position") and stand firm ( do not waiver or grow weary).
My other "Canton" verse is Philippians 4:8 " Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable,- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think on such things." This scripture has been such a blessing and a safe guard of reminding me that I have made a "calculated covenant with my eyes, my mind and my lips." Thank you Kieth for this message.
Finally the verse of my life from 1 AD and onward, "I have been crucified with Christ..." Gal. 2:20. Why has it taken me so long to recognize that it does not say come "to" the cross, but it says "get on the cross". I am most thankful for this truth. I am a new man because Christ lives in me!
I have so much more that I would like to share here, but I must move on. I will close with a quote from T A Hegre's book, "The Cross and Sanctification"
"Furthermore,if one does want to step out in faith,he must almost "go it alone"; he must be a pioneer, with the dead weight of an unbelieving church holding him back. Now is the very time, therefore, for those who are willing to believe God and willing to take His Word as it is, to refuse to let the devil steal from them any fragment of it"
Praise God for what He IS doing!!!
Your brother in the battle,
Bill
Monday, October 22, 2007
See You in the PRAYER ROOM !!!
Brothers, I am ready. Lord Jesus,continue to make me "more ready" in any area of my life that I may be stubbornly hanging on to. Let there be nothing that will come in the way of this REVIVAL that God is about to bring.
THE CROSS BEFORE ME, THE WORLD BEHIND ME. NO, NO, NO TURNING BACK !!!!!
You brother in the Battle,
Bill
THE CROSS BEFORE ME, THE WORLD BEHIND ME. NO, NO, NO TURNING BACK !!!!!
You brother in the Battle,
Bill
Looking Back....And Looking Forward
134 days ago we started a journey that seemed far, far in the distance. I have had a habit in my life of starting "journeys" like a ball of fire and then slowly fizzling out like a 4th of July sparkler. Much heat and excitement inevitably gave way to cold, dead ashes.
Today, on the eve of leaving for Canton, I have tried to identify what was different about this journey? There are several things that have sustained me for these past 4+ months. I record them here so I will never forget that good intentions and a quick blaze cannot sustain for the long haul. These have been the difference in sustaining me on this journey:
1. The prayers and regular contact with brothers also in the battle. There were several times during this journey that the enemy had me on my back. I was tired, and struggling with those depressing whispers that, "Nothing has changed, you are just as weak and hopeless as you ever were...you will fail again, just like every other time you decided to step out in faith." As the whispers got louder and more consistent, invariably, something would happen. One of my brothers in this Union would phone me, or, a new message would be posted to this blog and suddenly the fire sprang back to life and the flames pushed the Whisperer back into the shadows. Thank you men for being "the difference" between success and failure. I know it was the Holy Spirit who saw my plight and had compassion on my weakness. "A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17:7
2. This quest was born out of a deep frustration and dissatisfaction with my own Christian walk and the Christianity that I see around me every day. In May I was as frustrated as I ever have been and I felt ready to do something drastic....something life-changing. I told my wife that if this North American Christianity is all there is, I don't want to be called a Christian. How can we calmly go through our days living out such a lie? Does it not occur to anyone else that our lives are radically different than the abundant life promised by our Savior? If we aren't dead, we must at least admit we are on life-support. What is the answer to this spiritual sickness in our souls?
At a critical crossroads, I did what I usually do when I'm ready to be honest. I called a trusted long-time brother and surprisingly, he was feeling exactly the same way. This brother and I have a long history of "dreaming". We dream of getting off the bench and into the real game of life and death, where men's soul's hang in the balance. We dream of following in the footsteps of our Savior who lived such a radical love. We dream of following the faithful witness of troublemakers like C.T. Studd, Rees Howell, etc.
Out of that one phone call, the CPU was formed. It was born out of frustration, but men, we are in good company. Examine the following quote:
"I want the presence of God Himself, or I don't want anything at all to do with religion...I want all that God has or I don't want any." A.W.Tozer
I believe this has sustained us as we have prayed and fasted and dreamed of what would happen if God were to really invade our lives. At some point we must decide, "Is the North American Christian experience enough for me? Am I content to go to my grave with this pitiful, powerless faith that keeps me going through the motions?" Am I willing to admit that I am regrettably warming a pew in the lukewarm church of Revelation 3?" For 134 days we have shouted "NO!" and now we embark on the first leg of our journey.
I am anxious to finally sit down with each of you and seek the face of God. Let us cry out for revival in our own hearts and be ready to share what God reveals to each one of us.
SEE YOU IN CANTON!!!
Your brother, Steve
Today, on the eve of leaving for Canton, I have tried to identify what was different about this journey? There are several things that have sustained me for these past 4+ months. I record them here so I will never forget that good intentions and a quick blaze cannot sustain for the long haul. These have been the difference in sustaining me on this journey:
1. The prayers and regular contact with brothers also in the battle. There were several times during this journey that the enemy had me on my back. I was tired, and struggling with those depressing whispers that, "Nothing has changed, you are just as weak and hopeless as you ever were...you will fail again, just like every other time you decided to step out in faith." As the whispers got louder and more consistent, invariably, something would happen. One of my brothers in this Union would phone me, or, a new message would be posted to this blog and suddenly the fire sprang back to life and the flames pushed the Whisperer back into the shadows. Thank you men for being "the difference" between success and failure. I know it was the Holy Spirit who saw my plight and had compassion on my weakness. "A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17:7
2. This quest was born out of a deep frustration and dissatisfaction with my own Christian walk and the Christianity that I see around me every day. In May I was as frustrated as I ever have been and I felt ready to do something drastic....something life-changing. I told my wife that if this North American Christianity is all there is, I don't want to be called a Christian. How can we calmly go through our days living out such a lie? Does it not occur to anyone else that our lives are radically different than the abundant life promised by our Savior? If we aren't dead, we must at least admit we are on life-support. What is the answer to this spiritual sickness in our souls?
At a critical crossroads, I did what I usually do when I'm ready to be honest. I called a trusted long-time brother and surprisingly, he was feeling exactly the same way. This brother and I have a long history of "dreaming". We dream of getting off the bench and into the real game of life and death, where men's soul's hang in the balance. We dream of following in the footsteps of our Savior who lived such a radical love. We dream of following the faithful witness of troublemakers like C.T. Studd, Rees Howell, etc.
Out of that one phone call, the CPU was formed. It was born out of frustration, but men, we are in good company. Examine the following quote:
"I want the presence of God Himself, or I don't want anything at all to do with religion...I want all that God has or I don't want any." A.W.Tozer
I believe this has sustained us as we have prayed and fasted and dreamed of what would happen if God were to really invade our lives. At some point we must decide, "Is the North American Christian experience enough for me? Am I content to go to my grave with this pitiful, powerless faith that keeps me going through the motions?" Am I willing to admit that I am regrettably warming a pew in the lukewarm church of Revelation 3?" For 134 days we have shouted "NO!" and now we embark on the first leg of our journey.
I am anxious to finally sit down with each of you and seek the face of God. Let us cry out for revival in our own hearts and be ready to share what God reveals to each one of us.
SEE YOU IN CANTON!!!
Your brother, Steve
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