A man went to hear a famous evangelist preaching on revival. He loved the Lord and had a passion for the world to hear the message of salvation and mercy through Jesus Christ.
After the service he ran up to the preacher, and with a renewed passion he explained:
"That was amazing! I'm with you! What must we do to bring revival!"
The evangelist looked at the man and said "it's simple, go back home, draw a circle in the dirt and stand in the circle. Then pray in earnest "Lord, I pray that you would send revival to everyone standing inside this circle"
If we are to live like resident aliens, as missionaries in this land doing the work we are called to do while we await upon the day the Lord shall return we need revival in ourselves. This can happen if we keep these things in mind;
1) We need God as desperately as our next breath, and that next breath was provided by Him. Tell this to yourself every day.
2) We are the first mission field we are called to work with, at least that is what Jesus tells us
A Simple Guide for Behavior
“Don’t
pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless,
of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way
of boomeranging.
It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and
be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to
say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by
contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again,
playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part.
Wipe
that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a
washcloth to your neighbor.
Matthew 7:3-6 (Message Translation)
3) See # 1
If we are to act as salt, light, living water, and the fragrance of life we need to make sure we are salt, light, living water and the fragrance of life before we try and be it. We can only be those things by God's grace through the power of the Holy Spirit.
I took this to heart in seminary and found a way to keep myself in proper order. I didn't have dirt in my back yard.
My wife and I had a small foot stool we used in our kitchen. I was afraid in school, honestly afraid that I would become jaded and sour to the church and her work in the world. I fell prey to all of the jokes I heard as a young evangelical, calling seminary "cemetery" and believing that my faith and zeal for Jesus would die there.
We were "required" to attend Morning Prayer Service each day we were on campus but I didn't want that to become regimented in my faith. I took my little step stool and underneath I wrote; "Lord, please send revival to everyone who sits on this stool, I beg".
I would wake up early, make a french press, get my Bible and guitar and then sip, pray, read and sing long songs to my King before I went to chapel I asked God to fill me to overflowing with the remembrance of who his is and what he did for me. I prayed for personal revival daily. He honored that.
I am no longer in seminary and I since traveled ten's of thousands of miles proclaiming the Good News of the love and mercy of Jesus Christ. I have preached in Cathedrals, under tarps and on the side of the highway.
I still have that stool in my kitchen ten years later.
I still weep the same tears I wept when I first learned of His love and mercy for me.
I am a resident alien, longing for home.
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