January 28, 2025

God’s Timing is Perfect: Revival is Here

The Lord’s been working on me from the inside out. Being under deadline for goals, especially at year-end, I needed to be reminded to be totally dependent on the Lord. I confess I had moments of working out of my flesh as if it totally depended on me to raise funds and awareness for different ministry clients and even for Blessings Brokers.

This reflection and growth with the Lord has been too sacred for me even to write about. Now is the time. It’s hard to believe it’s been two years.

Some of you may know that I’m blessed to be part of the FOR Charlotte (CLT) Prayer Leader’s Network. We meet monthly and have Regional Prayer Gatherings every other month to pray for our city, churches, pastors, country, world. We pray for revival. We have been praying for revival for years, even when I lived in Charleston and well before I moved to Charlotte in 2015.

In 2022 Wayne Atcheson, a leader at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, published a book called “Asbury Revival.” This book beautifully chronicles the power and influence of the February 1970 Asbury Revival at Asbury University in Wilmore, KY.  When I read that book in November and December, I dog-eared so many pages of practical ways that the students brought revival and characteristics to replicate the revival. One student received a list of the university students and made 3×5 index cards with each name to pray for each of them as the Holy Spirit led. Her act of prayer was about three months before the 24-hour, 8-day revival broke out in February 1970.

At our January 14, 2023, For CLT Regional Prayer Gathering, we prayed Bible scripture. I talked about this book and brought a list of Charlotte churches for us to pray for intentionally. The Holy Spirit was strong as we humbly prayed for our pastors and revival.

On February 8th, 2023, states away at the same Asbury University in Wilmore, KY, the weekly Chapel Service in Hughes Auditorium occurred at 10am like normal. It was the morning after the US Presidential State of the Union. It was two days after the earthquake that shook Turkey and Syria. At 11am the Chapel Service ended, and 15 students stayed to pray. They stayed for hours and texted some of their friends to come back, that the Holy Spirit was working. Those 15 students led to thousands of people experiencing the 2023 Asbury Revival, for two weeks, 24 hours a day/seven days a week.

My friend Emily Adams with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, drove to Kentucky that Friday to experience the Asbury Revival. She came back to Charlotte and spoke a week later.

What I am  communicating is from Emily’s eyewitness experience of His majesty at the Asbury Revival.

There was only one hotel at Wilmore, KY. Emily and her friend arrived at 11:40pm to check in. Then they drove over to Asbury University and arrived at Hughes Auditorium at 1am.

This was powerful. The first thing she noticed was the smell. Emily said the smell in the Hughes Auditorium was that of….. salty tears.

Yes, salty tears. She said there was no tissue left. They had run out from all the crying and repentance. There were rolls of toilet paper at the front altar. The carpet was dark from the wet tear falling.

She said the presence of the Lord was palpable. She witnessed miracles of healing. The singing and testimonies lasted all night. It didn’t stop.

Lord Jesus, I pray for that revival now. Thank You, Lord, for being our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Thank You for stirring us up with your Holy Spirit to repent and come back to You. Thank You for our country and our freedom to worship You.

May revival start with me. In the name of Jesus, By the Power of the Holy Spirit.

Reflection:

How have you experienced revival?

What are your prayers for our country? For you? For your family?

 

 

 

December 16, 2024

The Inn-Keeper’s Perspective, Christmas Miracles Part 3

The Inn-keeper in the Bible Story of Jesus’ birth intrigues me. Not much is written about him. He leaves much to our imagination. With the census going on for the entire Roman World, you know his inn must have stayed jam-packed at 100 percent occupancy. He was truthful to Mary and Joseph.

He certainly wasn’t a mean man. In fact, I can sympathize with him. Guests checked out, then more guests with reservations checked in.  He was trying his best to be hospitable by offering a stable/cave and manger out back.

Little did he know he was too busy and lacked room in his life for the Savior of the World’s birth. Ouch. Doesn’t that hit close to home?

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” –Luke 2:7 NIV

Anything of value in our lives requires us to make room.

We make room in our time schedules, our budgets, our hearts for a new relationship we value. Even for Christmas we make room, don’t we?

To bring in our new wonderful-smelling Christmas tree, we move over our comfy chairs, reading lamp, plants–whatever it takes. Box after box of Christmas decorations require us to move our year-round décor and replace with our valued Christmas festive decor.

In the Bible Story of Jesus’ birth, the Inn-Keeper had no room for Jesus. Mary and Joseph resorted to a hay-filled stable, along with the smelly animals. Our Savior of the World Jesus was born in a tiny manger. The tiny manger was plenty of room for the King of Kings and was truly the first King-Size Bed. 

Even the favorite Christmas carol “Joy to the World” exclaims, “Let every heart prepare Him room.”

Frederick Buechner writes from the Inn-Keeper’s perspective in “The Birth” of Magnificent Defeat: “But this I do know. My own true love. All your life long, you wait for your own true love to come–we all do–our destiny, our joy, our heart’s desire. So how am I to say it, gentlemen? When He came, I missed Him. Pray for me, brothers and sisters. Pray for the Inn-Keeper. Pray for me, and for us all, my own true love.”

The big question is: Do I make enough room in my heart, my schedule for Jesus? He wants our whole heart, my whole heart. So many times I don’t make enough room with my hurried schedule, my shortened quiet time, quick prayers.

Jesus is our only Way “In” to eternal life. He is the Door, the Gate. “Therefore Jesus said again. ‘I tell you the truth, I am the Gate for the sheep.” –John 10:7 NIV

We who believe are all “IN-Keepers.” Jesus loves us so much and wants to reside in our hearts for eternity.

How much room am I making in my schedule, my budget, my heart for Jesus, the Savior of the World, my Savior?

Please forgive me, Lord, for being too busy. For not making room for You. Take my whole heart, Lord. Lord Jesus, move everything else out to make all the room You want and need in my heart. You are the only way IN to eternal life. I desire to be a true “IN-Keeper.” In Jesus’ name, by the Power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“I’m prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above.” –Come Thy Fount of Every Blessing

 Reflect:

–“Make room for us in your hearts.” –2 Corinthians 7:2a NIV

–“ ‘Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.’” –Mark 14:14-15 NIV

Renew:

–How can I make more room in my heart, my schedule, my life for Jesus? Please comment.

November 3, 2024

What are the Saddest Words in the Bible and Seven Encouraging Ways for Overcoming Them?

It’s almost Election Day 2024, the most important Election Day in my lifetime. As I consider how divided our country seems to be, I am reminded of some of the saddest words in the Bible. Let’s talk about them, and I will prayerfully offer some encouragement to overcome those words.

The Jesus’ powerful Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 is one of my favorite passages in Scripture and definitely an excellent moral compass for us. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7, Jesus gives several profound messages, from “asking and it will be given to you” in Matthew 7:7,  The Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12, and the  Gate is narrow and the way hard that leads to life (heaven) in Matthew 7:13.

Then Jesus begins to talk  even tougher. He warns us of false prophets in Matthew 7:15-16, 19- 20

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits….Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” 

And then the Lord does a “mic drop” with this harsh Truth in Matthew 7:21-22  ““Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

And here it comes… the saddest words from Jesus from Matthew 7:23…. “And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”  

Holy Moly! I don’t know about you, but my heart falls each time I read this.  Truly the saddest words from Jesus, I believe, in the Bible. So what can we do to bear fruit and not to hear those words that He never knew you or me and to depart from Him?

As we approach Election Day and the world seems to become darker and less Godly, we are living out these words daily. So how can we stay strong in our faith and deepen our relationship with Jesus, so He knows us well and we draw near to Him?

  1. Pray daily. Thank the Lord as you wake up, pray Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (ACTS). Pray on your knees and even face down as we bow low with humility. “As we decrease, He increases.” –John 3:30
  2. Read daily in God’s Word. The Bible is my most prized possession. Each of the 66 books written are God-ordained and serve as our moral compass, our encouragement, our Comfort through the Power of the Holy Spirit, our plumb line, our standard of excellence.
  3. Surround yourself with a handful of deep, Godly leader friends who encourage you and hold you accountable. Find a few true mentors/friends of faith who stretch and convict you. They are your mirrors. Iron sharpens iron.
  4. Join and become an active member of a Bible-based, Holy Spirit-filled, healthy church family. Sadly, the Church is where so many will be found as false prophets and where the Lord will say “depart from me, I never knew you.” Ensure your Church aligns with scripture. Ensure your pastor is humble and points all sermons to the authority of the Bible and scripture, not opinions from himself. Ensure the focus is on the Great Commission of making disciples and Acts 1:8 of Missions and outreach.
  5. Spend as much time as you can serving and volunteering for Kingdom-building efforts. We are only given 168 hours in a week. Evaluate how you are spending your time? Is it playing a ton of golf, tennis or pickle ball? Is it watching a ton of Netflix or Hallmark Christmas movies?  (ouch)  Let’s be encouraged to reevaluate how we are spending our time on more mission-focused, faith-based ministries that are leading people to a closer walk with Jesus.
  6. Shine your light for Jesus! Let your light shine. Tell others about the saving faith in Jesus Christ. Let’s not be silent on letting others hear our testimonies and how Jesus saved our lives and is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
  7. Vote in a way that most closely aligns with Biblical values.  I pray you voted early. If you are waiting for Election Day, please vote for the Lamb in the way that most closely aligns with Biblical values with Judeo-Christian focus, pro-life (Psalm 139), pro-Israel (Genesis 12:1-3, Psalm 122:6, Zechariah 12:9 , capitalist economy (Matthew 25:14-30), and secure borders (Numbers 32:17).

These seven ways are only a few of the many ways for us to deepen our relationship with the Lord.

I pray to instead hear those precious words from the Lord, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:21)

I pray for revival in me, in each of us, and for our country and world, and for the Lord to know each of us deeply as His sons and daughters. Lord, thank you for blessing America. May America bless You, Lord.

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