Going On Beyond

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.

When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and *said to them, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.” Mark 6:45-50

What is quite remarkable in this reading from Mark’s Gospel is that Jesus’ apparent destination and purpose was not joining his disciples in the boat. His intention, rather, was to go on ahead of them to the other side of the lake. Jesus has a purpose that is greater than ours. We want Him to ratify and bless what we are doing. We want Him to join us in a sinking boat. And often He does out of compassion. But His plans and purposes are much greater then ours and time is running out.

Jesus is more interested in His true disciples joining Him rather than His joining of them.

They were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking on ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were fearful. And again He took the twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him. Mark 10:32

If true revival is to be consummated in America then the American Church must join Jesus and not the other way around. Are we ready to follow Jesus. Are we willing to get out of a sinking boat. Are we as interested in going on with Jesus to His destination as He is, or are we more interested in diverting Jesus for our own purposes?

What does it mean to go on beyond with Jesus? It means taking our minds off our circumstances and placing them on Christ alone. It means a willingness to give up all that we hold dear if it is holding us back from a faithful walk with our Lord. It means giving up denominational spirits. It means abandoning all programs. It means doing the very thing that Jesus is asking us to do that we do not want to do. It means trusting Jesus more than ourselves. It means forsaking the good for the God’s best. it means going from glory to glory without stopping and building a booth. It means going on up the mountain without even stopping to look at the pretty scenery down in the valley. And it means continually being before the Lord on our faces in prayer with a true hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Preaching Revival

Today I make good on my promise. What do we need to do to participate in revival? Notice I did not say: “What must we do to start a revival?” We can study past revivals all we want but we will not be able to start a revival.

I want to start with the preachers. The title above suggests that we need to revive preaching in America. It also suggests what we need to preach. We need to preach revival. Who is preaching it? Are you? Why not? We cannot start a revival, but we can participate in the revival that God starts. How? By being in agreement with His message.

Preachers, are you still preparing a sermon? Why a sermon? No one needs your sermon. Your people need a fresh word from God for them at this particular time. How can they hear unless you preach God’s Word — not your word. God is speaking to the Church. He is speaking to you. It is time to humble yourself learn how to listen to what He is saying.

How do you do it? Spend time with Him in prayer. Get together with your intercessors and pray. Get into God’s presence and listen. Then pray what He gives you to pray and preach what God gives you to preach. Leave your prayer list behind as well as your sermon notes.

And do not try to take over the prayer time and impose your program. Your seminary training does not qualify you to lead prayer. Let those who practice prayer do it. Set an example of humility before your people. Please don’t pray like the pastors do at the pastors meetings. Just let the intercessors  know and let God know that you are hungry for revival. (Maybe you don’t have intercessors — just elders. Elders should be intercessors. I will write more on this later.)

You might say that I am not a prophet. I can’t speak God’s Word. Then get out of the pulpit. You may  not serve in the office of a prophet, but God wants you to preach prophetically. You may say you are a liturgical preacher and must follow the lectionary readings. Well, did not Jesus follow the lectionary of the synagogue? And yet He preached prophetically. He also taught. It is possible to teach prophetically as well.

Maybe the prophetic word will not be profitable? (Although some modern day “prophets” who sell books and conduct seminars might disagree.) Maybe the prophetic word will not be popular? This is a lie from the enemy. Many in America are desperate for a Word from God. How will you know unless you preach the Word. Even if it is not received in your church, your commission is to preach the Word in season and out. You step into the revival and there will be those who step in with you. If you do not, revival will pass you by and you will be held accountable for not warning the people.

Are you desperate enough to listen and preach what God gives you? He does not need your help to start a revival. He needs your faithfulness. Are you desperate enough to pray in agreement with your intercessors? Are you desperate enough to put your programs aside? Are you desperate enough to let the Spirit of God move in the midst of your congregation without your control or taking any credit?

God was doing a new thing in Jonathan Edwards’ day. Edwards was faithful. He just preached the Word.

Intimacy with God

God is calling our nation to renew the covenant He made with the first settlers at Cape Henry. He is also calling each Christian believer in this nation to renew his or her personal covenant with Him. We are not called to merely discern the truth, or preach the truth, but to live the truth. Yet, if we do not know Jesus then we haven’t a prayer of living an authentic Christian witness. Jesus is the way, and the truth, and the life. Truth is a person. That person is Jesus – the agent of creation. Do we know Him?

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’
And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ Matthew 7:21-23

In the American Church “Triumphant” our witness is excess. We have Bigger churches. We have lengthy services. We have louder praise. We crave supernatural signs and wonders and call them “revivals.” We preach personal prosperity as a sign of God’s blessing.

We are going to tear down our barns and build bigger barns. Do we not understand, America, that soon our souls will be required of us? It is time to repent and get back to our first love.