Behind the Storm

Oh Lord my God, You are my guide.

When hope seems gone and storms arise

I'll turn to You and grasp Your hand.

I'll let You work Your master plan.

Though others turn their backs toward me,

Though heartaches come and friends may flee,

I've found Your grace to be enough,

Your loving hand, Your gentle touch.

My heart has hurt beyond all thought,

But You my God, for me have fought.

Through every storm You are my guide.

On You I'll lean, in You I'll hide.

I've found Your footprints in the storm.

You want my heart to Yours conformed.

These troubles come that I may see,

You hear my cry and broken plea.

There is a cause worth fighting for:

To know your heart - to love you more.
So when the storms obscure Your grace,

I'll see past it - into Your face.

Is Revival Possible in the 21st Century?

2 Chronicles 7:14

This is a question that I have asked myself many times. I have heard scores of preachers preach from this text. And yet through it all Christians act as though revival is impossible in this dark period of our nation. If we decide it is impossible, than it is. Our country is not at the point it is today because of the lost and unsaved. Our nation is in the mess it is today because Christians have been apathetic for too long. We have been living with a video game mind set. If anything happens we’ll just start over. Friends, we do not have a reset button on our country. If we do not stand up now we will lose our country. I believe with all my heart that revival is possible in our day! But how? The word “revival” mean to be reawakened. To be reawakened or revived one must first have been alive. This lost world can not know a revival or reawakening because they have never been made alive. We should not be surprised at the wickedness of a nation that is dead spiritually! We should not be surprised at how lightly they view great wickedness. We should be astounded and disgusted at how lightly God’s people treat sin! We should be revolted at what Christians are condoning! If we want to know the cause of America’s problems we needn’t go any further than the mirror! Revival will never be possible unless every man decides that it will begin first in him. On his deathbed the great preacher and servant of Christ D.L. Moody is reported to have said, “The world has yet to see what God will do with and for and through a man who is fully and wholly committed to Him.” What is the problem with our country today? Christians have decided that revival is impossible. And yet it isn’t! It will take a person fully devoted to God. It will take a person that will give up the pleasures of this sinful world and boldly proclaim God. His identity will be found in God. He will be nothing on his own, and he will have no goal but to speak, and sing, and shout the story of his Savior and his salvation. Why have we not seen revival in our generation? Because we have not found that man. We have not found that woman.

Could it be that America is waiting for you to answer God’s call?

Mark 9:23
“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”
Matthew 19:26
“But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”
2 Chron. 7:14
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
2 Tim. 1:7
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Isaiah 59:19
“So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.”

Press Toward the Mark

About a week and a half ago, due to a little bit of insanity and peer pressure, I decided to start running again. The last time I ran was about six months ago, so I knew it was not going to be easy. The first time I ran about 2 miles of a 3 mile loop. It wasn’t bad for someone who hadn’t run for quite some time. I was not going to guilt myself for it.
The next time I ran I was a little bit more prepared. However, as I hit the two mile mark, where I had started walking the previous time, my mind began to get weak. Beginning to walk again here would not make me a failure.
It then hit me…I had forgotten how to run! I was running based on feeling. I was not pressing toward a goal. I was running like so many Christians run their Christian race. Why are so many of us weak and anemic spiritually? Why are we not the Christian warriors that Paul and John were? Why are we not like the great men and women of the faith that we read about and hear stories about?
Perhaps we fail to view this race as it is. I know that I have looked ahead at the future as a long stretch that seems to go on endlessly. We are running. So what’s the sin in taking a couple of detours? Maybe stop by a neighbor’s house…buy some water at the gas station… inspect the wildlife…take a quick nap…
The Christian was not meant to be a drudgery, but any runner with a goal will find that running eventually becomes a pleasant task. The thing about having a goal is that you are far less likely to be snared by the shiny things this world presents to you. If you stopped every time you saw something shiny, you’d be amazed at the number of aluminum cans on the side of the road. The world’s treasures are a lot like these cans. Shiny…but utterly worthless.
In Philippians 3:13-14 Paul says, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” There is a goal and there is a high calling. As important as the things of this world are painted to be, they are rubbish and filth when compared to the prize that lies ahead. Hebrews 12:1-3 charges us, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” There is a goal!

I refuse to be discouraged.

I refuse to mope and cry.

I'm a child of the King of Kings;

what worries now have I?

I'm covered by His precious blood.

My sins are washed away!

So many reasons to rejoice.

Why - I can even pray!

The clouds of doubt and jealousy

Have no place within my skies.
I gave my heart to Jesus Christ.

Great peace within me lies.

The world may flash its gems,

its jewels,Its artificial love.

but my hope comes from one who lives

And loves me from above.

Start Right

My foundation was built upon unstable ground.

The floors and the roof made a terrible sound.

The foundation was shaky, the walls were best in:

My future was hurt by my life's early sin.

I made the decision to start building right.

But why fix the foundation? It wasn't in sight.

I would build the second floor sturdy and strong.

Surely my right could outweigh my wrong.

If only I'd decided to start out right.

If only my sin had not cluttered my sight.

For now I see that my earlier trouble

Caused even my right to crumble to rubble.

So how many floors are you planning to build?

To what point will your foundation be filled?

Your beginning choices compose your first floor.

What you do now will show what's in store.

So the key to success is not to grow up.

To start when you're older will not be enough.

The decisions you make in your earlier years

Will make you strong or bring you to tears.

Amazing Grace!

Amazing grace! I have received!

Amazing grace! How can it be?

Amazing grace! A peace unknown!
I lay myself before God's throne.

Amazing grace! I have a song.

Amazing grace! Now I belong.

By grace I'm saved; by grace I'm free;

O Lord my God, who died for me!
Amazing grace, I'll ever sing.

Amazing grace, my Savior brings!

It satisfied a price so high,

And Draws me to my Savior's side.

Amazing grace, the sweetest sound,

This precious song that I have found.

No greater gift! No greater love!

Than that which comes from God above!

Move Up One More Pew

Move yourself up just one row:
An act of conscious care.
The Lord is calling.
Make this move to show Him that you hear.

He's calling to you, "Follow me."
He wants to make you knew.
What better way to tell Him, "Yes"
Than move us just one pew?

Make that pew your resting place
From the battles that you fight.
Lay your troubles on the Lord
Who maketh burdens light.

Pick up your sword: lift up your head.
Christ's calling now to you:
And when you're ready to go on,
Well...move up again one pew!