Category Archives: Kingdom Economy

-“Recession Is a Good Time for Revival”

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(Photo by Lanes Simmons /Council Today)

I have always thought that any time is a good time for revival but especially hard times which seem to get the attention of more folks and prepare them to seek God in a more serious way.

Pastor Rick Warren in addressing the Assemblies of God (Link NLA)(AG) biennial General Council last week observed:

“Bad times are good times for churches because people will turn to the Lord when things are going bad. When things are going great they ignore God.”

Then he proceeded to present recent evidence of revival in his home church in Lake Forest, California:

“He said revival hit his congregation in April, when the church saw 1,600 people come to Christ in that month alone. He said more than 1,000 people were baptized, and 2,600 people participated in the church’s monthly membership class, which typically draws 100 people.”

That is tremendous growth for a mega church with a steady membership that had leveled off in recent years. 

I can tell you from first hand experience, since I live in Lake Forest, that this area has been experiencing a severe recession with unemployment way over 10%. In my own family, 3 of my adult children had lost their jobs early in the year and another had lost a job but found another at 1/2 what he was making before. From January to July we had 5 extra people living in our home because of the downturn and still have three including two grandchildren.

In his address, Pastor Rick noted:

“We have the potential, if we are ready, to see genuine spiritual revival in our local churches—if we are prepared for it”

He cited Exodus 4 where Moses met God in the burning bush and the Lord told him to lay down his staff—the symbol of his authority and pick it up again renewed:

“When God told Moses to lay down his staff, He was saying, ‘I want you to lay down your influence, your identity and your income. When you pick it back up, it’s Mine,’” Warren said, noting that after that point, Moses’ staff was called the rod of God.

“God said, ‘If you give it to Me, I will make it come alive.”

Later, Pastor Rick listed 5 different stages that historical revivals usually go through:

1. personal renewal;

2. relational revival marked by repentance and reconciliation;

3. a renewal of vision that causes ministries to rediscover their purpose;

4. structural renewal to accommodate growth; and

5. cultural renewal, which happens as a result of the other phases.

He noted that revivals that stop with personal and relational renewal usually fizzle out. His address culminated with this important message for leaders:

“Nothing matters more” than reaching people with the gospel message.”

“If you want the blessing of God on your life, if you want the anointing of God on your life, if you want the power of God on your life, you must care about what God cares about most.”

“What does God care about most? It ain’t politics. It isn’t changing American culture. It’s He wants His lost children found.”

Amen, Pastor Rick.           

-Kingdom Economy: Do No Participate in The Spirit of Fear and Worry

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(Picture via Wikipedia)

It is time for the American Church to stand up and be all that we are called to be. In the wisdom of the world it is a time to shrink back, retool, and curtail or cut everything back that isn’t necessary. But the Church is called to follow a different path than the world.

My Children—Do Not Participate in the Spirit of Fear and Worry!

The enemy has sowed fear in the world economy but the church and Christian families must reject that spirit of fear or worry and participate in a Kingdom Economy—Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness. (See: Matt. 6:24-34clip_image002)

We can no longer serve two masters—if we continue to identify with the world we will continue to live in fear and we will have every reason in the world to worry. God says that his children are not to worry!

That is exactly what Jesus said and I don’t believe that he was just preaching a nice 3-point Sunday sermon. No, He is the creator of the universe and if anybody knows how it really works it should be him and he says not to worry!

I can hear you saying—”Now Michael you just don’t know what my family is going through right now—we can’t pay our bills and we don’t know where to turn. All our credit cards are maxed out and they have doubled the interest and the minimum payments plus we are 3 month behind on the mortgage—yet you say not to worry1”

I don’t say anything—that’s what God’s own Son says to his people then and now.

I am in the same boat many of you are in wondering where the money is coming from to pay my bills and keep food on the table—but I have learned to stop living in fear and to trust God in the midst of it (well at least most of the time). My business is off 35% and that would usually mean my income would be too but the numbers don’t make any sense right now and at the end of each month I have just enough to pay for everything.

Three out of four of my adult children (ages 29-38) are out of work and the 4th one just took a job that pays 1/2 of what he use to make. One son had to move back home with his 2 kids so our expenses here actually increased significantly. Originally, I had planned on retiring in October and was well prepared but I lost most of my retirement funds with everyone else.

Yet in the midst of it all God was patient and gracious enough to put up with my fear, grumbling, and worry for the last 4 months—finally I’m starting to get it and my priorities are changing. Good–by worry, Good-by fear, and hello Praise the Lord no matter what! But I’ll probably need to re-read this post the next time I pay the bills.

I’ll leave you with one more Bible lesson to be shared and lived—You see my friends we are called to live by faith (I Kings 17:7-24clip_image002[1]):

There was a widow and her son living in Zarephath of Sidon. She only had a small amount of flour and oil to make one small final meal for her and her son—then they would surely die. Along came this foreigner named Elijah who asked the woman to share her last meal with him and she did. You all know the story—that little dab of oil and flour never gave out and better yet she later received healing for her son who was raised from the dead.

Nice story but what does that mean for us today? The same God who provided for the woman and her son is still God today and his Economy still provides. The God who fed 5,000 is our Lord and Savior– We are called to continue to give even in our own time of need.

We are called not to worry, Called to live by faith, and Called to continue giving. That’s God’s Kingdom Economy. And guess what—he will also bless us with healing and raise the dead just like he did for that poor widow who gave out of her poverty and need.

May God bless us all, may he rise up and bear us with healing on his wings, and may his praises be upon our lips and in our hearts everyday. Amen.

-God Will Supply!

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Here’s a wonderful faith generating story from Bill Hamon and his wife Evelyn (Link NLA) telling of some tough times during the early years of their ministry in 1958 when all they had were 8 pennies and they prayed for the 8 pennies to somehow be turned into $8 so that they could go down the road to their next ministry assignment:

“In the early years, my wife, Evelyn—”Mom”—and I traveled in ministry with our son, Tim. When he was a year and a half old, we were in Muskogee, Oklahoma, doing meetings in a small country church. The congregation didn’t have a pastor, and every night after I would minister they would place a basket on the altar and say, “We know you’re all poor and you don’t have anything, but if you could find something to give to the minister, that would be a blessing.”

After about two weeks of ministering there, paying for our own food, gas and other needs, we were averaging about 50 cents per night in the offering. Even in 1958, 50 cents was not very much money.  …”

Side comment: Now some of you younger folks may not realize how much the worth of a US dollar has changed over the years. I can remember going to lots of Saturday matinee movies at the picture show in the mid 50’s as a kid with my 50 cents allowance which not only got me in the door but also a small coke and a popcorn–and I got to see 2 movies, a couple of cartoons, plus a newsreel to help you get seated! So much for the good ol’ days.