Category Archives: Revival

-“Balokole”: The Effects of an East African Revival Still Going After 80 Years

Posted on by
Reply

In J. Lee Grady’s latest column (Link NLA) he writes about an East Africa Revival that started in September 1929. The Christians in that area call it ‘Balokole’ and the effects of the revival are still evident and active after all these years in Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi in particular.

Grady shares a quote in the article from Michael Harper who writes of the revival:

“It’s effects have been more lasting than almost any other revival in history, so that today there is hardly a single Protestant leader in East Africa who has not been touched by it in some way.”

Later Grady writes that he is hoping for something similar to come to America. We will explore that in the next post.

-Jerusalem: An Interview with Heidi Baker, Part Three

Posted on by
Reply

Here’s Chris Mitchell’s third and final with Heidi Baker in Jerusalem: Longing for Jerusalem and Jesus (Link NLA)

The following is part of the Mitchell’s intro to this video:

“What’s God’s Heart for Jerusalem? How does lasting fruitfulness in ministry happen? These are some of the questions Heidi Baker answers…

Heidi’s passion for Jesus rings out as she talks about the joy of spending time with Him.”

-Jerusalem: An Interview with Heidi Baker, Part Two

Posted on by
Reply

Here’s Chris Mitchell’s second interview with Heidi Baker: “Back to Jerusalem”

The following is part of the Mitchell’s intro to this video:

Many of you may have heard of the “Back to Jerusalem” vision of the Chinese church. …

In this second part of our interview with Heidi Baker of Iris Ministries, she tells how they’re planting thousands of churches throughout Africa on their way back to Jerusalem. It’s all part of the fulfillment of the Great Commission…

Heidi also shares some of the lessons the church in the West can learn from the people who are “the poorest of the poor.” These are people dependent and desperate for God. As Heidi says, “if God doesn’t show up, they’re dead.” But she says He does show up, the God who is alive!

-Jerusalem: An Interview with Heidi Baker, Part One

Posted on by
Reply

Chris Mitchell of CBN News interviewed Heidi Baker of Iris Ministries in Jerusalem a few days ago. This first video contains an update on the ongoing revival ministries of Heidi and her husband Rolland in Mozambique and Malawi, Africa where they have planted 10’s of thousands of churches, and run several orphanages and a school of ministry.

I have personally experienced their ministry several times in my home church during their visits back home to South Orange County California. Always an incredible experience.

This is what Chris Mitchell in way of introduction on his Jerusalem Dateline CBN website:

“Would you believe people are being raised from the dead? Or the deaf hearing? Even food being multiplied? Heidi Baker believes it and has seen it. …

What happened then sounds like stories straight out of the Book of Acts. But Heidi insists it’s happening today. She says it’s a story of miracles and Muslims coming to faith in Jesus.”

-Receiving God’s Favor and Living in His Kingdom Economy-Part 2

Posted on by
Reply

image

(Dome of the Rock—Jerusalem via Wikipedia)

Things have changed enough for the better in the last two months that I am now in the middle of a 2 week vacation in our motorhome—a vacation I really needed–Praise God. At the end of June I really didn’t see how I was going to pay the current DMV registration that was due on the RV much less take a vacation in it this year.

The last week of June at a Wednesday morning prayer service Pastor Mike prophesied over me that my work was going to get a whole lot easier and all of the stuff I was then worrying about was going to be resolved and that I was going to receive ‘God’s favor’.

I sorta wondered about what ‘God’s favor’ meant and involved–how that was any different than what I already had but it sure sounded good. Anyone out there ever receive a prophetic word that was full of good sounding stuff and traditional ‘prophetic filler’ that really didn’t mean a whole lot? If you receive ‘God’s favor’ how do you know for sure except good stuff starts to happen?

Well in this case, ‘God’s favor’ has been miraculously demonstrated to me literally on several occasions—here’s one incredible incident:

I had just spent 3 or 4 hours with a new client going over some of his needs for his new store (I sell market equipment to pay the bills). I was afraid that this was going to be a complete waste of time and effort. I had already been there twice before and sent him 10 pages of quotes and we really didn’t seem to be getting any closer to doing business. I threw up one of those traditional prayers like I always do in this situation— “Lord just give me favor in their eyes—don’t let this be a complete waste– I really do need something out of this—anything”.

At that point I really had little hope that I would see anything in the way of sales for all of the time and effort I had invested. The owners were Middle Eastern Muslims and usually the business climate is full of mistrust and like warfare in these cases. The only time in my experience that I really receive any large sales from Middle Eastern folks is when I have already done business with them in the past or with a relative and received a good referral. These were folks that I didn’t know nor did they or any of their relatives know me.

Right after I threw up that short prayer, the owner that I had been dealing with said— “I want you to come meet the big boss.”  We went to the front of the store and there was a circle of folks drinking tea with one guy obviously at the head of that informal table—he was wearing a teashirt that said “Jerusalem” and had a picture of the Dome of the Rock mosque on it. My heart sunk a little seeing that as I was introduced to “Ali” the big boss and money man of the operation—the one who makes the real decisions over anything substantial.

The moment we shook hands he proclaimed—“I just saw a vision of you standing with a Bible preaching or teaching—are you a Bible teacher?”

I was totally shocked and amazed and blurted out: “I am a Bible teacher!”

Ali shouts out- “I knew it, I knew it!”

Then he turns to those around the table and says: “This is a man we can trust—give him an order”.

And it was a very nice order indeed–Praise the Lord!  

-Receiving God’s Favor and Living in His Kingdom Economy

Posted on by
Reply

image

(Image by John McNab via Flickr)

2009 has been a difficult time for the Davis family. 2008 wasn’t so good but then 2009 rolled around and the bottom fell out of the economy in So. California. At one time or another this year, all 4 of my adult children have been out of work—we ended up with 3 extra adults living with us along with 2 grandchildren. Meanwhile my business and income dropped 30% while our expenses with 5 more mouths to feed increased exponentially.

By the end of June we were in a crisis with far more bills to pay than money. I really didn’t know what to do but continued to pray for some answers which didn’t seem to come.

I went to that last Wednesday morning prayer service of the month rather down and with little hope. The Pastor gave me a word that my work was going to get a whole lot easier and that I was going to receive God’s favor. Unknown to Pastor mike, the previous 3 months had been the hardest I had ever worked for the least results. I wish I could say that I received the word in faith but I didn’t—this is not a ‘name it and claim it’ testimony. I left with a wait and see attitude.

Immediately our situation began to change miraculously. The same day I sold two huge orders and had more referrals than I had all year. In 4 days we had enough money to pay the bills that month which had seemed so hopeless.

One son who had been unemployed for 4 months but couldn’t get any unemployment money—his application was lost– then found–than delayed because of a technicality–he finally got a check the next week. Since then all three at home ended up with new jobs one by one—now we just have one son and two grandchildren still living with us.

Meanwhile, with the economy going one direction—downhill, my business has been incredible and full of down right miracles lately.  Next post I will tell you about one.    

-“Recession Is a Good Time for Revival”

Posted on by
Reply

image

(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.           

-Revival and The Jews

Posted on by
Reply

image

Here’s an article By Sid Roth that suggests that the greatest revival of all time awaits for the gentiles to finally take the gospel back to the Jews:

”Will Revival Come to the Jews”? (LINK NLA)

Sid says that Oral Roberts recently had a visitation from the Lord, who told him:

“This is the hour Jewish people are being drawn to God.”

Also according to Roth:

“Here’s how it works. God is removing the spiritual scales from the eyes of Gentile Christians (see Rom. 11:25). Their spiritual maturity (fullness) will result in a great Jewish harvest. The salvation of the Jews will be the catalyst for the greatest Gentile revival in history.”

Response: I think Sid may really have something here. I have noticed in the last few years that miraculously more Jewish folks are coming to Christ than in any other generation since the first century.          

-The On-going Revival in Cuba

Posted on by
Reply

image

(Cuba via Wikipedia)

Strang Report: When Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, there were 89 small Assemblies of God churches in Cuba which remained until 1989, then revival came. Since then the Assemblies have grown from 12,000 members to over 500,000.

Incredibly the government authorities agreed and encouraged them to continue their growth through a house church movement in order to accommodate everyone who wants to worship. Since then it has grown to include 3,000 house cell groups and over 900 Church buildings.

Not mentioned in the article–the AOG aren’t the only Christian groups that have been experiencing incredible growth in Cuba at the same time. There are also a number of indigenous Cuban church organizations that have grown in the same way—all of them experiencing healings, diverse gifts of the Spirit, miracles, and numerous signs and wonders in the process.

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

Posted on by
Reply

image

(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.