Revival | SermonIndex

sermonindex Apr 27, 2006

What is SI about?What it isIt is first and foremost a privilege.It is a gathering of saints now throughout the world.And that alone may be the most important factor to keep in mind at all times.It is a place to share, discuss, listen, think and grow into all things in Jesus Christ.It is bible based.It is for the most part "KJV" preferred, but not "only".It is apostolic in it's desire to return to Old Paths;Isa 58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. Jer 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. It is in aim and undergirding Revival.A Revival of God's thought.Of others and lastly, ourselves.It may be said that this is the mindset, better the heart set that resides back of intentions and motivations to all that is expressed on SermonIndex.It is a longing for, praying for, a Revival of the same substance that is expressed through the many resources available here.One of it's main aims i think we will all agree is Revival.With so many here on this forum caught up in a war of words at the moment i thought it would be encouraging if i started a thread that would glorify God and maybe encourage the one person who being obedient to God started this site.So my question to all of you here is "What is God doing in your area/life where you can see perhaps the promise of a revival?"For example where i am living right now as most of you know it is a very rough neighbourhood. Spiritually i believe England is harder than most parts of America. There aren't many labourors yet and the churches here are barely active. All that aside i am now beginning to witness God moving in this place. Two of the most unlikly people i thought would even step foot in a church are now going. One of these being a key person to some of the toughest families here. I went out witnessing in my town the other day and God led me to a group of two young girls and a young man. They looked like your average tough teenagers. I thought "God, what are you doing i just want to start off with a nice easy group of people, maybe one person" but God knows and it just shows i was stereotyping. One of the girls wasn't open to it at all at first but we eneded up in deep conversation one of the girls being convicted and recieving what i had to say. By the end of it one girl said she actually goes to the building where our church is for dance. So everytime she goes now im sure she'll think back to our meeting.I could share more and i will but i just wanted to know more at what God is doing the world over.Remember that this thread i started is to enocourage each other and perhaps spark a desire to prayer for each other knowing what God is doing, knowing what our needs are. May God be gloryfied, Amen.

sermonindex Apr 27, 2006

Isa 58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. Raising the foundations of many generations. This led me to write what i posted in the following link:Forgotten past of my town feat. Matthew Henry UpdateWe could even post on this thread what generations before us have done in the places that we live. If we look into it we may be surprised at what we find as i was and be encouraged at the same time to perservere in the battle for revival. You could post it in the link above or this thread, maybe start a new one. :-)

O

Onesimus4God Apr 27, 2006

Hi, I live in Tucson, Arizona, USA. Over all, Tucson is like most cities, with a mixture of denominations. I tried visiting many churches when I came here, but did not get a witness in any of them that it was where I belonged. Most are dead in tradition and the pastor has an iron chastity belt on ministry with a big lock. I manager a self storage facility. My boss offered me a manager's apartment, free rent and utilities. Unchurched folks furnished it for me free of charge. ("Lord, what is going on here, I'm not used to this"?) So I start looking around and just 2 blocks down the street, there is a Teen Challenge facility. This is just too close to be coincedence. So I went and talked to the director. He told me they had been praying for me to come and was so glad I had finally arrived. (ME?) He offered me a salaried staff position which I declined. I'm not rich, but God is meeting my needs. So he put me on as a volunteer staff minister. I do counseling, and I teach 3 classes a week. The director is a wonderful man, 72 years old. He and his wife have been in ministry all their lives. He is well known here because he recently retired from 13 years on local radio. He is loved by all. This man gave me full run of the place here. I am invited into the most priviledged meetings and my input is solicited. I've never been treated this way before. Oh that I had been doing this all my life. But it's not over yet, amen? Praise God. I can't begin to tell you what a privilege it is to serve God in this place. It's like I see miracles happening on almost a daily basis. I see the power of God changing young me from lost as can be into children of the living God. They are very worshipful. I also witness them ministering to each other. What we have is a 13 month discipleship program. They are here with us for the first 4 months. Then they go to a ranch just north of Phoenix for 7 months, then back here for 2 months. They are completely isolated from the world. No tv, books, magazines, nothing. Only their bibles and study materials are allowed. This way God has full access into their lives. One of the classes I teach is on prayer, meeting with God. The testimonies of the students since they have been attending is just so overwhelming, I weep for joy. Not only are they talking to God, but God is talking to them. It is so amazing. On Friday Nights, we open up to the community. We serve a meal, give away food boxes, and then we go to chapel and worship God together for an hour. These are so exciting, because we too are in a "rough" neighborhood. Many street people pass our way. The word is getting out that we give a free meal on Friday night. So the numbers are steadily increasing. We also have begun offering free clothing. All of this offers us free access to people we might not reach other wise. What a blessing this has been. Little by little, you can see their response to love in their eyes. The response? Hope. The Gospel message is a message of hope. Praise God. I think Sunday services are just down the road a bit. I am also praying for God to work it out so my wife and I can live there full time. They have a place for us and it has been offered. But my 17 year old daughter has to get on her own feet before this is possible. But we are very blessed for now. Oh how we thank God for what He is doing. Revival? We are hoping that His presence in our solicitude becomes so powerful and real that people will just come in off the street and repent and get saved. We are believing God for miracles, and we are seeing them happen. Is God manifesting Himself to us? Oh yes. He said when we do it to the least of these His brethren, it's the same as doing it unto Him. Now, to the dear lady that started this and posted one verse of Isaiah 58, I would that she had posted the whole chapter. Please take time to read it prayerfully. Also read Matthew 25:31-46. Then ask yourself, are you fasting the way God desires. Are your works of righteousness in line with His will and purpose shown forth here in His word? selah. Jesus tells us in the passage in Matthew how important it is to Him. Should it not have the same importance to every believer? Selah. Thanks for giving me an opportunity to share. God bless you all real good. I'm very excited about what all will be shared here. I never get enough of hearing what God is doing in and among His people.humbly before Him,"Onesimus for God"

sermonindex Apr 27, 2006

Now, to the dear lady that started this and posted one verse of Isaiah 58, I would that she had posted the whole chapter. Please take time to read it prayerfully.Here it is in full, Isaiah 58:Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted, [say they], and thou seest not? [wherefore] have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as [ye do this] day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? [is it] to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes [under him]? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? [Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? [Is it] not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I [am]. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And [if] thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness [be] as the noonday: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And [they that shall be] of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, [from] doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking [thine own] words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it].

C

crsschk Apr 27, 2006

Onesimus, what an encouraging and ...Thanks for giving me an opportunity to share. Thank you!Geraldine as well,

sermonindex Apr 28, 2006

"Onesimus for God", Thank you so much for your very encouraging post. I love to see what God is doing in people's lives and im so blessed that you took the time to write and post this. I pray that yours will be the first of many testimonies here showing how God is moving in individuals all over the world. As you said: I'm very excited about what all will be shared here. I never get enough of hearing what God is doing in and among His people. Also thank you Mike you are a real blessing and encourager here.Lets get these testimonies going to the glory of God and encourage one another guy's! :-D