Let put Jesus first again.
Headlines: Trump’s devious coronavirus election strategy
Michigan protest bellwether of dangerous partisan divide
Covid Anger splits US
Texas officer killed, two injured in ambush
Federal judges side w/ Planned PH, deem elective abortions essential.
Opinion + Dear Abby
Our country is divided-broken-fearful-lost
What the world needs is Jesus!
Jesus is coming soon, we have a stewardship responsibility for what we have been given.
Romans 14:11-12
For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’”[b]
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
We have been called to take up our cross and follow
Luke 14: 25-27
25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Right now what the world needs is REVIVAL not SURVIVAL
Two biblical accounts of revival:
Nehemiah – rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem
Nehemiah 7: 4-5
Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. 5 So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families.
Nehemiah 8:1-3
1 all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.
2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law
Nehemiah 8:6
6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
Jonah
Jonah 3: 1-5
Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
Revival means a second chance (CPR). We need a second chance in country.
What do we need to do?
- Repent.
15 This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it.
Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
How did we get to this point? Where did we go wrong?
- Pray with confidence
16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Psalm 138:3
When I called, you answered me;
you greatly emboldened me.
Matthew 7:7
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
If a microscopic virus can do this to the world, image faith of a mustard seed!
Spurgeon:
“Prayer pulls on the rope below and the great bell rings in the ears of God. Some scarcely stir the bell for they pray so languidly. Others give an occasional pluck at the rope. But he who wins heaven is the man who grasps the rope boldly and pulls continually with all his might”
- Have a Passion for the Glory of God
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Colossians 3:23
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
“the true worth of a man is measured in the objects he pursues:
Matthew 6:21
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
- Have a burden for the lost and revival
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Phil: 2:3-4
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
John 4:35
35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
Matthew 9:35-38
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Phil 2: 1-3
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
- Be bold – GO Forth!
58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Gal 6: 9-10
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
2 Chron 7:14
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
1 Thess 5:11
11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
2 Tim 1:7
7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Isaiah 6:8
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Joshua 1:9
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
Go boldly where no man has gone before!