Raise up my Love!

Raise up my love!

It has died and gone cold.

Let Your Spirit make alive

My heart of stone…

Raise up my love!

It is dead without Yours,

The love of my God

Who first loved me…(Chorus)

Raise up my love!

Resurrect the blessed Hope

That brightly will burn,

Showing others the road…

Raise up my love!

Come into my heart;

Let Your Spirit transform me

As together we sup…

Raise up my love!

We’re in the last days;

Evil is all around

Yet Your grace still abounds…

I have no love of my own

Please give me a piece of Yours;

Like the moon reflects the sun

Let me reflect Your perfect love…

This poem/song was inspired by:

Psalm 51:10-13, Rev 2:4-5, 1John 4:19-21, Rev 3:17-20, John 3:16, John 13:34-35, 2John 1:5, 1 Cor 13

Revival and Reformation P6-Transformed by His Spirit

We have learned that reformation is the result of true revival, a vital and living connection with God that results in an unmistakable transformation in the life of the true Christian.

However, in order for reformation to occur in our lives so that the fruit of the Spirit is displayed, we need to surrender totally to God. We need to give ourselves totally to His Will and plan for our lives. He who resists will not be changed for the better. God will not impose change upon you unless you admit that you need things about you changed. It works the same as in the natural world; if you go to a psychologist, he can’t help you unless you first admit you have a problem and are willing to work with him to accept change in your life. (Rom 12:1-2)

The biggest hindrance to reformation in the life of professed Christians is hypocrisy which is satan pulling the wool over your eyes, deceiving you into thinking that you’re perfect and that other people are the problem. As long as you harbour this spirit and attitude in your life, you cannot be totally delivered and reformed. The Bible says that people will know you by your fruits. (Matt 7:16-21, James 3:11-18, Matt 7:1-5)

I often hear the debate about why it is that we find Christians in Church who are still held captive by the same behaviours and bad habits they had fifty years ago. The reason that this is the case is because each person needs to surrender totally to God in order for Him to work with us in the reformation process. We cannot surrender unless we’re willing to admit that we can do nothing apart from Christ. Only He can deliver us from our cultivated and inherited tendencies to evil. We must surrender our whole being to Him as the first work of every day. We must admit that we have problems that we need help with. For some this may just be undesirable character traits that you want refined.  Others may have habits that consume their lives and for which they need to pursue professional advice, attend a support group or other intervention while also engaging in a regular prayer life. God may choose to deliver some immediately while others are reformed gradually for His glory. (Heb 11:6, John 15:1-9)

It is said that a sculptor is no artist. He just chips away at a piece of granite revealing the beauty already hidden within it. How amazing that God’s Spirit is often alluded to or described as water or oil in the Scriptures. Rocks exposed to water for a long period of time always experience the effects of erosion where the sharp, angular edges are smoothed away and they become beautiful smooth pebbles, pebbles that a shepherd boy can use to slay giants with when God is with him. (1Sam 17:40). Oil causes objects to shine or a candle to burn, just as God intends us to shine for Him. (Matt 5:14-16)

The heavens declare the handiwork of God and all nature obeys His voice. Why do we, the pinnacle of His creation, resist Him? I invite you to write down all the things about you that you want God to change.  Then give them to God daily and ask Him to change you as you submit to His Will. (Ps 51:9-13)

Revival and reformation P4-Positioning yourself for Revival

In the last few weeks, we have learned about the steps to take to start a true revival in your heart. To recap, they are as follows:

1.        The Church is ALWAYS to be in a state of revival.

2.        Be thirsty for revival. Revival will only come to hearts that are open to the Spirit of God.  Confess your sins so that your prayers are heard. Then, ask God for His Holy Spirit to revive your walk with Him. Fast and pray earnestly.

3.        Be ready to move! Revival comes to those who are ready to work for God for that is the purpose of revival. God doesn’t give you His Spirit and power to selfishly sit within the walls of your local church and do nothing. He told the Apostles to wait for His Spirit, for without Him they would not be able to boldly witness and proclaim the Gospel like they did. (Acts 1:1-8, Matt 28:18-20, John 15:5)

You have confessed your sins and prayed. You are ready to do God’s Will and work for Him. What next? It is important to position yourself for revival. You have asked God in faith. Now, you must position yourself in faith, ready to receive what you have asked for. As mentioned in last week’s message, God will never withhold revival from those who ask Him for He does not withhold any good thing from His children that they ask according to His Will. If you are ready to receive and work for Him, He is ready to pour out revival like you’ve never experienced before! So, believe it and get ready and excited to receive it! (Ps 84:11, Lk 11:9-13)

Many people’s expectations of revival are different to what revival actually is and that’s why when God is pouring out revival upon the hearts of His people, they fail to recognize it and position themselves to receive it. Revival is not always accompanied by loud bangs, speaking in tongues or a mighty rushing wind. Mostly it’s just a change of heart, an attraction to God’s ways and His precepts, a revitalizing of the earnest desire to serve Him, obey Him and love Him. Revival is God calling you back home when you have strayed far from the path He has chosen you to walk. It’s as simple as that! Revival is experiencing what it means to be a true Christian, revitalizing that first love for God you had at your conversion when you wanted to climb the highest mountain you could find and let the whole world know that you had found God, or rather that He had found you a long time ago!

When the rain comes in a desert place, people position containers to capture it. If they’re positioned in the wrong place, no water is captured. God is waiting to pour out His latter rain. Get ready. Position yourself strategically to receive it. The concept of revival is so simple. Jesus said that to enter into His Kingdom, you must be like a little child. Why do we complicate things so much? The steps I share, I have followed myself and it has led to a reformation in my life. Revival is the tree that produces the fruit of reformation. Without revival, there can be no reformation. Next week, we will focus on what it means to be reformed. (Mk 10:15, Ps 1:1-3)

Scriptures on the purpose of revival: To proclaim God's message to the world, to be a witness

"And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."- Acts 1: 4-8

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."- Matt 28:18-20

Scriptures refs are within the text of the message. Please read them.

Revival and Reformation Part 3: Pray and Move!

We have examined the meaning of revival, and last week we learned that revival is something that we should thirst for like the parched desert soil thirsts for the evening dew. This week’s message will deal with some of the more practical aspects of revival.  Jesus said in Mk 11:24 that whatsoever things you desire, when you pray believe you have received them and they shall be yours. Obviously, they won’t be yours if you ask contrary to God’s Will, but as long as you ask according to His Will, you will receive what you ask for. This is the promise of God to all those who believe in Him.

“How am I to know God’s Will?” you may ask. One thing is certain. Asking for revival is ALWAYS in accordance with God’s Will. Asking for His Holy Spirit is ALWAYS according to His Will, for He desires to fill everyone who believes in Him with His overcoming, powerful Spirit so that they may work His works in this world, bringing glory to the Father.  Read Luke 11:11-13; it clearly says so. So then, are we asking for revival? When we ask, do we BELIEVE that we have received what we ask for? That is the essence of faith. If we do not ask in faith, we ask amiss. Our prayers hit the ceiling and fall unanswered to the ground and we are not revived.

What does it mean to ask in faith? What does it mean to believe you have received what you ask for? It means that when you come out of your prayer closet having earnestly sought the Lord for spiritual revival, do not walk as those who are spiritually dying. Walk in newness of life, with a newfound purpose, with renewed vigour for the mission God has in store for you. Walk like those on the road to Emmaus whose hearts burned with spiritual revival as Jesus opened to them the Holy Scriptures. Walk as if you have something to offer the world, because you do! You have work to do. You have Gospel Truth to share. With God on your side, it is not a “mission impossible.”

When I first started driving, my mother would yell to me as I reversed out of the driveway. “Move and turn!” she would yell. “Move and turn!” Why? It was because I had a car without a power-assisted steering so if I didn’t let out the clutch a little and give the car a bit of throttle to allow it to move while I maneuvered the steering wheel, it made it that much harder to turn. When I allowed the car to move and turned the wheel simultaneously, it was easier to turn. So it is with our prayers too. God does not want us on our knees forever asking, but doing nothing. He wants us to demonstrate our faith in His power to answer by believing in Him, and what better way to do that than to start acting like a bunch of revived people? Pray and move! That is one of the secrets to starting a revival. If everyone did this, very soon, the whole Church would be revived and the effects would spill over into the wider community. If we spent half the time we normally spend on bickering, complaining and judging others on earnest prayer and fasting and then started working the works of the revived, we wouldn’t need the thrill of sporadic revivals any longer.

We would be like the tree planted by the rivers of living water!

"Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."-Mark 11:24

"If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? "-Luke 11:11-13


"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 Chron 7:14

The Ministry of Prayer-Talking with God

The gospels often record that Jesus rose early and sought out a solitary place where He would spend time in prayer, communing with His Father. His disciples must have been impressed with His prayerful example, for they asked Him to teach them how to pray. The result of this lesson was the Lord’s Prayer, which is known and loved by Christians the world over for it teaches us important lessons on how we should approach prayer. (Luke 11:1)

What is prayer, and why is it so important? As we face the year ahead and considering the times in which we live, it is imperative that we grasp the true meaning and power of prayer. The Bible teaches in James 5:16 that the effectual, fervent prayer of the righteous man avails much.

Prayer is more than just petitioning God, although that may well form part of a person’s prayer time. Prayer is a ministry. I once read a wise quote on what it means to be in ministry. To be a minister of God means helping, interceding and praying for others even though you yourself are in need of being ministered to. That means that prayer is not something we should do only when we feel like it. There will often be times when you don’t feel like praying, but keep at it. The Apostle Paul encouraged believers to “pray without ceasing.” (1 Thes 5:17)

Prayer does not consist of repeating a “shopping list” of your desires to God every day. The most powerful and heartfelt prayers are prayers of repentance, confession, and praying for the needs of others around you. Indeed, you can be truly blessed when you spend the least amount of time listing your needs and praying for yourself, and the most amount of time praying for others. Too often, our spiritual growth is stunted by “give me” prayers and we fail to ask God to deliver us from the temptations of the day ahead and the path of sin that lies ahead of us. True prayer comes from a heart of brokenness and a spirit that seeks after God Himself, and not just the things He is able to provide.

Prayer does not consist of vain repetition; Jesus said that we should not pray as the heathen do. Intimate times of prayer and intercession should not be done in public, but rather in the “closet” i.e. a solitary place of privacy with no disturbances. This ensures that your prayer time is productive and not used as just as an outward show only. If you find it hard to concentrate, keep a prayer journal and write down your prayers. This is an excellent way of reviewing your prayers and recording testimonies of answered prayer that can be used to witness to others. If you don’t know what to pray for, let the Holy Spirit guide you. Intercede, repent, confess, thank, admire and praise God! Ask for spiritual as well as physical needs. (Rom 8:26)

Take your first step in coming to Jesus today by praying the prayer at the bottom of this page. It will change your life forever (in a good way, of course!).  He is longing for you to come to Him today!

Rom 8:26  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Scripture refs: Luke 11:1-4, Matt 6:5-15, 1 Thes 5:17, Rom 8:26

The Fragrance of Christ

As I write this week’s message, I can’t stop thinking about the woman who anointed the Lord with a costly ointment in the house of Simon the Pharisee. She came bearing a gift that was a representation of the love that the Lord had already shed abroad in her heart. She came recognizing that she was no better than anyone else, and in a posture of humility and deep contrition, she poured the ointment on the feet of the Saviour. She came with mixed feelings, weeping with godly sorrow for the sins in her life, but with joy that He had granted her a royal pardon. (2 Cor 7:10)

There was no judgment or condemnation in her thoughts or actions. She had forgotten about the people around her. Her eyes were on the Lord and nothing could detract from the special moment she shared with Him. Their disbelieving stares and hurtful words that ordinarily would have cut to her heart like a knife through butter had no effect on her that day. All she knew, all she remembered was the saving grace of the Lord.

Sometimes, like that woman, I find myself thinking about the Saviour. There are days when thoughts of Him fill my mind even as I go about the daily tasks of life. Those are the really good days, when the fragrance that He put in my heart bubbles over, exuding grace, serenity and beauty. This I have come to know as the fragrance of Christ, the fragrance of His Spirit. It is the same Spirit that binds us together as brothers and sisters in the family of God. It is the same Spirit who caused the Psalmist David’s cup to run over (Ps 23), who emboldened the testimony of the Apostles (Acts 4:13, 29, 31), who testifies that we’re saved by His grace and we’re nothing without Him. (John 15:5)

The fragrance of Christ is what makes the world stop and take notice that He reigns, and to truly taste and see that the Lord is good, and that His mercy endures forever!(Ps 34:8) I am sure I am not alone in saying that friends sometimes ask: “What happy pills are you on today?”  Some have said: “You always say you’re okay…sometimes I think you’d say that even though the world crumbled around you…” (Ps 46) All I can say is that it is the Spirit of Christ, the Comforter, who makes all the difference. The Holy Spirit’s job is to convict the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment, to bring us to the Saviour, to bring to remembrance and fruition Christ’s teachings in our lives, to help us renounce evil and do good (Jn 16:8, 14:17).  May the Spirit of the Lord always be with you as you labour for Him, and let the fragrance of your heart be the fragrance of Christ. Though you may go about life unassumingly and quietly, let the Spirit testify of the reality of a life surrendered to the Saviour. May all the world see it and give glory to the Father! (Matt 5:16)

Scripture refs: Please read the Scripture refs quoted in this message. Also read Matt 26, Mark 14 and Luke 7 for the story of the woman who anointed the Lord in the house of the Pharisee.

A "Parable" on Law and Grace

The Apostle Paul wrote eloquently in the book of Romans on the theme of Law and Grace, and I think we are all enjoying studying this topic immensely. However, many still find it difficult to understand despite their best efforts and intentions.

I have often found that analogies, hypothetical examples and practical experience are the best ways to understand abstract concepts. Our Lord often spoke in parables, using the simple everyday things of this Earth to illustrate certain aspects or Kingdom principles. And so, here goes my attempt at trying to make this a bit easier to understand. (Rom 6-7, Jude 1:4, Heb 12:4)

The Law of God is like a trapeze artist who has the task of walking a tightrope, a difficult if not impossible task for most of us! Just like the Law is difficult to keep in our own strength, so it is with the trapeze artist who has not put in hours of dedicated practice – raw talent can only take you so far; the rest is dependent on the amount of effort you put in. In the same manner, keeping the Law without the aid of the Holy Spirit working within the recesses of our heart, is an impossible feat for the best of men. We often fall!

Just as the trapeze artist cannot afford to look to the right or the left, so we are encouraged to “meditate on His Law day and night,” for then we will have good success. We cannot afford to cruise through life unintentionally, without thinking of doing our best to keep God’s Royal Law in the strength of His Spirit and with the “mind of Christ.” (1 Cor 2:16, Jos 1:8)

How does grace fit in with the Law? Well, the trapeze artist feels a lot safer while swinging across the heights or walking the tightrope because she knows that if she falls, there is a net beneath that is strong enough to catch her. Secure in this knowledge, she is able to test the limits of her endurance. She hopes she will never need to use the safety net, but she is thankful that it is there when she does fall. In fact, the safety net gives her the mental stability and comfort she needs to soar higher and more gracefully than ever! So it is with us. The “safety net” of God’s Grace is not meant to be spurned or taken lightly. We should not spend most of our time there, but rather we should live in greater consecration and sanctification because we have experienced what it is like to fall and be caught by God’s Grace. Sin should never abound because Grace abounds! We should never give up the battle against sin because we have misinterpreted Grace to be a “comfort zone.”

God’s grace is meant to lead to greater obedience to His Law, because we love Him and desire to please Him. Love springs to obedience, which then springs to greater love! We can do nothing in and of ourselves; it’s faith in the righteousness of Christ that saves us, but on the same token this does not give us license to be indifferent and complacent regarding asking God for victory over our weaknesses and sins and living out our lives as a testimony of His Grace which enables us to soar!

You have not yet “resisted unto blood.” Christ did that for you; don’t take that lightly!

Scripture refs: Romans ch6-ch7, Jude 1:4, Heb 12:4, 1 Cor 2:16

Lead us not into temptation...

Some of us often think that we are invincible and cannot be tempted. The truth of the matter is that the perceived lack of temptation can mean one of two things. Either you are so strong in the Lord that all temptations are powerless against you, or nothing is a temptation to you any longer because you engage in sin with no resistance. No one can claim to be totally free from temptation.  Even our Lord was tempted in the wilderness by satan. Satan knows our weaknesses, having had a long time to study us and he is expert at ensuring that we are subjected to the maximum possible degree of temptation.

However, we are comforted by the fact that God does not allow us to be tempted beyond our capabilities and with every temptation comes a way of escape (1 Cor 10:13). With this knowledge, we can view temptation as just another test which, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome with distinction. Sometimes God uses the temptations satan throws at us as a test of our loyalty to Him, but be assured that He is always in control and will not let satan tempt you beyond what you are able to bear. Temptations may get tougher as you get stronger, otherwise they wouldn’t be a temptation anymore! As the King of the Universe, God is within his rights to test any of His subjects, but as long as we meet the temptations in the power of His Spirit, we are safe.

Jesus once talked about the unpardonable sin i.e. grieving the Holy Spirit. Many have wondered what He meant by this. What is the unpardonable sin and how is it committed? The unpardonable sin may, aside from outright blasphemy, occur when one fails to take advantage of the aid the Holy Spirit provides in resisting temptation, choosing instead to indulge in the resultant sinful actions that the temptation spawns. The unpardonable sin is not necessarily a once-off act, but rather it is the dullness of the conscience that is the result of repeatedly neglecting to listen to the conviction of the Holy Spirit of the sins in your life and His warnings against temptations.  Eventually, the Spirit of God will leave you to your own devices and there will be no forgiveness as you will no longer have the convicting voice of God’s gentle Spirit wooing you to repentance. The Psalmist recognized this when in Psalm 51, after having committed the heinous crimes of adultery and murder, he pleaded with God not to take away the influence of the Holy Spirit from his life. He knew that without such influence, he would be lost forever. (Ps 51:11)

If you are worried about having committed the unpardonable sin, chances are you haven’t! The fact that you are being tempted is a good thing as it means that you still have some good in you that satan seeks to destroy. Don’t give him the pleasure of totally corrupting you! Ask God for help in times of temptation. Don’t lead yourself into temptation by being in the wrong place at the wrong time or subjecting your senses to stimuli that lead to unwarranted temptation. Most temptations are triggered by the five senses. The strongest deterrent to temptation is active service in the kingdom of God, a strong prayer life and knowing how to apply the Word of God. 

"And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." -Matt 12:32

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."-1 Cor 10:13

"Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me."-Ps 51:11

Finding Glory in the Cross of Shame

As Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, the tears rolled down his face. The prophecies of Is 53 must have flashed through His mind and the frail garb of His humanity shuddered at the thought of the brutal death that soon awaited Him, but mostly the weight of sin that He would have to bear and the resulting separation from His Father. He faced the greatest trial of His life on earth and He faced it alone.

Every person on this earth faces trials on a daily basis. Jesus has not promised us a life of ease but He has promised to be with us “even unto the end of the world.”  In John 16:33, our Lord warned us that in this world we would have trouble, but in His mind as far He was concerned He had conquered the world even before the Cross! He did not say “I will overcome the world.” He said “I have [past tense] overcome the world”!

As followers of Christ, we are called to “take up our crosses” and follow Him (Matt 16:24). Sometimes it feels like we don’t choose our crosses, but rather they choose us. However, God has promised that He would not let any trial befall us that we are not able to bear (1 Cor 10:13). It stands to reason therefore, that the stronger in God you become, the greater your trials will be.

Even those who do not believe in God face trials! The difference is that we have our forerunner, Jesus Christ, who has shown us how to conduct ourselves in the face of looming trials with confidence, grace and strength. Living in the shadow of the cross of uncertainty is not easy, but Jesus Christ has given us the Holy Spirit who is our Comforter and “in all these things, we are more than conquerors because of Him who loved us and gave His life for us.”

Many of our trials are not as serious as that which Jesus faced. The uncertainty of tomorrow is not as serious as the knowing certainty that tomorrow brings only suffering and a cruel death. We sometimes struggle to sleep before a big exam, but can you imagine how Christ felt the night before His crucifixion! We think that working under conditions of looming retrenchment is cruel; what about living your whole life knowing that you were born to die for a race of humanity that would largely reject you? Christ still faces pain and anguish when people who know the truth about Him willingly backslide and fall back into sin because that basically means they think nothing of the cruel death He  suffered and the price He paid to save them (Heb 6:6). Tomorrow, in all likelihood, I will have the gift of freedom. My hands and feet will not be nailed to a cross. Therefore, I have much to thank God for! My trials at this moment are lighter than those of Christ and His persecuted church.

If we cannot deal with the light afflictions of today, how will we deal with facing death for the sake of our faith? Remember, Jesus Christ was “the man of sorrows, acquainted with grief” but He is our victorious Saviour who found “joy in the cross”!

"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."-Heb 12:2

"Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared. Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered."-Heb 5:7-8

 Scripture refs: Heb 5:7, Matt 26:37-45, Is 53, Heb 4:15, Heb 12:2