Sign of the times... Why no revival?

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Frank Lee

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My son went to a new church today to check it out. Turned out the pastor was absent so a videotaped message from him was shown on a big screen. The associate pastor made a few closing remarks and that was it.

Looking around during the "non-service" the largely under 30 crowd saw nothing negative in the proceedings.

If you've never had real food then it's easy to believe you've eaten well after having a bag of Fritos. Being raised in a spirit filled home and attending churches that were full of the Holy Spirit He was appalled as we were at the happenings.

There's not enough of the power of God in these places to cast the devil out of a peanut as one man said.

This sad to hear of and the lack of Fire for God is common place. I've turned across denominational preachers on Sunday morning just to see what they were saying. Chiefly Baptist, they were more dry lifeless lectures than anything resembling Holy Ghost preaching. In our region this assembly of dry bones is the rule rather than the exception. Do we need a revival from God or what!?

Several years ago we went to a "revival" at Owensville Baptist church just five mile up the road from us. The guest speaker was a Dr. Somebody from a large Baptist church in Benton. His "sermon" was largely a recitation about how good his father and grand father were and about how good he was. He went on and on about all the sinful things he never did and not once brought his life to the needy level of the rest of us miserable sinners. An altar call after the unanointed message brought scant results. I don't recall anyone going forward. After all, what were your chances of becoming as righteous as the good doctor?

I remember distinctly thinking"if I were a sinner in need of Jesus love I wouldn't answer such a condemning call to repent". It was one of the most self righteous lectures I've ever heard.

Lord God send revival. Here I am Lord, send me.
 

Helen

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My son went to a new church today to check it out. Turned out the pastor was absent so a videotaped message from him was shown on a big screen. The associate pastor made a few closing remarks and that was it.

Looking around during the "non-service" the largely under 30 crowd saw nothing negative in the proceedings.

If you've never had real food then it's easy to believe you've eaten well after having a bag of Fritos. Being raised in a spirit filled home and attending churches that were full of the Holy Spirit He was appalled as we were at the happenings.

There's not enough of the power of God in these places to cast the devil out of a peanut as one man said.

This sad to hear of and the lack of Fire for God is common place. I've turned across denominational preachers on Sunday morning just to see what they were saying. Chiefly Baptist, they were more dry lifeless lectures than anything resembling Holy Ghost preaching. In our region this assembly of dry bones is the rule rather than the exception. Do we need a revival from God or what!?

Several years ago we went to a "revival" at Owensville Baptist church just five mile up the road from us. The guest speaker was a Dr. Somebody from a large Baptist church in Benton. His "sermon" was largely a recitation about how good his father and grand father were and about how good he was. He went on and on about all the sinful things he never did and not once brought his life to the needy level of the rest of us miserable sinners. An altar call after the unanointed message brought scant results. I don't recall anyone going forward. After all, what were your chances of becoming as righteous as the good doctor?

I remember distinctly thinking"if I were a sinner in need of Jesus love I wouldn't answer such a condemning call to repent". It was one of the most self righteous lectures I've ever heard.

Lord God send revival. Here I am Lord, send me.

Sadly a typical example of The Body Of Christ NOT working as it should.:rolleyes:
The Pastor is NOT the whole ball of wax.
If he is gone for some reason..the anointing of The Holy Spirit will still be there!! .
This is so typical of showing how man controls the church, and the Holy Spirit is not free to anoint the service.
So very sad. But a living picture of what a mess the Body of Christ is and bound up by man. o_O
 

ScottA

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My son went to a new church today to check it out. Turned out the pastor was absent so a videotaped message from him was shown on a big screen. The associate pastor made a few closing remarks and that was it.

Looking around during the "non-service" the largely under 30 crowd saw nothing negative in the proceedings.

If you've never had real food then it's easy to believe you've eaten well after having a bag of Fritos. Being raised in a spirit filled home and attending churches that were full of the Holy Spirit He was appalled as we were at the happenings.

There's not enough of the power of God in these places to cast the devil out of a peanut as one man said.

This sad to hear of and the lack of Fire for God is common place. I've turned across denominational preachers on Sunday morning just to see what they were saying. Chiefly Baptist, they were more dry lifeless lectures than anything resembling Holy Ghost preaching. In our region this assembly of dry bones is the rule rather than the exception. Do we need a revival from God or what!?

Several years ago we went to a "revival" at Owensville Baptist church just five mile up the road from us. The guest speaker was a Dr. Somebody from a large Baptist church in Benton. His "sermon" was largely a recitation about how good his father and grand father were and about how good he was. He went on and on about all the sinful things he never did and not once brought his life to the needy level of the rest of us miserable sinners. An altar call after the unanointed message brought scant results. I don't recall anyone going forward. After all, what were your chances of becoming as righteous as the good doctor?

I remember distinctly thinking"if I were a sinner in need of Jesus love I wouldn't answer such a condemning call to repent". It was one of the most self righteous lectures I've ever heard.

Lord God send revival. Here I am Lord, send me.
Unfortunately, from that first generation when John declared Jesus' findings and report of the seven churches, 5 out of 7 He already has somewhat against. And so the two have brought forth fruit, but the five have not.

But now things have become even worse, for 5 out of every 7 seminary teachers has also been bringing forth evil fruit increasingly. That ratio has quickly become the multiple factor in the great "falling away."

Makes me want to clap when I hear one of the two out of the seven preach - and I do. Praise God for the remnant!
 

mjrhealth

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What has God to do with mens churches, if it s not from God, He is under no obligation to be a part of it. But sadly many choose it over Christ.
 

Windmillcharge

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A suggestion for when visiting new/different churches is to complete a mystery shopper/worshipper form and to send it to the minister.
Buisnesses value this sort of customer feedback as it helps improve there service.
an example of this sort of report can be found at:-
Ship of Fools: The Mystery Worshipper

This is not to be hypper critical but to give an honest account of ones experience.
 

Frank Lee

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You can feel the need for revival. When I was saved in 77' I didn't realize the things we saw every meeting were not always going to be. That it was a special time in the 70's - 80's when God was really moving amongst the people. We saw miracles as standard in those days. It seems that those few years had to furnish fuel to last us all our days. We've not had a church in years and I know there are tens of thousands that refuse to go to a church just to say they've gone.

Way back in the 1700's church attendance fell off and the pastors lamented. The religious editor of a newspaper replied "can our souls be exposed to eternal perdition by the loss of a nap?" (reference "The light and the glory" by Peter Marshall Jr. and David Manuel. This should be required reading for every child... and adult in America)

I know that most of today's worshippers have never experienced the God wrought revival that I was blessed to experience. The real problem amongst "believers" that I have experienced again and again, is the resistance to the baptism in the Holy Spirit. There is so much false teaching from the denominations that is accepted as the "gospel". Apparently God has changed much of the scripture to exclude the heaven sent miraculous according to what they say to me.

Despite forty years as a spirit baptized Christian I am often told, or it's inferred that what happened to me was from you know who! One person went so far that after witnessing the promise from God for children and that coming to pass, they inferred that my children came from (again) you know who! They are truly the skinny Cattle of Genesis 41 who are ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

They agree that God can do anything - only not for you and not now - only in the distant past or in the sweet by and by.

Our old time pastor, who had received a brand new lung at a tent revival, used to dance with joy - on the piano - as he said "honey we don't need it in the sweet by and by, we need it in the dirty here and now" !

We pray that workers will be sent into the harvest. I'm ready to preach I think! I see on YouTube many many videos of those that find it funny to harass street preachers. Not funny. Sadly many of these street preachers are not filled with the Holy Spirit and reply to/argue with pagans out of their own fleshly wisdom and strength. NOT by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

If something good is on your heart as a spirit filled believer then go for it. It's a cinch that you know who didn't move you to witness, preach, give time, give labor, give money, visit the sick or any good thing.

But as our preacher was wont to say "some were sent and some just went".

You can send yourself but you can't anoint yourself. Let the Lord anoint you and all will be well.
 
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Frank Lee

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Even the good church we attended in those days experienced a drifting away from God. There was a license available for a Christian TV channel and our pastor became enthralled with the pursuit of having A Christian TV station. Less effort went to the church, prayer etc and the anointing began to fade. My wife and I noticed that the anointing was less and as it faded the music got louder and louder. After hanging onto our hope and our prayers as long as we could, we finally had to leave for our own survival.

If you're thawing them stay, but if they're freezing you go. All prayerfully of course.
 
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amadeus

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Consider where all the Jews were when first John the Baptist and then Jesus came onto the scene. Some of them were really hungry and thirsty, but how many at the end of the natural life of each had encountered what they needed? Then after the death, burial and resurrection of the Jesus the promised Holy Ghost was poured out and thousands were filled.

Do we today have so much less available than was available on that day of Pentecost described in Acts chapter 2? I would say absolutely not, but people are expecting the wrong thing and for the most part getting just exactly what they expect.

Were we hungry and thirsty for the righteousness of God when He first drew us in? If, yes, then let us similarly be hungry and thirsty today doing whatever God requires of us to be filled one more time...

Give God the glory! The Hope is not gone, even if so many people cannot see it...
 

aspen

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I tend to enjoy a quiet, peaceful service. God is at work in the heart of His people in many different church environments
 

Frank Lee

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Looking around for some TV movie to watch tonight I found "Overcome" on TBN. I was surprised to discover that it was made by the MORMONS. It has absolutely nothing to do with Jesus of course. What a drag.

I sent an email asking why they need Mormon input.

I'm further disappointed in these people than I was previously. A blank screen is better.
 
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bbyrd009

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Looking around for some TV movie to watch tonight I found "Overcome" on TBN. I was surprised to discover that it was made by the MORMONS. It has absolutely nothing to do with Jesus of course. What a drag.

I sent an email asking why they need Mormon input.

I'm further disappointed in these people than I was previously. A blank screen is better.
i am seeing a revolution in television, but unfortunately it is pitched to a younger generation, and hard for me to watch sometimes. Not talking about the religious stuff, but even secular comedy is moving out of the realm of pointless slapstick, and evolving into dealing with the human condition more, a la Drew Carey, Rick and Morty, etc. South Park was a leader in this movement imo, although they lost the lead at some point and went bad
 
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Frank Lee

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Things we used to watch are no longer acceptable. God is pruning us. Things we used to over look we can't now.

We TRY and watch the Huckabee show on TBN but can't hack the "country" music. The so called Christian comedians are so suggestive in their dialogues as to be repulsive. A few special guests have worthy messages but it's pretty much a normal Baptist production.
If Mike and his pals got filled with the Holy Spirit there would be suddenly a brand new format.

If Paul Crouch were still alive no Mormon content would show up there. Something about entertainment seems to pervert those involved. Even the 700 club is not immune.
 

DPMartin

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Consider where all the Jews were when first John the Baptist and then Jesus came onto the scene. Some of them were really hungry and thirsty, but how many at the end of the natural life of each had encountered what they needed? Then after the death, burial and resurrection of the Jesus the promised Holy Ghost was poured out and thousands were filled.

Do we today have so much less available than was available on that day of Pentecost described in Acts chapter 2? I would say absolutely not, but people are expecting the wrong thing and for the most part getting just exactly what they expect.

Were we hungry and thirsty for the righteousness of God when He first drew us in? If, yes, then let us similarly be hungry and thirsty today doing whatever God requires of us to be filled one more time...

Give God the glory! The Hope is not gone, even if so many people cannot see it...


well you're right about miss guided expectations. Noah built an ark for what is presumed a hundred years. I wonder the faith involved, no one was preaching on tv for Noah and his family, nor did he have a church to go to telling him what he ought to be like. when the Lord God came to Abram and told him to pack his stuff and family and go where He will. who was there to check to see if Abram was really in touch with reality? all he really had earth wise to affirm was Noah was the tenth and he was the tenth, and he was called 365 years after Arphaxad was born into the world who is the first born of Shem the first born of Noah, hence first of the maintained blood line to be born after the flood. why that means anything is Enoch lived only 365 yr.'s, seems coincidental to me. but that could be another subject.


its simple, stand in the Lord's Righteousness and walk in His Judgements and let the cards fall where they may.


we have the bible and communication with the few to help affirm we are in communication with the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. so, read the bible look at things as they are, and let them be. let the Lord move you according to His Judgement, therefore the effort will not be in vain, and will be accounted to unto you in Heaven because its of Him.
 
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amadeus

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well you're right about miss guided expectations. Noah built an ark for what is presumed a hundred years. I wonder the faith involved, no one was preaching on tv for Noah and his family, nor did he have a church to go to telling him what he ought to be like. when the Lord God came to Abram and told him to pack his stuff and family and go where He will. who was there to check to see if Abram was really in touch with reality? all he really had earth wise to affirm was Noah was the tenth and he was the tenth, and he was called 365 years after Arphaxad was born into the world who is the first born of Shem the first born of Noah, hence first of the maintained blood line to be born after the flood. why that means anything is Enoch lived only 365 yr.'s, seems coincidental to me. but that could be another subject.
I suspect strongly that there are no coincidences without purpose. God has always had a purpose, if we could but always understand it.

To do what Noah did with what Noah had was a marvelous thing. And Abram heard God. What does that mean?

People today sometimes say that they hear God and I say that sometimes I hear God, but what does that mean and how different, if at all, is that from what Noah and Abram heard? I don't believe it is different at all. We, today, simply are too often distracted by things in the world and too busy to hear always as we should. Surely that is not so for every believer all of the time?


its simple, stand in the Lord's Righteousness and walk in His Judgements and let the cards fall where they may.
And perhaps also be listening and obeying...
we have the bible and communication with the few to help affirm we are in communication with the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. so, read the bible look at things as they are, and let them be. let the Lord move you according to His Judgement, therefore the effort will not be in vain, and will be accounted to unto you in Heaven because its of Him.
Amen!
 
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DPMartin

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I suspect strongly that there are no coincidences without purpose. God has always had a purpose, if we could but always understand it.

To do what Noah did with what Noah had was a marvelous thing. And Abram heard God. What does that mean?

People today sometimes say that they hear God and I say that sometimes I hear God, but what does that mean and how different, if at all, is that from what Noah and Abram heard? I don't believe it is different at all. We, today, simply are too often distracted by things in the world and too busy to hear always as we should. Surely that is not so for every believer all of the time?



And perhaps also be listening and obeying...

Amen!


standing in the Lord's Righteousness and walking in His Judgements, is listening and obeying, because if you are not standing in the Lord's Righteousness and walking in His Judgements you are not listening and obeying.
 
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Windmillcharge

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If you want revival, just how much do you want it?
Read the accounts of those who prayed for revival often for years:-
In a small cottage by the roadside in the village of Barvas lived two elderly women, Peggy and Christine Smith. They were eighty-four and eighty-two years old. Peggy was blind and her sister almost bent double with arthritis. Unable to attend public worship, their humble cottage became a sanctuary where they met with God. To them came the promise: "I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground," they pleaded this day and night in prayer
From The Intercessors of the Hebrides Revival of 1949-1952 by David Smithers
 

aspen

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Revival!?!?!?

You guys would attack and rip apart any revival as soon as it took off!

‘Satanic! Too religious! Look at those heretics blaspheming God! It’s a scandal! Another sign the end times are here!’
 

Taken

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My son went to a new church today to check it out. Turned out the pastor was absent so a videotaped message from him was shown on a big screen. The associate pastor made a few closing remarks and that was it.

Looking around during the "non-service" the largely under 30 crowd saw nothing negative in the proceedings.

If you've never had real food then it's easy to believe you've eaten well after having a bag of Fritos. Being raised in a spirit filled home and attending churches that were full of the Holy Spirit He was appalled as we were at the happenings.

There's not enough of the power of God in these places to cast the devil out of a peanut as one man said.

This sad to hear of and the lack of Fire for God is common place. I've turned across denominational preachers on Sunday morning just to see what they were saying. Chiefly Baptist, they were more dry lifeless lectures than anything resembling Holy Ghost preaching. In our region this assembly of dry bones is the rule rather than the exception. Do we need a revival from God or what!?

Several years ago we went to a "revival" at Owensville Baptist church just five mile up the road from us. The guest speaker was a Dr. Somebody from a large Baptist church in Benton. His "sermon" was largely a recitation about how good his father and grand father were and about how good he was. He went on and on about all the sinful things he never did and not once brought his life to the needy level of the rest of us miserable sinners. An altar call after the unanointed message brought scant results. I don't recall anyone going forward. After all, what were your chances of becoming as righteous as the good doctor?

I remember distinctly thinking"if I were a sinner in need of Jesus love I wouldn't answer such a condemning call to repent". It was one of the most self righteous lectures I've ever heard.

Lord God send revival. Here I am Lord, send me.

Awesome testimony.

I relent to give the Baptists all the credit for being the sole teachers of "they feel good about themselves, another should too, whoo hoo, brothers in feel good".

However your point is spot on. Absolutely agree there seems to be more "assembling" for preaching on ones own back patting, then "men being "assembled" to "Praise the Lord".

God Bless,
Taken
 

Taken

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Things we used to watch are no longer acceptable. God is pruning us. Things we used to over look we can't now.

We TRY and watch the Huckabee show on TBN but can't hack the "country" music. The so called Christian comedians are so suggestive in their dialogues as to be repulsive. A few special guests have worthy messages but it's pretty much a normal Baptist production.
If Mike and his pals got filled with the Holy Spirit there would be suddenly a brand new format.

If Paul Crouch were still alive no Mormon content would show up there. Something about entertainment seems to pervert those involved. Even the 700 club is not immune.

Again, I do not give Baptist all the credit.

Entertainment; Meals; Work (job); Visiting;
Is promoted, encouraged AND accepted...
ANYTIME, ANYWHERE.

Observe ANY Sanctuary today...you can find one or all of these things occurring;
People being entertained with musicians, with jokes, with skits, etc.
People eating and drinking.
People answering work related phone calls and texts or talking with a person next to them.
People talking to people next to them, gossiping, texting, giggling, flirting, making plans for where to go to eat, or to "be" entertained, AFTER the Preacher hurries up and gets done "jabbering".

A preacher would have to be blind, to not See what goes on in the congregation as he stands before them.

Churches have had attendance decline.
So, what is their solution?
Drag people to church? Invite people to church? Encourage people to attend church?

Or relent and ALLOW, the people to dictate what they want? Entertainment, option to eat, visit, talk, flirt, text, etc. on and on.
Today, perfectly acceptable...or fear losing congregants...thus oops it jeopardizes the Preacher's livelihood.

It's simply a choice. Fill the pews and man be satisfied, because they are filled. Or fill lesser pews and God be satisfied of genuine Worshipers gathering to praise Him.

When God established the order of HOW TO teach the people; it was also established the PEOPLE had a part in the teaching; which was to attend; be quite; and listen.

That "order of HOW TO" was first applicable to all the people, then men who attended Temple, then when women began attending Temple it was reiterated, it also applied to the women; to sit, be quite; and listen.

God Bless,
Taken