Revival

Revival
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The word tells us, “for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8b) Being a lover of the Greek language, I enjoy studying the original words in a verse. The key word of this verse is destroy. The Greek word is luo. It does not mean destroy in our modern (and especially American) way of thinking.

We think to destroy means to blow up, or annihilate. Once the end of the destruction has come, all that is left is ashes or small pieces of what once existed. To the Greek mind, it was much more sophisticated than that. To destroy meant to undo, or destroy by slowly removing the foundation of an object. My kids used to play a game with sticks where you removed one stick at a time from the foundation. The object was to see how many sticks you could remove before the structure fell. This is the meaning of the word destroy (luo) in the Greek. Jesus began taking apart Satan’s kingdom while he lived and ministered on the earth. When He died on the cross and rose up again, Satan’s world fell apart. The devil has been trying to put it back together ever since.

When I was a child, my mother sewed clothing using a sewing machine. A small spool of thread located on the top of the machine made the visible stitches in the clothing and an even smaller spool of thread beneath the surface, called the bobbin, made stitching on the bottom side of the cloth. The invisible stitching below the surface was the real strength of the stitching. A person had to guess how long the thread on the bobbin would last because is was possible to run out of thread and not realize it. If there was still thread on the spool on top of the machine but the bobbin ran out of thread, you could continue sewing and not see anything wrong with the garment being sewn. But if you picked up the shirt or dress being sewn, the whole thing would fall apart. The foundation stitching was missing. Again, this is the meaning of the Greek word for destroy.

PAYING THE PRICE FOR WRONG DECISIONS

In our country today, as well as around the world, there is a movement to remove the foundation from the beliefs our nation was established upon. One by one, we are undermining the underpinnings of our nation, not realizing how close to collapse we are. I believe our national “bobbin” ran out some time ago and we are continuing to “sew” as if nothing is wrong or will change. One day we will stop and look at the work we have done and it will all fall apart. Decisions are being made daily that look right to the natural eye and mind, but are contrary to the Word of God and moral common sense. We will one day have to pay the price and it may not be a long way off.

We cannot continue killing innocent lives in the wombs of mothers and expect no judgment. We cannot change the definition and meaning of marriage and allow two men, two women, one man and many women, or an adult and a child to marry. These are not part of the meaning God attached to the institution of marriage. We are removing the basis of God’s Ten Commandments and making law based on our personal feelings, bias, or the decisions of other nations. God said it is not good to compare ourselves among ourselves. It is not good as a nation to use others as our standard. Our standard in life must be God’s commandments as a way of living. It is not British, French, or Asian phrases etched on the buildings in Washington. It is scriptures from the Word of God.

The underpinnings of our nation are not a whole lot different from those of our own personal life. The reason our moral compass is off as a nation is that our personal compasses are off in the lives of citizens. Church attendance is not even a thought in most of the people of our nation. Bibles are found in homes, but the scriptures are not found in the hearts of those who live there. Pastors are not teaching the word to those who do attend church. They are catering to the feelings and whims of our day. The direction of the Holy Spirit in what to minister is being replaced with focus groups giving opinions to church leaders.

REVIVAL IN OUR NATION BEGINS WITH REVIVAL IN OUR CHURCHES

Revival in our nation must begin with revival in our churches. Revival in our churches must begin with revival in the heart of the individual. Family altars do not begin with families. They begin with fathers or mothers praying to God for direction and fulfillment.

Like Jesus, we must begin to tear down Satan’s hold on our nation, churches, and lives one foundation stone at a time. It begins with our personal dedication to the Lord, His Word, and church. Then we begin to act on scripture and pray for our country, president, and all who govern us in our nation’s capital, state capital, and city government. Our prayers should be for revival in our nation one person and church at a time. Then we can trust God for changes in policies toward public prayer, a return to the standard of the Bible and Ten Commandments for our laws, sanctity of life for our unborn, and a simple definition of marriage as only between one man and one woman. You have heard of these issues before, but they remain symptoms of a nation that has forgotten the Lord. We who know the Lord have a responsibility. We must pray and believe God for divine intervention.

Precepts

Things are rapidly changing in the world around us and as believers we do not have to be ignorant of the times and seasons around us. As we walk in confidence knowing Jesus is returning, we can help those around us who have not yet found Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. That is exactly what you are doing each time you give into God’s kingdom and ultimately the lives of others through Bob Yandian Ministries. Thank you for your faithfulness to give. This month our CD offer is You Can Know the Times and Seasons (ET1402). To order, call 1-800-284-0595. We hope you will take advantage of this exciting message.

Thank you for your faithful support,

Bob Yandian

You can join Bob Yandian as he explores in detail each of the seven churches in Revelation chapters two and three. Learn how revival in our hearts and churches will bring revival to the world in this relevant teaching, Seven Churches (CDET12).