REVIVAL

It is amazing about the revival that is taking place right now. At Asbury University they had a routine Wednesday morning chapel service that has not ended. People who are there talk about the powerful presence of the Lord and how people keep coming, it is difficult to leave. Friends of mine was there Monday and they said the auditorium is full and so there is overflow in other areas around campus. It isn't just students anymore, there are people from all over wanting more of God and looking for hope. 

Things like this have happened before at this University, but because of social media, this has taken on a life of its own. On Saturday I watched a livestream for over two hours just enjoying by distance the spirit and presence of the Lord. They just keep going with worship, with some preaching, some testimonies, some reading of Scripture. 

This school in Wilmore, Kentucky was started by John Wesley Hughes and was originally named Kentucky Holiness College and later renamed Asbury College in honor of the great Methodist Bishop Asbury. In Hughes Auditorium where this revival is taking place, it says on the wall right up front "Holiness Unto the Lord." 

Just like Asbury University, here in the Pacific Conference we are a holiness people. What does that mean? It means that we believe the Scriptures where God commands us to be holy as He is holy. It is not a legalistic perfection, but it is cleansing and setting apart by God. We are not trying to manage a minimum amount of sin in our lives, we are seeking after God so that we can have victory over sin. 

I'd like to get on an airplane and head to Kentucky, but more importantly, I desire revival here in the Pacific Northwest. This revival started when students started confessing and repenting. Revival always starts with the church, let it start with us. In Acts chapter 3 Peter & John were at the Temple. There was a miracle and then a crowd shows up and Peter starts preaching. Peter tells us how to find revival in Acts 3:19-20 "Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah."

Lord may that be so here in the Pacific Northwest. May we truly repent of our sins; not trying to keep them to a minimum, but truly repent. Then as we turn to God our sins will be wiped away and the times of refreshment and revival so that we can proclaim the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ here in the Pacific Northwest. 

JOY AHEAD

This may sound like something you get in a fortune cookie, but there is joy ahead for you. Do you really believe that? It's so easy for us to look at the world, look at our schedule, look at our circumstances, and forget that there is joy ahead. It says in:

1 Peter 1:6-7 “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine..."

The most famous of all the old hymns, Amazing Grace, has the verse that starts, “Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come.” Some of our problems are from the enemy, some are just how life goes this side of heaven, and some are there just to test our faith. It isn't really faith unless it's put to the test. 

There is joy ahead, even when this life isn't easy. We get into trouble when we think that being a Christian means that nothing bad will ever happen to us. That’s not true. We know it’s not true. And, we’re being dishonest when we tell people they should be a Christian so that they won’t have any problems anymore. Jesus never said anything like that. He told us there would be problems, but that we were to be happy.

Matthew 5:11-12 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad!"

Why are we happy? Because we have hope of heaven. I love my acronyms, and I found one a few years ago for hope. HOPE stands for Hold On, Pain Ends. In these Roaring 20's we have already had all kinds of trials, but then again, life has all kinds of trials. I am glad, even when there are trials because there is wonderful joy ahead.