“…What mean these stones…” Joshua 4:21-24

In September, 1904 Seth Joshua spoke at a Bible School where Evan Roberts had recently enrolled. In a service at a nearby church the evangelist had preached on the need for God to bend us, and Evan Roberts prayed passionately, “O God, bend me”!

Evan Roberts asked for and received permission to return to his home village with “a message from God”. It was a four point message he would deliver all over the country of Wales. 1) Confess every known sin, and put any wrong done to man right. 2) Put away every doubtful habit. 3) Obey the Spirit promptly. 4) Confess your faith publicly.

On October 31, 1904 Roberts preached this message in his home church, Moriah Chapel. A revival began that would eventually sweep the entire country. In 5 months time over 100,000 souls were added to the roles of the churches, most of whom were between the ages of 18 and 45!

The illegitimate birth rate dropped 44% within a year. Drunkenness was cut in half, and there was a wave of bankruptcies, mostly in taverns. Judges were presented with white gloves as there were no major crimes to try. Police were questioned how they spent their time. There was a slowdown in the mines, but not due to a strike. Ponies no longer understood the language of the newly converted miners!

When I started reading about the great Spiritual Awakenings, I had never heard or read of such things, and I suspect that many people in churches today have not either. It has been over 120 years since we last had a nationwide revival in America, and it seems to me there is a great need to make stories like this known to this generation. It is hard to miss what one has never had!

Jon Moore

“Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.  For the sake of Your name, O Lord, revive me.  In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.  And in Your lovingkindness, cut off my enemies And destroy all those who afflict my soul, For I am Your servant.   Psalm 143:10-12

The last nationwide spiritual awakening in America began in 1905.  It was basically an overflow of the great revival that began in Wales in late 1904.  That has been some 100 years ago, and the likelihood of anything approaching that in America appears unlikely anytime soon.  Could it be that this situation will finally bring us to our knees in brokenness, repentance and prevailing prayer?  We shall see.

That brings up some interesting questions.  Is there any ground for us to realistically expect to prevail in prayer?  What is the real purpose of prayer after all?  Psalm 143 is a prayer for deliverance and guidance written by the  psalmist David.  He was being pursued by King Saul and his army, and in utter desperation David begins to pour out his petitions to the Lord.  It is in these last verses that David appears to see what the real purpose of prayer is, and the sense of expectation that this realization produces.  First he comes to see that prevailing in prayer is for the glory of the Lord’s name, not personal benefit (vv 10,11a).  “For the sake of Your name, O Lord, revive me!”  It has been well said that we seem to be living in a time when a “consumer spirit” has infected the modern church.  What is the Lord going to do for me?  What blessings, benefits and deliverances will God provide for me today?  The truth is that getting answers to prayer is secondary.  The primary purpose is to get to know God and see Him glorified!  This is why He has to so often engineer our circumstances to where we cannot manage them by ourselves.  We are driven to our knees, and thus directed to Him.  Hopefully we transfer our focus from getting what we want to getting what He wants, and mysteriously this leads to a far greater blessing for us, as well as honoring Him.

This brings us to the secondary purpose for us to pray and prevail, and that is for the good of the Lord’s namesakes (vv 11b,12)!  When a person is genuinely saved He takes the name “Christian”.  The word literally means, “Little Christ”.  One is saying, “You can watch me.  You can listen to me, for now I am a little Christ”.  Obviously, this is a big statement, and one that should not be taken lightly.  One is saying that Jesus Christ now lives in and has lordship in one’s life!  It is a recognition of accountability by the individual.  It is also a statement of the Lord’s credibility.  A Christian’s life should be marked by characteristics that come from heaven.  Prevailing in prayer not only results in glory for the Lord’s name, but in addition, good for the Lord’s namesakes.

Today we have more in common with the old testament character David than many think.  A tide of evil threatens to inundate the world, and churches seem powerless to slow it, must less stop it.  Just as David’s vision enabled him to prevail in prayer, so there is a great need for men and women of vision to step forward today.  The year 2001 marked what would have been the 100th birthday of Walt Disney.  Long before anyone envisioned large theme parks, he mapped them out in his head.  After the completion of Disney World in California, someone said, “It’s too bad he didn’t live to see it”.  Someone correctly responded, “He did see it.  That’s why it’s here”!

Wounded, struggling Christians and churches need someone to prevail in prayer!  People without Christ who are broken by sin and alienated from God need someone to prevail in prayer!  Are you that someone?

Jon Moore

“Eljah came near to all the people and said, ‘How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, follow him.’ But the people did not answer him a word.” 1st Kings 18:21

Esteemed author Henry Blackaby defines an idol as, “Any person(s), thing or way that substitutes for God in a life.” Sadly, idolatry is alive and well in America, even among those who would describe themselves as Christians! Therefore, it is of utmost importance that we heed the counsel of Elijah and the Scriptures!

We need to repair the altar of the Lord (v 30). The prophet first restored its anchor using twelve stones, the number denoting the number of the sons of Jacob before his name was changed by the Lord to Israel, which means ‘ruling with God’ (v 31). He then rebuilt the structure (v 32) in the name of the Lord! It is noteworthy that before any vessels were placed in the tabernacle (or later in the Temple), they were anointed with oil beforehand, setting them apart for the Lord’s exclusive use! Paul, later in New Testament times wrote to the church in Corinth to remind them, ‘You are not your own. You have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God.” The altar of the Lord is no longer a physical structure, but a spiritual one in the heart!

Secondly, we need to restore our allegiance to Him (vv 33-35). Our allegiance and devotion to the Lord is not complete (meaningful) until all of self is on the altar. We need to always keep in mind that full allegiance means full surrender. Both the wood for the fire and the meat for the fragrance must be offered! Remember, it is always easier to put one’s sins on the altar than it is to put oneself there! In the Old Testament book of Malachi the people of Israel were charged with robbing God! Yet, they were already giving 10% of their income. The fact is they were sacrificing their diseased and crippled livestock; their blighted and infested crops! This in no way describes devotion/allegiance to the Lord.

Finally, we need to demonstrate respect for the Lord’s authority (v 36). This is the point Elijah is seen to be an implementer, not an innovator. He was telling the people what the Lord told him to tell! He was doing what the Lord told him to do! In this way only is the true God revealed (vv 37-39). In addition this is when any false gods are rejected (v 40). Gladys Aylward was a missionary to China during World War II. She was charged with the protection and care of 100 Chinese orphans. Word was received that the Japanese army was approaching, and they were killing all Christian missionaries and Chinese converts. The only escape was hundreds of miles away across the mountains. As Ms. Aylward said to one of the orphans, “I am not Moses!” One of the children replied, “But God is still God!” When we depend wholly on God, He shows Himself to be dependable!

As the foundations of America seem to disintegrate, and the influence of the Church continues to decline, are we failing to learn from our spiritual forefathers? Have we substituted any person(s), thing or way for God in our life? If so, may God grant us the humility and honesty to confess it the Lord and accept His forgiveness and restoration!

Jon Moore

“What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself!” James 2:14-17 NASB

When the theologian John Calvin was asked to comment on the seeming difference between the teaching of Paul in Ephesians 2:8-9, and that of James in James 2:14-17, he said, “The bible teaches we are not saved by good works, but saved to good works; not by faith plus works, but faith that works!” Is there a contradiction in the Bible, or is it more likely a mis-interpretation?

James 2:14-26

THE COMPLETION OF FAITH!

James begins this discussion by pointing out an obvious imitation of faith by stating “that” faith in verse 14! He describes this fake by calling it one who merely “says” he has faith!

Then he gives us two characteristics of this pitiful imitation. First, James says this fake faith is seen to have an absence of deeds (vv 15-16). The answer to the question in v 16 is obvious. If one refuses to meet the basic needs of another person, that is useless. Not only is there an absence of deeds, but there is the presence of death (v 17)! Make-believe faith produces only make-believe life. Consider the One Who shares His life with us when we put our faith in Him. Jesus not only went everywhere preaching and teaching the gospel, but He went everywhere doing good! (Acts 10:38)

But we need to be aware that imitations usually arise out of misconceptions, and that is true here. This pitiful imitation of God-given faith arose out of a perverted conception of faith! Note the false division between faith and works. Godly works are the blooms on the plant that identifies God-given faith (v 18). Take note not only of the false division, but also of the fatal subtraction (v 19). Faith is more than a passive intellectual exercise. It is the difference between knowing about what is said, and knowing the One Who is speaking! Separating faith and works is deadly!

Finally, see the proper expression of faith (vv 21-26). To be properly related our works are to correspond to our faith (vv 21-24). It is the opposite of passiveness, laziness. And it is the same for every person, the same for patriarch to converted prostitute-(22b,25). God-given faith has one expression, God empowered works!

After John the Baptist was imprisoned, he sent messengers to Jesus, asking if He was the Messiah, or “should we look for another?” the Lord told the messengers to go back and tell John what He (Jesus) was doing (John 7:18-22)! The clearest evidence of Who Jesus was, was what He was doing! The same is true of you, and the same is true of me!

Jon Moore