Holding Back Revival
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Holding Back Revival
Holding Back Revival
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
I thank God for our church and for everything that is done, but there is always a need that we be more of what God wants us to be.
Dr. Jerry Vines
taking place spiritually among our troops in the Middle East. The news
announcement said that many of our troops are coming to know Jepll as
their Savior and that we are experiencing a revival among our troops.
Probably you will never see that on any of the major networks.
But I am
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
excited to know that many of our young men who are presently involved in
Desert Storm are coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Nothing
better could happen than for them to experience a revival of spiritual
things. I do not know if we are going to have revival in America.
I
rev 3.15-
X,- ~hr around town, different places, seeing signs saying "God Bless
America." I pray that God will bless America, but I do not know if
America is experiencing a revival where we turn from our sin and commit
ourselves to the Lord.
I don't know if we will have national revival or
not, but I hope we will. I do not know if we will experience city-wide
revival.
I hope we do. I would like to see God do something in the
city of Jacksonville that would be so of God and that would be so
demonstrative of His power that when it was over we would say, God shook
this city in a mighty, mighty revival. We need a revival in our city.
I do not know if we will experience revival as a church. I
thank God for our church and for everything that is done, but there is
always a need that we be more of what God wants us to be.
the letters to the seven churches, you will discover that even those
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church that were remarkable in their commitment and dedication to the
Lord were in need of moving closer to God.
I think the saddest statement in all of the letters to the seven churches is the statement
statement in all of the letters to the seven churches is the statement
made by the church at Laodicea where they said we are rich and increased
with goods and have need of nothing. Isn't that a remarkable thing for a church to say.
a church to say.
For a church to get to the point that they say we have arrived, we are where we ought to be for God, we don't have need for anything. I hope we never get that way as a local congregation. I hope we are always hungry to be more for God -- always desirous that we would be more on fire for Christ and more effective for the Lord.
arrived, we are where we ought to be for God, we don't have need for
anything. I hope we never get that way as a local congregation. I hope
we are always hungry to be more for God -- always desirous that we would
be more on fire for Christ and more effective for the Lord. I hope we
experience a church revival.
We always stand in need of a new breath from heaven upon our congregation. I don't know if there will be national revival, city revival, church revival, but there is one thing I know. You and I personally and individually can experience a revival in our relationship to God.
from heaven upon our congregation. I don't know if there will be
national revival, city revival, church revival, but there is one thing I
know. You and I personally and individually can experience a revival in
our relationship to God.
Gypsy Smith, the noted evangelist, said the way to have a
revival is to draw a circle around yourself, get down on your knees and
pray, Lord send a revival and let it begin inside this circle.
let's just draw a circle around ourselves this morning and ask God to
let's just draw a circle around ourselves this morning and ask God to
give us a personal revival -- a personal quickening of our hearts in our relationship to the Lord.
So, let's just draw a circle around ourselves this morning and ask God to give us a personal revival -- a personal quickening of our hearts in our relationship to the Lord.
relationship to the Lord.
Charles Finney, the great revivalist, said that revival is a new
beginning of obedience to God. That's a good definition of revival.
When we meet the conditions of God, when we do what the Lord tells us to
do we can expect to experience what God says we will experience.
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We find here a series of commands from God.
verse are interesting verses. We find here a series of commands from
God. In fact there are seven of them and they are given in rapid-fire,
definite order. The verbs are all plural in number. So, when God gives
these c nfls he is giving them to the entire fellowship. He is giving
them to all of God's people. No one need be excluded when we experience
a personal revival - a personal awakening of our love for our Lord Jesus
Christ.
to give you something to hold on to and just pray that God will use them
I Submission
I Submission
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
to give us personal revival and when we walk out of here today we can
Submit yourselves therefore to God. That is contrary to the philosophy of our world. Our world says to assert yourself. Yet, God says submit yourself.
say indeed I've had a revival in my heart.
First of all there is the matter of submission. Verse 4 -
First of all there is the matter of submission. Verse 4 -
Submit yourselves therefore to God. That is contrary to the philosophy
The word is actually a military word and it means to arrange under.
of our world. Our world says to assert yourself. Yet, God says submit
yourself. The word is actually a military word and it means to arrange
It means that you put yourself under the authority of God. It means that you put yourself under the leadership of God. You consciously, intelligently, definitely and decisively submit your will to the will of God. The Bible teaches that is a very definite act.
under. It means that you put yourself under the authority of God. It
means that you put yourself under the leadership of God. You
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
consciously, intelligently, definitely and decisively submit your will
to the will of God. The Bible teaches that is a very definite act.
The verb there is a very definite word. It means it is something we do definitely, decisively, intelligently.
I
think sometimes it takes place at salvation. At other times it takes
The
place in a time of new beginning and re-consecration of our life to God.
- "I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies
of God that you present yourselves a living sacrifice unto God." The
verb there is a very definite word. It means it is something we do
definitely, decisively, intelligently.
Have you ever submitted your life to God. Have you ever come to the position in your life where you understand that God's will is best for you and that the way to be fulfilled, the way to be used and the way to be happy in your life as a believer is to submit your will to the will of God.
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life to God. Have you ever come to the position in your life where you
I hope you will bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ. That you will acknowledge His leadership, acknowledge His love and acknowledge His direction in your life. For
understand that God's will is best for you and that the way to be
fulfilled, the way to be used and the way to be happy in your life as a
believer is to submit your will to the will of God. If you have never
done that I hope you will do that today. I hope you will bow the knee
to the Lord Jesus Christ. That you will acknowledge His leadership,
acknowledge His love and acknowledge His direction in your life. For
many of us, we need to reaffirm that submission to God.
lot of you there was a special time in your life -- maybe at a youth
camp, maybe in a revival meeting, maybe in a time of personal prayer,
when you submitted yourself to God. You know you did it -- it was
real in your life. Maybe you need to reaffirm that submission to the
Lord. Don't ever think you've arrived and don't have the need to draw
a little bit closer to the Lord.
When I think about that I think about the experience Stephen
Alford shared one time. He was preaching on the matter of submission to
God and after the service was over a young lady came up to him and said,
"Dr. Alford, it doesn't work." He said, "What doesn't work?" She said,
"This matter of submission to God. It's not working for me." He said,
"Young lady, has there ever been a time when you did present your life
to the Lord? When you did lay your life on the altar to the Lord? She
said, "Oh, yes, there was a time I did that." He said, "Young lady,
what are you doing off the altar?" That's a pretty good question. I
wonder if there is some Christian today and there was a time when you
laid your life on the altar for God, but today you are no longer on the altar.
altar.
In the Old Testament when they would lay the sacrifice on the
altar, there was a tendency sometimes for the sacrifices to get off the center of the flame. Sometimes they would get over on the side of the altar. The priest had fleshhooks and they would take them and put them into the meat Maybe God the Holy Spirit needs to put the fleshhooks in us this morning. Maybe the Lord needs to put us back in the center of
center of the flame. Sometimes they would get over on the side of the
altar. The priest had fleshhooks and they would take them and put them
into the meat Maybe God the Holy Spirit needs to put the fleshhooks in
us this morning. Maybe the Lord needs to put us back in the center of
the flame where we are totally and completely, unreservedly submitted to God.
What does it mean to be submitted to God?
God. What does it mean to be submitted to God? I want to suggest that
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
the next two I, and ants tie into submission.
The next thing he says
is "resist the devil and he will flee from you."
That means to counteract the devil's presence.
counteract the devil's presence. The Bible everywhere assumes the
The Bible everywhere assumes the reality of the devil. The Bible teaches us that the devil is a real personality. He is not imaginary. The devil actually exists. This verse says resist the devil. That's one of the words that's used to describe this personality of evil - the devil - the diablo - the slanderer.
reality of the devil. The Bible teaches us that the devil is a real
personality. He is not imaginary. The devil actually exists. This
verse says resist the devil. That's one of the words that's used to
describe this personality of evil - the devil - the diablo - the
slanderer.
The devil's role among other things is to be the slanderer - the accuser. He slanders God to man. That's what he did to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. He said, yea hath God said. He was slandering the character of God to Adam and Eve. Unfortunately they fell for it.He also slanders man to God.In the book of Job the devil said to God, does Job serve you for naught. It is the role of the devil to be the aggressor, the slanderer, the accuser. He is always on the attack. He is fighting, he is slashing, he is charging, he is digging in. He is
the accuser. He slanders God to man. That's what he did to Adam and Eve
in the garden of Eden. He said, yea hath God said. He was slandering
the character of God to Adam and Eve. Unfortunately they fell for it.
He also slanders man to God.
In the book of Job the devil said to God,
does Job serve you for naught. It is the role of the devil to be the
aggressor, the slanderer, the accuser. He is always on the attack. He
is fighting, he is slashing, he is charging, he is digging in. He is
always there.
That's why the Bible says we are to take our stand.That's what the word, resist, means. It means to stand against the devil. The devil normally will give you more problems, make his fiercest attack on your life right at the point that you have submitted your life totally and fully to God.
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That's what the word, resist, means. It means to stand against the
devil. The devil normally will give you more problems, make his fiercest
attack on your life right at the point that you have submitted your life
totally and fully to God.
When the Lord Jesus Christ had his greatest temptation from the devil - right on the heels of his baptism. Friend, when you draw close to the Lord and submit your life to Him you can reasonably expect at that moment in time the devil will launch his attack. The Bible says be sober, be vigilant for your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour.
temptation from the devil - right on the heels of his baptism. Friend,
when you draw close to the Lord and submit your life to Him you can
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
reasonably expect at that moment in time the devil will launch his
attack. The Bible says be sober, be vigilant for your adversary the
devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour.
Ephesian 6 the Bible says we are to put on the whole armor of God that we may stand against the wiles of the devil. The devil wants you to think he is irresistible. The devil wants you to think that you have no defense against his attack.
In
Rphsi5ane 3 the Bible says we are to put on the whole armor of God that
we may stand against the wiles of the devil. The devil wants you to
think he is irresistible. The devil wants you to think that you have no
defense against his attack. Flip Wilson popularized the statement, the
devil made me do it. We laugh about that. The truth of the matter is
that the devil can't make you do anything that you don't want to do.
You are not helpless before the onslaught of the devil. He is not
irresistible in his attack. He can only get you to do that which you
already in your heart want to do.
Yet, the Bible says as we submit ourselves to God we are to resist the devil. How do you resist the devil?
ourselves to God we are to resist the devil. How do you resist the
devil? We resist the devil exactly the same way the Lord Jesus resisted
the devil. When the devil launched his attack against him in the
We resist the devil exactly the same way the Lord Jesus resisted the devil. When the devil launched his attack against him in the wilderness temptation, the Lord Jesus quoted Scripture three times in response to the devil.
wilderness temptation, the Lord Jesus quoted Scripture three times in
response to the devil.
He was in a time of prayer, so it is by the Word
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daily, as we stay in communication with headquarters daily that we
I've been reading a great deal about combat readiness on the part of our troops. The importance of being ready for combat at all times. That's the way you and I ought to be - in combat readiness all the time. We ought to be ready at every point expecting at any moment a sneak attack of the devil.
conquer the onslaught of the devil.
I've been reading a great deal
about combat readiness on the part of our troops. The importance of
being ready for combat at all times. That's the way you and I ought to
be - in combat readiness all the time. We ought to be ready at every
point expecting at any moment a sneak attack of the devil.
At the moment you least expect it,
uneasy every day about Sadaam. I just know he has something. He's
going to try to hit them unexpectedly. He's going to try to come up
with a sneak attack or hit us at a moment when we aren't thinking. That
is exactly the way the devil works. At the moment you least expect it,
right then is when the devil is going to hit you. The very moment you let down your guard the devil is going to slip in.
let down your gilaru the devil is going to slip in.
The Bible says we are to resist the devil - I like this next part - "And he will flee from
are to resist the devil - I like this next part - "And he will flee from
thee.
" When the Lord Jesus Christ met the devil with the Word of God and with prayer, the Bible says the devil left him. You and I have the privilege in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to resist the onslaught of the devil and he will flee from you.
and with prayer, the Bible says the devil left him. You and I have the
privilege in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to resist the onslaught
of the devil and he will flee from you.
He was talking to a Christian friend who had had a lot of difficulty,
heartache and sorrow and suffering in his life and yet he seemed to be
such a victorious Christian. Moody said to him, "You seem so
victorious, with all you have gone through I'm sure the devil has a lot
of times really tried to give you a hard time and has tempted you
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
sorely. How have you ovens, 2 the attacks of the devil in your life."
The Christians said, "When the devil comes and tempts me I immediately
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take the devil to Calvary.
Calvary that he really can't handle it when I take him there." That's
the good news that Jesus in his death at Calvary spoiled principalities
and powers, made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in the
cross. Our victory is the victory which Jesus Christ experienced at
Calvary. "Resist the devil and he will flee from thee." Submission to
God, resist the devil.
Here's the third one that ties in - verse 8 - "Draw nigh to God,and he will draw nigh to you." Not only must we counteract the devil's presence, we must also cultivate the Lord's presence. There is a sense in which we can say that God is close all the time.
and he will draw nigh to you." Not only must we counteract the devil's
presence, we must also cultivate the Lord's presence. There is a sense
In Paul says that the Lord is not far from every one of us. The Lord is near.
in which we can say that God is close all the time. In Paul
says that the Lord is not far from every one of us. The Lord is near.
Especially if you are a Christian.
In the Bible says that you who were sometimes afar off have been made nigh by the blood of Christ. If you are saved the Bible says though you were far off, you have now been made nigh. In Jesus Christ you are near to God.
you who were sometimes afar off have been made nigh by the blood of
Christ. If you are saved the Bible says though you were far off, you
have now been made nigh. In Jesus Christ you are near to God.
Nearer I cannot be. For in the person of His Son.
I'm Just as near as He.
He is talking about our practice of the presence of God. This is what he means when he says draw nigh unto God. He is talking about you and I every day practicing the presence of God; cultivating the nearness of God to our life. How close to God are you? Are you near to the Lord in your daily life?
I am seated with Christ in the heavenlies. He's not talking
about our position. He is talking about our practice of the presence of
God. This is what he means when he says draw nigh unto God.
Plaque I have up in my study and I see it every day. It says, if
He is
talking about you and I every day practicing the presence of God;
cultivating the nearness of God to our life. How close to God are you?
Are you near to the Lord in your daily life? One of my children gave
plaque I have up in my study and I see it every day. It says, if
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me a plaque I have up in my study and I see it every day. It says, if
you don't feel as close to God as you used to, who moved?
That's certainly true. Everyone of us, everyday need to work on practicing the
certainly true. Everyone of us, everyday need to work on practicing the
presence of God - drawing near to the Lord.
18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, To all that call upon him in truth.
ps
That means that you can be just as close to the Lord as you want to be.
that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth.
He is near to all of those who call upon Him. When the prodigal came back home from that hog-pen experience and the Bible says the father saw him and ran to meet him. He's just as close as the mention of His name. If you want to be close to the Lord, draw nigh unto God and He will draw nigh unto you. How do you draw close to God? It's an interesting thing. You draw nigh to God in the same way you resist the devil.
That means that
you can be just as close to the Lord as you want to be. He is near to
all of those who call upon Him. When the prodigal came back home from
that hog-pen experience and the Bible says the father saw him and ran to
meet him. He's just as close as the mention of His name. If you want
to be close to the Lord, draw nigh unto God and He will draw nigh unto
you. How do you draw close to God? It's an interesting thing. You
draw nigh to God in the same way you resist the devil.
You cultivate
the Lord's presence in the same way you counteract the devil's presence
-- by the Word of God and prayers.
I hope you have that daily meeting time with the Lord. I recommend that you do it in the morning. The beginning of the day is the logical time to do it. If you will begin
time with the Lord. I recommend that you do it in the morning. The
beginning of the day is the logical time to do it. If you will begin
your day reading the Bible. When you read the Bible the Lord is talking to you. When you pray you are talking to the Lord. If the Lord's talking to you and you're talking to the Lord- that means you are having communion -- fellowship with one another. That's what brings about closeness. "Draw nigh unto God and He will draw nigh unto thee."
When you read the Bible the Lord is talking
to you. When you pray you are talking to the Lord. If the Lord's
talking to you and you're talking to the Lord- that means you are having
communion -- fellowship with one another. That's what brings about
closeness. "Draw nigh unto God and He will draw nigh unto thee."
Zachariah 1:3 - "Turn ye unto me and I will turn unto you."
Isn't that a wonderful promise? The promise of the presence of God every day. I find myself all the time quoting and going back over old
every day. I find myself all the time quoting and going back over old
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Hymn that says, "I am thine o, Lord,I have heard thy voice and it told thy love to me. And I long to rise in the arms of faith and be closer drawn to thee. Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord, to the cross where thou hast died. Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, to thy precious bleeding side." I just have a feeling everyone of us today need to get a little bit closer to the Lord. It thrills the Lord when you want to get close to Him.
mind and then they just come up along the way. I was thinking about one
this week in connection with this wonderful promise about the closeness
of God. I was thinking about that hymn that says, "I am thine o, Lord,
I have heard thy voice and it told thy love to me. And I long to rise
in the arms of faith and be closer drawn to thee. Draw me nearer,
nearer blessed Lord, to the cross where thou hast died. Draw me nearer,
nearer, blessed Lord, to thy precious bleeding side." I just have a
One time when my children were small and on Saturday night I get in my study and
feeling everyone of us today need to get a little bit closer to the
Lord. It thrills the Lord when you want to get close to Him. One time
when my children were small and on Saturday night I get in my study and
pray and try to get my self ready to preach the message on Sunday. I kind of close myself off. One time when they were small there came a little knock at the door. I said, come in. The door opened up and one of my children was there. I was kind of busy, had a lot going on. I said, what do you want? My child said I don't want anything, I just want to be with you.
kind of close myself off. One time when they were small there came a
little knock at the door. I said, come in. The door opened up and one
of my children was there. I was kind of busy, had a lot going on. I
said, what do you want? My child said I don't want anything, I just
want to be with you. I said, would you like a new Cadillac, a Honda?
There is just something about it when your children just want to be with you. I wonder if you would just kind of scrooch up to the Lord just a little bit closer and say Lord, I want to draw near to you. God would say, come on in, child. He would put his arms around you and love you and hug on you a little bit.
you. I wonder if you would just kind of scrooch up to the Lord just a
little bit closer and say Lord, I want to draw near to you. God would
That's revival. It's a new awareness of the presence of God in your life.
say, come on in, child. He would put his arms around you and love you
and hug on you a little bit. That's revival. It's a new awareness of
the presence of God in your life.
little closer to the Lord.
II Sin
II Sin
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8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
james 4.
Notice secondly there is the matter of sin. Verse 8 - 10.
In the world of athletics eye and hand coordination is very important. You take a wide receiver - a real top notch one - eye and hand coordination is very important. They learn to keep their eye on the ball as it is thrown. They follow the ball all the way into their hand. Eye-hand coordination. That's why guys like Jerry Rice and some of those make such remarkable catches.
"Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye
double minded."
In the world of athletics eye and hand coordination is
very important. You take a wide receiver - a real top notch one - eye
and hand coordination is very important. They learn to keep their eye
on the ball as it is thrown. They follow the ball all the way into
their hand. Eye-hand coordination. That's why guys like Jerry Rice and
some of those make such remarkable catches.
They have been trained to have good eye-hand coordination.
In the spiritual realm is hear and had coordination. There is a correlation in the Scripture between the heart and the hand.
have good eye-hand coordination. In the spiritual realm is hear and
had coordination. There is a correlation in the Scripture between the
heart and the hand.
Spiritually you need good heart and hand coordination.
coordination. The hands represent your deeds -- what you do. The heart
The hands represent your deeds -- what you do.
The heart represents your motives -- why you do what you do.
represents your motives -- why you do what you do.
The heart, that's the inward matter.
The hand is the outward matter.
the inward matter. The hand is the outward matter. Cleanse your hands
you sinners. Purify your hearts you double minded. You do what you do
because you are what you are. The Bible says you need to cleanse your
Key - Cleanse your hands you sinners. Purify your hearts you double minded. You do what you do because you are what you are. The Bible says you need to cleanse your hands. Is there anything you are doing that's not right. Any habit?
hands. Is there anything you are doing that's not right. Any habit?
There is a direct correlation between the heart and the lip.
this message on thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in
vain. There is a direct correlation between the heart and the lip.
Cleanses your hands. Is there anything in your life that's displeasing
to Jesus? We ought to get rid of it. Then he says purify your hearts. Is there any motive that's wrong? The Bible says keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life. You can't be close to God if there is unconfessed, uncleansed, unpurified sin in your hand
We ought to get rid of it. Then he says purify your hearts.
Is there any motive that's wrong? The Bible says keep thy heart with
all diligence for out of it are the issues of life. You can't be close
to God if there is unconfessed, uncleansed, unpurified sin in your hand
and in your heart. You have to deal with it.
says who shall
ascend unto the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place.
He that hath clean hands and a pure heart. He is saying that we need to
deal with sin thoroughly. We need a little investigation time to say,
"Lord, is there anything I'm doing in my life that's displeasing to you?
Is there any motive in my heart that's displeasing to you?" Deal with
sin thoroughly.
Something else- we ought to deal with sin seriously.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
jame 4.
I thought Christianity was to be a joyful experience. I thought you would be happy. Here comes James.
puts a gloom on a service, doesn't it? I thought Christianity was to be
a joyful experience. I thought you would be happy. Here comes James.
Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness. That's just the exact opposite of the gospel I preach
That's just the exact opposite of the gospel I preach and Dr. Lindsay
WE believe in laughter. The Bible teaches that laughter is all right. The Bible says a merry heart does good like a -ii.ino. Nothing wrong with a little fun. You say, preacher, you sure do cut up a lot in church. If you knew how much humor I held back you would forgive me for the humor I let out. You know that we believe in joy. You know that there is a place for
preaches. We preach a religion of joy. WE believe in laughter. The
Bible teaches that laughter is all right. The Bible says a merry heart
does good like a -ii.ino. Nothing wrong with a little fun. You say,
preacher, you sure do cut up a lot in church. If you knew how much
humor I held back you would forgive me for the humor I let out. You
know that we believe in joy. You know that there is a place for
laughter. Yet James says be afflicted, mourn, weep.
Yet James says be afflicted, mourn, weep.
In the Bible says there is a time to weep and there's a time to laugh. In other words there is a time for everything. Thank God for the joy of the Christian life. But I don't think you will ever experience the fullness of the joy of the Christian life until
there's a time to laugh. In other words there is a time for everything.
Thank God for the joy of the Christian life. But I don't think you will
ever experience the fullness of the joy of the Christian life until
First of all you experience the depths of the mourning for sin in your
own personal life. He is simply saying that there is a time when sin ought to break your heart. There is a time when you ought to just get alone with the Lord and get real serious with Him. Not just laugh it off. You can't fool God. You can't just laugh off your sin to God.
He is simply saying that there is a time when sin
ought to break your heart. There is a time when you ought to just get
alone with the Lord and get real serious with Him. Not just laugh it
off. You can't fool God. You can't just laugh off your sin to God.
So, James just pile up verbs up - - and he is simply trying to say that sin in our hearts is a serious matter and there comes a time when we need to get broken hearted about our sin. Sin got real serious with me when I understood as a believer that my sin was part of the load that nailed Jesus to the cross.
say that sin in our hearts is a serious matter and there comes a time
when we need to get broken hearted about our sin. Sin got real serious
with me when I understood as a believer that my sin was part of the load
that nailed Jesus to the cross.
Your sin isn't nearly as funny when you realize it was part of the load Jesus bore on the cross. Any sin in your life? Deal with it thoroughly. Deal with it seriously.
realize it was part of the load Jesus bore on the cross. Any sin in
your life? Deal with it thoroughly. Deal with it seriously.
There's the matter of submission,
there is the matter of sin,
III Surrender.
III Surrender.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." We have a similar
where the Bible says, humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time.
statement in where the Bible says, humble yourselves
therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due
time.
That is simply saying to take our proper place before the Lord.
The world says the way up is up. God says the way up is down. Isn't
that interesting. That's what got the devil in trouble. The devil said
That is simply saying to take our proper place before the Lord. The world says the way up is up. God says the way up is down. Isn't that interesting.
I will go up. He said I will arise, I will ascend to the throne of God.
I'll sit on the throne, I'll go up, up, up. God says no, devil, you
will go down, down, down. The Lord Jesus Christ came and the Bible said
he came not to be serve, but to serve. The Bible says that He humbled
That's what got the devil in trouble. The devil said I will go up. He said I will arise, I will ascend to the throne of God. I'll sit on the throne, I'll go up, up, up. God says no, devil, you will go down, down, down.
Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
The Lord Jesus Christ came and the Bible said he came not to be serve, but to serve. The Bible says that He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God hath highly exalted Him. The way us, as a believer, is down. You put yourself down in the right relationship with God and God,
down. You put yourself down in the right relationship with God and God,
in due time, will lift you up. We must humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord.
the Lord.
The closer we come to the Lord and the lower we get ourselves before him the more we are
remarkable, unusual picture of the Lord Jesus. As he walked into the
door the attendant was standing at the picture. The man looked at the
picture and it had been so drawn by the artist that you really couldn't
see the full impact of the picture as you first came in. The man stood
there and looked at the picture and said, "I don't understand it." The
attendant said, "come closer." He got just a little bit closer and
said, "I still don't see it." The attendant said, "Come closer." He
got a little closer and said, "I still don't see it." The attendant
said, "Come closer and get lower." So he did. Then the attendant said,
come closer, get lower. The closer he came and the lower he got, the
more he was able to see the beauty of the painting. The closer we come
to the Lord and the lower we get ourselves before him the more we are
able to see the beauty of our lovely Lord Jesus and it will bring revival in your life.
revival in your life.
There is the matter of submission -- submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
devil and he will flee from you.
There is the matter of sin - cleanse
There is the matter of sin - cleanse your hands and purify your hearts, be afflicted and mourn and weep.
your hands and purify your hearts, be afflicted and mourn and weep.
There is the matter of surrender -- humble yourself and He will lift you
There is the matter of surrender -- humble yourself and He will lift you
up.
IV Speech
IV Speech
11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
Then there is the matter of speech.
around to that, didn't you. This is his post script on the subject of
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All the way through James he has sprinkled statements about speech and he says in verse 11 - "Speak not evil one of another, brethren." Some folks would have revival if they would quit the way they talk about folks.
speech. He has already been talking about it. In the third chapter he
nailed it pretty good. All the way through James he has sprinkled
statements about speech and he says in verse 11 - "Speak not evil one of
They word there really means to talk down.
another, brethren." Some folks would have revival if they would quit
the way they talk about folks. The word there really means to talk
down. It means to be critical of others. It is so detrimental. It is
It means to be critical of others. It is so detrimental. It is interesting that this statement "speak not evil" the verb form here is used in the noun form in
interesting that this statement "speak not evil" the verb form here is
where it uses the word, backbiters.
used in the noun form in where it uses the word, backbiters.
It means to pull other people to pieces - criticize others - talk down
others.
In Paul is talking about the Corinthian church that was having all of the problems.
church that was having all of the problems. In the 20th verse he uses
In the 20th verse he uses the word, backbiting as something that was going on in the fellowship.
the word, backbiting as something that was going on in the fellowship.
You can't have a personal revival when you are spending your time running folks down. I think our church is one of the best I've seen about that kind of thing - I just don't hear a whole lot of that.
running folks down. I think our church is one of the best I've seen
If you do, you're running with the wrong crowd. Not many of that bunch around. That's one of the things I love about our fellowship - we don't hear a lot of critical statements made. You get around a crowd that's that way you just recognize you are running with a minority group.
about that kind of thing - I just don't hear a whole lot of that. If
you do, you're running with the wrong crowd. Not many of that bunch
around. That's one of the things I love about our fellowship - we don't
hear a lot of critical statements made. You get around a crowd that's
that way you just recognize you are running with a minority group.
You can't have a revival in your heart when you are critical of other people.
ought to do what you do when you run across some bad money. Have you
ever gotten hold of a Canadian coin? You thought it was a quarter and
it was a Canadian coin. When you get a coin of no value you just put it
out of circulation. That's what you ought to do with critical remarks.
Just don't repeat them - put them out of circulation. It's so
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detrimental. You can't have a revival in your heart when you are
critical of other people.
This matter of speaking evil of others is so judgmental.
Verse 11 and 12 where he talks about speaking evil of the law and judging the
11 and 12 where he talks about speaking evil of the law and judging the
law.
There is really is the word, critic.
He is saying when you become a critic of others you are really criticizing the
saying when you become a critic of others you are really criticizing the
holy law of God because you have set yourself up as the law giver.
You are saying, move over God, I'm going to take your job for you. You are playing God. God has a right to be the judge because he knows all the facts. You do not know all the facts.
are saying, move over God, I'm going to take your job for you. You are
playing God. God has a right to be the judge because he knows all the
facts. You do not know all the facts.
If you knew all the facts you would probably have an entirely different view. People who are critical of other people, they are critical because they don't even know all the facts of where that dear person is coming from.
would probably have an entirely different view. People who are critical
of other people, they are critical because they don't even know all the
facts of where that dear person is coming from. You s some Christians
and you are critical and you think they haven't grown the way they
should have in the Lord. You don't know how far they've come. Some of
you may have been brought up in a Christian home and you were saved at
an early age and you were taught the things of God and you have grown
and matured in your Christian life. But here's someone who has been
saved from a life of daa sin - had a long way to come - you don't know
all the facts. Something else - God knows the motives of the heart.
You don't know the motives of the heart. You have no right to judge the
motives of another individual. That's the way you have a revival.
Those twelve - qndq. The uI -ndi are all plural, but the response to
them must be personal. Not my brother, not my sister, but it's me o
Lord, standing in the need of revival. Lord, send a revival and let it
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begin in me.
Do you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior?