Church, Interrupted

I love my church.

Shep and I testify often and to anyone who will listen how much we love our church.

Church means a lot of different things to many people.

To us, it is the family of believers who meet together, love on each other, build one another up, work side by side, and seek to bring God glory in all that they do.

The building, the preaching, the music and so on has very little to do with it. It is a family that we are committed to....come what may. It is hard to convince me to leave a church for petty things. God has to tell us to go.

Anyway, God is up to some pretty cool things at our church right now.

Actually we are in a bind....financially.

The recession has hit hard and we (the church) are feeling it.

Our pastor preached a tough message on Sunday but presented us with an awesome challenge.

I'm in. I love challenges.

He believes that this current situation that we find ourselves in is actually God getting our attention. God is allowing us to be squeezed so we will run to Him. Our pastor challenged us to hit our knees and come together corporately to petition our needs to God.

Not so much our financial need....but our heart need.

Money is nothing to God. He has every resource He could ever need at His disposal. However, He needs us. He wants us to be at His disposal.

In times of prosperity we forget who the blessings are from...in times of struggle we are forced to remember.

This has excited me to death!

I can't wait to see what God is up to.

We have been praying for quite some time for God to bring real revival to our church...I am talking book of Acts kind of revival.

Could this be the way He is going to do it?

Is this how He is going to get us to bend the knee and be open enough for Him to pour down His Spirit upon us?

I hope so.

Don't think it hasn't already occurred to me that Caroline could also be healed during this time. When God's Spirit is loosed freely upon a church mighty miraculous things happen.

Marriages saved...
Addictions broken...
Chains loosed...
Lame walk...
Deaf hear...
Dumb speak...
Dead rise...
Lives are changed....

God thank you for interrupting our church. You are large and in charge. Thank you for a church staff that stops everything to seek You and simply pray. If we knew the power that is unleashed when we pray we would most likely be so ashamed of our lack of doing it. Forgive us God for not being a praying people. Teach us to be. Display your power as only You can. I can't help but wonder what you have for us as a church. We want revival. We need renewal. Give us clean hands and pure hearts. Help us to resist the enemy that seeks to destroy us. Teach us to fight using Your Word. Nothing would thrill me more than experiencing a new testament church like the one we read about in the book of Acts. They were persecuted....they ruined their reputations for Your sake...they were ridiculed and beaten....but that is just half of the story. They increased in numbers daily. They prayed often and took care of each other. Their eyes saw things that we can only dream of....and I do.

Acts 3:6-8 Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.