Revival According To The Beatitudes

Let us but feel that He has His heart set upon us, that He is watching us from those heavens with tender interest, that He is following us day by day as a mother follows here babe in his first attemps to walk alone, that He has set His love upon us, and in spite of ourselves is working out for us His hightest will and blessing, as far as we will let Him - and then nothing can discourage us. A.B.SIMPSONI asked myself how could this apply to revival. So I started reading it from a revival perspective.

Matthew 5:3 (KJV)
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

As I read this I thought, the kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom, and seek first the kingdom. I thought to myself if we want the kingdom we have to see our spiritual poverty! We have to see our need for more! If we say we have been there and done that, we will never get more. Or, if we think we have arrived. We already got it we don't need to be desperate for more. Then we will never continue on to the more the Lord has for us. Eventually we will see even what we have to begin to wane and possibly even die out. I thought to myself many have experienced the kingdom of heaven right here on earth. They saw there poverty. They saw their need. They had a desperation that wasn't satisfied with anything less than His kingdom coming!!! I mean earth shaking REVIVAL!!! But since they experienced the kingdom they have now started to define themselves. Many say we are a River Church or whatever... Sounds harmless. But I want to be careful that by defining myself I don't lock myself into just being a River Church and not reaching my full potential in God!!! Once you arrive and start to define yourself, you could be in danger of boxing yourself into what you are. Wow!

Matthew 5:4 (KJV)
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Then as I read this I thought if we want the Comforter to come and comfort us we need to be broken. God is close to those that are broken. I also thought of travail. It is when Zion travails that souls are birthed into the kingdom. We must become broken and travail before God...

Matthew5:5 (KJV)
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Psalms 2:8 says that if we ask He will give us the nations! But we first have to be meek or humble to inherit the earth. God has told us what he requires of us; to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. It is interesting to look at those that God used in past revivals. God uses the foolish things of this earth to confound the wise! Many of these past leaders were nameless, faceless, unknowns! To keep revival you must stay nameless and faceless!!! Stay hid behind the Glory!!! Stay meek and humble!!!

Matthew 5:6 (KJV)
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

We have to have a hunger and thirst for the things of God. With out hunger or a desire for more we will never see more! When a people become satisfied they are doomed to stagnation! Their fruit will wither! What a tragedy!!!

Matthew 5:7 (KJV)
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

We have to sow mercy if we want mercy. The world needs to know that there is mercy in God. As we reach out to those that are outcasts or those that are rejected by society God will reach back to us. We reap what we sow! We need the mercy of God for a MIGHTY OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY GHOST!!! Not everyone that may come to our Churches are going to be dressed the way we may think they should or may not smell very well. But God still loves them and wants to touch their live too!

Matthew 5:8 (KJV)
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

We have to have pure lives for God to send a MIGHTY OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY GHOST. Acts 5:32 says that God gives His Spirit to those that obey Him! Are you willing to obey Him no matter what! God is looking for those that are sold out! Those that are willing to be radical for Him! One of the most damaging things to happen to a Revival is for the ones God is using to have inconsistences in there purity!!! God give us more grace!!!!

Matthew 5:9 (KJV)
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

We have to be peacemakers. When revival comes if we are not peacemakers we will have a hard time with those that the enemy places against what God is doing! We are to follow after peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Through the Holy Ghost we have the Prince of Peace living on the in side of us. Christ in you the Hope of Glory. Those that are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God and the fruit of the Spirit is Peace... Choose now to live in peace and make yourself ready! God is on the move!!!

Matthew 5:10-12 (KJV)
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

I was told by someone one time to never forget, that those that we consider to be giants of the faith today, were hated and despised by many when they were living! It wasn't until years after their death that they became considered great reformers and mighty men of God. Are you willing to go through persecution? Those that suffer with Christ will reign with Christ!!!
Just some thoughts...
Blessings, catcmo2006

Continuing in the Word of His Grace

Continuing in the Word of His Grace
And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith . . . And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace. (Act_14:21-22; Act_20:32)
The Lord desires for us to continue in a growing relationship with Him, continuing to draw more and more upon His grace: "continue with the Lord . . . continue in the grace of God" (Act_11:23; Act_13:43). One vital aspect of this process is to be continuing in the word of His grace.
As Paul and his missionary team passed through Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch (in Pisidia), they urged the disciples there to "continue in the faith." "The faith" is often used in the scriptures to refer to the revealed truth of God (in which we are to place our faith). Jude wrote in this manner. "I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jud_1:3). Thus, the word of God is "the faith." Consequently,
the call to "continue in the faith" was an exhortation to live by abiding in the word of God.
Later, when Paul was visiting the church leaders from Ephesus for the last time, he entrusted them unto the care of the Lord and His word. In doing this, he referred to the scriptures as "the word of His grace." Grace characterizes the word of God. Grace permeates the word of God. Grace flows from the word of God. It is in the scriptures that we learn of God's grace. There we learn of what it is (the Lord's undeserved riches, poured out freely for our justification, sanctification, and glorification) . There we learn of our great need for grace (a desperate, comprehensive, continual need). Also, in the word we learn of how we can access it (through humble dependence upon the Lord).
If we are going to continue in grace as the Lord desires, we must continue in the word of His grace. We will want to read it prayerfully day by day. We will want to study it regularly for increased understanding. We will want to meditate upon it often for growing implications and applications. Above all, we will want to be in the word consistently that we might get to know the Christ of the word. In knowing Him more, His mighty grace will properly impact our lives.

Let us but feel that He has His heart set upon us, that He is watching us from those heavens with tender interest, that He is following us day by day as a mother follows here babe in his first attemps to walk alone, that He has set His love upon us, and in spite of ourselves is working out for us His hightest will and blessing, as far as we will let Him - and then nothing can discourage us. A.B.SIMPSON