Evil Is Real

I apologize for the devotion being late, but we have recently bought a new house. The house has an awesome deck which needed to be stained. Oh, did I mention that the deck is big and it took us more time than we anticipated to finish. (Even as I am writing this it is not finished.)

I believe that in every circumstance of our lives as followers of Jesus there are reasons for the circumstances. I realized Sunday night why God had delayed me in writing the devotion at my usual time.

Just as we were finishing staining the deck on Sunday evening, our neighbor asked if we had heard about the shooting at the church in Texas. She gave us the basic details. We watched the story that night on the news and my heart broke for the church and the community. And my heart broke for that pastor.

I know how I feel about my church. It is truly my family. These people who were killed are just names to those of us who are physically removed from that community. They are friends and family members to those who live in the community. They are family and part of the flock that God had entrusted to that pastor to shepherd. I can feel the intense hurt and pain in this man’s life and the loss he feels.

1 Peter 5:1-3 says, “So I exhort elders among you, as a fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you, not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”

That church was the loving responsibility of that pastor and the brokenness he is experiencing is huge.

I realized as I listened to the story of the shooting that as I taught my faith family on Sunday morning that Satan is a murderer, that murderer had placed in the heart of a person focused on hate and evil to go and kill some of my brothers and sisters.

I listened to the story of the shooting and I realized something else. I realized that we as a nation are still not getting it. We are not comprehending the truth.

This is not about gun control.

This is not about mental illness.

This is about a culture, the American culture that is a fallen culture.

All cultures are fallen. And the only solution to the evil, hatred, and violence in our culture is a spiritual awakening in our country.

America needs a spiritual revolution. We need to turn from man-based ideas, man-based principles, and man-based solutions to Jesus-based ideas, Jesus-based principles, and Jesus-based solutions.

For America to experience that type of radical change, the church in America has to experience revival.

In 1 Peter 4:17 we are told that judgment begins with the house of God, the people of God. The change that has to occur in this nation, if it is to last as a nation, will also have to begin with the people of God.

I have been praying for revival and encouraging my faith family to pray for revival for about 20 years. I have to admit that I was not real sure what revival would look like as I began to pray. But over the years God has given me five things that I believe revival will do for the church, God’s people.

First, revival will bring a passion for Jesus to His people. The early church taught Jesus. They were fiercely focused on Jesus and His kingdom. They did not teach conservative values, they did not teach hope in a human based government, they did not teach self-help philosophy. They taught and lived out Jesus.

Second, a commitment to the Gospel. In Romans 1:16 Paul says that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. The Gospel is the good news that God became a human, Jesus. That Jesus lived a perfect sinless life, that He died for every human being’s sin, that He rose from the tomb, that He ascended to the Father and is alive and making intercession for us right now. That Jesus is the only way that we will be saved, experiencing eternal life and knowing peace and freedom on this earth. That will be interpreted as narrow and exclusive. It is not, but some will try to make it look that way. The Gospel will also be offensive to some. But we are to still be absolutely committed to the Gospel and proclaim it.

Third, a love for each other and for the lost. In John 13:35 Jesus says that love for each other as His followers will be the mark that shows the world we are His followers. We need to quit fighting among ourselves. We need to stop declaring denominationalism and come together united in Jesus as the Savior and Lord. We need to stop fighting over trivial things and love each other as Jesus loves. We also have to stop condemning those who are not followers of Jesus. They are not the enemy but are victims of the lies of Satan. We are commanded to love and pray for those who hate us and who would persecute us. Loving others, not judging and condemning them, will draw them to Jesus.

Fourth, an excitement over what God is doing. One of the fruits of the Spirit is joy. Being excited and joyful over what God is doing demonstrates that God’s Spirit is working in our lives. Anyone can find things that are wrong or bad. A negative spirit and view of life does not reflect the truth and love of Jesus. I am convinced that God is doing a lot more than we as His people are giving Him credit for.

Fifth, a total surrender to the will of God. We have been created and live for the glory of Jesus. We are not here to seek our preference or our comfort or our will. We are here to seek out and live out Jesus’ will.

Revival is coming!

Spiritual awakening is coming!

The desire of my heart is for you and me to experience revival and see Jesus bring spiritual awakening to this nation.

I have been praying for the community of Sutherland Springs and for First Baptist Church two scriptures.

Philippians 4:6-7: That they would not be fearful or hopeless, but that God would guard their hearts and minds and give them a peace through Jesus that blows the world away.

Romans 8:28: That God would bring something out of this circumstance that would bless First Baptist and bring not only healing but an extraordinary work of God.

I want to encourage you to pray also for revival for God’s church and for spiritual awakening for our nation.

Prayerfully Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

Joe