Posted on November 6 2011

What Is Revival?

The prodigal son walked away from his sin and into the arms of the one who would restore and comfort him.

Revival is the process of restoring life to those who are broken, crushed, and contrite. Moses reveals the process in Psalm 90.

Psa 90:3 You turn man to destruction [i.e. You make them broken, crushed, and contrite], And say, “Return, O children of men.”

Why are they broken and contrite? Because they have strayed away from God’s presence. See how it says, “Return”? Revival is about returning to God. He longs for us to live with Him, not away from Him.

Moses goes on to explain how God makes men broken and contrite. He does it by exposing their sin.

Psa 90:8 You have set our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.

We sometimes forget that God is the ONLY source of life, but He never forgets. That is why He is willing to expose our sin and let us be crushed and broken because of it. It is for the purpose of getting us to come running back to Him.

We see God’s heart for the revival process beautifully pictured in the New Testament where we see Jesus, after preaching hard for three years in and around Jerusalem, exposing sin and commanding men to “come unto me,” sitting on a hill overlooking the people of that city and morning as he speaks these words:

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets
and stones those who are sent to her!

How often I wanted to gather your children together,
as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,
but you were not willing!

See! Your house is left to you desolate;
for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say,

‘BLESSED is HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’ “

~Mat 23:37-39

The heart of God was broken, because He had sent many prophets, and eventually even His own son, to expose their sin and command them to return to Him. But they killed the prophets, and even His son. They refused revival; they would not have it; they were not willing to mourn over their sin and walk away from it.

God has made it clear that He is willing to revive and heal and guide and restore and even live with those who will mourn over their sin when He reveals it.

For this is what the high and lofty One says – he who lives forever, whose name is holy:

“I live in a high and holy place,
but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit,

to revive the spirit of the lowly and
to revive the heart of the contrite.

I will not accuse forever, nor will I always be angry,
for then the spirit of man would grow faint before me
- the breath of man that I have created.

I was enraged by his sinful greed;
I punished him, and hid my face in anger,
yet he kept on in his willful ways.

I have seen his ways,
but I will heal him;
I will guide him and
restore comfort to him,
creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel.

Peace, peace, to those far and near,” says the LORD.
“And I will heal them.”

~Isa 57:15-19

THIS is revival! It is the process of being broken and contrite over any sin we recognize in our life, and running away from it. The path that leads us away from sin, is the same path that leads us into the arms of the One who will revive us and comfort us and heal us.

 

Keeping it real,
Tammie Signature Black

Article Written: Nov 6, 2011
Photo courtesy of: The Work of God’s Children Illustrated Bible

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Posted on October 15 2011

Did God Really Forsake Jesus When He Hung On The Cross?

In Psalm 22, David prophetically writes of Jesus’ death, beginning his song with the words, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?” The song goes on to prophecy many more details of the conversations, actions, and even emotions that would occur during Jesus’ time on the cross.

Hundreds of years later, God confirmed David’s prophecy by directing Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to report the details of what actually took place during the last moments of Jesus’ crucifixion. Yet many who study the Bible, question the validity of one detail in particular – Jesus’ statement, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Jesus Forsaken on Cross

In all honesty, it IS a difficult concept to wrap our mind around. We may not be able to fully understand it in this lifetime, but Scripture gives us enough tidbits to confidently answer the question, even if we don’t know all the details of how God did it.

The first and most important tidbit comes from Isaiah’s prophecy which includes an insight into the character of the coming Messiah, and this character trait is confirmed in the New Testament by Peter. Both writers tell us that Jesus never deceived anyone. In other words, he never bore false witness.

Isaiah 53:9 And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

1Peter 2:22 “WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH”;

If God did not forsake Jesus while he was hanging on the cross, then Jesus was either deceiving us or he was being deceived, himself, when he asked God why He had forsaken him. According to the Scriptures we just read, Jesus NEVER deceived anybody, so if God did not truly forsake him, at least for a moment, while he was on the cross, that only leaves one other option – Jesus, himself, was deceived.

Is it possible that Jesus, “the way, the truth, and the life,” could be deceived? If “the truth” can be deceived at any point, then it will contain a bit of error, and it will no longer be the truth. So if Jesus was confused and deceived about being forsaken for a moment on the cross, then He had accepted a bit of error, and He disqualified himself from being “the truth.”

Also we are told that the fullness of Deity resided in the physical body of Jesus, and Jesus claimed that He only spoke what the Father told Him to speak. Can Deity be deceived or become confused? Can Deity “misspeak,” as so many of our politicians do?

John 14:10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

Col 2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,

John 12:49-50 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

Even when the father of all deception (Satan) tried to work his ‘charms’ on Jesus, he was not deceived.

Mat 4:9-11 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND HIM ONLY YOU SHALL SERVE.’ ” Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

If Jesus was deceived at any point, then we cannot have full confidence that he had never been deceived prior to that point. But we need not be concerned, because Scripture gives us abundant evidence that Jesus was at no time deceived, confused, or misleading. Therefore, when he uttered those words from the cross, he was stating a truth. We may not completely understand the HOW part, but we dare not suggest that the One in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwelt was guilty of being deceptive OR of being confused!

Keeping it real,

Photo Courtesy Of: Unknown

Article Written: Sep 27, 2011 / Edited: Oct 15, 2011

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Posted on October 13 2011

Does Our Lifestyle Automatically Change When We Become A New Man?

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What Is The Old Man And The New Man?

The “old man” is one who is living according to his old habits, or lifestyle. The “new man” is one who has a new knowledge that is “like” (or according to) the knowledge of the One who created him. When we are born again, we are said to be a new man.

Col 3:9-10 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

So as a new man, we have new knowledge, and this knowledge is given to us by the Holy Spirit, who is sent from God to be a helper for His people. But HAVING knowledge and USING it are two different things. WE are responsible for putting this new knowledge into practice in our life. This knowledge is whispered into our conscience by the Holy Spirit as He teaches us and reminds us of the things Jesus has said. In other words, the Holy Spirit will help us understand things we have never been taught, plus He will help us understand God’s written Word.

Does Our Lifestyle Automatically Change When We Become A New Man?

Although we are immediately given access to new knowledge when the Holy Spirit comes into our heart, the lifestyle changes are not automatic. Learning to abide in Christ by doing what pleases Him is up to us. We have to listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, then use our self control to overcome old habits. This is what Paul meant when he wrote that we should find out what pleases the Lord and walk in that way.

Eph 5:8-10 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord … Walk as children of light finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

Col 3:8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

Col 3:12-14 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

Obviously when Paul said that we, ourselves, are to “put off” certain things and “put on” others, he was indicating that there is no automatic change in our lifestyle. The guidance and advice of the Holy Spirit is made available to us, and by walking in obedience to His counsel we will develop a changed lifestyle, but we are always able to override His advice and follow the desires of our flesh.

1Thes 5:19-22 Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

When we choose to ignore what the Holy Spirit whispers to our conscience, we are quenching the Spirit, and Paul warns that we should not do this. He does, however, encourage us to test what we think our conscience has heard from the Holy Spirit, and we do that by comparing it to what is written in the Word and by comparing it to what we know is true of God’s character. The Holy Spirit will never, ever advise us to do something that is contrary to either of these.

So we see that the new man immediately receives new knowledge, but our lifestyle will remain unchanged and fruitless unless we  choose to listen to and obey the Holy Spirit’s counsel.

 

Keeping it real,
Tammie Signature Black

Photo Courtesy Of: Joe Houghton, on Flickr
Article Written: Oct. 13, 2011 / Edited: Oct. 19, 2011

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Posted on September 9 2011

Did Adam Grunt Like An Ape And Have Limited Intelligence Like Early Man?

Evolutionists suggest that early man was ape like in appearance and in intelligence, with language skills developing much later in the time line. But Scripture confirms that man was created with language and intelligence ready to be used.

As we see in the following passage, the first woman was created after man had already named all the animals. In other words, he had language and intelligence from the very beginning!

Genesis 2:18-23 And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.”

Not only were Adam’s words discernible and useful for communication, they indicate a depth of understanding as evidenced by his fist recorded words, stating that He knew God had created the woman from his own flesh and bone, and he even explained why he gave her the name of woman.

Scripture teaches that the first man was a thinking, intelligent man with God given language abilities from the very beginning!

 

Keeping it real,
Tammie Signature Black

Photo Courtesy Of: Phillip Martin
Article Edited: Sept. 10, 2011

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Posted on August 16 2011

Will We Recognize Each Other In Heaven?

This article answers the following questions:

Will We Recognize Each Other In Heaven?
Will We Know Our Loved Ones In Heaven?

One of the most common questions that comes up in Bible study groups is whether or not we will recognize our loved ones when we get to Heaven. It’s an important question to us, because relationships mean so much to us. In fact, God created us for relationship!

If God made relationships important to us in this life, it would make sense that He would also want us to enjoy those relationships in the next life, and Scripture seems to support this line of thinking. Let’s look at some of the passages that give us insight about this question.

Mat 8:10-11 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

In speaking to the centurion in this passage, Jesus indicated that we would see and know Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in Heaven. Calling them by name suggests that we will not only know them by name, but also recall their role in the faith.

2Sam 12:23 But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”

When David was questioned about why he was no longer morning for his dead son, he indicated that he fully expected to see and know his child in Heaven.

Luke 16:23-26 And being in torments in Hades, he [the rich man] lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

Even from his place in Hades, the rich man recognized Father Abraham and Lazarus in Paradise. And Father Abraham recognized Lazarus and the rich man. He even knew the details of their lives –  that the rich man had received good things in his lifetime, and that Lazarus received evil things in his lifetime.

Matthew 17:1-4 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Peter recognized Moses and Elijah, even though they had lived hundreds of years before, so there must be some kind of knowing that exceeds even the visual aspect.

We Will Rejoice When We See Our Loved Ones In Heaven!

1Thes 2:19-20 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even YOU in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.

In this passage, Paul even gives us an insight about how we will feel when we see our loved ones in Heaven. We will rejoice when we see those whose lives we have invested in! They will be our joy and glory in the presence of the Lord.

2Cor 1:13-14 For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand. Now I trust you will understand, even to the end (as also you have understood us in part), that we are your boast as you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.

The word translated as ‘boast’ in the NKJV, is translated at ‘rejoicing’ in the KJV. So this is very much the same thought as the previous passage – that in the ‘day of the Lord’, we will “boast” (rejoice) over those we have walked alongside and invested in.

As you can see, there is more than enough evidence given in Scripture to convince us that we WILL see and know our loved ones in Heaven, and not only that – we will REJOICE when we see them there! I don’t know about you, but I find great comfort in knowing that the relationships which are special to me here will also be special to me there!

Keeping it real,
Tammie

Photo courtesy of: kleydo

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