Colossians 2:14

We are made alive together with God and our trespasses removed by the fact that He had obliterated them. Paul speaks of the “certificate of debt” (Greek cheirographon) carries the meaning of a note of hand or writing in which one acknowledges that money has either been deposited with him or lent to him by another.[1] He states that this signed bond is dealing with the law (Greek dogma) of Moses. He says that these decrees were an adversary against us. Three things are expressed about this certificate. First, it was written or a literal instrument of debt. This refers to the Decalogue or Ten Commandments which condemn all mankind. Second, it was against us, there was a valid claim that can be made for repayment of the debt. And, third, it was a hostile claim against us, in other words, we are incapable of being able to settle this debt.

Because of this, we were made alive by the canceling of our debt. The Greek word exaleipho (translated canceled here) literally means to wipe out or blot out.[2] This is the explanation of the forgiveness Paul is reminding them about. He emphasizes this teaching by giving three statements about the debt. He said it was blotted out (canceled), it was taken out of the way (Greek airo ek ho mesos)[3], and nailed to the cross. This is a possible allusion to the fact that Christ’s accusation was nailed to the cross over His head. “Jesus nails our accusations to the cross, just as his own accusation had been nailed there.”[4]

Prayer: Thank You, thank You, thank You, Jesus for paying my debt! I acknowledge that I thought I could become right with God on my own. I have learned that what I owe is so much more than I can pay, and I keep compounding the debt. However, You have pait it all! Every last part! I don't owe anything, except my love and obedience to You. Thank You! Amen.

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[1] Thayer, J. (n.d.). Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Retrieved February 23, 2017, from StudyLight.Org: http://www.studylight.org/ 

[2] W. E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger and William White, Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1996). Page 71. 

[3] Literally, “to bear away from our midst.” 

[4] Bruce, F. F. The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians. Grand Rapids: Eerdman's Publishing Co, 1984. Page 110.

Where Will Revival Start? #9

Today, the church I am Transitional Pastor at draws the series of five meetings on Revival to a close. We are privileged to have a student from Southwestern Theological Seminary come and lead our services. We began praying for God to move in our hearts back in January and will continue to pray for Him to ignite the fire in each of us. we have been praying for Eric Dyer as he is preparing his heart and messages to come be with us. Over the next few days of devotions, I will be sharing some thoughts about revival.

Psalms 85:6-7 - "Will You not revive us again so that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your faithful love, Lord, and give us Your salvation."

Tonight ends the meetings. The question becomes, will we walk away and say that was good. I enjoyed the messages, the singing was great. Or, will will continue to seek God to light fires and keep the fires burning. Revival doesn't start and end with a series of meetings. Revival exists when God's people seek to get right, stay right, and encourage right.

My biggest concern is that God’s people are waiting for America to get right first and then things will get better for the church! You see - if we really get down to it – instead of the church waiting for America to get right, I think America is needing the church to get right! It’s not the atheist, Muslim, abortionist or the Satanist that needs revival…it’s the lukewarm Christian and the lifeless Church that need it and it starts right here with --- me… and this church!

Gypsy Smith, a British Evangelist in the early 20th Century believed that 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.”

The question now becomes, I have seriously and honestly done business with God? Did I relinquish my pride and seek His face? Did I seek cleansing and purity? If we have truly sought God, we will have found out that it was me that needed to be revived. I may have prayed for God to revive my church, my brother, my sister, my....... But the reality is, "It's me, it's me, it's me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer."

Over the last 9 days, have I truly sought God for His presence in my life? Have I sought to draw closer to Him? That is where true revival starts. In me.

Prayer: Jesus, I have gone through the motions so many times before, and come out empty. I seek to truly draw closer to You. I want to be on fire like I have never been before. Spirit, You are the match, I am the kindling - blow your breath on me and set me afire. May the blaze reach others for Jesus. Amen.

Tomorrow, we will return to our study of the Book of Colossians.

Where Will Revival Start? #8

Today, the church I am Transitional Pastor at is in a series of five meetings on Revival. We are privileged to have a student from Southwestern Theological Seminary come and lead our services. We began praying for God to move in our hearts back in January and will continue to pray for Him to ignite the fire in each of us. we have been praying for Eric Dyer as he is preparing his heart and messages to come be with us. Over the next few days of devotions, I will be sharing some thoughts about revival.

Psalms 85:6-7 - "Will You not revive us again so that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your faithful love, Lord, and give us Your salvation."

We must now ask, How can we have revival?

Only God can send revival. He alone is the source: "Will you..." It is impossible to schedule and plan for revival. No matter how much effort we put forth, we can’t make it happen. What we must do is pray for God to grant it to us.

We must face up to spiritual realities. We need to see ourselves as we are...we must be brutally honest. We need to acknowledge God for Who He is and quit playing games with Him. We must see sin for what it is confess it, repent of it, and forsake it.

We must desire to be revived. Usually we don't want it bad enough to make any difference. Hear the words of Isaiah 55:6-7 – “Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.”

Notice the four important words and their order. Seek; Call; Forsake; Return. God wants to send revival upon those who genuinely seek it.

Today we need:

• Personal revival: that means individuals getting right with God. 
• Drawing a circle and praying – God send a revival, and let it start in this circle. 
• Home revival: that means families getting back to the place they need to be in. 
• Dedicating to follow God’s Word to show the world a better way. 
• Church revival: that means getting back to doing what God has called us to do. 
• Demonstrating to a lost world their need for Christ.

We need to draw, dedicate and demonstrate – God give us revival!

Prayer: Lord, send a revival, and let it begin in me. Amen.

Where Will revival Start? #7

Today, the church I am Transitional Pastor at is in a series of five meetings on Revival. We are privileged to have a student from Southwestern Theological Seminary come and lead our services. We began praying for God to move in our hearts back in January and will continue to pray for Him to ignite the fire in each of us. we have been praying for Eric Dyer as he is preparing his heart and messages to come be with us. Over the next few days of devotions, I will be sharing some thoughts about revival.

Psalms 85:6-7 - "Will You not revive us again so that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your faithful love, Lord, and give us Your salvation."

So, today as our services continue, let us consider, what kind of revival do we need? We need a revival that will resurrect the church, rekindle old fires, and restore the joy and victory to the child of God.

First, we need a revival that will resurrect the church. Revival means a return of life. Jesus declared to the church at Sardis, "you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead." To the church at Laodicea he calls upon them to repent; they thought they had need of nothing. He rebuked the church at Ephesus for having left their first love. Elements of all of the seven churches of Asia are present here today! Some folks are members of the church in name only; they are not interested in living the Christ-life. Others are satisfied with the way things are and see no reason for any change. Still others are too concerned about their own agendas to see the need that we have in our calling by Christ. We need to cry out to God, "Will you not revive us again?"

Then, we need a revival that will rekindle old fires. Revive us again means that there has been a fire before. For some reason, the fire has died down, it is growing cold, and the embers are no longer glowing. We need a revival that will rekindle the old fires. Do you remember better days? Days of dedication to the Lord and to His work? Days when you came to church expecting to see great things from God? Days when you wouldn't think of missing church to go to a ball game or some other activity? When you didn't look for some excuse for why you can't serve the Lord? We need to cry out to God, "Will you not revive us again?"

Finally, we need a revival that will restore joy and victory to the child of God. Too many defeated Christians today. Too many discouraged Christians. Too many backslidden Christians. The joy of the Lord is our strength, we need a revival where God will give us a song in our hearts We need to cry out to God, "Will you not revive us again?"

GOD, GRANT US A REVIVAL THAT RESURRECTS, REKINDLES, AND RESTORES!

Prayer: Let me cry out once more - GOD, GRANT US A REVIVAL THAT RESURRECTS, REKINDLES, AND RESTORES! Amen.

Where Will Revival Start? #6

Today, the church I am Transitional Pastor at will begin a series of five meetings on Revival. We are privileged to have a student from Southwestern Theological Seminary come and lead our services. We began praying for God to move in our hearts back in January and will continue to pray for Him to ignite the fire in each of us. we have been praying for Eric Dyer as he is preparing his heart and messages to come be with us. Over the next few days of devotions, I will be sharing some thoughts about revival.

Psalms 85:6-7 - "Will You not revive us again so that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your faithful love, Lord, and give us Your salvation."

Today, we will muse upon when is revival needed?

The easy answer is simply, whenever the love of God's people has grown cold. 

Consider the symptoms of the needs. (I know I am going to step on toes – but be comforted that this will hit all of us somewhere).

• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN CHURCH DINNERS ARE BETTER ATTENDED THAN PRAYER MEETINGS.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN WE DO NOT LOVE HIM AS WE ONCE DID.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN WE WOULD RATHER WATCH TV THAN READ THE BIBLE AND PRAY.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN WE SELDOM THINK THOUGHTS OF ETERNITY.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN WE MAKE LITTLE EFFORT TO WITNESS TO THE LOST SINNER.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN WE HAVE TIME FOR RECREATION AND SPORTS, BUT NOT FOR BIBLE STUDY AND PRAYER.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN OUR CHRISTIANITY IS JOYLESS AND DRY.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN OUR HEARTS OUR ARE COLD AND ARE EYES ARE DRY.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN WE ARE BORED WITH WORSHIP.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN BELIEVERS CAN BE AT ODDS WITH EACH OTHER AND NOT FEEL COMPELLED TO PURSUE RECONCILIATION.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN WE AREN"T EXERCISING FAITH AND BELIEVING GOD FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN THE FIRE HAS GONE OUT IN OUR HEARTS, OUR MARRIGES, AND THE CHURCH.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN THE FAMILY IS NOT PRAYING TOGETHER.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN OUR SINGING IS HALF-HEARTED AND OUR WORSHIP IS LIFELESS.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN PEOPLE HAVE TO BE BEGGED TO GIVE AND TO SERVE IN THE CHURCH.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN WE KNOW THE TRUTH IN OUR HEADS THAT WE ARE NOT PRACTICING IN OUR LIVES.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN WE WOULD RATHER MAKE MONEY THAN GIVE MONEY.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN PEOPLE HAVE TO BE ENTERTAINED TO BE DRAWN TO CHURCH.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN WE ARE UNMOVED BY THE FACT OVER 2.5 BILLION PEOPLE IN THE WORLD HAVE NEVER HEARD THE NAME OF JESUS.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN WE ARE UNMOVED BY THE FACT THAT OVER 5.6 MILLION ARE UNSAVED IN NORTH CAROLINA.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN CHURCH SERVICES ARE PREDICTABLE AND BUSINESS AS USUAL.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN WE AREN’T SEEING REGULAR EVIDENCE OF THE SUPERNATURAL POWER OF GOD.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN WE ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR CHILDREN’S EDUCATION AND THEIR ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES THAN ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THEIR SOULS.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN WE DON’T LONG FOR THE FELLOWSHIP OF GOD’S PEOPLE.
• WE NEED REVIVAL WHEN WE DID NOT SEE OURSELVES IN THIS LIST!

We must beware because often spiritual deterioration comes without our awareness. 

• Samson had the power of God upon him, but he played around with sin and became helpless before the Philistines.
• The disciples had received power from Jesus Christ to heal and cast out demons, but couldn’t cast a demon out of a boy. 

They had lost the power of God, but they were unaware that it was gone! Sampson lost it because of pride, the disciples lost it because of a lack of faith. Often the condition of our hearts is such that we are not aware of our need at the very time it is needed the most.

The flesh will fight against revival, for to have revival we must first admit that we have a need. 

Revival is needed whenever the love of God's people has grown cold. 

Prayer: Help me, Spirit, to see the condition of my own heart. I may pray for revival in my church, when in reality, revival is needed in my life. Strengthen me to be alive for You. You died for me, Jesus, the least I can do is live for You. Amen.