LORD, HELP THE PASTOR; WE NEED REVIVAL

“Dear Lord, PLEASE, either change these people or change the situation, I can’t take it anymore.”  Have you ever prayed this prayer over someone in your life that is a constant thorn in your side and has just gotten on your “last nerve?” It maybe your neighbor, a co-worker, husband or a long-time friend that you can see needs a complete overhaul. Perhaps your pastor is your prayer focus; he could use a little more fire in his sermons, the worship leader would benefit from a few hours seeking God for the right songs and the pastor’s wife just hasn’t been as warm and caring as she should. “Actually, Lord, our church needs a major REVIVAL, please help the Pastor.” If this is your perception, the most dangerous thing you can do right now is PRAY.


When it comes to INTERCESSION, the only prayer God hears is the prayer that involves a blessing on the other person. God is really not open to “GET EM” prayers. He is much more concerned with your heart and your attitude, right now, than He is with your neighbor’s. OK, before you get all self-righteous about God’s concern for your neighbor, consider that your neighbor, pastor, worship leader or pastor’s wife may be praying the same prayer in regards to you. It is very dangerous to pray with this mindset because this is when God always begin an operation of PAINFUL PROBING.

Every time I begin to pray about a problem I see in someone else’s life, God gives me an opportunity to change my own life. There have been times, I’m not quite ready to change and so I cut my prayer time short and continue to fuss and fume. We serve a relentless God, when it comes to creating a clean heart in us. The next time I kneel to pray, God is patiently waiting to dig at the roots of the real problem; my perception and attitude. When I finally surrender and allow Him to pull a few weeds and brush away a few dust bunnies I missed, my focus and prayer changes. Suddenly, I realize my neighbor is doing the best she can with her situation, the Pastor becomes so anointed, preaching messages that produce unexpected insight and the worship leader has chosen just the right songs to lead us to the Throne of Grace. The most amazing thing is that I find myself in a church that is “smack dab” in the middle of revival.

So if you are still convinced God really needs to change the people in your life and you are happy with yourself, just the way you are, DON'T pray for revival. But if you desire to be everything God desires you to become, than you can pray Psalms 51:1-2, 10, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving kindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin…. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” I guarantee, if you sincerely pray this prayer and allow God to finish what He started IN YOU, the Pastor will receive help and the church will experience revival.

THE SONG IS REALLY NEVER FAR AWAY

Psalms 40:3 and he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.


The song became a part of me when I was just a little girl. Over the years it took root in the deepest part of my heart. As I nurtured and cared for the song, it matured and blossomed until one day the blossom was plucked and trampled, the stem shriveled and the roots became dry; my song was in danger of being forgotten or even worse, dying. I still loved God, I knew He was continuing to walk by my side, I had the comforting assurance of salvation, but the “spirit of heaviness” had quieted my song. I had entered an unfamiliar place in my life, unsure of even my identity. I now understood the Israelites statement in Psalms 137: 1, 2, & 4. “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. 2We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. 4How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? I was in a strange land, how could I continue to sing the Lord’s song? I couldn’t even remember the words.

For many years, Steve and I had been in ministry, mostly pastoring small, start-up churches. It was hard work, exhausting and trying at times, but it was the Song of My Heart. After all the years of working with few resources, wearing a different hat to fulfill the current need and pouring our lives into people who often opted for the bigger, program-rich church, we were so excited when God opened the door to pastor an established church. My song was never far from bursting forth with a joyful melody. I loved being a Pastor’s Wife. I loved sharing in the success of our congregation, crying with them as I shared their burdens, praying for them daily, and blessing them with little things I picked up with them in mind. Suddenly, we were thrust from the position that we knew God had placed us in. I felt as if the beautiful flower of my song had been ruthlessly pulled off the stem and trampled underfoot. Who was I? I had no role in the familiar life I had lived for so long. I found it hard to pray. Who should I pray for? How should I pray? Many days my devotion time was spent with just tears, no sound. Other days, it was spent in thanksgiving but with a joyless voice. Most of the time I went through the motions because it was the only lifeline to my song as the smothering spirit of heaviness settled over me. Thank God the story isn’t over and the song was really never far away.

As I continued to “go through the motions,” the thanksgiving turned into praise. A quote from Pastor Joel Chipman sums up this metamorphosis so well, “You can’t wear the coat of the Spirit of Heaviness at the same time you wear the Garment of Praise.” What I thought was “going through the motions” was actually God restoring my song. The many tears were being used to water and strengthen the wounded roots of my song. God was using the words of thanksgiving to become new and tender sprouts that would once again burst forth into joyful song at just the right time. As God softly sang the song He had put in my heart so many years ago, I realized exactly who I was and always will be; His child, His chosen vessel. The only thing missing from all the things I loved about being a pastor’s wife is the title. I can still rejoice in other’s successes, there will always be someone to encourage along the journey, I can always find a sister who needs her day brightened by a little gift selected with her in mind and there will always be many needs to bring before God in prayer.

CS Lewis said, “A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.” My song was never really far away because I never let go of the Giver of the song. I may have temporarily forgotten the words and some of the words have changed but, my best friend, Jesus was always right by my side softly humming the tune as He carried me through the storm. If you feel you have lost your song or maybe it hasn’t been sung in so long you’ve forgotten the words, find a quiet place to get in touch with the one who knows your heart. God put the song there, He knows the words and He will sing them back to you. The song is never really far away.

GOD'S WILL FOR 2012

My greatest desire, for this year, is to seek, find, and follow the will of God.  I know that I am not alone, but it is the desire of every serious, dedicated Child of God.  Now comes the hard part; transforming the desire into reality.  The “seeking” and the “following” are the easy parts of the process.  The “finding,” however, can become an almost insurmountable roadblock.

I know that God has this AMAZING plan that uses me to do AMAZING things so I look for an AMAZING door to open.  I fear that many times have I missed all the small but important steps God was trying to lead me down because I was waiting for the AMAZING event that would shine the light on my destiny.  Now I have been at the seeking phase for enough New Year beginnings to know that the best place to start is on my knees and in the written Word of God. 

I love the way God sifts through all my complicated, lofty thoughts and makes the process so simple.  Last year as I prayed for more faith, God showed me that there was nothing wrong with the AMOUNT of my faith. Actually, He had provided me with the just the exact measure of faith I required.  What I really needed was to use that faith to believe that God was in control and allow Him to choose the outcome and finish the work.  Back to the Will of God….If you truly SEEK Him and LISTEN to His voice, He will not leave you hanging.  The still, small voice of God took me to 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

I love succinct, simplicity of the commands of God. 

How do I fulfill the Law of God?  Matthew 22:37-40, “Jesus said to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. ³⁸This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

How do I receive the Desires of My Heart?  Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”

What is the Will of God for 2012?  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

So, I enter 2012 with the peace of God in my heart, knowing His will for this year; REJOICE, PRAY, GIVE THANKS.  I will REJOICE in the God of my Salvation, PRAY over each situation and GIVE THANKS for God’s provision in my life.  Join me and enjoy a Blessed 2012.