Prayer x Intimacy with God = Revival

Photo credit: Gainesville First United Methodist Church

Now when they saw the boldness and unfettered eloquence of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and untrained in the schools [common men with no educational advantages], they marveled; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13, Amplified

Boldness and unfettered eloquence. It was obvious to the audience that Peter and John were just common men. They did not bear any of the outward signs associated with success or position in society, and yet they spoke with boldness and unfettered eloquence. This unusual characteristic was a reflection of their relationship with the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

I was raised in churches were people in the pew were powerless. Powerless to withstand personal temptation, Powerless to change the world around them. Powerless to give witness to our Great Savior. These churches were targets of public scorn and the leadership called it suffering for Christ.

I can't point a finger at these people, for after all, they did introduce me to the basic principles of our faith, enough to make me hungry for what I see in God's Word. As I grow older and dig into the Word of God with questions on why the church of this age...why do I lack the demonstration of the mighty power of the Almighty God? In all that I am reading and studying is that the church of this age is guilty...I am guilty of a small, self-centered prayer life and ignorance of the God we serve, the God I serve.

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Revival - A restoration to use, acceptance, activity, or vigor after a period of obscurity or quiescence.

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It's time for revival in our churches. It's time for revival in modern day Christianity.

I'm not calling for tent meetings, or week long events with special speakers and guest singers.

I am calling for daily prayer that leads to intimacy with our Heavenly Father. I am calling for a knowledge of God that comes through the study and application of God's Word - acting by faith on the truth of scripture.

It starts with one.

When our family, our neighbors, our communities perceive that we have been with Jesus, the church, one by one, will become world changers.

Monday is for Memorizing The Word - The Living and Active Word

Statement of Faith from The Faith Project - The Word of God is Alive and Active in Me.

The Bible is very clear that scripture, which is God's Word, written and recorded by anointed men, and preserved through time and history, is the very essence of power.

Hebrews 4:12-13 - For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the [a]breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, naked and defenseless to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.

In this verse we are told that God's Word is

• alive
• full of power
• active
• operative 
• energizing
• effective

I have to stop and think on this a while. Meditate on what it means when something is alive and full of power. One of the first thoughts that come to mind is that there is movement. Something, or someone that is alive has movement. 

When I think of something full of power I think of an electrical cord plugged in to the power source. The cord may look lifeless and unimpressive laying there on the floor but when it's attached to a power tool on one end and plugged into the power source on the other end - the energy flowing through the bundle of wires and plastic cord create movement that creates an impact.

Think about a blender or a drill - when the limp and lifeless power cord is plugged into the energy sources the blender comes to life and pulverizes ingredients from peanuts, to peanut butter. Or the drill takes on movement when connected to the power source and is used to create to push back barriers of wood, metal, and concrete to make holes of various sizes.

The Word of God is alive and full of power. We are the limp and lifeless power cord. Created to carry the current of God's energy that comes through the study and application of God's Word.

Memorizing God's Word creates a "power pack" effect. The power of God's Word can be drawn from memory as we speak God's Word into every situation of our lives.

God has been speaking to me as I seek to understand what it takes to live an attractive, powerful life as a follower of Christ. This is the very foundation of walking by faith, because faith comes by hearing the Word of God. There is no other way to have the power filled life in Christ that I seek except to spend time studying and memorizing God's powerful Word. Very simple. Very profound.

I hope that as you read this that somehow it creates a hunger to experience more of God's life changing power in your own walk with him. Read, study and be trained by the powerful Word of God.

For additional resources on studying the Power of God's Word:

1. Precept Austin - Inductive Bible Study tools for unlocking the divine power of Scripture.
2. The Power of God's Word - Robert Preus - This article speaks to "What is the Word of God" an important discovery if we are to thrive as followers of Christ. "...that nebulous and distant word of which modern theology speaks, that word which cannot be found or objectified or even repeated, cannot be kept and treasured in our hearts; we cannot even get hold of it to cling to it."

Mondays are for Memory - Psalms 119:1-8

I am starting a few new things that will help me accomplish a couple of things:

• improve my blogging consistency - I am aiming at posting something every day. It may not be long or in depth. I need to put to words this message that God has laid on my heart. 
• exercise myself in the activities that God is revealing as seeds for the fruitfulness I am in search of.
• recording my activity to be accountable.

My first new thing is scripture memory. As I mentioned in a previous post, I have always done scripture memory - mostly on an "as needed" (HA!) basis, but this is a new start of an intentional, progressive move through the scripture, hiding it in my heart so that the words of THE WORD speak to me in all of life, on all of life.

I'm setting aside Monday's on the blog to post my verses and my progress, revelations and results of hiding God's Word in  my heart. I hope you will join me. Please accept my invitation to leave a comment on these Monday posts about the verses you're hiding in your heart.

For the week of January 16th, I am memorizing and meditating (yes, I will add that...Monday is for Memorizing and Meditating...I will add another post on what God is teaching me about meditating) the following verses - Psalms 119:1-8:

1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways!
4 You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.
5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous rules.
8 I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me!

Resources for Scripture Memorization:

Memverse
Online resource to aid in memorizing verses in the Bible. (This is the tool that I use)

An Approach to Extended Memorization of Scripture by Dr. Andrew Davis

I really like Dr. Davis opening chapter on the value of Scripture memorization, "There are numerous spiritual benefits to the memorization of Scripture. A proper assessment of these benefits begins with understanding the role of the written word of God in our spiritual development." Read more...

She Sparkles - Scripture Memory 2012

Work on scripture memory with a group of women online - A - Z. 26 Scriptures to memorize for 2012. It's more fun to do scripture memory with a supportive group to encourage and celebrate your success.

Accessorize!

I really liked how this talented blogger created a tool to help her with scripture memory. I'm gonna look for one of these. IKEA is one of my favorite stores to shop - I don't need another excuse to go there for another treasure. Oh, and I just had to add her Bible Verse Key Fob to the accessories list - this would be a wonderful idea for a theme verse for the year.