VIRTUALLY UNCONTROLLABLE URGE

I save the notes from every sermon I have ever preached.  In December, 2007, I spoke for a week of chapel services in Mexicali, Mexico for a group of short-term missionaries from Michigan.  This was a group of high school students and their leaders.  Our missions staff and the ministry team gathered each morning during our week of team ministry, just across the border from Calexico, CA.  We met in a Bible Institute building used for church services and for training local pastors.  The ministry team was there to share the Good News of Jesus through Children's, Sport's, and Women's ministries.

I was reminiscing this morning through my old sermon notes, from that week in Mexicali, so many years ago.  God was challenging us to consider the signs that we as individuals or as a church need to see a renewing, refreshing, and revival in our hearts.

I shared a list of red flag indicators that you and/or your church needs revival:

• church dinners are better attended than prayer meetings
• bored with worship
• must be begged to give and/or to serve in the church
• would rather make money than give money
• no burden for the lost
• unmoved by the 2.5 billion who do not know Jesus (that number is now 2.8 billion)

God called me to challenge this mobile church to consider what our reaction might be if we knew someone famous would be visiting our home church when we returned to the United States.  We talked about how we might react if it was our president who at that time, was George W. Bush.  We agreed we would be telling all of our friends and family and inviting them to pack the house for the special visit.  Just try to imagine the advance security issues to address for such a visit!

What a different feeling we get about Jesus honoring us with His presence in our churches.  Can you just imagine it?  Jesus, in the flesh, in YOUR church this Sunday!  Would we not be overwhelmed with a sense of excitement?  We would be obsessing about who He is what He can do...things which are really infinitely beyond the scope of anyone else we have ever met.

Because we KNOW He is the unique Son of God, it would be an absolutely marvelous privilege to Have Him as a guest at our house of worship!  The excitement of having Jesus visit OUR church is definitely something we would want to share with our friends.  We would have a virtually uncontrollable urge to tell people about our special visitor!

Can I just tell ya something?  The virtually uncontrollable urge to talk about Jesus is one of the characteristics of individuals and entire church bodies which are experiencing revival!  And, I've got some good news for you.  Christian, as a true disciple and genuine follower of Christ who has surrendered your life to God, Jesus absolutely WILL be visiting your church this Sunday.  God has promised to never leave or forsake you and His Holy Spirit lives inside true followers of Christ!

A first step we might take when seeking a genuine revival, renewing, and refreshing in our hearts is actually quite evident:  We need more focus on God and the ways of God and less focus on ourselves, our personal preferences, and the distractions of this world.  #MásDeTi

Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9 CBS