Awakening

An Awakening is falling on Asbury University in Kentucky. There are also places in Texas, North Carolina, Maine and elsewhere that are experiencing similar events, all beginning in the last 10 days. Asbury at least, is still going strong. People are arriving from around the globe to experience the presence of God.

I am not wild about the common understanding of the word “revival” in the general historical sense. That is because too often it congers up the idea of “tent” meetings with, or without, sensational demonstrations by the Spirit of God. These kinds of revival come and go, usually with little lasting transformation.

I like to think I have spent my life discipling others in developing their personal relationships with our Creator. Getting to know the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit through the Word of God and relationships with people who are farther down the road than the learner is. I am always looking to “work myself out of a job.” By that I mean, I want to teach others what I have gained, so they can in turn, teach others. 2 Timothy 2:2

I personally like Awakening, because to me, it sounds less sensational. It also feels gentle to me, like the Holy Spirit convicting us of our sin, not accusing. He is waking us from our loveless and powerless slumber. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, not to condemn us.

I am excited at what God is doing at Asbury, and elsewhere. My passion is Transformation. The kind that leads to lasting societal change. Godly education, prison reform, the end of the slave trade, towns and cities being safe enough for residents to leave their doors unlocked all day and all night. These things happened after the first and second “Great Awakenings” c1730-1755  & c1790-1840.

When individuals experience genuine, profound encounters with our Living God, they are never the same. When those encounters are followed with prayer and Bible studies that lead to Romans 12:1-2 transformation, that is when society is transformed.

I encourage you to please read what Timothy Tennent, Asbury Theological Seminary President, wrote this week about the current events. He teaches as he reports the events. 

Continue here

Be encouraged! I am. 

What is God’s call to us? 

Worship God in Spirit and in Truth.

Pray.

Ask for these events to come to your area, to your heart. 

Gather with others to ask, then wait, worship and ask again.

Be still and know that He is God.

God has done it before. 

And He wants to do it again.

It is beginning. . .