Sleeping Through a Revolution (Final)

Sleeping Through a Revolution (Final)

"Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light." (Ephesians 5:14).

We've got to want this awakening. Our hearts must do more than dream of these matters, they must hunger to be awakened, empowered, and transformed. We must be possessed of such a compelling desire that no bed can afford us comfort, no distraction can provide us peace, and no fear can back us down from reaching the prize.
Let me conclude this short series with a direct challenge, found in the inspiring words of James Ephraim McGirt, a celebrated African-American poet (1874-1930) :

"Success is a light upon the farther shore,
That shines in dazzling splendor to the eye.
The waters leap, the surging billows roar,
And he who seeks the prize must leap and try.
A mighty host stand trembling on the brink;
With anxious eyes they yearn to reach the goal.
I see them leap, and, Ah! I see them sink –
As gazing on dread horror fills my soul.
Yet to despair I can but droop and die;
'Tis better far to try the lashing deep.
I much prefer beneath the surge to lie
Than death to find me on this bank asleep."
Rip Van Winkle slept through a revolution. Peter, James and John woke up and saw how glorious Jesus was. 

So......which will you do?

Fellow brethren it is time to rise up and speak against injustice, corruption, bad governance in our nations. I think the revolution in the Arab nations and some part of the world has created a more awareness where people are tired and sick of bad leaders, tyrants, dictators, etc and with one mind they came out on the streets, squares, etc to protest. They are not afraid of dying, beatings, tear gas,etc why? Because, it is a time for change and for the sake of that change/transformation they have offered themselves as ransom for a better tomorrow. The question is:

Which will you do?

Isaiah says the Hand of God is not short to reach out and bring forth the answer long waiting but it is our sins, our transgressions that have shortened The Hand that can deliver, heal, and save. James says Faith without works is dead, I am calling you to stand up and fight the good fight. We have prayed, we have fasted, we have kept ourselves righteous, yet the answer seems to be far. 

It's time to come out of our walls of congregations and denominations with one mind, one voice and be a voice for the voiceless masses. Put on the whole Armour of God and fight a non violence war. 

I have never agreed with those who chose the physical weapons to find solution to their problems there are other ways to apply and win the battle.

Join the chariot become a member of this blog. 

Together we stand, Together we win. We shall keep you posted of how to fight this battle.

Peace

Sleeping Through a Revolution (Part 3)

Sleeping Through a Revolution (Part 3)

"Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light." (Ephesians 5:14).

Awakening is a theme often repeated in scripture. "Awake! Awake! Put on your strength, O Zion!" Isaiah cried. "Awake to righteousness, and do not sin," Paul said to the Corinthians. He put it this way when he wrote to the church in Ephesus – "Wake up from your sleep, Climb out of your coffins; Christ will show you the light!" (Ephesians 5:14, The Message).

A great example of this very thing is Lazarus, the friend of Jesus.

When the disciples heard the news that Lazarus had died, Jesus said, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up" (John 11:11). Arriving at the tomb, Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" Lazarus came out of the crypt fully alive, but was still wrapped up like a mummy. Jesus said to those standing by, "Loose him, and let him go." (see John 11:43-44).
The story of Lazarus shows us three things Jesus does to awaken a sleeping Church, and rouse a slumbering giant.

First, He gives us the ability to hear His voice — "Lazarus!" Just days before this miracle took place Jesus had said, "The hour is coming when those who are in the graves will hear the voice of the Son of God, and will live." Lazarus heard His voice and came to life — so can you and I.

Second, Jesus gives us the power to become what He has called us to be — "Come forth!" When Jesus called Lazarus by name, that awakened him; when He told Lazarus to come forth from the tomb, that empowered him. The Lord never commands us do something that He does not empower us to do. What has He commanded you to do?

And third, Jesus gives us the help we need to be completely liberated from the effects and trappings of a failed life — "Loose him, and let him go!" Jesus spoke these words to those standing by, and He does the same for us.

There are key people – close friends and valued associates whom the Lord has put in our lives to help us get out of our grave clothes and into a new wardrobe. If we will cooperate with the process, our lives will truly be transformed. If we are willing for it to happen. That's the key.

Sleeping Through a Revolution (Part 2)

Sleeping Through a Revolution (Part 2)

"Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light." (Ephesians 5:14).

Over a hundred years ago Charles Spurgeon wrote, "A slumbering church compels Satan to make it his chief business to rock the cradle, hush all noise, and drive away even a fly lest it light upon the sleeper's face. His great dread is that this church might rouse itself from her dreamy repose.”
Indeed.

We would do well in these lazy days to take heed to the words of the apostle Paul. "Make sure," he wrote, "that you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God" (Romans 13:11, The Message).

Odd, don't you think, that on the one hand we can be so busy about this and that – that we completely doze off and miss the very presence and work of God happening all around us? We can be like Jacob who, waking from his sleep, said, "Ah, surely the Lord was in this place and I knew it not!" (see Gen.28:16).

We desperately need an Awakening – especially among those who serve as the leaders in Faith. For if they are indeed "asleep at the wheel" we are not only poised for ridicule – but quite possibly disaster. If the blind can lead the blind into a ditch, where will we end up if we follow sleeping leaders?

Sleeping Through a Revolution (Part 1)

Sleeping Through a Revolution  (Part 1)

"Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light." (Ephesians 5:14).

Epic change is in the air while much of the Church has dozed off, oblivious to God . Perhaps we may be like Peter, James and John when the Lord invited them to a prayer meeting. The only problem is that it was on top of a mountain.
By the time Peter, James and John made the climb, they were so tired that they fell asleep while Jesus was praying. And as they were sleeping, two other invited guests arrived – Moses, and the Prophet Elijah. Jesus was delighted to see them, and they began talking together about the Kingdom of God and the coming Age of Glory.
At that moment, Jesus began to shine brighter than the noon day sun – so bright, in fact, that it woke Peter up. The Bible then tells us, "Peter and the other two disciples had been sound asleep. All at once they woke up and saw how glorious Jesus was" (Luke 9:32, Century English Version).
Hmmm. Don't you think it's time for that to happen again?

Let me tell you the story of Rip Van Winkle. It's about a guy who fell asleep for a really long time. When Rip Van Winkle went to sleep, King George of England was the recognized monarch who ruled over the American colonies. Twenty years later when Rip woke up, George Washington was the President of the United States. Rip Van Winkle had slept through a Revolution!
Peter, James and John were essentially doing the same thing on top that sacred mountain of transfiguration. And, as the evidence seems to suggest, much of the church today is in the exact same condition – sleeping through a revolution.