REVIVALTALK

  Psalms 34:8 – “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” The Psalmist is inviting us to experience the goodness of God firsthand. When we testify, we can share about the goodness of God. He is good. Psalms 107:9 says, “For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” The goodness of God is one of the most comforting and transformative truths in all the Word of God. The goodness of God is one of the most comforting and transformative truths in Scripture. It means that at the very core of who He is—God is kind, generous, faithful, and just. His goodness isn’t just something He does; it’s who He is. (i) Titus 3:4-5 says God is kind. We learn in James 1:17 that He is generous. The verse reads, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” In Deuteronomy 32:4 we learn that God is just. Psalms 89:4 says, “Righteousne...

Psalms 145:3 – “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable.”             We have been called to be witnesses of the greatness of God. The world needs to hear your testimony of God’s greatness. To testify is to share your story. Your testimony is your story.  The story of your salvation, the story of God’s provision or healing in your life. When you testify it brings glory to God.             One thing we can testify about is the greatness of God. We serve a great God. He is the mighty God. Isaiah 9:6 says, “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This is an Old Testament Messianic prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is called the “Mighty God.” This emphasizes His deity and Hi...

  Acts 1:8 - But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” I researched what it means to testify. To testify means to bear witness or give evidence, often in a formal or legal setting. It is about sharing your personal experience or knowledge on a matter. In a religious context, it could mean sharing your faith or spiritual journey with others.  In our Christian faith to testify means to share your personal experience of God’s presence, power, and work in your life. It is a public declaration of faith, it is our story of how we came to believe, how our lives have changed, or how God has helped us during the storms and trials of life. Why is it important to testify? Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” The phrase, “the word ...

  I Peter 2:24 – “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness – by whose stripes you were healed.”              We believe that divine healing was provided in the atonement. Isaiah 53:4-5 says, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows: yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” We serve a healing Jesus. When He was beaten by the Roman soldiers it was for our healing. I Peter 2:24 says, “by whose stripes you were healed.”              The first mention of healing in the Old Covenant is in Exodus 15:26, “If you will diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear...

  Ephesians 5:18 - Be not drunk with wine where is excess, but be filled with the Spirit.” I still believe that we are to be a Spirit-filled people. I am not ashamed to be a Spirit-filled believer. Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” The Holy Spirit empowers the believer to live an overcoming life. The infilling of the Holy Spirit will give you power to live a holy, separated life. We need to experience an infilling or be refilled with the Holy Spirit until we are changed into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we no longer fear the devil. When we are filled with the Spirit we will no longer fear the world that is organized against God and His church.  The infilling of the Holy Spirit is a baptism of power equipping you to witness with boldness and authority. It is a baptism of power enabling you to stand ...

  Jude 3 – “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” Jude, the half-brother of Jesus writes to encourage us to “contend for the faith.” The term Jude uses is “the faith.” The faith encompasses Christianity as a whole. This is more than our personal faith or belief in God. It is the essential truths of Christianity. We must stand for truth and make a declaration of our faith. A "Declaration of Faith" is a formal statement or confession of belief, often used within Christian communities to articulate core doctrines and theological positions. Such declarations serve as a means of unifying believers around shared convictions and are often employed in both personal and communal settings, including worship services, catechism, and church membership processes.” (i) What is our declaration of faith?  I st...

  I Still Believe Jude 3 – “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”              Jude, the half-brother of Jesus writes to encourage us to “contend for the faith.” The faith encompasses Christianity as a whole. “To contend for the faith is to defend the faith with all your strength, and both by true doctrine and good example of life.” David Guzik in his commentary on Jude defines the faith, “The faith” doesn’t mean our own personal belief, or faith in the sense of our trust in God. The phrase the faith means “the essential truths of the gospel that all true Christians hold in common.” [i] What is our faith declaration? I still believe. The following statements form a declaration of faith: ·         I still believe the...

  Ephesians 5:25 – “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.”              For years I have heard men describe their wives in a derogatory way. I remember working in my father’s retail business and hearing the men who came into the warehouse degrade their wives. It bothered me and showed such disrespect to their spouses. When we married, we entered into a covenant. We promised to love each other unconditionally. This is during the good times, the bad times, the happy times, and the sad times.              The Bible outlines the duties and responsibilities of a Godly husband. Matthew 19:3-9 says we are to live with her for life. Malachi 2:14-15 says we are to be faithful to her. The Proverbs offers these words of wisdom In Proverbs 5:18-20, “Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice with  the wife of y...

    The story of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1-2 is one of the most powerful illustrations of perseverance in scripture. Hannah knows she is called and chosen by God, but she finds herself surrounded by negative voices and complications to achieving her destiny.     Hannah was married to Elkanah, whom the Bible said loved her very much, but she realized she was barren, the most dreaded condition of that culture. Meanwhile, Elkanah took a second wife, Peninnah, who bore him many children.         Peninnah provokingly caused Hannah grief as she speculated the reasons why Hannah was not special enough to have children. Hannah overcame as she ignored Peninnah. The voice of condemnation always comes from those who are jealous and insecure. Ignoring condemnation is the best remedy.       Every year the family prepared to go to Shiloh to offer a bull as a peace offering in worship. During this time, Elkanah would give portions t...

  Ephesians 1:7 – “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”              When Jesus cried out “It is finished” on the cross. It was not a statement of defeat, but a declaration of victory. It was the shout of One who had won a great victory.  When we examine the phrase in the original language, we learn the following meanings: Jesus had finished the work the Father had sent Him to do. The Greek word in the New Testament was the equivalent of the Hebrew word spoken by the High Priest when he presented a sacrificial lamb without spot or blemish.             Rick Renner writes, “So when Paul used this word in Ephesians 1:7 to describe the forgiveness of sins, he was saying that God has permanently dismissed our past sins from us. We are liberated completely from them. He has discharged...

John 8:36 – “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”             The resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees that we can live in complete freedom from the bondage of sin. Romans 6:14 says, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Jesus announced His mission in Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”             Jesus came to proclaim liberty to those held in captivity. True freedom is only found in Jesus Christ our Lord. How do we experience this freedom? By faith we declare, “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indee...

   Outside the old city walls of Jerusalem in an Arab neighborhood is a place called, “Gordon’s Calvary,” or the “Garden Tomb.” It is surrounded by an Arab Bus Station and on the top of the sight believed to be Golgotha, the Place of the Skull, there is a Muslim cemetery.   Outside the walls of this serene place is all kinds of activity. People are consumed with their everyday life. Like any other city in the world, the   people are trying to survive. When we made our journey to what is believed to be the place where Jesus died, was buried, and rose from the dead, there were several things that captured my attention. There were a number of birds that were singing. There were many signs of life in the garden. I experienced such peace as we spent time in prayer and communion with our guides.    Perhaps those who live in the surrounding neighborhoods only see this place as another tourist stop, but for me it was a place of refuge and rest. It was a place to be...