Revival on an October Sunday

October 21, 2014
Tuesday

Dear Readers,

If you've been reading my blogs this year, you know that in 2014, my goal was that of REFRESH. I've been concentrating on that in the different areas of my life so it's meaningful that I had the opportunity to experience my first REVIVAL last Sunday.

I'd never been to a Revival before. I had some preconceived notions that there would be an evangelist up on stage waving a Bible over my head and preaching hell, fire, and damnation. Before attending, I even went as far as looking John Karl Davis up on the Internet to see what he was about. He, his wife, and ministry seemed innocent enough. I am learning not to just trust what anyone tells me ~ I like to know why they think they can teach me about something as important as salvation and the way I live my life. All that being done, I erased all my expectations and decided to show up and be teachable. I'm glad that I did.

My Sunday morning started out pretty uneventfully but it soon changed when I arrived at church. Branden Brown was there to greet me with a huge grin on his face. He had made me a leather bound book to take notes in each Sunday. He and his beautiful family had written a note on the inside cover and, I'm afraid that I just lost it right in front of God and everybody. Not only was the book crafted beyond perfect, he had made me a feather pen with my name on it. Branden had noticed me taking notes every Sunday on my sermon sheet trying to manage a Bible and pen ... yikes! What a joke. God knows how much I love leather bound books and He must have put a bug in Branden's heart. At any rate, thank you to this young man and his family for loving me.

Not only did I get a gift from Branden, I shared group hugs with my Sisters in Christ, AND, my friend, Miss Vivian, who has cancer came to church with her son, Terry, and daughter in law, Susie. I was so excited to see her, I could hardly contain myself. I'm not sure I've ever met a sweeter lady than Vivian and a kinder, more caring person as Susie.

I got myself together and got ready for the church service.  Will gave a one, two, three and Joe and Edwin and the rest of the band had Jesus on the Main Line rockin'. We had music, singing, two were baptized in the trough, Miss Kitty blessed the kids with her sermonette, Pastor Rick gave announcements and prayed, then we had more Open Range music. I feel like I am going to a concert every Sunday. Spoiled? Holy cow, yes!! My favorite song of the day was The Wayfaring Stranger. I wish the Open Range Band would put that on their next CD.

My Favorite Drummer
Edwin

Joe Manuel ~ Acoustic Guitar
Crazy good!

Just when I thought the service couldn't get any better, John Karl Davis got up to speak. Sorry, but, my mouth dropped open. Up the ramp in a wheelchair equipped with oxygen came a man nearly as wide as he was tall. His body was wracked with tics, and I wondered if he was going to be able to speak at all. Well, let me say this, if that man can preach that way on oxygen and his head moving uncontrollably from time to time, I cannot even fathom what he could do if he were healthy. (God does not call the equipped ~ He equips the called!) He had a rather quiet demeanor yet his passion was obvious and his voice gained in strength as he began to speak. I found myself unable to take many notes I was so tuned in to his message. He challenged me and made me stop and think. I had respect for him because he wasn't afraid to voice his convictions based on the Bible. Way too soon, the morning service ended and I could hardly wait to get back to hear more. Revival is exactly what needed to happen in my own life and it is what is needed in our country.

Michael and I went home then returned for the Potluck. When he let me off in the parking lot, I saw Homer and Carolyn with their wagon and mules. Didn't take me long to flag them down and climb on up for a ride. I felt like I was a little kid again I was having so much fun. Now, I want a little wagon Miss Dottie style and my own little mule to pull me around. Michael shook his head at me and mouthed, "Nooooo!" Oh well, it never hurts to ask!! I missed the potluck and finished my ride in time for the evening service.

I had put my new book and feather pen on my chair to save it. When I came back, my pen was gone. I was heartbroken. I knew Branden could make me another one but this one was special and durn it, it had my name on it. Branden's father in law told him that my pen was lost and after the service, Branden came back into church with that silly grin back on his face. He and his family were walking back out to their vehicles and his little boy, picked up a feather pen. "Hey dad, here's Miss Dottie's pen." It had been run over and had some gravel in the feathers but I didn't care, it is back where it belongs ... with me. Branden kept saying, "What were the chances that my son would find your pen?" Heh, heh, God knew.

Revival ~ to reawaken. I sat in the very front row so as to not miss anything. I was comforted and convicted ~ my brain and heart were set in motion by some of the things John Karl said. One thing he said that stuck with me: "How can we die for Jesus if we can't live for Jesus?" He talked about our new Emergent Churches ~ the feel good philosophies. (I did go home and look up Emerging Churches. Basically, these churches call for diversity, tolerance and camaraderie among all religions modifying and expanding their teachings.) I'm a Bible girl myself ~ always have been, always will be ~ not dabbling. If you're reading this, I pray that you will attend a church that is Bible-based.

Anyway back to my Revival experience:  I am a tough, resilient, stand tall, independent woman with a pretty mushy, squishy heart. As a child I learned that no one was going to fight for me so I needed to learn to take care of myself. The problem with this was that, I had the mind of a child and my survival instinct used that mentality. As an adult, I was sucking it up when people hurt me ~ forgiving and staying when I should have been packing my bags. I was misinterpreting what I thought God was saying. I knew what John Karl was talking about when he said that I needed to learn to depend on God and let go of what I couldn't control.

Man, I heard that on Saturday and laid it at the cross and there I was hearing it again on Sunday night. Guess the Lord knows how hard headed and stubborn I can be. I keep saying, "Well, if I did ____, then maybe "it" would be change and be OK." God says, "Nope, I got it." Now, who in their right mind should question the Lord God Almighty? No one ... except, I did.

The evening ended with many souls being saved and John Karl singing a verse of How Great Thou Art. Where he got the energy to belt out that  beautiful hymn I will never know. He said he was preaching like this may be the last sermon he would give. I believed him. There was no way that he could have delivered a message that powerful without the support of the Holy Spirit. There were no people fainting in the aisles ~ there were no miracle healings except of those of the spirit. There were no waving of Bibles in the air.  There was a powerful presence of God, and there was an amazing truth revealed in the story of Noah and of Mary, the mother of Jesus. There were facts given about the Ebola virus (John Karl and his wife were missionaries in Uganda for 15 years) and facts about what we are facing within our country. If you haven't noticed, persecution of Christians is going on NOW and is increasing with each day. If you ask me, I could not tell you that America is a Christian nation because I don't think it is. (Just my opinion)

My last entry in my book Sunday night: "I BELONG TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST." I've never had so many heavy issues going on; my body has never been more pain-ridden; and, I've never been more poor financially. Now, that being said, I am more at peace than ever before; my heart leaps for joy when I wake up in the morning; I have a purpose bigger than satisfying my own needs; and, more than anything, I look at each new day as a gift wondering what surprises I am in store for. Like my grandmother before me, my hand is out not to take but to give. I take such joy in the little things of life ... a ride in a covered wagon pulled by mules, playing with my 4 rescue pups and Toby, and enjoying creating a new jam flavor, hugs and love shared, a new flower in my garden, those cherished times with family and friends. It is a blessing to be able to see, hear, walk, and talk!

Miss Dottie

Oh Heavenly Father, I look out the french doors of the cottage up in to the skies of blue. Somehow, I know You are there ~ omnipresent! I thank you for evangelists like John Karl Davis who are able to reach souls and challenge our thinking based on Biblical principles. For my Readers, I pray for relief from the weariness that comes from too much stress, faulty thinking, pain, and lack of love. Help us all to reach up to you then out to our brothers and sisters in need. I wish everyone could experience the love that comes from being in fellowship with other believers. I need to say this though, God, if people are looking for a perfect church with perfect Christians, they're in for a big disappointment. Jesus came to save the sinner not the saint. We're all works in progress made whole by the cross and encouraged by our fellow travelers. I pray that my Readers would be on fire for you and would recognize the gradual decline in our moral compass. We ALL NEED REVIVAL ... We ALL NEED RENEWAL ... We all need YOU and your son Jesus who died on the cross that we may live eternally! Amen, it is so!

PS "Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late ~ and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work." ~AW Tozer