Wally over at Truth in Palmyra wrote a devotion on revival today. It brought to mind a story I sometimes share when I speak to middle and high school students. The story is from a book entitled Innocence Lost, Hope Regained, by Richie Lambeth (with Scott Tompkins).
The book is a collection of true stories gathered from Richie’s years as a youth pastor.
The story I share with the kids is about a high school boy – a gifted ballplayer – who disappoints himself and his parents by slipping into sin. It’s a good story and the kids – especially the boys – seem to identify with it.
Here’s the part that came to mind this morning:
I got up and walked to the front of the church. I asked the pastor if I could share something. He knew God was doing something special in me so he said yes. I had always been so concerned about what people thought of me, that it had ruled much of my life. But right now I simply didn’t care. I just wanted to be right with God.
I went to the pulpit and took the microphone, “I have to ask you all to forgive me for I have sinned a terrible sin. I have betrayed my family, my friends, myself, and most of all, God. I have committed fornication, and I am so sorry. Will you please forgive me?” I didn’t know what to do next as this had never happened in our church, so I started to walk back to my seat. Everything was real quiet and I started to think I had made a big mistake. But then the pastor called me back and put his arm around me.
“That took a lot of guts Eric,” he said, “And I’d like to give the church a chance to respond.”
What happened next blew my mind. Some people started speaking out and saying, “We forgive you Eric.” Some people started crying and some people started softly singing, “Amazing Grace.” God seemed to fill the room. I had never felt His presence like this.
Then another teenager came up and handed the pastor a bag of weed and confessed that he had been smoking pot. Then an old man came up and confessed to being cruel to his wife. All of a sudden there was a line up to the pulpit and one after another began to confess sin and we prayed for each other. It was the beginning of something incredible at our church. People were being real with each other like they had never done. The love at our church was so thick you could almost cut it…
Scripture says judgment will begin with the house of God, so I’m thinking that until we get it right, there will be no hope for anyone else.
Revival, to me, means removing the log from my own Christian eyes, speaking the truth (about myself and God) in bold, clear, humble, redemptive love and, thereby, unleashing the Rushing Wind.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
Then maybe others will want clean hearts, too.
I had goose bumps reading this. I heard of that on the radio already. Unbelievable wonderful!
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That’s good stuff Julie! Wow, this is what blogging should be about. All pulling together for the same goal, the furtherance of the Kingdom. Thank you
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Reblogged this on Truth in Palmyra and commented:
For this evening’s sharing of another blogger’s work, I have chosen something related to our morning study on Revival we are currently in. This is a wonderful story of revival and a great illustration of the work of the Holy Spirit too.
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Thanks Wally!
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My pleasure Julie
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What a great event. What humility. Not even courage, just the need to be right with God. This is really challenging. Imagine if this was commonplace in church…there would be nowhere for sin to hide, nowhere for shame and fear to take hold. Churches would be overflowing. Wow. So simple. And deep. Thanks for sharing this.
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“nowhere for shame and fear to take hold” Wouldn’t that be something?
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Wouldn’t it just. If we could get those two jokers out of the church, we’d really make some progress
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Two jokers? Oh, you mean fear and shame?
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Yes. They’re not that funny, but they do cause havoc, like a couple of clowns…
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I have been so touched by this post. This is where ‘revival’/renewal begins. In confessing our sins one to another. And forgiving each other. Then the Holy Spirit has room to breathe. Thank you. Remain in the Truth – Reuben
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“Then the Holy Spirit has room to breathe.” Amen. Thank you Reuben.
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