Revival is independent of all human organizations – straight from heaven. Missions are not revivals. Men can organize the former, but not the latter… Man’s method of saving the world is by complicated and costly machinery – salvation by mechanics; but God’s method is by vital energy – salvation by dynamics!!
Jessie Penn-Lewis
People often ask me why our church has consistently been growing for the last 9 years. The answer is complex and I have put together some of the many reasons here:
Cedar Hill has grown consistently over the last 9 years at a rate of about 10% per year. We have seen the congregation grow from around 30 to about 130.
1. There are many people both here at Cedar Hill and around the world that are regularly praying for Cedar Hill.
2. Cedar Hill takes a solid, unapologetic stand upon the Word of God. All of our services are centered around teaching and preaching the Word of God.
3. Cedar Hill has sought to strike a balance between being traditional and conservative in our worship without being ‘dead’ and complacent.
4. The ‘old guard’ of membership at Cedar Hill has an uncharacteristic desire to see newer members become involved and take roles of leadership. There is no power struggle between varying senior members and newer or younger members.
5. The Pastor preaches the Word of God with enthusiasm.
6. Cedar Hill excels at communication both internally and with those interested in the ministry. The Pastor and board at Cedar Hill share all information with the congregation. There is never a feeling among the congregation that they do not know what is going on. The Church uses technology and social media effectively. The website is thorough and kept up to date. Facebook and Twitter are used to share the goings on of the church ministry. Email is used to communicate with the church on an almost daily basis to keep everyone abreast of events and prayer requests.
7. Cedar Hill ministers to who God has sent our way and plans for those we do not have yet. We have many people involved in the children’s church ministry because we have many children come during the church hour. We have many people involved in the nursing home Bible studies because God has given us opportunities every week to work at our area nursing homes. We don’t have many teenagers yet, but we have plans in place when we do.
8. Cedar Hill supports our missionaries. Approximately 25% of our budget each year goes directly to foreign missions. Cedar Hill does not participate in a ‘faith promise’ program. We budget missions. We send our missionaries prayer letters just like we expect them to send us. We send our special prayer requests to our missionaries just like they send them to us. Many members of our church email our missionaries regularly. We have many members that receive missionary letters individually. We have a Ladies Missionary Fellowship that prays for and communicates with out Missionaries. We have a Missions committee so we are able to better keep track of their needs. Our church KNOWS our missionaries and it is has made a huge difference.
9. Our nursery and nursery workers. Many families that visit Cedar Hill will make their first stop and will get their first impression from our nursery. Cedar Hill is growing because people find our nursery to be clean and well equipped with the latest in safety devices. Our staff is prepared and readily asks the pertinent questions of each child. People feel secure leaving their child in our nursery.
Supporters of traditional marriage often fear the free speech ramifications that could emerge as as result of increasing support for gay marriage in the United States. But are these worries really legitimate?
In an interview with CBN’s David Brody, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican, joined in this chorus, warning that the push in favor of same-sex unions could, indeed, put First Amendment protections at risk.
“If you look at other nations that have gone down the road towards gay marriage, that’s the next step of where it gets enforced,” he said of hate speech regulations that are in place in other countries.
“It gets enforced against Christian pastors who decline to perform gay marriages, who speak out and preach biblical truths on marriage and that has been defined elsewhere as hate speech — as inconsistent with the enlightened view of government,” Cruz added.
Watch these comments, below:
Some pro-gay marriage advocates in the U.S., the senator believes, want the nation to end up with the same ramifications on the books — and in a paradigm in which individuals can be punished or denigrated for refusing to substantiate or for speaking out against same-sex unions.
Some might scoff at these insinuations, dismissing them as over-the-top, but Cruz is not necessarily manufacturing a paradigm. Consider the widely publicized case in Sweden back in 2005 surroundingAake Green, a Pentecostal pastor.
Green’s plight corroborates the worries that Cruz has surrounding America’s current trajectory. In 2003, the preacher likened homosexuality to cancer during one of his sermons. As a result, he was brought up on charges over these claims — statements that, in America, would currently be protected by the First Amendment.
The BBC has more about the case (in the end, Green won his appeal, although he was initially given 30 days in jail over his anti-gay comments):
Mr Green was convicted in June 2004 but allowed to remain free pending appeal.
He was the first clergyman convicted under Swedish laws that make incitement to hatred against racial, religious or national groups illegal – legislation that was amended in 2003 to include homosexuals.
Other incidents have unfolded, too, as the delicate balance between free speech and cutting down on hate speech has been sought.
Now, some might argue that Green’s words were too harsh, but one wonders if even simpler, kinder words that stand opposed to homosexuality would be met with similar sentiment in his country.
While it’s certainly permissible to disagree with Cruz’s assessment, the basis on which he argues is not entirely unfounded.
(H/T: CBN/The Brody File)
I was watching the documentary movie “As the Yellowstone River Goes” and heard the quote “Victories are temporary; but defeats are forever”.
That lead me to think about that in a spiritual sense. The victories that we have over temptation each and every day are just temporary. The scars and consequences of the sin we submit to are permanent. A husband can reject the temptation of adultery day after day, but if he yields to that temptation just once, the pain and hurt of adultery cannot be undone.
We must never yield to sin. We can be victorious in Christ!!
Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
Psalm 85:6
Our natural inclination is to serve God in our own strength.
Watchman Nee: “We fear that if we do nothing, nothing will happen. After salvation, the old habit of ‘doing’ reasserts itself and we begin our old self efforts again.”
Revive Us Again!
One of the most important passages in understanding coming events and the clarification of ‘Last Things’ is found in Daniel 9:21-25. A couple important points:
1) The ‘weeks’ determined here in Daniel 9 are periods of 7 years.
2) Much of this prophecy has been fulfilled already in great detail. In fact we find that 69 of the 70 ‘weeks’ (or 483 of the 490 years) have been fulfilled already.
3) The tribulation period of 7 years is the fulfillment of this last period or week of prophecy towards the nation of Israel. God will be dealing directly with the nation of Israel during this period of 7 years.
4) The Church has been raptured/removed before this period. The Church age has ended and the final 7 years of God’s dealings with the Nation of Israel have begun with the removal of the Church. This is the pre-tribulation position and has the strongest Biblical support.
Great Link: 9 Things you did not know about the flag
Attempt great things for God; Expect great things from God!
Why I believe that the Rapture will come before the Great Tribulation:
1) This follows a literal, chronological order to the Word of God.
2) The Bible speaks of the churches being saved from “the wrath to come”
* I Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9, Revelation 3:10
* Note that there is no mention of the church from Revelation chapter 4 until chapter 19.
3) The Anti-Christ will come on the scene at the beginning of the Tribulation
* Holy Spirit’s presence will be greatly removed due to the rapture (II Thes. 2:7,8)
* The rapture will probably be the one great global event to unite the world behind a world leader.
4) There are many obvious distinctions between God’s dealing with Israel and with the Church (to be discussed in great detail on a later post). The seven year Tribulation is God’s direct dealing with Israel and has nothing to do with the Church.
5) The Rapture will be a surprise “in the twinkling of an eye”.
6) The seven year period in Heaven is the period of time that the Church will be at the Judgement seat of Christ and The marriage of the Bride (church) to Christ.
7) There is no mention of the Tribulation period in the Epistles. If we (the Church) were to go through it, it would make sense for us to have instruction to endure it.
