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What Makes My Country and My Church Strong — 15 Comments

  1. Yes William, and in scripture those 144,000 are called "servants of God" and follow Jesus everywhere He leads them.

    Quietly, day by day...unnoticed and unnamed.

    My favorite revival story is 1 Sam 14:1-23. Two unnoticed servants of God, quietly and unnoticed, following where He led them. Look what their faith in action led to! No "pep talk" or lecture could have had the same results. It would seem that faith begets faith, and can be seen by others.(Mark 2:5)

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      • That there is one of the most Powerful revival prophecies of the Bible! If our God can cause those dry bones to live again, He most certainly can revive a people who are seeking earnestly to be revived!

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  2. [Moderator Note: Please provide your full name when commenting on our site. Thank you.] Sir William, thank.you for this beautiful and truthful reminder. I will keep this in mind when I want to complain about the leadership of our churches(conferences/unions);while leadership is not perfect, we the lay people must earnestly and continually seek God for guidance and the perfect leadership we seek. Here is where the heart revival and reformation behind.

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  3. William, your post reminds me of a statement a godly woman made more than 100 years ago:

    The time has come for a thorough reformation to take place. When this reformation begins, the spirit of prayer will actuate every believer and will banish from the church the spirit of discord and strife. Those who have not been living in Christian fellowship will draw close to one another. One member working in right lines will lead other members to unite with him in making intercession for the revelation of the Holy Spirit. There will be no confusion, because all will be in harmony with the mind of the Spirit. The barriers separating believer from believer will be broken down, and God’s servants will speak the same things. The Lord will co-operate with His servants. All will pray understandingly the prayer that Christ taught His servants: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10. (Ellen White in 8 Testimonies for the Church, p. 251)

    Although the reference is to "reformation," it is clear that it is more than outward reformation. It is a matter of the heart that is based on a living connection to the Holy Spirit, which is the essence of revival.

    This makes me think that we cannot safely wait for the leadership to begin a work of revival and reform. Each one of us must seek God for ourselves right where we are so that God can work such a change in us that others might see and be led to seek the same connection with God.

    The question for us and our readers is this:
    Will you and I be the "one" in each of our congregations?

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    • This is so true. I have only been in the church thirteen years and my first 7 years were spent 'doing' God's work on earth to the point of getting lost. I didn't leave the church but I was spiritually void and then I started praying and thinking if I do the right things I will be closer to God. I read this week that it is to get to 'know' Jesus and have him be the one to lean on and seek comfort, guidance, and friendship from. If he is my all in one then the changes will come without much help from me. I only need to be willing and the Holy Spirit will make the changes I can't seem to make on my own. Thank you all at SSNET and thank you Father for being so kind and patient.

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  4. Thank you all for your comments, and Inge that is a beautiful picture of a revival and reformation. I pray we all humble ourselves and Seek God's face do this can be fulfilled in our day.

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  5. As a children's doctor working in ICU I know what it takes to revive a child who is dying. All of that child's own effort cannot save him or her. It takes effort of the team looking after him to provide the needed environment for healing to take place. That environment includes often drastic measures taken to support life, but a caring team will do what is needed ... We are desperately ill and spiritually dying. God wants to resuscitate us from this state. He uses His matchless love and grace to call us into a saving, healing relationship with Him. In His ICU, the church, He desires that His followers provide a healing place of compassion and love and grace that is not afraid to call sin sin, but also one which can point each penitent to the Source of life and cleansing... Our Creator and Redeemer and Lord Jesus.

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    • Dr. Solomon, Thank you for:
      1. Clearly identifying that God our Father, through the Holy Spirit, is the one who resuscitates us with His Breath of Life. It is not the work of man, but of Jesus Christ, the Lamb slain, buried and resurrected Who saves us. However, He uses His servants to be bearers of good news, to save the lost.
      2. God's team is comprised of people who are prepared - filled with the Holy Spirit, skilled in the Word and work of God. It takes the Doctor, the Nurse, etc. to understand and work with the principles of Life, to save the sick person. So also God's selected servants are taken from the broad spectrum of life - the Child, the Doctor, the Priest, the Farmer, the Laborer - and blessed with the skills/Light/Salt that represent the Way/Truth/Life to save the lost.
      As Bill pointed out, God always has representation among His people, even if the vast majority are worshiping/partying around the golden calf.
      Nations and even Churches do rise or fall on account of good or bad leaders, respectively; but, unlike the national, as the quote shared by Inge taught, God will use the faithful few, powerful in prayer, to accomplish a mighty work in His name. Blessed be our Father, and our Savior Jesus Christ.

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  6. While the notion is true that our work must begin on an individual basis in our country and in our church it should not negate our responsibility to leadership. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 urges us to pray for our leaders. Another biblical example is Davids relationship with Saul when Saul was trying to kill him. Even while Saul was trying to kill David he respected him as the Lords anointed 1 Samuel 24:6-7.

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  7. Thank you for reminding me that I do matter and I do make a difference. I am just one person asking Christ to be in me daily so that I can show Him to others. Sometimes it feels like I get lost and watered down by the rest of the church and I begin think that I make no difference at all - so thank you for reminding me that I do.

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  8. I also like to look back, William, on the many people who have been mentors and beneficial in my life. The list goes on and on when I get started remembering them! I pray that I can be a blessing to others in ways small and large just as others have have been for me! Then comes the truth you have also added, that it is my connection with and focus on God that enables me to carry on that grace and blessing to others.

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  9. Great article. Thank you. If the mere thinking itself of the work and mission ahead of us makes us faint and fearful, rest assured the mission is from God. I once heard a preacher say, "God doesn't call those who are equipped; He equips those whom He calls."

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