The Power of Surrender: Breaking Through to Revival

The Power of Surrender: Breaking Through to Revival by Michael Catt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Michael Catt again writes another wonderful book packed with great principles. This book is about revival. Michael is the pastor of the church in Albany, GA that produced the movies: Fireproof, FlyWheel, Facing the Giants, and Courageous. I leave you with this one quote, "We need a divine intervention. Our problems can't be fixed by money, machine, politics, or philosophy. Looking around should make us look up to God. Revival is not worked up; it is prayed down. It is when God breaks through into the life of a person, a church, or a land and puts things back in order."

If you enjoy reading about revival and like for God to use another to bring conviction to your heart then this would be a good book to read.


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Below are more great quotes from the book:

Mark Twain said, “It’s not the parts of the Bible I don’t understand that bother me: it’s the parts I do understand.”  p. 23

Sowing is not all; thorns must be grubbed up. We must not only turn over a new leaf, but tear out the old one. The Old man must be slain if the new man is to live. The call to amend finds its warrant in the new man is to live. The call to amend finds its warrant in the assurance that there is still time to seek the Lord, and that, for all His threatening, he is ready to rain blessings upon the seekers.  ~ Alexander MacLaren p. 27

Not only will revival demand personal preparation but also persistent supplication. p. 28

No repentance is true repentance which does not recognize Jesus as Lord over every area of life. ~John C. Chapman p. 33

We cannot stay the same. Repentance must come in the pews before we can expect to see it in the people of this world. Vance Havner wisely said, “Many a so-called revival is only a drive for more church members, which adds more unsaved sinners, starched and ironed but not washed, to a fellowship where even the true believers have not been aroused for years.” The church needs to return to the mourner’s bench because the mourner’s bench is for the members first. p. 39

To talk about a worldly Christian is like talking about a heavenly devil. ~Billy Sunday p. 40

When I see a bird that looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, has webbed feet like a duck, paddles in the water like a duck, and prefers the company of ducks, it is hard for me to resist the conclusion that it must be a duck?...When I see a Christian who looks like the world, talks like the world, walks like the world, goes places where the world goes, and prefers the company of the world, it is hard for me to resist the conclusion that they are of the world. ~Vance Havner p. 41

Boomers have largely rejected the Word of God as the basis of their authority and become gods unto themselves, bowing down to five gods who have “self” as their first name: self-will, self-righteousness, self-confidence, self-pleasing, and self-exaltation. pp. 46-47

How many churches invite us to come and see how they do it—how they grow their ministries and organize their programs—when in fact, in the eyes of God, they are naked. If we could only see our churches the way God sees them! p. 50

There is a world of difference between a crowd and a congregation. p. 50

If we fail to repent today, we have one more day to repent of, and one less day to repent in. Thomas Fuller wrote, “You cannot repent too soon, because you do not know how soon it may be too late.” p. 55

The characteristic of revival is that a profound consciousness of sin is produced in many persons at the same time by an awareness of God. ~Ian H. Murray p. 57

We can get sidetracked by the good, which is the enemy of the best. p. 71

Our opinions do not matter; what God says matters! p. 77

The foundation of every reformation of the Holy Spirit is the Word of God made plain to the people.  ~Frank Cooke p. 81

Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason—I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other—my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against the conscience is neither safe nor right. God help me, here I stand.  ~Martin Luther pp. 85 – 86

I go to conferences and listen to pastors talk about how they no longer carry their Bibles to the pulpit. They just put their sermon and text on their Blackberry or iPod and scroll down. Are they ashamed to be seen with a Bible? Like a politician without a teleprompter, they might be sunk if the battery ever died on their gizmo. p. 86

The Scriptures “are profitable for doctrine (what is right), for the correction (how to get right), and for instruction in righteousness (how to stay right).” ~Warren Wiersbe p. 101

Revival is not some emotion or worked up excitement; it is an invasion from heaven that brings a conscious awareness of God.  ~Stephen Olford p. 105

We need a divine intervention. Our problems can’t be fixed by money, machines, politics, or philosophy. Looking around should make us look up to God. Revival is not worked up. It is prayed down. It is when God breaks through into the life of a person, a church, or a land and puts things back in order. p. 107

Spirituality is not measured by the church calendar but by our conscious commitment to holiness, without which no one can see God. He is looking for clean hands and a pure heart. I see a lot of raised hands in worship these days, but I wonder if they are holy hands. p. 110

We have better church signs today but few signs of His power—and we aren’t looking for signs of His coming. pp. 110 – 111

Those who are on the Lord’s side need to show up, stand, up, and speak up. p. 113

True intercession is the costliest of all Christian service. It is no mere lip service. It is the heart-agony of the Father expressed through us by the Holy Spirit…We never really pray until our hearts and minds become the praying-ground of the Spirit.  ~James A. Stewart  p. 113

Keys to Revival—Richard Owen Roberts: 1) It is extraordinary. “Without organization, advertising, or even sometimes, human leadership, revivals have altered the hearts of men, the social attitudes of millions, and the destinies of nations. 2) It is a work of God. “No amount of human effort can produce true revival. Everything God has told us to do we ought to do, but having done it all, we must still wait upon Him to do what He alone can do.” 3) It produces extraordinary results. “Conduct that has always seemed acceptable will appear unbelievably wicked.” p. 115

We are called to work out what God has worked in us. If you are in Christ and Christ is in you, then the world should see nothing else. p. 116

Conformity to the world can be overcome by nothing but conformity to Jesus. ~Andrew Murray p. 116

David reminds us that what God teaches us in the sanctuary should encourage us in the wilderness, and what God teaches us in the wilderness should lead us to praise Him in the sanctuary. p. 122

God, your will. Nothing more. Nothing else. Nothing less.”  ~Bobby Richardson  p. 124

I am amazed (but not shocked) that all writers on revival emphasize the same essentials. Praying for revival is not an option—it’s essential. p. 132

One of the miracles of the grace of God is what He is able to do with the torn nets of lives surrendered to Him.  ~G.B. Duncan p. 133

The Biblical order is revival first (where the church gets right) followed by evangelism (where the lost are saved). p. 134

Revival is the exchange of the form of godliness for its living power.  ~F. Carlton Booth p. 142

Our actions reveal our attitudes. Our sacrifices reveal our surrender. A wrong response reveals a wrong heart. p. 149

I believe nothing so distinctly causes the people of God in any generation to “stand in awe” as when they hear of the great works of God in awakening his people powerfully.  ~John H. Armstrong p. 157

God bombarded me with the awareness that I was a joke. I had the talk but no walk. There’s a huge difference between knowing about God and knowing Him personally. Revival and revolution will come when people get to know God as He is, not as they want Him to be. p. 160

Pray at the start, praise at the stop.   p. 165

The problem with most of us is we want to organize, and we’ve forgotten how to agonize. p. 166

A revival may produce noise, but it does not consist of it. The real thing is a wholehearted obedience.  ~Earnest Baker p. 179

Pentecost was preceded by forty days of waiting and praying. They knew they couldn’t give what they didn’t have. Repentance and prayer are the tests of a genuine and deep work of God. p. 191

When the Spirit touches you, you don’t fall backwards; you fall forward on your face before a holy God.   ~Bill Stafford p. 194

Revival is the exchange of the form of godliness for its living power.   ~John Bonar p. 203

God uses people in our lives to stir us and stretch us. He places people along the journey to challenge the status quo of our lives. They make us want to do better, be better, pray more, love more, and serve more. p. 207

You don’t have to chase key men when you know the One who holds the keys.    ~Vance Havner p. 210

My calling is to be faithful and available.  p. 210

Never try to predict or underestimate the person God might use. p. 211

     

Never move a fence until you find out why it was put there.   p. 219

When all that you are is available to all that God is, then all that God is is available to all that you are. ~Ian Thomas p. 229

Moses spent his first forty years thinking he was somebody. He spent his second forty years learning he was a nobody. He spent his third forty years discovering what God can do with a nobody.   ~D.L. Moody p. 234

Most people are too big for God to use because they want to be somebody. To be used of God, you have to be willing to be a nobody. That’s what servants do. God is not looking for celebrities; He’s looking for servants. p. 236

God can do much with little. He doesn’t need us, our stuff, our gifts, or our programs. He needs our availability and yieldedness. p. 237

I am convinced one thing that is killing our churches is our attempt to do God’s work on our terms. We are serving in the flesh, not in the spirit. p. 241

If you manipulate and connive and scheme and lie to get yourself to the top, don’t thank God for the promotion.   ~Chuck Swindoll p. 242

We can’t achieve spiritual things with worldly thinking. My fear is that we measure success in terms of money, buildings, budgets, and size, not prayer, faithfulness, holiness, and other kingdom-focused standards. p. 242

If you intend to go on with God, prepare for those times when He chooses to wean you from his having to always come through at your appointed time. If He can trust you to trust Him, He will put you in tight places where your soul is enlarged and your vision is widened. Then you will be able to delight more in who He is than in what He does.   ~Jack Taylor p. 248

Statistics show that professing believers live no differently than the world. Something is clearly wrong when followers of Christ are not following. Something is clearly wrong when believers don’t really believe….We have diluted, watered down and compromised Jesus in our western culture to the point that he is hardly recognizable. We have made Jesus fit our culture to the point that he follows us. We call the shots. We direct his steps.    ~Mike Minter p. 251

When God is in control, you’re not. p. 251

God has done something for us; now He wants to do something to us, in us, and through us. p. 255

Let God have your life; he can do more with it than you can.    ~D.L. Moody p. 257

There is a quote from the Welsh Revival: “Once you’ve experienced the fire, you are never content with the smoke.” We have become content with the smoke. We throw water on the alter, not so we can allow God to prove Himself like Elijah, but simply to produce more smoke: the smoke of numbers, excitement, emotional experience, being relevant, etc. As long as we are content with these, we will never see Him. We must become like David in Psalm 63, recognizing we are in a dry and barren place, passionately longing for Him, remembering what it is to behold His power and glory.   ~Mark Bearden  pp. 262-263

It was the angel that fetch Peter from prison, but it was prayer that fetched the angel.   ~Alan Stewart p. 265

We are more bent on having crowds than building a church. Success is determined more by numbers of people and dollars than by whether or not God showed up and moved mightily.   ~Ronnie Floyd p. 266

Churches all across America are empty. Not just in numbers, but primarily in substance. Over the last fifteen years I have observed these indicators that concern me with how far away my generation is from genuine revival: 1) Worship is no longer about pleasing God but rather pleasing ourselves through personal preferences in worship. Worship is more about ‘getting’ than ‘giving’ anymore. 2) Our generation would rather be entertained that exhorted. 3) Leaders are more interested in numbers and accomplishments than holiness. 4) Prayer is given little emphasis and exercised mostly out of formality There are so few willing to wait, watch, and wail in the upper room until power comes from on high! Old timers called it ‘praying through,’ but our generation appears to be ‘through praying!’ 5) A lack of brokenness and desperation in our lives. We have become the Laodicean church—‘rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing.’ Our dry eyes are an outward evidence of an inward void. 6) The church has lost respect and its voice of authority to the world. We are no longer the measuring stick the world looks to for the standard of living.   ~Alan Stewart p. 267

Spurgeon’s words hold true: “The true preacher should be more holy than his people, lest he be unfit for office. He should be as holy lest he be a hypocrite. Depth of walk with God is the more essential qualifier for the responsibility of God’s presence.”   ~Mark Bearden p. 270

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Courageous Living: Dare To Take A Stand

Courageous Living: Dare to Take a Stand by Michael Catt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Michael Catt is the Pastor of the church that has made the movies, "Flywheel," "Facing the Giants," "Fireproof," and "Courageous." This book is a book written as a resource for the message in the movie. I have read several of Michael's books. He does a great job reinforcing the truths of Scripture. He uses lots of quotes from others as well as giving Scripture support for the principles taught. I will leave one quote from the book for you to think about: "Instead of cowering to the pressures of this culture, Christians need to become a force for positive peer pressure. We need to break out of the box and drop the baggage. Boxes are designed for storage and shoes not saints."

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Below are a few quotes from this book:

Instead of cowering to the pressures of this culture, Christians need to become a force for positive peer pressure. We need to break out of the box and drop the baggage. Boxes are designed for storage and shoes, not saints. p. 6

I’m praying for God to raise up a generation who will venture out and discover the view is worth the climb. God longs to find a man or woman He can trust with a great opportunity. p. 7

The choices we make determine the roads we take. Choices have consequences and reveal our true character. p. 8

Sometimes God has to slow us down to get our attention. Jim Elliot said, “I think the devil has made it his business to monopolize on three elements: noise, hurry, crowds….Satan is quite aware of the power of silence.” When Moses left the wilderness, he was a man on a mission. p. 30

Martin Luther said there are only two days that matter: this day and that day. If you aren’t living this day for Christ, you won’t be ready to face Him on that day. p. 31

Adrian Rogers said, “God showed up and said to Joshua, ‘I didn’t come to take sides, I came to take over.’”  p. 38

John Blanchard says, “God thinks most of the man who thinks of himself the least.” p. 48

Humility is not thinking poorly of oneself, but rather it means not thinking of oneself at all. p. 48

Gary Inrig said, “One of the great truths of Scripture is that when God looks at us, He does not see us for what we are, but for what we can become, as He works in our lives. Other people look at us and see our flaws and failings. God looks at us and sees our possibilities, through His transforming presence.” p. 48

Hudson Taylor said, “All of God’s great men have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His being with them; they counted on His faithfulness.” p. 54

God is not looking for great people; He’s looking for available people who will follow Him. p. 57

God will use you publicly if you allow Him to tutor you privately. p. 82

The person of courage is willing to face the consequences of his decisions. We may stand alone, but we are never alone. p. 83

Vance Havner said, “If you lack knowledge, go to school. If you lack wisdom, get on your knees!” p. 84

Billy Graham said, “Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” p. 85

The New Rebellion Handbook defines courage as a “willingness to go the distance when the vision has faded, when you’re weary, when no one is there to cheer you on. Courage is an enduring commitment to be your true self when no one is looking and you’re facing intimidation….Courage has many faces. Is yours one of them?” p. 85

We need the fire of the Spirit and the showers of revival. p. 92

Teddy Roosevelt said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who does actually try to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.” p. 105

Our standard is not Hollywood; it’s Him. p. 107

When you walk with God, you’ll anger those who don’t. p. 110

If you are doing God’s will, expect opposition. p. 110

Chuck Swindoll said, “Part of the unwritten job requirements for every leader is the ability to handle criticism. That’s part of the leadership package. If you never get criticized, chances are you aren’t getting anything done.” p. 112

Jonathan Accuf writes, “Hate from others is like moss, it can only grow on stagnant objects. “The motion of following your calling repels hate.” p. 114

Roy Laurin writes, “Never stop working to fight. Be ready to fight and repel the invader but always keep up the work. A man’s greatest defense is the work he is doing. If he constantly answers the attacks made on him he cannot work and if he doesn’t work he will not be able to fulfill the purpose of his life. p. 114

We don’t have time for average. Average is climbing halfway up the mountain and stopping. It’s as close to great as it is to bad. p. 128

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The Power of Persistence

Michael Catt is becoming one of my favorite authors. As you know he is the pastor of the church that made "Facing the Giants." He book, The Power of Persistence, is an excellent book on prayer. The quotes below are a great blessing to me.

When we work, we work. But when we pray, God works. p. 1

Mordecai Ham, revivalist: Charlotte, North Carolina, 1934 – Several businessmen, along with Billy Graham’s father, spent a day at the family farm praying that God would touch their city, their state, and their world through Dr. Ham’s meeting in Charlotte. During one of the revival services, Billy Graham came to Christ. p. 5

The strength of the church has never been in programs, numbers, or events, but in prayer and obedience. God is not interested in our innovative methods. He is not impressed with our twenty-first century technology. God is still moved by prayers of simple saints who learn in their quite place to lay hold of the throne of grace. Prayer is not incidental to the work of God—it is the work! p. 7

Our tendency is to have a big view of our situations and a small view of God’s sovereignty. We tend to see God through a microscope and our problems through a telescope, but is should be the other way around. Our problems are miniscule compared to the vastness of God. p. 15

Prayer is faith acting like it’s supposed to act. Elijah “stretched himself out over the boy three times.” Not once. Not twice. Powerful praying demands discipline and patience. p. 15

When’s the last time you asked God for something that was beyond your ability? p. 16

We cannot go any further until we resolve that prayer is a key to all we do and say. p. 22

We are powerless primarily because we are prayerless. p. 23

You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.” pp. 36 – 37

Prayer is not about changing God’s mind; it’s about changing our mind in light of how God wants things to happen. It’s not about getting my will done on earth; it’s about seeing His will done on earth as it is in heaven. p. 78

The disciples did not ask Jesus to teach them how to perform miracles, how to multiply loaves and fish or to heal the sick. They didn’t ask Him to give them a class in hermeneutics. They didn’t want instructions in preaching, video presentations drama, skis, or any aid to worship. They wanted to learn to pray. They had come to the conclusion on their own that the power behind the Person was prayer. p. 79

When we make prayer a priority, we are telling God that we totally depend on him. [quote by Terry Virgo in the book, Ten Praying Churches] p. 110

Seeking the will of God in prayer is not out our agenda, our itinerary, or our calendar. It’s about His agenda and what’s on the eternal calendar. It is never about our schedule but about the surrender of our schedule. When we walk in the will of God, we cannot fail. But when we try to walk outside the will of God, we cannot succeed. p. 124

Praying by faith must be consistent with the will and Word of God. As Thomas Watson said, “Prayer is the key of heaven; faith is the hand that turns it. p. 132

Augustine wrote, “What is faith, unless it is to believe what you do not see?” p. 133

Jesus taught His disciples that the key to prayer is not faith in faith, but faith in God. God is the object of our faith. p. 133

Thomas Adams wrote, “It is the office of faith to believe what we do not see, and it shall be the reward of faith to see what we do believe.” p. 133

“I consider the problem, but I don’t take the problem into consideration.” The problem is not our priority; having faith in God is our priority. The mountain is not the issue; God is the issue. [quote by Ron Dunn] p. 134

If we want to be effective parents and give our kids the best possible shot at being all God designed them to be, we need to get before our heavenly Father on heir behalf. p. 179

We worry more about our kids being accepted in school than being accepted in the Beloved. p. 196

Also pray that your children will not buy into the lie that fame, fortune, power, and pleasure are the ultimate things that matter. p. 198

The early church was a praying church. That’s why sin was not tolerated (Ananias and Sapphira), evangelism was effective (three thousand saved at Pentecost), persecution couldn’t stop them (they prayed for more boldness to do the very thing that got them in trouble), prejudices were destroyed (Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, Peter and Cornelius), and missions began (Paul took the gospel to the world). p. 206

If I don’t know how to pray for someone, I pray the Word. If I don’t know how to pray for my church I pray the prayers of Paul. p. 207

We often live as if God and the devil are equals, that the fight could go either way. No, Satan is a defeated foe. His destiny is set. We are to live, act, and think as overcomers. It’s not that we need more power or more of the Spirit; it’s that we need to appropriate what we already have available. p. 223

There is nothing that makes us love a man so much as praying for him.” p. 238

The man who mobilizes the Christian church to pray will make the greatest contribution to the world evangelism in history.” [quote by Andrew Murray] p. 238

If faith without works is dead, so is prayer without putting your feet to those prayers. Prayer and evangelism are inseparable. p. 239

A true prayer warrior eliminates “can’t” from his vocabulary. p. 240

We can't reach out until we reach up. p. 240

“We must pray! Prayer is what moves the hand of God!” “Much prayer, much power! No prayer, no power!” p. 241

Seven practical steps in praying for the lost:

1. Pray for them by name.

2. Ask others to pray with you.

3. Pray for their conviction.

4. Pray for a contact (this could be you).

5. Pray for them to have a seeking heart.

6. Pray in faith for their salvation.

7. Pray in thanksgiving! Praise! Claim! p. 246

“When the outlook is bleak, try the uplook!” p. 259

Our lives, our ministries, and our churches are to be exclamations rather than explanations. p. 264

The time is now for us to get to the point where we dare not go forward unless we sense God’s presence and prompting. We must pour our hearts out on the altar and set our hearts to seeking Him. We must be students of the Scripture to know how to pray, Biblically, not using God as an ecclesiastical Santa Claus or thinking of Him as a bellhop who jumps when we ring. The way to victory is through confession of need, through a broken and contrite spirit, and through tears. When God sees that, He meets us at the altar. He expands our borders and opens doors that were previously impossible to open. p. 266

If you want your prayers to lead to a breakthrough, you have to learn to pray according to the Word and will of God, in the name of Jesus. Breakthroughs are not manipulations of the Almighty; they are a means of aligning ourselves with the will of the Almighty. Breakthrough praying has one goal in mind the glory of God. p. 269

In his book The Theory of 21, Chuck Reaves writes, “For every one person who will say yes, there will be 20 who will say no. For a positive response, you must find the 21^st person.” I believe part of our problem when it comes to breakthrough praying is that we are more inclined to be in the group of twenty than to be the one. If we want to see God do a mighty work, we must be willing to stand alone if necessary. Every great work of God has been done by those who believed God when others said it couldn’t be done. p. 271

Prayer is not so much talking to God as it is God speaking to us and telling us what is on His heart. p. 288

It’s not that prayer enables us to do a greater work; prayer is the greatest work we do. “You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.” p. 302

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The Power of Desperation

From the Pastor of the church that made the film, Facing the Giants, Senior Pastor, Michael Catt has written several books. He is a wonderful writer. This book, The Power of Desperation, is jammed pack with valuable truths! Please read and apply the quotes below.

Desperation is a powerful force. Desperation focuses our attention and energies on the things that count. p. xi

"Desperation now precedes revelation," my now-deceased friend, Manley Beasley, was accustomed to saying. "When you're desperate, God may finally have your attention." p. xii

God cannot bless us until he has us. When we try to keep within us an area that is our own, we try to keep an area of death. Therefore, in love, he claims all. There's no bargaining with him. - C.S. Lewis p. 5

"A glimpse of Jesus will save you, but to gaze at him will sanctify you." - Manley Beasley p. 16

"The grace, the groans and the glory are all part of the eternal purpose. Where there is no groaning, there is no growing now, nor glory to come." - Vance Havner p. 19

Remember that the Lord your God led you on the entire journey these 40 years in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. - Deuteronomy 8:2 p. 19

The wilderness can indeed be a productive time. Sufferings have their purpose. They drive us to desperation and prayer. p. 31

Isn't that true of many believers? They are delivered from sin, but somehow they are never delivered from self. They are set free from their past, but they live in failure and defeat in their present. They stop seeking. They settle, get comfortable, and lose their passion and purpose. They become "good" Christians with little impact for the kingdom. Wandering in circles, they mindlessly move from home to school, to career, to retirement, to glory, but they never make a real difference. p. 32

He earned a B.N. (Be Nothing) degree in the seminary of suffering and sheepherding. Faith works best when there is no natural hope. God speaks best when all other voices are silenced. p.34

The hardest part of the wilderness experience is seeing what's really in our hearts. God removes the facades. He cares nothing about how great our peers say we are. He knows the truth, and He reveals it to us. He uses the dust and desert to expose our hearts and our motives. "Remember that the Lord your God led you on the entire journey these 40 years in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands." (Deut. 8:2, italics added). p. 34

"We will never crave to e filled until we are convinced we are empty." - John Blanchard p. 43

I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and width, height and depth, and to know the Messiah's love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19 p. 43

PUSH: Pray until something happens. p. 51

"The Bible recognizes no faith that does not lead to obedience, nor does it recognize any obedience that does not spring from faith. The two are opposite sides of the same coin." - A.W. Tozer p. 67

This is how we know that we love God's children when we love God and obey His commands. For this is what love for God is: to keep His commands. 1 John 5:2-3 p. 67

And to whom did He swear they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. (Hebrews 3:18-19 NASB) p. 70

In verse 18, he says they couldn't enter because of disobedience; in verse 19, he says unbelief was the cause. Well, which was it -- disobedience or unbelief? It was both. For obedience and faith are two sides of the same coin. You act on what you believe and you obey whom you trust. p. 79

If He were to explain how everything works out, then faith and obedience wouldn't be required.

• God told Noah to build a boat and spend 120 years doing so, even though it had never rained.
• God told Moses to cross the Red Sea and walk across on dry land. But it's hard to believe God can part the waters until you stand back and see the salvation of God.
• God told the Israelites to follow the ark into the Jordan. Then, and only then, would it dry up and permit them to cross.
• God told Joshua and the people of Israel to merely walk around Jericho and sound the trumpets, and the walls would fall.
• God told David to conquer the formidable Goliath with a few smooth stones and a slingshot.
• God told Mary she would give birth to the Son of God, even though she had never been with a man.
• And God continues to do impossible things through ordinary people. pp. 83 - 84

"I will never despair, because I have a God; I will never presume, because I am but a man." - Owen Feltham p. 89

God, you are my God; I eagerly seek You. I thirst for You; my body faints for you in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water. - Psalm 63:1 pg. 89

God isn't pushing me to fix it; He's pushing me to faith it. p. 90

Admitting we can't is the first step toward admitting He can. p. 90

We must remember that God uses the wilderness to get our undivided attention. And to write songs in our heart whose lyrics can only be discovered in despair. p. 97

God takes the old clay and starts working it to make it into a new and usable vessel. While we tend to throw away broken vases and call them junk. God throws away the unbroken items and calls them useless. It's our willingness to be broken and remade that allows us to fully experience all God has for us. p. 115

The vessel in Jeremiah's prophecy was marred, but it as in the hand of the potter, so there was still hope for it. The potter didn't quite. God has taken vessels just like you and me -- marred and flawed as we are -- and used us in great and mighty ways. "He made it into another jar," a useful vessel. God is not finished with you. He does not view failure as final. p. 116

Nothing can touch us until it has passed through the will of God. "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper" (Isa. 54:17 KJV). God has a plan for my life. God is working according to a fixed, eternal purpose. p. 118

What we might see as marring, God sees as an opportunity to form us into His image. What we may see as problems are in fact possibilities for God to work in us. p. 118

But if the potter's work is to be permanent, the vessel must go through the fire. In the fire the vessel is strengthened and made useful. Some of the greatest moments of our lives turn out to be the times when we are broken, molded, and reshaped by the Lord. Painful times cause us to cry out to God, and there we find Him, sitting, working, molding, and making us into His likeness. pp. 118 - 119

"God does not witness to the world by taking his people out of suffering, but rather by demonstrating his grace through them in the midst of pain." - C. Samuel Storms p. 121

He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name's sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff -- they comfort me. Psalm 23:3-4 p. 121

It is well known that the Chinese symbol for the word crisis represents both opportunity and danger. Pain and suffering may bring danger, but they also bring an opportunity for maturity and growth. p. 129

We cannot let the folks whose motto is "You can't do that" run our lives. p. 131

• Dr. Seuss's first book was rejected by twenty-three publishers. When he finally found a publisher, his first book alone sold six million copies.
• Vince Lombardi didn't become a head coach in the NFL until he was forty-seven, and now the Super Bowl trophy is named after him.
• During their first year of business, Coca-Cola only sold four hundred Cokes.
• During the depression, Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts had trouble getting anyone to join the Augusta National Golf Club. They tried to sell houses and build a subdivision around the course to help pay for it.
• In the first three years in the automobile business, Henry Ford when bankrupt twice.
• Michelangelo spent seven years lying on his back to paint the Sistine Chapel.
• After years of unsuccessful experiments, imprisonment for debt, and ridicule from family and friends, Charles Goodyear finally developed a type of rubber that would not be affected by temperature extremes.
• NBA great Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.
• Archie Manning's dad committed suicide, and Archie was the one who found him dead. He almost gave up football at Ole Miss.
• In 1905 the University of Bern rejected Albert Einstein's Ph.D. dissertation.
• Abraham Lincoln failed at most of his attempts in business and politics.
• John Bunyan wrote The Pilgrim's Progress during a long stay in prison.
• The official church rejected Martin Luther.
• John Knox is buried under a parking lot.
• Joseph made it to Pharaoh's palace by way of both the pit and prison.
• Moses experienced forty years in the desert before he led God's people out of Egypt.
• David ran for his life for years before finally becoming king of Israel.
• Jeremiah was the weeping prophet.
• The apostle Paul had enough scars to make any man want to quit.
• Today the church is growing in Muslim countries despite incredible opposition and persecution. While American Christianity seems to be declining, the persecuted church is prospering. pp. 132 - 134

When Jesus is in sight, the impossible becomes a Him-possible. p. 136

"There can be no hope without faith in Christ, for hope is rooted in him alone. Faith without hope would, by itself, be empty and futile." - Ernst Hoffmann p. 139

Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put you hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God. . . . The Lord will send His faithful love by day; His song will be with me in the night -- a prayer to the God of my life. Psalm 42:5, 8 p. 139

It's easy to come to church, fellowship with believers, and never touch Jesus. We can be in the crowd and never really be part of the congregation. We can sing songs but never worship. We can take notes on sermons, and never apply the Word to our hearts. Attendance doesn't mean we're paying attention. I believe Jesus is passing by the aisles of our churches every Sunday, looking for people who are desperate for Him. Unfortunately most of us miss Him because we aren't really desperate to worship and adore the Lord of glory. pp. 155 - 156

"Unbelief makes the world a moral desert, where no divine footsteps are heard, where no angels ascend and descend, where no living hand adorns the fields, feeds the birds of the heaven, or regulates events." -- F.W. Krummacher p.g 159

Then Jesus said to him, "If You can?" Everything is possible to the one who believes." Immediately the father of the boy cried out, "I do believe! Help my unbelief." Mark 9:23 - 24 p. 159

Let's be honest with ourselves. The average church doesn't want Jesus to be there. We don't want the kind of people that Jesus attracted: sinners, prostitutes, the demon-possessed, tax collectors, outcasts of society. We like to sit in our nice, neat circles in our folding chairs, having our little theological discussions about everything from predestination to who will care for all the pets left behind at the rapture. Are we not, in fact and in practice, an unbelieving generation? We hear stories of power in other places around the world, but where is the power of God in the American church? Where's the church that is doing things that cannot be explained apart from the infusion of Holy Spirit power in the life and breath of the body of Christ? p. 167

Jesus tells them to do what we must do as well. "Bring him to Me!" Whatever the situation, take it to Jesus. No issue is too great, no need too small for Jesus. Take your family, your prodigal, your broken marriage, your desperate situation to the Savior. Throw yourself at His mercy, and see Him while He may be found. p. 167

"We can never be blessed until we learn that we can bring nothing to Christ but our need." - Vance Havner p. 179

Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken. My salvation and glory depend on God; my strong rock, my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. - Psalm 62:5 - 8 p. 179

"The grand design of God in all the afflictions that befall his people is to bring them nearer and closer to himself." - Thomas Brooks p. 215

Lord, I call You; my rock, do not be deaf to me. If You remain silent to me, I will be like those going down to the Pit. Listen to the sound of my pleading when I cry to You for help, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary. -- Psalm 28: 1 - 2 p. 215

One reason many people are unwilling to be broken is because they know the price of everything and the value of nothing. God has a different set of scales, and He weighs by different measures. Nothing offends religious people more than someone showing them up, especially when that person is sincere. p. 223

To stand before an audience of One, you have to come knowing you are nothing and that He alone is worthy of praise. p. 223

We may not think much of giving a cup of cold water or of visiting someone in prison, but Jesus does. He notices the small things that pass the attention of the casual onlooker. He watches the treasury and sees the widow's mite. He sees the prayer made in secret. We may not know until eternity how our afflictions, brokenness, and sacrifices were used to further the gospel. p. 227

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Prepare for Rain

Michael Catt's book, Prepare for Rain: The Story of a Church that Believed God for the Impossible, should be required reading for all pastors and interested laymen. He does a great job explaining the ministry at Sherwood Baptist Church. The book tells a little about the movie, Facing the Gaints. This is where part of the title of the book comes (the first quote below is from the book, but taken frm the movie). I've only included a few quotes from the book, but please do not think any less of the book, it is excellent!

GrantI heard a story about two farmers who desperately needed nrain. Both of them prayed for rain, but only one of them went out and prepared his fields to receive it. Which one do you think trusted God to send the rain? Well, the one who prepared his fields for it. Which one are you? God will send the rain when He is ready. You need to prepare your fields to receive it. p. 11

Revival comes by agonizing, not organizing. p. 160

Revival is a divine interruption. I long for something to happen that is not on our planned-out, pre-arranged calendars. In 1975 I heard James Baker Cauthen say, "We're so organized and planned out that if the Holy Spirit left we could run for ten years and never know He was gone." We don't have time to seek God because we have to sell the latest product.p. 160

Un fortunately, the circumstances will rarely be completely favorable for believing God. We're forced to believe in darkness, crisis, tragedy, grief, suffering and uncertainty. Have you ever considered the following:

• Alexander the Great conquered the world by his thirtieth birthday but never went to college.
• Shakespeare was one of the greatest writers in history, but he didn't know to type.
• Knute Rockne, a legendary coach at Notre Dame, never won an NCCA championship.
• The twelve disciples never had a best-selling book or renowned religious talk show.
• Paul was never voted TIME Magazine's "Man of the Year."
• Martin Luther was considered a heretic by his peers.
• John B unyan wrote Pilgrim's Progress in prison.
• A church in Albany, Georgia, made a movie! pp. 168-169

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FireProof Your Life

The book, FireProof Your Life, is a study based on the movie Fire Proof. It is a very good book.

Here are a few quotes:

Trials show what we are made of - they reveal our hearts, our faith, our level of maturity. p. 14

Noah built an ark.

"Are you kidding, Lord? What's an ark?"

Abraham, set out for a city.

"What city? Aren't You going to give me a map?"

Abraham, you've going to have a child.

"At my age? Do You know how old my wife is?"

Joseph, I've got big plans for you.

"Lord, You're going to have to get me out of this prison first. I'm a forgotten man.

Israel, take the land.

"Are you crazy? We're grasshoppers and they're giants."

 (Remember the Bible records the failures of faith and its consequences as well as the stories of those who trusted God and took Him at His Word.).

David, you are going to be the next king of Israel.

"How? If I don't keep running, King Saul is going to kill me!"

Elijah, pray down fire from heaven.

Are you sure, Lord? It seems to me I'm out numbered."

Job, trust Me with your loss and pain.

"Lord, nobody knows the trouble I've seen."

Isaiah, prophesy in My name.

"Lord, don't You know my friend the king just died? I'm grieving right now."

Jeremiah, buy the land.

"Lord, I'm no expert in real estate, but it seems to me that's not a very good deal."

Micah, tell them Messiah will come from Bethlehem.

"Lord, most folks can't even find Bethlehem on the map."

Peter, get out of the boat.

"And do what? Walk on water?" pp. 44-45

The biggest problem we face is not knowing what is right, but being willing to do what is right. p. 71

We think getting is the answer to all our problems, but in God's economy giving is the answer. Through our giving we understand that Christ supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. p 126

God always reserves something for Himself in the physical realm, where man obtains his living, to remind man that God is the owner of everything. God reserved for Himself a tree, a day, a city, the tithe, a year when the land was to stand idle. The facts here are clear. What God sets aside as holy, as His, is a reminder that we are stewards, not owners. p. 131

If God is your Father, please call home. Corrie ten Boom said, "The Devil smiles when we make plans. He laughs when we get too busy. But he trembles when we pray." When you feel swept off your feet, it's time to go back on your knees. (John Mason in Why Ask Why? If You Know the Right Questions You Can Find the Right Answers) p. 142

Acknowledge that conflicts are a part of of life. Where there is movement, there is friction.

Thank God for the conflict. Yes, you read that correctly. Anything that causes you to seek the Lord is a blessing.

Leave the results to God. When we have taken our stand on His Word, we can rest knowing He will respond as He has promised.  p. 145

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