Revival is Coming

Picture, if you will, October 21, 2007. I had just recently joined the PC-USA. I was sitting in my cousin's church in the evening. Suddenly, I felt the Holy Spirit of God impress upon me to write four very simple words. "Speak, I am listening." That was it, nothing more. Just "Speak, I am listening."  I don't remember anything else. I don't remember the words I wrote after that, I remember hearing my cousin preach; but even now the sound of his voice was that of the teacher from Charlie Brown. 


After writing those four simple words, I went on to write two pages about the state of the church. Three very short years later, the PC-USA would affirm full inclusion. It is now 2019; and I had tucked the paper back in my Book of Worship for safe-keeping a few years ago; last week I found the paper and the writing on it. I want to share that paper with you today. It won't change your mind--I don't want it too. You may think I am crazy because I can hear the voice of God speak; that is fine. However, I feel like, while yes, it was for a time such as my time in the PC-USA; it was brought back into my life again for my time in the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. 

Speak, I am listening: 

The church is in need of revival, but before I can revive it, my people must themselves be restore, refreshed, built up and encouraged. That can't be give in a church where I am not completely wanted. 

My Original Copy Page 1

Many say "Father, come, we want revival and a great ministry-the are interested in numbers and not truth. May say "Bless our church" yet they do not bless others. Many pray for revival, just not within their congregations. They don't want to change for me. They want me to change and conform to their standards. Malachi 3:6a "For I am the Lord, I do not change."  Hebrews 13: 8 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever."
My church needs to learn this before they teach revival. The church isn't a building, it's the people, as long as my people are corrupt, my church will be corrupt. 

The flesh is corruption, as long as my people do things themselves, I can not work. Galatian 5:19 "The sins of the flesh, the practices include sexual immorality, anger, jealousy, envy, drunkenness and the like." Now, I, know my people experience these things, but it's the sins that comes from the action of these desires--the fulfillment. 

My people don't want my instruction, they want only to call on me when they need me. What of when I am not needed? Does not the blind man feel his way around his home as not to knock over things?
I say to many, I am willing to refresh and restore you, are you willing to change for me? 
Think, ask yourself, are you willing to allow me to come into your life and change you? Are you willing for me to revive you, to refresh you?

Original Copy Page 2

Pray, continue to ask for my refreshing to overflowing; my cup overflows. 

Imagine the wanders that could happen if my church would conform to me and my teaching. A generation can be change, a generation ca lead a revival and will lead it, but the generation must be reached and encouraged to lead. 

My Children, you are the generation who will change, but you must believe, conform and build up. You need each other, neglect not your brothers and sisters, they too need you to survive. 

Many will read these words and they will scoff, they will mock me. To them I say "please do, in that way I have never been more like Christ and I am as you do this." John 15:18-19 states "“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." 

To my brothers and sisters, I remind you all of John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."