It's About Relationships Stupid!

There is a great article posted on the Baptist Press website that is essential reading for all Christians. Dr. Henry Blackaby is one of my favorite authors, and he discusses what is needed for our churches and country to get back on the right track.

What makes this a great article is the spiritual discernment and authenticity of Dr. Blackaby. He echoes the words of 2 Chronicles 7:14-15

and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now my eyes shall be open and my ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.

Like many people, I have not been happy with the direction our country has been going, especially over the last year. The tendency is for us to look out over the events and complain about all that is wrong with "those people." Of course, "those people" are the persons that are causing all the problems. The real disconnect is not with "those people" but with God's people. As Blackaby keenly observes, we want to lay the blame for a lack of revival (a renewing of God's movement among people) at the feet of everyone but to whom it belongs: ourselves.

Revival is never about "them", but about "me." A wise pastor once told me, "If you want to see revival start in the world, then you need to draw a circle, and kneel in the center of the circle. Pray and ask God for revival to take place in that circle. When revival starts there, then you can begin to widen your circle." Revival must start personally then move to the church. Only then can revival move to the "outside" world.

My hope is that you will react to the article the same way I did: fall on your knees and pray.