If you don’t know who to vote for . . . vote for and pray for a spiritual awakening in America. With all the breakdown, turmoil and angst in our land, there is one thing we need to get settled. Spiritual awakenings are possible. Do you believe it? Revitalizations happen. God is ABLE.
Do you know where the greatest revival in the history of the world took place? It didn’t take place in America under a campaign of Billy Graham, Jonathan Edwards or D. L. Moody. It didn’t take place in England under Charles Spurgeon or John Wesley. Nor did it take place in another part of Europe under Luther, Calvin or a Pope. Do you have a guess? Give up? The greatest revival of all took place 150 miles NW of Baghdad near modern Mosul. Timeframe clue . . . think Jonah. Most think Jonah is the star of his story and a big fish is his co-star, whereas actually, Jonah is in a lead support role, the fish has a two-bit part appearing in three verses and the star is God Almighty. G. Campbell Morgan said, “Men have been looking so long at the great fish they have failed to see the great God.” The theme of the book of Jonah is that a Great and Gracious God pulls off the “Grand-Daddy” of all revivals through a disinterested runaway prophet.
Why did God’s man Jonah go in the wrong direction and would rather die than see revival break out like wildfire in ancient Nineveh? Remember Nineveh was the capitol city of Israel’s archenemy Assyria. This global superpower was brutal, vicious, barbaric, blood-thirsty and godless. Historian Dan Carlin says these warriors invented terrorism. They burned children alive and tortured adults by skinning, dismembering and boiling in oil. When a new city was conquered, the heads of the prominent would be mounted for all to see. One time the King of Nineveh boasted after defeating a rival King, “I pierced his chin with my dagger, through his jaw I passed a rope. I put a dog chain upon him and made him occupy a kennel.” Nice guy. These were the “Nazi’s” of the Bible. ISIS on steroids. Nineveh was just not on Jonah’s preaching itinerary, or so he thought. Furthermore Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh because he knew God was gracious and merciful and it would be just like God to give Nineveh a second chance. To be honest, Jonah wanted the Ninevites damned.
Jonah learned you can run but you can’t outrun God. God has this infinite capacity to clean up messes. The reluctant prophet eventually went to Nineveh and preached the worst sermon ever preached. No heart. No invitation. No amazing grace or mention of God. It was lame, but God brought His “A” game. All the inhabitants of this metropolitan city are spiritually broken and convicted. All. They practiced biblical faith, fasting, forsaking and repentance (Jonah 3:5-8). The spiritual awakening was from the greatest to the least (3:5). Furthermore, everyone put on sackcloth and ashes as an outward sign of humility, including all the animals. I don’t know how you get sackcloth on a cat but it happened in history!
Amazing! National repentance and humility. The greatest revival in human history. An entire capitol city of a superpower with a population often estimated at 600,000 turned to God. Can you imagine an entire wayward nation with a repentant spirit? Imagine God moving upon our land today, stirring every heart and mind? Imagine leaders trusting the grace of God and calling others to do the same. Imagine outward fruit following inner soul transformations. Revivals have happened in the most unlikely spots and unusual of times. God is able. Pray for spiritual revitalization in our homes and land. Draw a circle on the ground. Step into the circle and pray, “Oh God, may the revival start right here. May it start with me. Amen.” In the final analysis-there is only one King. I have no hesitation voting for Him!!!
This month in pictures
Helping Louisiana’s Leaders,
Michael