DOES JESUS CARE?
The following is a copy of a dream by Cynthia Nichols. I don’t know Cynthia. I normally wouldn’t publish something by someone I do not know, but the words of this dream pierced the spiritual hardness of my heart. As I read it, the words to the old gospel song came to my mind: “Does Jesus Care”.
Today as I meditate upon the tremendous sacrifice of God in His Son, Jesus Christ, upon the cross, I am made more keenly aware that God showed in a most extravagant manner how very much HE cared. Sadly, We, His church, may have some rethinking to do on just how much ‘we’ care. After all, the world will never know how much HE cares, if they can’t see that We care.
THE LOST.. The LOST…
-Cynthia Nichols.
Going With The Flow
I saw a wide stream flowing past where people stood on either side. As the murky black water neared a precipice it flowed faster and ran deeper. A strong undertow drew it to the point where it roar headlong over the edge.
In the gathering darkness, which made the stream appear even blacker, a girl came drifting past. Those watching saw her, and from where they stood, could quite easily have grabbed her before she reached the rapids above the falls. But they didn’t…
They murmured and pointed, even referred to her by her name, but no one ventured to help pull her out of the currents’ ever increasing strength. They were still pointing and murmuring when she tumbled over the falls and was gone. One piercing scream drifted back to their ears and for a brief moment, they looked a bit distressed. But, it was a very brief moment indeed and then they simply picked up where they left off -murmuring and pointing as yet another person drifted into view…..
the water of life on the shores of my heart. My flickering spiritual eyes strain to see the Son of Righteous rising with healing in his wings. Brother Leonard Ravenhill once said that he was tired of reading and hearing stories about revival. I concur. Stories about revival are wonderful, challenging and inspiring. But there comes a time when a picture, story or video won’t do. There must be a ‘want to’ in the heart of the believer.
It’s one thing to be a football player who sits on the bench cheering but it is an entirely different thing to actually be in the game. I remember playing football in high school and standing on the sidelines. I wanted to be in the game so badly that I kept pestering the coach till he put me in the game. That’s sort of how I see Evan Roberts and the Welsh Revival. God took a young man of only 26 years. He could have chosen G. Campbell Morgan, but he didn’t. He chose an ‘ordinary’ young man with a passion for God, a man unknown by men but known by God. The dictionary defines ‘ordinary’ as ‘unexceptional’ or ‘commonplace’. Interestingly, when our Lord Jesus went looking for men to handle the greatest assingment ever given, he too chose the ordinary and unlearned. Paul, in writing to the Church at Corinth pointed out that “…God chose what is foolish…to shame the wise…what is weak…to shame the strong…what is low and despised…to bring to nothing things that are so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (I Cor. 1:27-29). Today, perhaps more than any time in history, there are Christian celebrities. When one thinks of God sending revival, surely it would be through one of them. Perhaps. However, if history is any indicator, the instrument through whom God would send revival will be one through whom God can get all the glory. He will be a person, who can serve God without getting in the way and stealing the glory. He will be one who can say,”…may the lamb that was slain receive the reward of his suffering…” He will lay down his own life that Christ be exalted. He will decrease that He might increase.
