May Mighty Winds Of Revival Blow Today As In The Shanxi China Revival (circa 1930s)

What Revival Looks Like When It Comes:

James O. Fraser, missionary to China (early 20th century); from the biography, Mountain Rain by Eileen Crossman. Fraser describes an early 1930s revival in Shanxi (Shansi) Province which changed the hearts of missionaries.

Frazier writes that although many people in the revival had been missionaries for years, everything in their Christian experience changed when God came in power. He writes in a letter about the revival:

"From the outset the Lord began to pour out His Spirit upon us. The manifestations were according to Scripture.

1) Conviction of sin (John 16:8). Things that normally were winked at appeared exceedingly sinful when the Spirit of holiness threw His searchlight on our hearts, and there was confessing and putting away of sin.

2) Revelation of Jesus (John 16:14). What glimpses were given us of the grace and glory of the Lord! His Cross became more precious. His resurrection and mediation more real and His coming again a vital truth in purifying hope.

3) Understanding of truth (John 14:26; 16:13). Our spirits were gripped by truths that hitherto had only reached our minds - what we had preached as theories we experienced as facts. Never have I known the definiteness and directness of the Spirit's teaching as in these days.

4) Outpouring of love (Romans 5:5). We had thought we loved each other, and did up to a point, but when the Spirit of God revealed His standard, 'that they may be one as We are,' we bowed in shame. (There follow accounts of brokenness, confession and new love between colleagues).

5) Anointing of power (Acts 1:8). That the Lord has fulfilled His promise in the lives of some of His children is not now a matter of fond hope, but an obvious fact."

James Fraser had an increasing heart-hunger for God to send revival among the Christians in China. During the next few years this burden never left him. O, may the Lord mighty in power sweep this great United States of America in revival of the church and spiritual awakening in the land.

Securing Your Moral Perimeter

Achan's Sin & The Hidden Sin of Lust

(Joshua 7)

I want to talk about the hidden sin of lust in relation to the sin of Achan in Joshua 7. If you are a man (or woman) living in a fantasy world of sexual conquest you are headed for disaster.
Achan's sin was taking things that were dedicated to God. He took what did not belong to him. He stole that which God had dedicated, set apart for the temple. He desecrated that which was sacred.

When a man lusts after a woman (carries out any sexual fantasies) he is essentially taking what does not belong to him. Sex outside of marriage (real or imagined; any perversion) is a desecration of God's intended plan. Man has taken for his own selfish pleasures, what does not rightfully belong to him. He may get away with it for a season but sexual sin and perversion will eventually bring the wrath and anger of God.

One cannot take what belongs to God, what God has set apart as sacred, expect that it be hidden and get away with it. God will bring judgment on the individual who blatantly ignores, defies, and disrespects His natural order of things.

When a man is carrying out sexual fantasies and thinks he is hiding something from God he is not, though he may be hiding it from others. Eventually he will be exposed. He will suffer disgrace, shame, and defeat. Hear these vexing words from Scripture to Joshua, "...Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. YOU WILL NEVER DEFEAT YOUR ENEMIES UNTIL YOU REMOVE THESE THINGS FROM YOU." Josh 7:13

This sin of Achan cost him his family's lives, his children's lives, and his own life. It also cost the children of Israel, those around him, their lives. The battle was lost. It caused Joshua to doubt whether God cared for Israel. It created havoc among the children of Israel.

God destroyed ALL of Achan's family, his cattle, his dwelling, and even the stolen spoils. All vestiges of his existence were erased. Except, of course, a heap of stones (Josh 7:26) and the bad memory of his "troubling" disregard of things sacred (things set apart for God's use). Devastating consequences.

ASK YOURSELF, "IS IT WORTH IT?"

So to what extreme limits would you go to protect your moral/sexual perimeters? What extreme strategy would you put in place to protect your life, your family, your church, and your community? What are the non-negotiable bedrock issues of your life?

I am not perfect but here is where I come down. These are my life moral and ethical non-negotiables:

1. The absolute commitment of my life to the call of God to influence men for Christ;

2. The absolute integrity of my relationship to my wife, my children, and to their families (moral/sexual);

3. The relentless pursuit of ministry to families of inmates and ex-offenders.

I have a working strategy. I will fight to keep my good name, my family, and the integrity of all my associations.

A Strategy For Securing My Moral Perimeter

The spiritual security and legacy of a man depends upon how well he disciplines his body to do the right things.

Paul said, “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.” (1Co 9:27)

To ignore the moral perimeter (which includes the imagination – asking, "How close to sin can I get without actually committing an act of sin?) is to lose the privilege of telling others about Christ; to see ministry and/or life opportunities disappear before your very eyes. It is easy to tell others how to live and then not to take our own advice. We must practice what we preach so as not to lose not only our credibility but also our opportunity. (1Ki 11:1-13)

Sexual sin is probably the greatest threat to any man. Guarding the moral perimeter is critical. A man must maintain discipline and vigilance 24/7. The most vulnerable places for a man is in the work place and on the road. Lord help us, every man (me included) to operate bye these...

Rules Of Engagement

Concerning You:

  1. Do not trust the flesh
  2. Get and keep your focus on God
  3. Get and keep your focus on your wife
  4. Praise your wife; Pray with her regularly; Date her; Honor her publicly

Concerning Other Women:
  5. Keep your door open when meeting them
  6. Respect them as you would a daughter or sister
  7. Do not linger in their cube or office
  8. Eliminate personal/private/leading conversations and places
  9. Eliminate inappropriate touching or hugging
10. Keep conversation limited to business/ministry matters

No man is perfect, including me. But nothing less than a 100% commitment to keeping the moral perimeter secure will work. We can never let down our guard. I you fail, seek God's forgiveness and dedicate yourself afresh to moral integrity. May the Lord enable every man of us to...

“…Consecrate Yourselves…”

- Joshua 3:5