Success

If I listened to and believed most of the modern-day church leaders and 'prophets' I would think that what was most on Jesus' mind was keeping me comfortable, keeping me safe from loss or harm, keeping me happy and encouraged that everything was going to turn out well for me materialistically...that I wouldn't lose all "we have worked for."

I would believe that a successful church meeting was full of excitement and exuberant singing, running and dancing and jumping. That people would fall down and I would go home brimming with excitement for another round of 'glory.'

If I listened to the modern day revivalist, I would think that a place where the glory was really flowing would have a line of people out the door waiting to get in and a green room for those carrying the weight of leadership, and healings, signs, and miracles would be on display so that the masses could see with their eyes and measure with their senses that God is real..that they wouldnt need faith even though faith is what I preach.

What I have learned in the last couple of years is that nearly NONE of this is in the Bible.

The reason so many chase the results of chasing the Lord instead of chasing the Lord himself is that we want to 'reverse-engineer' what God has done in the past. This is evil. It equates to a theft of God's glory...strange fire...false anointing...Jannes and Jambres. The Bible describes the basic reality over and over: trying to get all the results and missing what produced them.

When I read Acts 2, the point is not to see the fire fall, the wind blow, or the thousands saved. The point is to see the patient waiting in one accord for 10 days. I need to see the unpretentious assigning of responsibility for the next leader who would take the place of the ultimate betrayer of friendship while a group of friends was still really hurting from the loss of Jesus and Judas (they didn't know Judas would sell them all out). I need to know God answers the faithful, the humble, and hurting in a powerful way.

What I am supposed to see is the humbling of a group of people to the point where they were ready to preach repentance in the midst of great confusion...to cut to the heart all the attendees. To stay steady on a fixed vision of Jesus and HIS humility in the midst of the promise of power being fulfilled.

I am supposed to see the still small voice, the promise of tribulation and trouble and a cross to all who follow HIm.

I am supposed to see that the kingdom comes from the inside, not the outside.

I am supposed to see John the Baptist declaring that having the name or identity had nothing to do with being right with God or bearing the fruit that shows my heart is growing soft. That it is the fruit of repentance that makes me a son of Abraham and not the other way around.

I am supposed to see the multitudes being sifted down to 120 at best, knowing 500 saw the resurrected Christ and only 120 showed up to do anything about that at all.

I am supposed to see that God is actually quite picky about who He is willing to marry His son to.

I am supposed to see revival rightly: dialed down, humble, peaceable, true...on the floor, maybe even quiet, like a dead man....in awe of the real God who waits.

I want real revival...I really do. I know when it bursts forth, it will look nothing like anything that has ever happened before. And I want to be on the floor, overwhelmed with the humble God.

2 Chronicles 7:1-3 When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. (2) And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's house. (3) When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the LORD, saying: "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever."

2 Chronicles 5:12-14 and the Levites who were the singers, all those of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, stood at the east end of the altar, clothed in white linen, having cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets— (13) indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying: "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever," that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, (14) so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.

Acts 2:36-38 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." (37) Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (38) Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.