Now is the time

Men of God, this is our finest hour! I remember the day Bill Clinton was elected. I was totally depressed as were all of my friends. But I also remember this nagging thought that maybe this was God's way of awakening His Church. And yes it was. Over the next 8 years a massive movement of prayer and fasting began. Well over one hundred thousand people did 40 day fasts. Over 1 million men met in Wash DC to publicly repent and to our hearts and eyes back to God.

I believe we are experiencing the fruit of those years today. Look at what is happening in the Church today. George Barna says millions are leaving churches because their passion for Jesus has reached a level that the churches can't support. Worldwide, people are coming to Christ at a faster rate than ever before in the history of man. Movements like Ransomed Heart are seeing men awakened, coming alive and learning to fight for freedom.

I believe this is another step in the progression God is taking with His Bride. He is getting our eyes off politics and inviting us to "Real Change", that which only comes from a heart that has been redeemed, restored and is now fully alive. When a man's heart comes alive, and He walks in the love of His Father, that changes him beyond recognition. We have all seen this personally in our own lives and in each other.

So I say it again, this is our finest hour. We who have experienced this heart level change are to be the leaders/warriors in this movement of God. We will see more and more people become dissatisfied with politics, churchianity, etc and they will be looking for the real thing. So let's go get 'em, Sons of Scotland!
-- John Hard, Birmingham, AL

I hear the bemoaning of the election results from my friends and allies, but a couple, including John (quoted above) have the right mindset. So many have spouted off by electing who we have, we will reap what we sow (allowing the election of Obama), but the truth is the results are reaping what we have sown.

By focusing on the battles the church has chosen, she is losing the war. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not about society transformation by effort, but it is about life transformation. Lives transformed becomes the salt and light that in great enough numbers transform society.

But don't misunderstand "numbers". It is about one man, or one woman, whose life is transformed, standing in the gap. Churches have focused for so long on numerical growth, but how many of their converts stand in the gaps? They've focused on turning out numbers to support a cause, but one man, or one woman, standing by another is what it takes to transform another.

Let me put this perspective on what I mean -- I know a group of six or eight men in Arizona who support a village in Nigeria. They find out about this village when it was "dropped" by a large church as it "realigned" its budget. These six give more money and visit this village more often than that large church.

In other words, we don't need a hundred million warehoused in churches. We don't need hundreds of thousands receiving a newsletter. We will create more change with hundreds with passion.

God created within you something special. What has he called you to do, not what your pastor or some Christian activist rallies you to? Be who God calls you to be.