Looking to the fall - and where God is taking us
Over the next few posts I want to reflect a bit on the end of summer, and where God is taking Lamb, and the Cry for Awakening.
First, the time in Brazil was very helpful to me. Also, I can’t say how important it is for the book “The Heavenly Man” to make its way through the church. Brother Yun (the focus of the book) responded to the question “Why is China experiencing revival but most places in the West are not?” He responds with this (pages 296-297) “When I am in the West I see all the mighty church buildings and all the expensive equipment, plush carpets and state of the art sound systems. I can assure the Western church with absolute certainty that you don’t need any more church buildings. Church buildings will never bring the revival you seek. The pursuit of more possessions will never bring revival. Jesus truly stated, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15)
Brother Yun continues: “The first thing needed for revival to return to your churches is the Word of the Lord. God’s Word is missing. Sure, there are many preachers and thousands of tapes and videos of Bible teaching, but so little contains the sharp truth of God’s word. It’s truth that will set you free. Not only is knowledge of God’s Word missing, but obedience to that Word. There’s not much action taking place. When revival came to believers in China, the result was thousands of evangelists being sent out to all corners of the nation, carrying the fire from the altar of God with them. When God moves in the West, it seems you want to stop and enjoy the presence and the blessings too long, and build an altar to your experiences.”
Brother Yun continues: “All genuine revivals of the Lord result in believers responding with action and soul winning. When God truly moves in the heart you cannot remain silent. There will be fire in your bones, like Jeremiah, who said: His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am very weary of holding it, indeed I cannot. (Jeremiah 20:9)
On of the most convicting things Brother Yun states comes in his observations about worship in the West: “I’ve seen people worshipping as though they were already in heaven. Then someone invariably brings a a comforting message like, “My children, I love you. Don’t be afraid, I’m with you.” I’m not opposed to such words, but why is it nobody wants to hear a Word from the Lord like, “My child, I want to send you to the slums of Asia or the darkness of Africa to be my messenger to people dying in their sin.”
Finally: “Tears always come before the Lord truly moves. He will never pour his blessing out on unsanctified flesh. The cross of Jesus must be at the center of everything we do.”
Please, get yourself a copy of the Heavenly Man and read it. I promise you it will break your heart, but it will also build your hope in Jesus. Many of the things that Brother Yun says in his story are the very things I believe God wants to do in our church, and in the church in the U.S. I believe that the lessons learned by Brother Yun through years of suffering in prison for Jesus, and through many hardships of poverty and deprevation have taught him truths that we desperately need to understand for our lives in the Lord.
When Brother Yun finally escaped China (after some extraordinary miracles) he was reunited with his wife (whom he had seen very little in many years) they entered their small apartment in Germany, shut the door and knelt down together and gave thanks to the Lord. Brother Yun, who is given to spontaneous songs in the Spirit sang out these words on that day:
I cannot prevent tears of joy from filling my eyes
For the Lord’s hand has led me out of prison
I cannot help but follow him wherever he leads
For his nail scarred hands enable me to overcome.
peace, the black dwarf