Marks of Revival

Pr Roland Seow
24-04-2016

Romans 4:17New King James Version (NKJV)

17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

Speak like God speaking. We are the vessel. Exchange that His life is in you and radiate Him. Call back in Jesus' name.

Revival (from Oxford dictionary):
An instance of something (God) becoming popular, active again.

What is Revival?
Revival is when God shows up and manifests His presence and glory.

Isaiah 64:1New King James Version (NKJV)

64 Oh, that You would rend the heavens!
That You would come down!
That the mountains might shake at Your presence—

Revival begins from the inner environment within us.

Revival is meeting with Almighty God.

Seeks God's face.
Our heart needs to yearn for God Himself. We need to say, "O God, I so want you. I'm so desperate for You and You alone! Will You please show up?"

When Revival comes, there is true repentance and contrition of heart.

Acts 2:37-38New King James Version (NKJV)

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.

Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

When Revival comes, fear of God grew and many signs and wonders are done through God's people.

Acts 2:43New King James Version (NKJV)

43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

Signs and wonders become a normal part of our lifestyle.

When the Heavens are open, nothing becomes impossible.

When Revival comes, there is much love, unity, fellowship, gladness and sincerity/purity of heart - church is focal point.

Acts 2:46New King James Version (NKJV)

46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

When Revival comes, many are saved and added to the church - true church growth. The church becomes united and influential. 

Acts 2:47New King James Version (NKJV)

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

When Revival comes, God's people will have willing hearts to serve the Lord - change of priorities and focus in life.

Psalm 110:3New King James Version (NKJV)

3 Your people shall be volunteers
In the day of Your power;
In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning,
You have the dew of Your youth.

When Revival comes, there is great breakthroughs and exploits (Daniel 11: 32b) - no mountain will be too big to hinder us from fulfilling His purpose.

Psalm 97:5New King James Version (NKJV)

5 The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

When Revival comes, there is an abundance of revelation.

When Revival comes, the nation/city will be healed and blessed.

Precursor to Revival - Create a godly atmosphere internally and externally to attract God's presence.

Serving Christ: Hear, Obey, Teach

Elder Saw Lip Hean
17-04-2016

Deuteronomy is the last will and testament of Moses.

Deuteronomy 6New King James Version (NKJV)

The Greatest Commandment

6 “Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, 2 that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. 3 Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it,that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the Lord God of your fathers has promised you—‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one![b] 5 You shall love the Lordyour God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Caution Against Disobedience

10 “So it shall be, when the Lord your God brings you into the land of which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, 11 houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant—when you have eaten and are full— 12 then beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 13 You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name. 14 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who areall around you 15 (for the Lord your God is a jealous God among you), lest the anger of the Lord your God be aroused against you and destroy you from the face of the earth.

16 “You shall not tempt the Lord your God as you tempted Him in Massah. 17 You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, His testimonies, and His statutes which He has commanded you. 18 And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may be well with you, and that you may go in and possess the good land of which the Lord swore to your fathers, 19 to cast out all your enemies from before you, as the Lord has spoken.

20 “When your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which the Lord our God has commanded you?’ 21 then you shall say to your son: ‘We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand; 22 and the Lord showed signs and wonders before our eyes, great and severe, against Egypt, Pharaoh, and all his household. 23 Then He brought us out from there, that He might bring us in, to give us the land of which He swore to our fathers. 24 And the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day. 25 Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us.’

Numbers 20New King James Version (NKJV)

Moses’ Error at Kadesh

20 Then the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there and was buried there.

2 Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. 3 And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! 4 Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? 5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor isthere any water to drink.” 6 So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them.

7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” 9 So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him.

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.

12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

13 This was the water of Meribah,[a] because the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was hallowed among them.

Passage Through Edom Refused

14 Now Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom. “Thus says your brother Israel: ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us, 15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers. 16 When we cried out to the Lord, He heard our voice and sent the Angel and brought us up out of Egypt; now here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border. 17 Please let us pass through your country. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink water from wells; we will go along the King’s Highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.’”

18 Then Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through my land, lest I come out against you with the sword.”

19 So the children of Israel said to him, “We will go by the Highway, and if I or my livestock drink any of your water, then I will pay for it; let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.”

20 Then he said, “You shall not pass through.” So Edom came out against them with many men and with a strong hand. 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory; so Israel turned away from him.

Death of Aaron

22 Now the children of Israel, the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. 23 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying: 24 “Aaron shall be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah. 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor; 26 and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; for Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there.” 27 So Moses did just as the Lord commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28 Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 29 Now when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.

Moses was told by God to speak to the rock and water would come out but he walloped the rock instead because he was so angry with the people's murmuring. 

Of all the prophets, Moses was special. He met with God o  a daily basis. His face was shining and emanating the glory of God that ths people were in awe. But he lost his cool.

The people of God are special. When you serve the body of God, you are serving Christ. Never hit the body of Christ.

-Hear
-Obey
-Teach

HEAR:

Matthew 5:17-20New King James Version (NKJV)

Christ Fulfills the Law

17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus said the Word of God, the Laws of God must not to be ignored.

1. The importance of the Law (Matthew 5: 27-20)
a) Justification (Romans 1-5) & Santification (Romans 6-8) by Grace.
b) Significance of the Law given at Mt Sinai/Horeb & in Deuteronomy
i) Free to keep the Law
ii) Principles & Guide to Christian Life
c) How Jesus fulfilled the Law
i) Penalty met
ii) Perspective explained
iii) Power released

2. Importance of Hearing
a) Holy Spirit our teacher, speaks to all of us (John 14: 26)
Each of us must have a regular quiet time with God. As we read the Bible, the Holy Spirit speaks to you.

b) Need systematic teaching
i) interpretation & construction
- difficulties identified (may not be aware)
- context explained (avoid pretext)
- wrong doctrine - healing, prosperity, superstition & fears

ii) Develop mature Christian thinking

iii) Regular Reinforcement so that we don't forget
Forget -> Fear -> Foolish -> Faithless

3. Listening but not Hearing
Come to the Word of God with an open mind so that we receive it for what it is.

OBEY:

Obedience is the key to understanding.

1. Love/Fear = Obey

2. Beware the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 16: 6)

3. Beware how you listen (Luke 8: 18)
Whoever has will more be given. We must obey, we must take action.

TEACH:

1. To your children vs 7-9
vs 20-25

2. Why?
- so that all may fear the Lord
- live long lives
- prosper

Pray for Rain

Pr Anand Kumar
03-04-2016

Zechariah 10:1New King James Version (NKJV)

Restoration of Judah and Israel

10 Ask the Lord for rain
In the time of the latter rain.
The Lord will make flashing clouds;
He will give them showers of rain,
Grass in the field for everyone.

In the Bible, rain speaks of God's blessing and favour.

Joel 2New King James Version (NKJV)

The Day of the Lord

2 Blow the trumpet in Zion,
And sound an alarm in My holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble;
For the day of the Lord is coming,
For it is at hand:
2 A day of darkness and gloominess,
A day of clouds and thick darkness,
Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains.
A people come, great and strong,
The like of whom has never been;
Nor will there ever be any such after them,
Even for many successive generations.

3 A fire devours before them,
And behind them a flame burns;
The land is like the Garden of Eden before them,
And behind them a desolate wilderness;
Surely nothing shall escape them.
4 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses;
And like swift steeds, so they run.
5 With a noise like chariots
Over mountaintops they leap,
Like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble,
Like a strong people set in battle array.

6 Before them the people writhe in pain;
All faces are drained of color.[a]
7 They run like mighty men,
They climb the wall like men of war;
Every one marches in formation,
And they do not break ranks.
8 They do not push one another;
Every one marches in his own column.[b]
Though they lunge between the weapons,
They are not cut down.[c]
9 They run to and fro in the city,
They run on the wall;
They climb into the houses,
They enter at the windows like a thief.

10 The earth quakes before them,
The heavens tremble;
The sun and moon grow dark,
And the stars diminish their brightness.
11 The Lord gives voice before His army,
For His camp is very great;
For strong is the One who executes His word.
For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible;
Who can endure it?

A Call to Repentance

12 “Now, therefore,” says the Lord,
“Turn to Me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
13 So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm.
14 Who knows if He will turn and relent,
And leave a blessing behind Him—
A grain offering and a drink offering
For the Lord your God?
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion,
Consecrate a fast,
Call a sacred assembly;
16 Gather the people,
Sanctify the congregation,
Assemble the elders,
Gather the children and nursing babes;
Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber,
And the bride from her dressing room.
17 Let the priests, who minister to the Lord,
Weep between the porch and the altar;
Let them say, “Spare Your people, O Lord,
And do not give Your heritage to reproach,
That the nations should rule over them.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”

The Land Refreshed

18 Then the Lord will be zealous for His land,
And pity His people.
19 The Lord will answer and say to His people,
“Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil,
And you will be satisfied by them;
I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.

20 “But I will remove far from you the northern army,
And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land,
With his face toward the eastern sea
And his back toward the western sea;
His stench will come up,
And his foul odor will rise,
Because he has done monstrous things.”

21 Fear not, O land;
Be glad and rejoice,
For the Lord has done marvelous things!
22 Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field;
For the open pastures are springing up,
And the tree bears its fruit;
The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.
23 Be glad then, you children of Zion,
And rejoice in the Lord your God;
For He has given you the former rain faithfully,[d]
And He will cause the rain to come down for you—
The former rain,
And the latter rain in the first month.
24 The threshing floors shall be full of wheat,
And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.

25 “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,
The crawling locust,
The consuming locust,
And the chewing locust,[e]
My great army which I sent among you.
26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
And praise the name of the Lord your God,
Who has dealt wondrously with you;
And My people shall never be put to shame.
27 Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel:
I am the Lord your God
And there is no other.
My people shall never be put to shame.

God’s Spirit Poured Out

28 “And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
32 And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the Lord has said,
Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.

Rain = Outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

The prophet Zechariah reminded the people to complete the abandoned temple. Ask God to pour out His Spiritual rain unto the people. God's abundant promises should motivate us to keep praying, keep seeking until we see the promise becomes reality. Pray and ask for the latter rain to see another greater revival.

1) The Rain brings abundant blessings.

We just need to ask. 

Isaiah 55:10-13New King James Version (NKJV)

10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

12 “For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,
And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;
And it shall be to the Lord for a name,
For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

God's Word is powerful. It will accomplish its purposes.

There is great Hope in looking forward towards the latter rain.

The abundant blessings bring Victory. 

Zechariah 10:3-5New King James Version (NKJV)

3 “My anger is kindled against the shepherds,
And I will punish the goatherds.
For the Lord of hosts will visit His flock,
The house of Judah,
And will make them as His royal horse in the battle.
4 From him comes the cornerstone,
From him the tent peg,
From him the battle bow,
From him every ruler[a] together.
5 They shall be like mighty men,
Who tread down their enemies
In the mire of the streets in the battle.
They shall fight because the Lord is with them,
And the riders on horses shall be put to shame.

God will deliver us no matter what struggles and hardship that we go through. 

2) The Rain brings Restoration. 

It strengthened and restored the people. We must hold on to Him. We must respond to Him. 

Zechariah 10:12New King James Version (NKJV)

12 “So I will strengthen them in the Lord,
And they shall walk up and down in His name,”
Says the Lord.

When the weak experience God's strength, they also experience great joy. 

Zechariah 10:7New King James Version (NKJV)

7 Those of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man,
And their heart shall rejoice as if with wine.
Yes, their children shall see it and be glad;
Their heart shall rejoice in the Lord.

The whole household enjoys great joy and blessings.

The Rain of the Holy Spirit has the possibility of ushering Great Revival.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Matthew 7:7New King James Version (NKJV)

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.

Matthew 21:22New King James Version (NKJV)

22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

You do not have because you do not ask.

James 4:2New King James Version (NKJV)

2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.

Let it Rain.