As we pray we must do so in the sure knowledge that God also desires revival in us and through us. We must pray with the expectation, that God will indeed fulfill all the promises we find in His Word regarding our Spiritual revival.
Messenger: Brian Hopkins
Simon – whom Jesus named Peter (or Cephas) – is found listed first in all the Biblical listings of Jesus’ chosen apostles. So it is appropriate for us to begin our study of “The Twelve” with Simon Peter. For many of us, Simon Peter is the apostle with whom we identify most closely. In this study, we look at Simon’s progress from sinful and worldly fisherman through his time with Jesus as one of His closest followers to his denial of Jesus on the night He was betrayed and his subsequent restoration by the resurrected Jesus until finally Peter became a mature and bold fisher of men that Jesus promised to make him in the years after Jesus ascended back to His Father.
In our lives as Christ followers, we can sometimes experience periods of spiritual drought. During such times, God’s Word encourages us to recall the joy of our salvation we felt when we first came to know the LORD Jesus, and to return to the love we felt for Him when we first realized that He loves us. The church in Ephesus is a vivid example of this falling away and Jesus’ stern warning to repent and remember our first love.
The Twelve apostles of Jesus were not outstanding in any way, at least before they met Jesus. However, Jesus called these men personally. He knew all their flaws, faults, and apprehensions, yet He still chose them.
This message reminds us that “all” human life is valuable to God. If the people of God truly desire “revival” in their life and in the life of their church, then God’s people must recognize how sacred life is. What must follow is love for God and love for “all” our neighbors.
In the first message of this series, we looked at the universal desire among Christ followers for “revival.” We explored the meaning of revival, and were encouraged as we seek revival within ourselves to pray the words of King David from Psalm 51 – “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” We must seek to be holy before God when we pray for revival because God also tells us in Leviticus – “I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.” As we seek revival, we must also seek to live in holiness empowered by God’s Spirit within us.
Before we launch into our study of the twelve men Jesus chose from among His disciples to be apostles, it is important to make a distinction between Jesus’ hundreds or thousands of disciples and the twelve He chose to empower and send forth as His representatives in the ancient world. We also often overlook the fact that many of Jesus’ disciples were women. God’s Word gives us several lists of these women who followed Jesus and served Him during His earthly ministry.
Believers often talk about “revival.” Many churches and denominations hold “revival” services from time to time. Most of us desire and pray for “revival.” But what exactly is revival? In this message we try to answer that question.
Go and Make “Disciples”
This message is intended to introduce you to Immanuel, God with us, and then once you have been introduced to Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, Christ Incarnate, you will be asked to respond to His invitation to join Him.
