"Man Up!" Follow the Scent

I know that I have made mention on numerous occasions of the Lord’s directive to me about four years back, to saturate my wife with His Word of healing.  So it is one thing that I never miss, first thing in the morning, last thing before she goes to bed and many times inbetween!  In cooperation with this mandate I have also been reading to Piper after our morning and afternoon meals, from a wide variety of Christian teaching books concerning healing, of the power and authority that Christ delegated to Believers, as well as historical narratives of great revivals and revivalist throughout past generations, with whom the anointing of God flowed with great signs and wonders.

One morning quite a few months ago, I heard that small still voice inside of me telling me to re-read the book on the authority of the believer that we were just about to finish.  And since that day, I have heard that same suggestion numerous times as we have moved on to other books of the same nature.  Yesterday I realized as I was in the midst of my morning Bible study time that my wife and I had been reading the same five or six books over and over again for months!  Then as I continued meditating on the book of Ephesians, I realized that Lord has been having us follow a “scent” this whole time!

That got me to thinking about the Diagnosis Murder TV episode that we had watched the previous day.  As the show came to its climax the country Sheriff that the LAPD Police detective was working with called out the county’s Search and Rescue team complete with their blood hounds.  The Police officers had discovered a sweater owned by the deceased victim and gave it to the dogs in order to sniff and pick up the scent.  Then the dogs were off with their trademark bark and bawling as they ran through the forest chasing down the scent… and of course, in the end, they found what they were searching for!

The more I think about it, I’m getting the clear idea that this is exactly what the Lord is speaking about to me… and it is the scent of revival!  Over the last year I have gotten a lot more in tune to the upcoming presidential elections, the individual candidates and the very divergent views on which they stand.  I have also become increasingly aware of all the horrendous things that are happening across the globe.  Without my strong faith and trust in the Lord, I could easily succumb to fear and hopelessness.  And it is that knowledge of His Word, along with faith and trust in the Lord that gives me hope and an earnest expectation of once again seeing the power and anointing of God bringing about a positive conclusion.

But how is that going to happen?  What is going to slow and or stop the rampant flow of unrighteousness, terror and fear… You guessed it… REVIVAL!  But who is going to be revived… Well, the church of course!  That is where it all has to start.  Paul tells us in no uncertain terms when speaking about helping the world to understand the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ, “that NOW – through the church – he (God) could let the rulers and authorities in heaven know his infinite wisdom.” (God’s Word ©)

That’s talking about you and me folks!  As members of the church we have been given a responsibility on this earth… and before Jesus left this earth to assume the highest position in the universe at the right hand of the Father, He conferred on us the authority to complete that mission.  So will we hunker down in anxiety and fear at what we see and read about on almost a daily basis?  Do we just shake our heads in amazement and defeat when our leaders speak of things and then set laws into motion that stand opposite to God’s laws?  I think that answer is pretty evident.  We’ll spend a few more posts going into greater detail about this “scent” of revival that the Lord has been unfolding to me.  But until then, consider what the news is telling you and then consider what God in His unfailing Word says… and decide where you stand… and what you intend to do about it!

Have a great rest of the week and keep asking yourself… “What SCENT am I expecting to follow today?”