LAST LESSONS #214 — RELATIVES

“Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.” John 17:11

I remember years ago my sister (whose husband worked for the government), said to me (a missionary), “We won’t talk about politics or religion.” I said, “Then we can’t talk about your work or mine.”

How sad. But I am hearing the same thing today from friends here where I live and have meals together. One of the women got up and left when I mentioned how happy I was with the election results. So, I can talk about only food and ailments? Sorry, that won’t do for me.

As we near the holidays, many of us will be together with relatives, and it is sad that different political views have divided even our closest family members. I’m wondering what we will do when we are all together. Will we lay the ground rules that we will not discuss anything to do with politics or religion? Or, can we love each other enough to be honest and say that we want to learn from each other? We can learn much from those with whom we disagree. We need to be open, and we just need to talk!

No doubt we will have a meal with relatives who have different worldviews from us at Thanksgiving and at Christmas. In order to keep the conversation positive, I might suggest that you play a game. Keep going around the table asking each person one thing that everyone can be thankful for. The one who lasts longest wins. And the one who says “Jesus” gets a prize.

I am praying that this year as my family gathers for the various holidays that we do not let the devil divide us. The devil will attempt to use politics and/or religion to divide us. But remember, “A house divided against itself will fall” Mark 3:25.

Our weapon against the devil is to ask God to give us extraordinary love for all our relatives.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

LAST LESSONS #213 — REVIVAL

“Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” Psalm 85:6

I have been praying for revival for years. Probably you have too. And if there was ever a need for revival, it is now. God has just now answered our prayers for a new president. He has shown us that the majority of people in the United States of America do not want to kill babies in the womb or try to change the sex that God gave to children created in his image. That is very encouraging, and God has been gracious to us. But having a particular party in power does not change people’s hearts. We can elect people, but only God can change hearts.

So, what do we do now when we want change in this country? Well, obviously we vote when we want political change. And we would naturally think that when we want moral change, we pray for revival. It is true that we should pray for revival, but we cannot bring revival by our prayers. Revival comes when God determines that it is his time for revival. Revival is a work of the Holy Spirit wherein believers are filled with the Holy Spirit and their hearts are changed and things happen. Acts 2 describes the Holy Spirit filling believers and verifying its validity by enabling them to speak in languages they had not studied. Then enabling Peter to preach so that three thousand people were saved.

In modern history there have been a number of revivals. The most well-known is the Great Awakening (Spirit produced revival) in England in the 1700’s. Many people were saved. The major leaders of this Evangelical revival were three Anglican priests: the brothers John and Charles Wesley and their friend George Whitefield. Together, they founded what would become Methodism (the Methodist Church).

There was another Great Awakening in the USA in 1730-1755 largely instigated by Jonathan Edwards’ famous sermon preached in his own church Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. This revival brought many people to salvation and produced several new denominations (Congregational, Presbyterian, Baptist). These revivals resulted in thousands of people being saved and whole denominations being formed, but the revivals were not permanent. They were special outpouring of the Holy Spirit for God’s own purpose.

So what does this have to do with our praying for a revival in the USA today? We surely know that we need a revival. Hatred, lies, selfishness, and anxiety show what fills the hearts of people in the USA today. We need God’s mercy. We need for his Holy Spirit to revive us.

A good change in government is important, but it is not enough. The Bible says:

“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

I, for one, want to repent daily of my sins and pray that God will heal our land. Will you join me?

LAST LESSONS #212 — LAST LESSONS — EXTRAS — 2

“And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve,… But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

This week in the United States, we chose a president (Praise God!) and some other officials. I hope you voted. As I was in the line to vote with my daughter by my side to help me with my walker, people took pity on me and let me go to the head of the line. I got a good laugh from them when I said, “Thank you, I want to make sure I vote before I die.” But I was serious, it is who we choose as our country’s president that will determine this country’s future for the next generation.

Every decision we make has consequences. Who we voted for will determine a part of our future. And not only our future, but the future of our children and grandchildren.

Every decision we make has consequences. The decision I made to marry Bob Jensen determined the direction that my life would take for the next 60 years. I am so grateful that Bob and I decided to get married. If we had not married, KCMC would not be helping sick people in Tanzania, no Rafiki Village would be in Africa, no Rafiki Bible Study would be written and used all over the world, Bibles would not be going to church leaders, pastors, teachers, and schoolchildren—thousands of them. Yes, decisions have consequences. Some are good, and some are bad. Such as the consequences of marrying the wrong person.

I am watching my two great grandsons choose where they will go to college next year. They both have scholarships, so they do have a choice in colleges. Their decision will determine the direction of their lives, so I pray for them that they will have wisdom in such an important choice.

Now that we have chosen a president, not only will the choice of him impact our lives, but our response to his election should impact his life. That is because we should pray for him regularly. We should especially pray for his wisdom and his safety. We should pray for his spiritual life. We should pray for his family.

I want to pray for every decision I make, but too often I forget. So, I will pray that I will not forget to pray!

BECAUSE our decisions have consequences!!