Revelation 2 and 3 Part Five: Laodicea I don’t know if you have ever had a job evaluation, but it can be an intimidating experience. You’ve worked at a job for one year and now it’s time for the annual review. Usually a job review is based on some criteria/job description agreed upon when a...
Chalk Revival Supporting Docs
A Spiritual Evaluation—Evaluating Ourselves and Our Churches by Jesus’ Evaluation of the 7 Churches in Revelation – Part 4
Revelation 2 and 3 Part Four: Philadelphia In Revelation 2-3, John is taking dictation from Jesus Himself for letters to be given to the seven churches in Asia. The letters are very revealing to us about these churches, but they provide great benefit for us as well. In six cases they are encouraging, but also...
A Spiritual Evaluation—Evaluating Ourselves and Our Churches by Jesus’ Evaluation of the 7 Churches in Revelation – Part 3
Revelation 2 and 3 Part Three: Sardis—Looking Back on “Glory Days” by Pastor Paul Petersen Sardis had the greatest history of any of the cities in the first two chapters in Revelation. During the time John wrote the book of Revelation, the Roman Empire ruled these cities. But 600 years earlier, and up until 546...
Preparation for Worship and Praise
How will we know when to respond in an outward expression of praise? How do we know any personal expression is valid and authentic? Two preparations will assure us genuine responses: Heart Preparation: Ps. 16:7-11—”I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. 8] I have set the Lord...
A Case Study: The Water Gate Renewal—a look at the significant revival of Nehemiah’s day Part Three
Something else accompanies biblical praise: something most do not appreciate. 3. Comprehension of the Scriptures This sequence can be helpful to see. 8:7-8—“The Levites…instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that...
The Praise Parade—Letting Revival Impact our Worship (from 1 Chronicles 13-16 and 2 Samuel 6)
I Chronicles 13-16 2 Samuel 6 Those of us who were rooting for the Seattle Mariners in 1997 will never forget their division championship win. Maybe your team has celebrated a “big win” some season, some game, some play. Can you imagine telling the winners of a divisional series or the World Series that they...
Sing for Joy—A Celebration of Worship from Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3
The word “worship” comes from an Old English word meaning “worth-ship.” It has two components: seeing what God is worth and giving what He’s worth. It’s about simply and honestly worshiping God with our whole being and life because He is worthy to be praised—Jn. 4:24; Matt. 2:2; Rev. 4:11; Job 23:12. But how do...
Stop and Give Thanks—a study of how a lack of thanksgiving can result in all kinds of trouble and sin in our lives
My wife, Nancy, and I had a miserable travel experience a few years ago. She and my granddaughter, Emily, went up to Canada to get Nancy’s mother for Thanksgiving. Because my neck was killing me, I prayed and felt it would be okay if Emily and Nancy went by themselves. I never like her going...
The Central Curriculum of Life—How Parents Can Bring Personal Revival Home to Our Children (a study of Deut. 6)
Training Principles for Parents, from Deuteronomy 6 The sixth chapter of Deuteronomy introduces what many have called the Magna Carta of the home,a passage of Scripture that summarizes in a few brief statements the great principles of the home, principles later developed in many other places in the Word of God. This passage is...
A Case Study: The Water Gate Renewal—a look at the significant revival of Nehemiah’s day Part Two
From these observations of the setting, we can now see Six Characteristics of Spiritual Renewal from Nehemiah 8-9. 1. Reverence and Love for the Reading of Scripture Chalk Prayer #3: We’re praying for a restoration of our love for and study of the Word. This experience is typical of those entering into spiritual renewal. It...