May 14, 2010

• a challenge to you (God has some secret ones in all places)

  In his Journals, George Whitefield wrote of a group called “The New Lights,” who were set up for worship and fellowship in Gibraltar (131).

  Sunday, Feb. 25 [1738]. About six this morning went with friend Habersham to the church to pray with some devout soldiers, who I heard used to meet there at that time, and with whom my soul was knit immediately. After we had finished our devotion, I made an enquiry into their state, and found that their Society had been subsisting about twelve years, and that one Sergeant B., (a devout soldier indeed) now amongst them, was the first beginner of it. At first, they told me they used to meet in dens and mountains, and caves int he rocks; but afterwards, upon their applying for leave to build a little place to retire in, Doctor C., and Governor Sabine gave them the free use of the Church, where they constantly meet three times in a day to pray, read, and sing psalms, and at any other season when they pleased. They have met with contempt, and are now, in derision, called The New Lights. A glorious light they are indeed; for I conversed closely with several of them, and they made me quite ashamed of my little proficiency in the School of Christ. Many have joined with them for a time, but a servile fear of men – that bane of Christianity – made them draw back. However, some continue steadfast and immoveable, though despised by the world. Governor Sabine countenances them much, and has spoken of them often to me with respect. Blessed be God! even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath not left Himself without witness in any place, but hath some everywhere, who serve Him and work righteousness.
  
  The Sunday before we came hither, I was telling my friend Habersham that I had reason to think by what had happened to me, that God had some work for me to do at Gibraltar. He answered that there could not be much good expected from among soldiers. I replied – No Doubt God has some secret ones in all places, who tremble at His Word. And lo! He hath this day brought me to them.
  
  Iain Murray (in “Revival and Revivalism: The Making and Marring of American Evangelicalism 1750-1858,” Banner of Truth Trust (Edinburgh: 1994, reprinted 1996, 57)) wrote this:

  At Princeton [John] Witherspoon’s students used to hear him say that when the church was to prosper it was noticeable that her leaders ‘flourish in clusters’, each helping one another.
  

  George Whitefield also wrote that he “had a sweet knot of religious friends” (Journals, 91).

  All of us who are here together are sure testimony to how God has some secret ones in all places, who tremble at His Word – even here at Xanga and Revelife! Certainly something good came out of Nazareth…and something good can even come out of Xanga and Revelife too. (Please see here and here.)

  When I began blogging, as I’ve said before, revival wasn’t even on my radar screen. Yes, I knew there were things not right with the church, and that greatly distressed me. I was thinking of and reading about and researching ways we/I could fix the Church, but in the meantime, God made it clear the only way the Church can be reformed is through a sovereign movement of His Holy Spirit. (The first step in that process was for Him to humble me and to show me that I couldn’t fix myself, much less the Church! How ridiculous we are to have such thoughts!)

  I’ve been so blessed as I’ve come across people both here and locally whom God has been touching and reviving with His Spirit, to show them their insufficiency and His sufficiency, helping them to delight in Him and His Gospel and giving them eyes to see the sad state of the Church and burdening them to pray for revival as well as to encourage and build up one another in the faith.

  I will say that God has indeed brought a few of us together here as “The New Lights,” as a little “cluster,” as “a sweet knot of religious friends.”

  I’ve not met any of you. Yet, you are a sweet knot of religious friends to me. You are lights here that have served to bring brightness to some of my dark days. Just to know there are others out there who are like-minded has been such an encouragement to me. That God has other people in “this city,” so to speak. When we may be tempted to feel we are alone like Elijah, yet we can know God does have many of His people throughout the world who hunger and thirst for Him. (Yes, I know I wrote yesterday about the danger and temptation to make more of our friends than we ought. Yet, God does give us Christian friends to encourage us, for sure; we must always keep all things in the right perspective, however.)

  Yes, we’re small in number, but we know numbers never limit God (e.g.- see here).

  Yes, we’re limited by distance (computer screens just aren’t quite the same as in-person contact) and we have no formal structure, both of which I’ve found a bit frustrating. Yet I will say God has knit our souls together in Him in a way I’d not imagined. We have a common love for the Lord and His Church given to us by His Spirit.

  As I said when I started up deerlife, my intent here is to encourage us to encourage one another as we blog/comment here, but also to go out into our local communities and churches and work there. I truly value the friendships and fellowship I have found here. I have been truly blessed. More than I could have imagined. I am not ready to discard what we have here, nor do I believe God intends for us to discard it at this time. I also believe there are others God wants to draw into this cluster here along with us. (I would appreciate your continuing to pray that God would draw those He wills to come alongside us, those who have a desire to see God glorified and magnified in His Church.)

  From the time I started up tent of meeting, I’ve had in the back of my mind to challenge those of you out there to begin praying that God might bring you to like-minded men and women in your own churches and cities and begin to meet with them on a regular basis to pray for revival for we know that God does have some secret ones in all places, who tremble at His Word. (I’ve already been doing this for myself to some extent.) I’ve held off on publicly announcing that since I didn’t want to go ahead of God, but I believe I He’s leading me to give you that challenge today. I do know He is calling me to more concerted prayer for myself in that regard.

  I have no authority over any of you, but I will humbly ask you to consider praying about this, to pray that God would lead you to others in your own area who are zealous for God’s Name and are longing for revival in the Church and seeking to pray for revival. In due time, I also expect to make this type of request on tent of meeting as well (and possibly my other blog, napthali_deer), but for now I am bringing this request to this cluster of friends here, and I am asking as God leads you, that you would begin praying this not only for yourself but also for the rest of us here.

  I have a dream of many sweet knots of religious friends, clusters of friends flourishing all over the globe as they gather together in concerted prayer to seek God’s face for revival! No Doubt God has some secret ones in all places, who tremble at His Word. The thought of this thrills me! I hope it does you also.

  I’m also bringing this request to you now in part because just last month I became a member of our local church (after having been there over two years) and tonight for the first time I will be attending a women’s gathering with some other women from our church. Yes, it’s taken me a while, but now God has made it clear to us this is the place we are to be, so now I am stepping out in faith. I have already been praying God would give me His eyes to see those He has given a heart to see the Church revived. I have also been praying about and for several other friends in the area whom I know in other churches. I have seen God working in some women (and men) here in much the same way He has in me (and as I’ve seen in you): giving us a hunger for Him which goes beyond a mere head knowledge to an intimate, experiential knowledge of Him; a greater desire to worship Him and enjoy Him; an increasing desire for holiness and an increasing hatred of sin; and so on.

  I don’t know what God has ahead for any of us, but I want to thank God and thank you all for your fellowship here and your many encouragements to me.

  May God Almighty strengthen us to keep prostrating ourselves before Him on behalf of His Church, for we are His people and His inheritance whom He brought out with His mighty power and outstretched arm! (Deuteronomy 9)

  I Samuel 12:19  And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.” 20  And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. 21  And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. 22  For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself. 23  Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

  May we seek to glorify God and enjoy Him forever!

  Captured by His love, mercy and grace,
  Karen

  • 4:25 PM
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