Reading through Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala, has been such an encouragement. It has challenged me to not only pray more, but to come before God with the right attitude.
"God is attracted to weakness. He can't resist those who humbly and honestly admit to how desperately they need him. Our weakness, in fact, makes room for his power."
"I was tired of the escapist mentality I had witnessed since childhood - always glorifying what GOd did way back in some revival, or else passionately predicting 'the coming great move of God' just ahead. The truth is, I knew there were countless churches across the city and the nation that had not baptized a hundred truly converted sinners in a year, and most not in several years."
This quote really got me thinking. How many students in the youth program have truly come to know Christ this past year? Am I constantly proclaiming a coming movement of God without taking the steps of faith he has asked of me?
"Anybody who could make any money was trying to get away from our area."
This reminded me of South Bend and the decline in jobs and business opportunities. I have been doing research on the latest statistics for the 46628 zip code and they are staggering. I'll make that a separate post in the near future.
"One day I told the Lord I would rather die than merely tread water throughout my career in the ministry... always preaching about the power of the Word and the Spirit, but never seeing it."
"As one pastor told me with a smile, 'I don't steal sheep from other churches, but I do like to leave my gate wide open'."
In South Bend, all we do is swap Christians from one church to the next. Where are the true converts?
"You can tell how popular a church is by who comes on Sunday morning.
You can tell how popular the pastor or evangelist is by who comes Sunday night.
But you can tell how popular Jesus is by who comes to the prayer meeting."
"The condition of the church may be very accurately gauged by its prayer meetings."
"God's first people were not called Jews or the Children of Israel or Hebrews. In the very beginning their original name was THOSE WHO CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD."
"The truth is that the devil is not terribly frightened of our human efforts and credentials. But he knows his kingdom will be damaged when we lift up our hearts to God."
"If our churches don't pray, and if people don't have an appetite for God, what does it matter how many are attending the services?"
"There is to be no one who shares the stage with the Lord."
"The feature that is supposed to distinguish Christian churches, Christian people, and Christian gatherings is the aroma of prayer."
"Does the Bible ever say anywhere from Genesis to Revelation, 'My house shall be called a house of preaching'? Does it ever say 'My house shall be called a house of music'? Of course not. The Bible does say, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'."
