The Seeds of Revival – Part I

Noah Webster’s Dictionary defines “Revival” as the following:  (n.) Reanimation from a state of languor or depression; — applied to the health, spirits, and the like.  (n.) Restoration of force, validity, or effect; renewal  (n.) Renewed interest in religion, after indifference and decline; a period of religious awakening; special religious interest.  v. i.) To return to life; to recover life or strength; to live anew; to become reanimated or reinvigorated  (v. i.) Hence, to recover from a state of oblivion, obscurity, neglect, or depression; as, classical learning revived in the fifteenth century. (v. i.) To raise from coma, languor, depression, or discouragement; to bring into action after a suspension.  (v. i.) Hence, to recover from a state of neglect or disuse; as, to revive letters or learning.

If you run in any religious or Christian circles long enough, you will eventually hear someone talking about “needin’ a Revival”.   I’ve heard about Revival for most of my life and never really been able to figure out exactly what they were talking about –

Me:  “Revival?  What’s that mean?”

Preacher dude:  “You know, a time when we get together as a church and get revived!”

Me: “Revived from what?  I thought Christ already revived us on the cross!”

Preacher dude: “Uhhh.  He did but now it’s time to get revived again.”

Me:  “Okay.  How do we do that?”

Preacher dude:  “Well, we set aside a special week on the church calender, hype it up to all 32 members of our esteemed congregation for months, get some “well known” preacher to come in that’ll scare the hell out of everyone so we’ll all repent from our unfaithfulness and disobedience  (with a little grace music thrown in) and set everyone straight so they’ll be good members and ease a lot of headaches on me.”

Me:  “What type of unfaithfulness and disbedience are you talking about?”

Preacher dude:  “You know…not tithing like they’re supposed too (we got salaries to upkeep round here, you know), not coming to Sunday School class regularly, not showing up on our monthly church cleaning and lawn maintenance day.  You know, heathen type living that’s unacceptable around here.”

Me:  “Does it work?  Does everyone get revived?”

Preacher dude:  “Yessir.  Works like a charm.  Lasts at least three or four months, sometimes six if we’re lucky.  You know, helps us meet the budget during that time and gets everyone fired up ’bout God.  For a few months after, I just think to myself, “This must be what it’s like in Heaven!””

Me:  “Sounds good I guess but let me ask you…Does anyone get saved?  Or healed?  Or set free of spiritual bondages?”

Preacher dude:  “What you talking about?  We don’t do that type stuff ’round here!  I hear that Penteecostal church down the street does that type crazy stuff once in a while.  Always wanted to check it out but that stuff just isn’t biblical you know.  Plus it just scares the mess outta me so I just leave it to them.”

Me:  “Well, there are actual passages of scripture that God tells us we’ll still do those type things in the name of Jesus…”

Preacher dude:  “Hold on son,  let me interrupt.  I have several fine degrees on the wall that tells me differently and if you persist in blaspheming with that craziness you talkin’ about, I may have to get my big, bronze cross I keep on the table in front of the pulpit and hit you over the head to knock some sense into ya!:

Me:  “Calm down, calm down.  No need to get violent.  I appreciate your time but I think I’ll just ask God about all this “Revival” stuff and see what He has to say.”

 

Does this sound familiar to anyone reading this?  For years, this was what I thought Revival meant… a time when we got together as a church and had a “Spiritual Pep Rally” that lasted for a week, with lots of yelling, preaching on how disobedience could send you straight to hell and when my time was severely inconvenienced.  Not only did I have to go to church seven more times that week than I cared to, no one got saved (okay…maybe one or two), no one got healed, no one got set free of their spiritual bondages and the church usually went back to the “same ol’, same ol'” after that week.  The main thing that many people gained from that week of “Revival”  was a few more pounds to carry around because all the country women in the church used the Revival as a time to show off their expertise in the kitchen.  The food was ggggooooooooddddddd, and I’d tell ya that the real Revival took place in their kitchens that week and not at church.

So what is Revival and why do we even need it?  I’ll try to tackle these questions in the Part II so come on back soon!

 

Jesus – The Great Healer

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, He went about healing the sick, the lame, the blind, the deaf and those with broken lives.  The New Testament is full of  amazing and awesome testimonies of the healing power of Jesus.  For those of us that profess Christ as Savior, we believe in these healings recorded in the Bible.  After all, it was Jesus right?  But what about today?  Do these same healings still take place?  Do the blind still see, the deaf still hear and the lame still walk? 

Unfortunately, I guess it depends on what denominational doctrine you cling too!  There are many that hold to an erroneous doctrine that healings (along with the Gifts of the Spirit) ended when the apostles died off, and barring a Sovereign touch from God, you’re just outta luck if you are needing a healing, while others believe (and KNOW) that God still heals today just as He did in Jesus’ time.  But instead of it being through Christ, He heals through His body of believers who are crazy enough to actually believe the Bible when Jesus said we’d do all the things that He did but in an even greater way.  We belong to the “crazy enough” group.

Let me give some examples why:

1.)  Simply, I was healed of allergies three years ago in Brazil when the Holy Spirit healed me through Audrey laying hands on me.  Haven’t taken an allergy medication since.  The night I was healed, I put down my prescription and haven’t looked back. 

2.)  This past week at a Healing and Impartation Ministry School, a  lady that was in her last days and ready to have Hospice called in was totatally healed.  Her intestines burst a year ago and she was in septic shock for 45 mins. before the medical team got to her.  She shouldn’t have made it but she did.  Since, it’s been constant diarrhea, medications, pain and her autonomic system (controls all the involuntary stuff like breathing) was fried and on the verge of shutting down.  It took her hours in the morning to get going because her body didn’t want to work and only the medications would start them up.  Rodney Hogue and a team of ‘crazy enoughs” laid hands on her and she is now free of her sickness.  She could eat foods she hasn’t been able to eat in a long time.  She gets right up from bed and is actually constipated now.  And no more medications. 

3.)  A lady came for healing that has been suffering from depression for years with suicidal thoughts.  She could feel the darkness over her.  A  team of “crazy enoughs”  laid hands on her and  that darkness was released and she was filled with the Love and Peace that comes only from God and His precious Son, Jesus Christ.  She said he felt the darkness leave and a beautiful white light came and moved from one side of her head to the other.  She was healed and touched by the Love of God.

4.)  A lady that has major issues with her lower vertebrae that extend down into her behind was in constant pain.  It hurt to stand up, sit down and just sit.  She was touched and healed.  It was beautiful to see her jumping about in the Spirit.

5.)  People with metal screws and rods in their bodies were able to move and do things they hadn’t been able to do in years, free of pain.  No one laid hands on them.  Just a simple man that understands who He is in Christ had the faith to speak healing over them.

6.)  A guy that has had issues with a hernia in his abdominal area and stomach issues came to learn more about healing and to be touched by God.  The hernia would get sore and tender and give him problems.  The stomach issues weren’t even diagnosed but  was getting worse and affecting what he could eat because he didn’t want his stomach getting upset and hurting.  He was being touched by the Spirit when a healing rain feel on his stomach area.  It got soothingly warm, like a heating pad had been placed on it.  He was standing, just being touched.  No one was touching him and he wasn’t touching his stomach area or talking about the wonderful sensation he was feeling when the  young man speaking, who is hungry for God and has traveled the world reaching lost souls, spoke up and told Patrick Loyd that he was being touched and healed in that exact spot where the soothing warmth was.    It was a sovereign touch from God.  What an awesome experience.  Not only has God healed me once but twice.  What an awesome daddy I have that stands over all creation as the Almighty I Am.

I can’t make you believe any of these testimonies.  I don’t think even Jesus can because He’s already told us that this would happen, and many still don’t believe.  You either believe or you don’t.  But Truth is Truth.  Yea, it’s still hard for my simple mind to conceive but my mind doesn’t need to conceive because my spirit does.  I know what I know and it’s the Truth because not only has Jesus told me so, He’s shown Himself faithful to His Word. 

It’s time for the church to awake, and to embrace who we are in Christ and the authority and power we have been given to carry on the ministry of Jesus Christ.  Healings are still for today and God wants to use each of us to heal the sick, the broken, the addicted, the depressed and the mentally ill.  It’s time to let go of your tired (and just plain wrong) doctrines and walk in authority.  There’s too many people needing the healing rain of God to shower them in healing blessings. 

Love’s the Only House

The Pain’s got to go somewhere.

Yea…the pain’s gotta go someplace

So come on down to MY house

Don’t you know that Love’s the only house big enough for all the pain

Powerful song by Martina McBride that has a lot of raw truth to it.  Love is the only house that’s big enough for all the pain in the world but unfortunately there’s not enough of it in this dark world….at least, not the one true Love that can really make a difference in someone’s life. 

It’s the Love of Jesus that is the one weapon that can destroy all the hurt, pain, depression, addiction and oppression that has weighed us down for so long and wounded our souls, leaving us broken and defeated.  It’s only the Love given to us from Christ that has a purity and power behind it to cut through all the stigmas and unlovable parts of our being and touch the core of our spirits.  His Love is unconditional and without bias.  It doesn’t look at who we are at that very moment but who we can be, will be,  if we just lay ourselves at His feet and let Him hug on and love on us.  His Love saves, it heals, it breaks spiritual chains and sets the spiritual captives free.  It forgives us and it wipes our past from life’s rear-view mirror.

I can love you but there will come a day when my love just won’t be enough to get you through.  I will eventually disappoint you and hurt you.  Not because I don’t care but because I’m simply a flawed human being.  But when you allow Jesus to love you, then you will never be hurt, never be disappointed and never be left alone.  His love is perfect and His Love is living.  Let Him love you today.  Lay yourself at His feet and tell Him that you need Him to take your pain somewhere …any place, so that you can begin to be healed and made whole again. 

Yea, Jesus is the only house big enough for all the pain in the world and where the life-changing and powerful healing Love of God can be found.  So come on in!

When Losing Yourself is a Good Thing

Where the touch of the lover and the soul of the friend begin,

There’s a need to be separate and a need to be one

And in the struggle neither wins    

Jackson Browne – Sky Blue and Black

Journal from Saturday, March 3/27:

Yesterday was a good day.  The kind of day that is becoming more and more the exception in today’s crazy, busy world.  We slept late, spent a few hours  fellowshipping and worshipping with the awesome team that God has assembled from Savannah to go and share Christ with the lost and hurting souls of the northeast desert region of Brazil, and had a beautiful time of fellowship (and a yummy dinner too!) with a wonderful family from our church that we had always wanted to know better but hadn’t had the opportunity.  The extra rest was right on and the intense fellowshipping with our group and the Minadeo family left us feeling peaceful and close to God. 

As we were driving home from fellowshipping with the Minadeo family, were we talking about the good day we had had while listening to a compilation CD I had made us when a song by Jackson Browne came on.  Although this is a secular song, the above verse stood out to me, causing us to ponder why many people never  make a difference for the Kindgom of God.  It’s because they never overcome this struggle between an innate desire to be “me” or “do it my way” as opposed to the unnatural act of completely laying “me” down so that we can be one in Christ.  Before we accept Christ as Savior, we spend our lives trying to develop our personality, finding our own identity that is unique and different (or separate) from those around us.  It’s what we’re taught and what we do.

However, from the moment we accept Christ as Savior, we are to put “me” aside so that God can be glorified and the life-changing grace, love, hope and power of Jesus can be given through us to all those in spiritual bondage.   It’s not easy and is an ongoing process because it requires us to “do it God’s way”, no matter the cost.   He tells us to go to Brazil to fulfill the Great Commission, then we go.  If He tells us to quit our jobs and plant a church, we do it.  If He tells us to start a ministry at the local Juvenile Detention Center, we do it.  He tells us to hug on and love on a person that is “unlovable” by the world’s standards because God knows they need just one person to give them some semblance of self-worth, then we do it.  It’s hard and we often fail but it’s a requirement if we are to become more like Christ and impact a lost and hurting world.  Suddenly, our driving motivation to “do it my way” goes against God’s desire and expectation that we will follow Him and His Son unconditionally.

John 15:5 states this simply but unequivocally – “I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Christ is more than our Savior.  He is our lover and our friend.  When we commit ourselves fully to Him, laying down “me”, then we find ourselves in the center of His peace and joy, walking in His blessings and favour.  We begin to reflect His Love and His Light, and we find that people are drawn to us because they see Jesus in us.   They see people who used to be just like them but because they were willing to walk away from their love for themselves and the “friendship” they had with this world, God was able change them into a new person, dead to themselves and their old selves but fully alive in Christ, touched by His Grace, His Love and His Peace.

For me, the struggle is fading and I find that I am no longer drawn to the things of this world and doing it my way.  The world is no longer my friend.  I now seek friendship and intimacy with my heavenly Father and my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the more I do, the more He opens my eyes, my heart and my soul to those that are hurting, sick, in pain and in need of a great Savior to hug on them and love on them.  I am finally becoming one with the only One that loves me unconditionally and truly has my best interests at heart.

Are you still struggling with giving yourself completely to God because the world has become your source of friendship and intimacy?  Are you finding it hard to lay down the worldly dreams, desires and wants you’ve carried and held onto for so many years?  Are they keeping you from being used fully by God to build His Kingdom and touch the broken and lost? 

God says the time has come to trust Him with your life.  He knows you intimately.  He knew you before you were even a thought in your mother’s heart.  He has loved you since before this earth even began.  He has plans to prosper you and use you to make a difference in people’s lives.  But you have to let go.  Just let go today.  Let Him be your lover and friend.  Lay down this world.  It has nothing for you anymore as a child of the Risen Lord.  It has nothing for you anymore.

 

 

An Outrageous, Radical, Crazy Love That God Has Just For You!

Jesus Christ loves YOU!  Let Him love you!  Let His love bring you out of the darkened shadows that you have walked in for far too long.  Let His love touch you, embrace you….heal you.  His Love is power and it can set you free.  Free of your addictions, your pain, your depression, your mental illness, your suffering, your guilt and your condemnation.  His love for you is outrageously radical and crazy!  Let Him love you today.  It will change your life and the old you will be put to rest so that you may walk in a new identity in Christ, full of His Love, His Hope, His Mercy, His Grace, His Power, His Authority, His Life and His Kingdom. 

Christ loves you sooooo much.  Let Him. Let Him.  Just let Him.

The Healing Rain of Jesus Christ

Last night the Holy Spirit came to me while I slept, speaking Words of Knowledge into my dream.  Standing before me was a teenage, white female that was suffering from a lot of pain in her shoulder (I’m remembering LEFT) and could barely lift it due to the pain and stiffness in it.  I was talking with her mother and her before praying healing over her.  Her mother told me that she had been diagnosed with a disease approximately one month ago, and the pain/stiffness in her shoulder was a symptom.  Her mother clearly told me the disease in the dream  but I had difficulty understanding it  (therefore, I can’t recall the specific name from the dream).  Both the mother and girl were greatly saddened. 

However, before I prayed for her, a black female in her late teens, early twenties walked into the room with two of her older family members.  I got the sense it was her mother and grandmother.  She was pregnant, and had some darkness (bruising perhaps) around her left eye.  I asked what was wrong.  She told me that she was pregnant and she had been diagnosed with cancer and it had affected her baby.  She asked me to pray for her.  I laid my right hand on her pregnant stomach and began to pray healing over her in the name of Jesus.  She began to show visible signs that the Spirit was moving, and she was suddenly slain in the Spirit, going down to the floor.  I continued to pray over her.  Looking out of my left peripheral vision, I could see that both of her family members were also on the floor, slain in the Spirit.  I sensed the young, pregnant female was healed of her cancer.  Then, before I could pray for the first girl, I woke up.  I didn’t get names or any other specifics.

At first, I thought it was just a really cool, good dream.  The Spirit knew this and clearly (not audibly though) told me that they were Words of Knowledge.  My spirit sensed this confirmation.  The Spirit didn’t want me thinking it was just a dream.  I sensed I had to tell my pastor so that I could share these with the church (out of my comfort zone), which I did when I arrived at church but I didn’t have the opportunity to come forward and share nor have I seen these persons today. 

Therefore, I don’t know who these Words of Knowledge are for.  I’m praying for God to reveal them or allow them to come across my path so I can be obedient and pray healing over them.  I sense that Jesus wants to heal these ladies and work a mighty miracle in their  lives.   Why am I writing this?  Not exactly sure but the Spirit told me to share.

If you are reading this and this is you, I want to offer these prayers of healing up to the Great Healer, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ so that He may touch you and take these physical burdens from you:

For my teen friend:  I ask that your Holy Spirit, Jesus, would come and touch my friend.  Let her feel your presence Lord.  Let your Spirit of Peace engulf her in a loving embrace.  She is afraid Jesus, full of anxiety about this disease that the doctors have so non-chalantantly told her that she has.  She is in pain, physically, emotionally and spiritually.  I ask in the name of Jesus, that the pain in her left arm be removed.  Touch her shoulder, loosen it and relax her muscles, in the name of Jesus, restoring full motion, mobility and function to her shoulder.  Let all feeling come back, the numbness being removed in Jesus’ name.  Thank you Jesus for your touch.  Thank you Jesus for touching my friend.  I pray, in the name of Jesus, that this disease be destroyed, overcome by the healing blood of Jesus Christ.  I pray in the name of Jesus that her body be restored to perfect health, free of pain, free of sickness and disease, in Jesus’ name.  Touch her Jesus, restore her life.  Give her a new hope, and a new life.  Disease, we take authority over you now in the name of Jesus and command you to leave now.  You must leave now in the name of Jesus.  We take authority over you and we claim healing victory in her life.  Thank you Jesus.  Thank you Jesus.  We praise you and worship you for the healing work that you have performed in my friend’s life.  Thank you.  In Jesus name, Amen.

For the  pregnant mother:  Father, bless us with your holy presence.  Allow the Holy Spirit of your Son, Jesus Christ to be present with her.  Father, she is just a precious mother-to-be that loves you and is so excited about this Gift of Life that you have blessed her with.  Hug her Father.  Love on her Father.  Let her feel a peace and joy that is not of this world but is of You, Lord.  Across the miles, I stretch my hand out to touch her stomach, praying in the name of Jesus that her cancer will be fully and completely killed, cleansed from her body and her baby in the name of Jesus.  Jesus, touch all of the cancerous cells in her body and the body of her baby.  Destroy them in your name, Jesus.  Restore their health fully and completely in your precious name, Jesus.  No surgery, no radiation, no chemotherapy….just your healing touch Jesus.  Thank you Jesus!  Thank you Jesus!  In the name of Jesus, all pain must leave, all nausea, all tenderness must leave now.  In the name of Jesus, I pray that this precious unborn life will be restored to perfect health and that Your Holy Angels will watch over and protect this beautiful little life.  It is done.  It is done.  The healing blood of Christ has been poured out into your life and the life of your precious unborn child.  We praise you Lord for your healing.  We praise you and glorify you Lord.  You are worthy Jesus and we thank you.  Sing my friend, sing my friend,  “Healing rain is falling down, healing rain is falling down, faith is rising, I’m not afraid, healing rain is falling down, yes it is, healing rain is falling down.”   Thank you Jesus.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

If this was you, thank Jesus for your healing.  If you are reading this and know someone that is suffering in these ways, please share this post with them so they can receive their healing blessing from Jesus Christ.

Love in Christ,

Patrick

 

Jesus Christ – The Bridge to God

Saw this posted on Joe’s site and had to share.  Great visual of how great God’s Mercy, Grace and Love is for us.  Don’t have a relationship with Christ?  He’s waiting and He loves you so much.  Come to Jesus and let Him make you a new person, fully redeemed and forgiven.

The Passion of Christ is……?

You!  You are His Passion!  He was crucified just for You!  He died to pay YOUR penalty for sin so that your debt would be paid-in-full in the eyes of the Almighty God!  He died so that you may have life, fully in Him and Him fully in YOU!  He overcame satan and the grave just for YOU!  He was resurrected just for YOU!  He loves YOU! 

You are His passion!  The Spirit of Christ says, “Come!”  Come to Jesus.  He has been waiting just for YOU!  YOU are His Passion!  Come!  Just come!  YOU are His Passion! 

A Matter of Perspective

 

Dear Patrick and Christy,

Hi, my name is Lediane Lopes.  The project has changed my behavior very much.  I don’t curse, don’t treat my mom badly, I don’t fight with my sister anymore, etc.  I like to come to the project because I like to paint, to play, to read and to eat.  Jesus has changed my life and I thank you, my sponsors, for this opportunity. 

Kisses and Amen, Lediane

After a long, tough week struggling to get over a sinus infection, and dealing with difficult persons, this letter received from our Gospel for Brazil Seed of Hope child instantly put everything back into its proper perspective.  Most things we spend time stressing over and allowing to irritate us are meaningless and trival, and we just need a gentle reminder of this.

We know Lediane.  We’ve spent time playing with her and loving on her while in Brazil.  We’ve seen her before Seed of Hope came into her life.  We’ve seen her after being a part of the Seed of Hope initiative.  She’s a beautiful little girl that now knows Jesus and what it’s like to know where her next meal will come from. 

There are many children in the northeast desert region of Brazil that now know Jesus and what it’s like to have full tummies because people are willing to step up and take serious our responsibility and obligation to spread the love and hope of Jesus with those most in need through the Seed of Hope initiative.  Please go to www.gospelforbrazil.org and sponsor a child today.  You will make a tremendous difference in a child’s life….you will share Jesus with them, feeding their spiritual hunger as well as their worldly hunger.  God will honor your sponsorship and will bless you for your selfless act.  Don’t think about it….just do it.  And then continue to do it, month after month.  There’s a beautiful little child like Lediane who is needing the followers of Christ to step up.  A small “sacrifice” that will pay huge spiritual dividends. 

What Spiritual Life Insurance Policy Are You Covered Under?

Important question, right?  Anyone with a significant other or with children has asked themselves this question numerous times.  Many devote a large portion of their lives putting a plan in place to answer this question.  No one wants to die and leave their families burdened financially because they didn’t have life insurance to cover all the expenses of taking care of their deceased loved one, and the loss of their income.  It is an important question that needs to be asked, and then answered by the proper, proactive planning on the part of the person asking that question.

But how many ask themselves this question – “If I died today, where would I spend eternity?  Would I spend it with Christ in heaven or would I spend it in hell with satan?”  How many concern themselves with what type of spiritual life insurance they have?

Well, I’m no life insurance salesman but have a got a plan for you!  For a great quote on your spiritual life insurance plan,  read here:

Romans 3:22-26

Not sure if this plan is for you?  Then read here:

Romans 6:23

Still not sure?  Then read a little further:

Romans 5:8-11

Decisions right?  So what’s your spiritual life insurance plan going to be?  Read here and make the most important decision of your life:

Romans 10:8-10 and John 3:16-21

Jesus loves you!  He died just for you!  Just so you can know Him and have a relationship with Him!  He came to offer you His divine Mercy and Grace, and forgive you for your sins!  He came to offer you redemption and a new life in Christ Jesus! 

No one is guaranteed one more second of life!  Take this opportunity to  be covered under the most important life insurance policy you’ll ever need – Jesus Christ.