Wonder of Wonders

by Rocky Fleming

Day 1:  A Great Work of God

We live in an age that we need to see and experience a great work of God in His family.  We need Him to show His mighty relevancy to the needs of mankind now, more than any time before.  We need to be empowered and awakened.  Never have I felt this burden and need more than what I feel now for the Church in this country.  Now I understand there is a great work going on in places.  There will be those of you who will point this out.  However, it is now the exception and not the rule.  We see vibrancy in some churches and ministries in this country.  They are evident and this gives us hope.  But by and large, the churches and Christians in this country are in a slumber that requires us to be awakened.  We must wake up before it is too late.

Studies show that about a million people a week come to Christ, and most of this activity is in China, South Korea, Nigeria, Brazil and nations where Christians are persecuted.  I think it should be noted that the initial exposure to Christ and the Gospel was through missionaries sent from the Western culture, and it sprang from faithful servants of Christ from Israel, Europe, Scotland, America and other places.  The seed of the Gospel was planted, and the Holy Spirit anointed its growth, and we see the fruit of it today all over the world.  A great work of God is being done.  

However, in America and Western Europe altogether we see only about 6,000 conversions a day.  This causes me to ask, “What has happened to Europe and America, where Christ was once the heart and center of our ideals and purpose?”  It is clear to me.  The Church in these nations has gone to sleep and in our slumber, evil has crept in and taken over.  We are seeing evil’s work, loud and clear.  As a citizen of my country, I grieve, for I see the effects of our neglect in being the heart and conscience of a once mighty nation.  The question is, can we return to our sacred responsibility and do something about it?   

I believe we can.  But we need more power than the mere willpower of man and the organizational efforts that we can produce.  We need a greater power than simply thinking a political leader will make the difference.   We do not need another big rally or event to stir people up, unless what we do ushers in the Holy Spirit and gives Him free access to our hearts.  What we need is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit where He moves in such a way that what He does defies our understanding and logic, awakens His Bride from our slumber, and stirs us to the core of our being.  We need this desperately, and I am praying for this work of His to be done.  Will you pray with me?

I think the early Church was familiar with a mighty work of God in and around them.   They saw His work often.  They lived in such times and in such a way that they were dependent on His presence and His power.  They required it to exist.  It is the same where the great work of God is being done in other parts of the world.  They are desperate for Him.  They need Him everyday just to exist.  This dependency, and need, and attention to His Spirit allow His power to fall on the Church in those locations, and this is how and why many great things are happening there.  This week I would like to turn our attention to the great work that He could do in our nation if His Church would awaken.  Awaken my brothers and sisters in Christ.  Our Bridegroom is near.

“And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.”  Romans 13:11 (NIV)