It was such a warm weekend, we got the Slip-n-Slide out. My oldest child had a friend come for a visit. They had a blast!
But that wasn't the best part of the weekend. Church on Sunday was amazing.
Pastor preached yesterday morning on Paul's shipwreck. He related everything to having revival and what is holding us back. (Vipers we have attached to us, vipers hiding in the dry dead wood, people wanting to get out of the ship and into the lifeboats, and people not willing to gather any wood for the fire.) He warned of dangers that lurk for those who really want revival. Many Christians went to the altar to pray, seeking revival.
My husband preached the service last night. I have never heard him preach with such passion and liberty. I think everyone held their breath through the whole service afraid they might miss something. There were not a lot of "amens" because everyone was so glued to the message, they were speechless. He preached from Hebrews 12:
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
The title was Casting Off the Weights. He said that God will not send revival to our church until Christians get the weights off of us... until we are ready. The weights refer to the weights a runner uses to train for a race... the weights were used BEFORE the race... not during. But many Christians are trying to run the race with the weights on.
2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Weights:
1. Doubt (Thomas, Peter on the water, Israelites in Kadesh-Barnea (Num 13) and the spies)
2. Discouragement (Focusing on the circumstances instead of on the providential God of those circumstances) Neh. 2-4
3. Depression (Comes from a view or belief about you, your God, or your fellow man that is not true... Defeat the lie with truth... God's Word.)
4. Distractions of the Flesh (Trying to have the best of both worlds... the Christian Jews of the book of Hebrews wanted to hang on to sacrificing) Christians are trying to live for God while still satisfying the flesh. Gal 5:13
5. Defiled conscience (Peter's denial of Christ) Rom 13:11-14 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.
When he finished, people jumped up out of their seats and hit the altar before the Pastor even asked for anyone to come. Almost everyone in the church was at the altar. Revival starts by God's people getting right... salvations are a fruit of revival. We are so close I can feel it!!!! This church is not the same. I see a hunger, a passion, a determination... like a fire that is beginning to burn. Now if we will all just let go of the weights... | 
