Have you ever stood on the same plot of ground with the publican, crying - 'God be merciful to me a sinner?'" - William Tiptaft
"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin." Psalm 51:1-2
In 2015, I had a burning question on my heart the entire year, "Why haven't we yet seen the fullness of the next Revival, Great Outpouring, Great Harvest, Jesus People Movement, etc?" That year, I had three significant dreams in answer to that question. This is the first of the three dreams.
In the dream, I was walking through what seemed to be a heavenly location and encountered a man along the way. As I was passing, this man suddenly cried out to God with a loud voice, "Why?!?" I knew this man was asking the same question I had been holding before the Lord the entire year: "Why haven't we seen the fullness of the promised revival and great harvest yet?" As I walked closer to the stranger, I could see that he was King David! I immediately remembered how David would often inquire of the Lord. My heart resonated with his cry, and I also cried out, "Lord, why?!?" Immediately, Psalm 51 came to mind, the Psalm that David wrote, repenting for his sin of adultery and murder. I asked king David, "Should we start with repentance?" He nodded yes, and the dream ended.
While we long for billions of souls to repent and flood the kingdom, we realize that repentance must begin with each of us. Have I tolerated besetting sins, offense toward my brother or sister, gossip, or unforgiveness in my own life? Let us stand like the Publican (tax collector) and David and ask Jesus to forgive us for our own sinful ways and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. May this be a time that we go to our brothers and sisters and confess our sins one to another so that our lives, families, state, and nation may be healed.
I often think of the Californias as the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus had to visit her first before the rest of the city could be converted. The Samaritan woman was living a life of sexual immorality and deep shame. Yet, when Jesus encountered her, she immediately repented and instantly became a great evangelist to her entire region. I believe that the Californias have the same destiny.
While California has been the birthplace of many great revivals, many evils have also originated in this influential state spreading to the ends of the earth. For years, California has been the pornography capital of the world. The notorious Bloods and the Crips gangs and their corresponding violent gangsta rap music were birthed in California. The Berkeley rebellion in Northern California promoted rebellion which influenced an entire generation of youth. The Church of Satan, Scientology, and many other cults trace their birthplace to California. Like the Samaritan woman, California's sins have been many. But I believe God longs to encounter California again and for California and Baja California to turn into great evangelistic states influencing the entire world for Christ! His blood and mercy "speaks a better word" over the Californias.
It's time for another move of God in the Californias! Let it begin with repentance. Let this be the hour that we respond to God in repentance, like Nineveh in the days of Jonah.
Prayer:
God, we humble ourselves in repentance for ourselves and our state. As we pray for the rains of revival, we ask that you would shower down the rains of your mercy over our own lives and our entire state. Jesus, we plead your blood over our sins and the sins of the Californias. Only you can wash away our sins and make us white as snow.
Mando Matthews
Director
Hope Californias
No comments:
Post a Comment