Revive Us!!

Halleluja, Salvation & Glory sung by Porsgrunn Gospelkor (From Norway !)

Porsgrunn Gospelkor ~ From Norway

The LORD our God, He is WONDERFUL!

1 ~ ...To the Church in Ephesus

17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ~ Rev 2:17

 "What was Jesus’ message to the church in Ephesus in Revelation?"

Revelation 2 begins a series of brief letters to seven churches that existed during the apostle John’s time in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Each of these messages includes information apropos to each church, and from these messages we can draw lessons applicable to our own lives today. The first letter is to the church in Ephesus. Ephesus was a city on the western coast of Asia Minor, near the mouth of the Cayster River. The city was famous for its temple of Diana (or Artemis, Acts 19:27), and pilgrims came to Ephesus from all over the Mediterranean world to worship the goddess.

The first thing to note in this letter to the Ephesian church is that the message is from the Lord Jesus Christ: “To the angel [or messenger] of the church in Ephesus . . .” (Revelation 2:1). This is not John’s message to the Ephesian believers; it is a message from the Lord, the One “who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.” The lampstands are the churches themselves, set as lights in a dark world; the stars are the pastors of the churches, held in God’s hand.

Jesus affirms the Ephesians’ positive actions:

“I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary” (Revelation 2:2-3). 

The Ephesian church was a hard-working group of believers full of fortitude. Also to their credit, they were gate-keepers of the truth and did not compromise with evildoers, and they showed patient endurance in bearing up under hardship.

However, Jesus also notes their shortcoming:

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love” (Revelation 2:4). 

They were hard working, but they no longer had the same passion for Christ as when they first believed. Their work was no longer motivated by love.

Jesus called the Ephesians to repent: “Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first” (Revelation 2:5). In this case, the corrective was to remember the heights of their former love, repent (change their mind about their current status), and return to their previous way of doing things. It was time for revival in the church.

Jesus warns His church of impending judgment if they did not repent: “I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place” (Revelation 2:5b). In other words, their punishment would be the disbanding or destruction of the Ephesian church. The light in Ephesus would go out.

Jesus adds another commendation concerning doctrinal purity: 

“But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate” (Revelation 2:6). 

We don’t know much about the Nicolaitansand their doctrine, except that it was heretical. Irenaeus, an early church father in Lyons (modern-day France), wrote that the Nicolaitans promoted fornication and a compromising position on eating food sacrificed to idols, leading many into an unrestrained, carnal lifestyle.

Jesus then promises a blessing to those who heed the word: 

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7). 

The “tree of life” and the “paradise of God” refer to the new heavens and new earth, discussed in Revelation 21–22. Those who conquer, or the “overcomers,” are simply believers (1 John 5:4-5). The Ephesian believers could look forward to the future glory of eternity with the Lord.

Like the Ephesian church, we can easily fall prey to a cold, mechanical observance of religion. Like the Ephesians, many tend to focus solely on doctrinal purity and hard work, to the exclusion of true love for Christ. As this letter shows, no amount of zeal for the truth or moral rectitude can replace a heart full of love for Jesus (see John 14:21, 23; 1 Corinthians 16:22).

7 Key Promises from God

This Is Why Women Live Longer Than Men ~ #59

How Do You Judge America? Left vs. Right #3 ~ Dennis Prager

Editor's Note:     As a Follower of Christ and a disciple, it is critical how you think on a variety of societal issues. The Bible tells us that we as Christians are "ARE IN THE WORLD", but "NOT OF THE WORLD", yet still we are astounded by our culture's rapid LEFT-Wing agenda that threatens to challenge and change everything we know to be Good and True as presented in scripture.  How can two people-groups so culturally similar have such radically-different and opposing viewpoints?  You may be wondering where exactly some of your Conservative viewpoints as a christian were formed?   ... or more likely ask yourself after years of observing our country (and world) and it's continually progressive Liberal drift, "Why am I so frustrated with those liberal/left-wing thinkers who always get it so wrong?   

Talk Show host Dennis Prager has a series of thought-provoking videos discussing LEFT VS. RIGHT viewpoints.  I challenge you as a christian to objectively listen to each of his presentations which give us some clues into origins of our typically Christian Conservative viewpoints readily opposed by Liberal thinkers. 

In 2009, Prager started a website, Prager University, offering five-minute videos on various subjects such as the Ten Commandments, the minimum wage, the Middle East, Global warming, and happiness with a conservative perspective.  To be very clear, Mr. Prager is NOT a Christian, but has his roots as an Orthodox Jew, thus his videos do not necessarily view scripture exactly as Christians view scripture, nonetheless there are many general parallels between.  Here is another video in this series:

Is the United States an exceptional country that has played a uniquely good role in history? Or is it a typical country, perhaps even a uniquely bad one considering the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow? On this, the Left and Right do not agree.

Focus On The Solution

Noah Catches The Pest

Tact ~ By Winston Churchill

Christ Died For Us, While We Were Still Sinners! ~ Romans 5:8

Romans 5:8

BILLY GRAHAM (1918 - Feb. 21, 2018) Memorium

Related ANVIL NEWSLETTER Articles:

• Here are a few links to the many blog posts I've made about Billy Graham on The ANVIL NEWSLETTER, including my personal story on meeting him! ~ Editor

Meeting Billy Graham ~ I share my story on meeting this Great Evangelist
Billy Graham Introduces his son, Franklin
Billy Graham Preaches on His 1952 Christmas Special  (***This is GOOD!)
W. Buckley Interviews Billy Graham
Guy Lawrence Interviews Billy Graham
Billy Graham ~ End Times
Billy Graham's Associate Cliff Barrows Dies (1923-2016)

Related:
George Beverly Shea Memorium (1909 -2013)
Billy Graham ~ The CROSS
_______________________________________________________________

Here’s How America Is Praising Its Best-Known Preacher: Billy Graham

The late, great evangelist is garnering countless tributes after his death at 99.

KATE SHELLNUTT

 FEBRUARY 21, 2018 10:03 AM

The world hasn’t seen anyone quite like Billy Graham.

Americans remembered the significance and scope of Graham’s groundbreaking ministry in tributes and tweets for hours after his death Wednesday morning at age 99.

In addition to familiar nicknames like “America’s pastor,” leaders referred to Graham as the most influential evangelist in America, modern history, and the world. Both “Billy Graham” and “Evangelist the Rev” trended on Twitter. By midday, his name was among the trending topics on Facebook, with more than 1 million users posting about Graham.

Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), called him “the most important evangelist since the Apostle Paul.”

“He preached Christ, not himself, not politics, not prosperity,” tweeted Moore.

The New York Times columnist Ross Douthat (a Catholic) said it was “probably not too much to say that Billy Graham invented late-modern, globalized evangelicalism.”

An estimated 2.2 billion people heard Graham preach over his decades pioneering radio, television, and online evangelism, according to statistics by LifeWay’s Facts & Trends magazine. The ministry reports that 2.2 million people made decisions for Christ at Graham’s crusades.

“An epic era of evangelical history has come to an end. Billy Graham was not only a titanic figure in evangelicalism, but in world history and perhaps represents the last of a kind,” wrote Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

“He dominated 20th-century American evangelicalism and remained a major figure on the world stage throughout most of the 20th century in a way that we can envision no evangelical leader in our times.”

President Donald Trump echoed Mohler’s sentiments in a tweet sent this morning: “The GREAT Billy Graham is dead. There was nobody like him! He will be missed by Christians and all religions. A very special man.”

The 99-year-old preacher was cited as the most influential living pastor in LifeWay Research surveys of Protestant pastors in the US, but his reputation extended beyond the church.

Graham appeared on Gallup’s list of the top 10 most-admired men in America longer than anyone else, a record-setting 61 years in a row. (Despite stepping away from public ministry years before, last year he ranked No. 4, behind Barack Obama, Trump, and Pope Francis.)

He famously served as spiritual adviser to about a dozen presidents. Obama tweeted his condolences, saying, “Billy Graham was a humble servant who prayed for so many—and who, with wisdom and grace, gave hope and guidance to generations of Americans.” Bill Clinton released a statement, remembering Graham’s early advocacy for racial integration.

Believers shared stories of how they or their family members came to faith through Graham’s ministry, including TV host Kathie Lee Gifford (whose testimony appeared in CT in 2016) and worship singer Matthew Smith.

His ministry extended far beyond US borders, as media and leaders around the world acknowledged his death. News outlets in Brazil, home to the largest evangelical population in Latin America, posted his obituary, and the president of Kenya sent several tweetspraising Graham as “one of the most inspirational preachers of the gospel there has ever been.”

Christians often referenced Graham’s reception in heaven after his long life. He outlived many of his closest partners in ministry, including assistant T. W. Wilson, singer George Beverly Shea, organist Donald P. Hustad, music director Cliff Barrows, and of course his wife Ruth Bell Graham, who passed away in 2007.

His daughter, Anne Graham Lotz, titled her remembrance, “Daddy is home.”

“While he may be physically absent and his voice silent, I am confident that his message will continue to reverberate throughout the generations to come,” wrote Lotz, who lost her husband in 2014. “My prayer on this day of his move to Our Father’s House is that his death will be a rallying cry.”

Son Franklin Graham wrote, “He will be missed by our family, his colleagues, faithful ministry partners, and, yes, many around the world. But what joy he has to be welcomed by God the Father, and be reunited with my mother in the presence of Jesus who speaks peace to eternal souls.”

In living until 99, Graham had done plenty of thinking and preaching on death. He is remembered as saying, “When we reach the end of our earthly journey, we will have just begun,” as well as, “My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world.”

“Welcome home, Rev. Billy Graham,” wrote pastor John Hagee. “We are remembering and celebrating your life and legacy of sharing the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ around the world today. What a day it must be in heaven!”

Many mourners shared favorite quotes from Graham, including Tim Tebow, who tweeted, “God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, “I love you.’”

Highway To Heaven ~ Jessy Dixon

I saw Jessy Dixon in concert in Brampton about ten years ago.  

He is unforgettable in his energy and passion for Jesus!

Jessy Dixon (March 12, 1938 – September 26, 2011) was an American gospel music singer, songwriter, and pianist, with success among audiences across racial lines. He garnered seven Grammy award nominations during his career.

Musicians with whom he worked include Paul Simon, Andrae Crouch, DeGarmo & Key and most recently Bill Gaither in the Homecoming series of concerts. He wrote songs for Amy Grant, Natalie Cole, Cher, and Diana Ross.^[1]

Dixon was an ordained minister with Calvary Ministries International of Fort Wayne, Indiana.^{[citation needed]}

Read More about Jessy Dixon

Leadership Lessons from the Life of Billy Graham

(Today, Billy Graham went to be with Jesus. I wrote this article three years ago. I repost it here now as my tribute to the man and his legacy.)

Most of us have never known a world without Billy Graham.

Graham came to international prominence in the historic Los Angeles Crusade in 1949. So if you are 75 today, he was already famous when you were just ten years old.

Billy's crusade days are over. But his legacy stills looms large.

Personally, aside from members of my family and Jesus himself, no one has had a longer or stronger impact on my life and ministry than this man whom I’ve never had the privilege of meeting.

Many of us can say the same thing.

Last month, my wife and I visited the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, North Carolina. It’s down-home and simple, even corny at times, yet always done with understated excellence. A fitting tribute.

As we walked through the exhibits, I was struck by the realization that every Christian, especially everyone in ministry, can learn several lessons from the life of this humble servant whose life still impacts the world.

Billy Graham stands tall as someone who set the standard for never compromising, but never causing unnecessary offense either.

Especially today, when it seems almost impossible to make a simple statement about faith without offending this or that ideological camp, Billy Graham stands tall as someone who set the standard for never compromising, but never causing unnecessary offense either.

As I ate a tasty, nutritious, modestly-priced lunch (of course) in the library’s cafeteria, I jotted down these 5 lessons we can all learn from the extraordinary life and legacy of Billy Graham.

1. We Can Be Innovative Without Compromising

Billy always capitalized on the latest technology and techniques to share the gospel. He used radio, television and movies in an era when many ministers were still referring to them as “tools of the devil”.

In his crusades, alongside the solos of George Beverly Shea and the choir led by Cliff Barrows, he featured musical guests as varied as Ricky Skaggs, DC Talk, Bill Gaither, Cliff Richard and Johnny Cash. His impact on music was so strong that he became the first non-musician to be inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999.

He appeared on virtually every TV interview show there was, including The Tonight Show, Phil Donahue, David Frost and Larry King. He was even on The Woody Allen special and Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In.

Today it seems like every minister who uses new technology, music or secular venues is criticized by fellow ministers. It’s hard to imagine anyone pulling off what Graham did for decades.

Even the photo I chose to use in this post is an example of that. Everyone likes to think of Graham in prayerful poses, but we need to remember that, in the heyday of his ministry, he posed for some ultra-cool photos with his good friend, strong Christian, but always the “bad boy” Johnny Cash. Can anyone imagine a minister posing for a shot like that with today’s country or pop equivalent without being denounced as a traitor to the gospel?

But Billy did it. Despite how avidly he embraced every possible new method, there was never any hint that Graham or his message were compromised or that he was just following the latest fad.

2. We Can Be Straightforward Without Being Rude

Billy Graham’s presentation of the gospel has always been as direct as a laser. But, unlike many who strive to follow in his footsteps, he never came across as strident, condescending or rude. Graham is proof that taking a strong stand for the truth of the Gospel does not have to push people away.

Jesus was a friend of sinners. So was Billy Graham.

Jesus was a friend of sinners. So was Billy Graham.

3. We Can Have Excellence Without Extravagance

If you’ve ever been to the Billy Graham headquarters, library or attended a crusade – all three of which I’ve been able to do – you were probably struck, as I was, by the extraordinary excellence that infuses everything, without any of it looking or feeling extravagant.

From the last half of the 20th century until today, it seems that many Christian leaders equate excellence with extravagance. Not all, but many. Graham’s example shows us that opulence, extravagance and over-the-top displays of ostentatious wealth are not the same as excellence. In fact, he always insisted that the gospel was presented best when the excesses were stripped away.

But he also knew that the simplicity of the gospel message is never an excuse for shoddiness, laziness or lack of preparation. We can present it with both excellence and simplicity. No one did both better than Billy.

4. We Can Receive Honor Without Ego

Has anyone received more personal honors or more fame for a longer stretch of time over the last century than Billy Graham? He has been on the list of the Most Admired People in America a record 57 times, almost double the number of times for the second place person (Ronald Reagan at 31 times).

Yet the character trait that may be used most often by anyone who has met him is “humble.”

In fact, he has always seemed uncomfortable with every honor he has received, preferring to deflect all attention off of him and onto the person of Christ instead. This was also evident at his library. As much as I left it admiring Graham, I was even more grateful for his testimony of exalting Jesus.

5. We Can Be Influential Without Getting Political

Billy Graham has met with 12 presidents in a row, from Harry Truman to Barack Obama. No other person comes close to that length or depth of influence.

But he’s never been perceived of as a political figure. In fact he has turned down numerous requests to run for high political office, including that of the U.S. president.

Perhaps more importantly than that, Graham was a leader in the civil rights movement. He insisted on full integration of every Crusade he held, including famously telling two ushers to remove the barriers between white and black sections in a 1953 crusade (in Chattanooga, Tennessee) or they’d have to hold the crusade without him.

He invited Martin Luther King Jr. to pray at his New York crusade at a time when that was about as scandalous a thing as a white man could do. According to the Graham Library exhibit, King referred to his partnership with Graham on integration by famously saying, “You stay in the stadiums, Billy. I’ll take care of the streets.”

The Next Billy Graham?

Billy will never conduct another crusade. And we’ll never see another ministry like his again.

But I’m not sad about that. I’m grateful. And I’m hopeful.

The legacy of Billy Graham tells us that the simple truth of the Gospel will always win out.

Despite today’s polarizing climate, both against the church and within it, the legacy of Billy Graham tells us that the simple truth of the gospel will always win out.

I’m not looking for the next Billy Graham.

Before Billy Graham came along, a lot of people were looking for the next D.L. Moody. But Billy Graham wasn’t the next D.L. Moody, he was just Billy.

So let’s stop looking for the next Billy Graham, or trying to be the next Billy Graham. There was only one. That’s the way it should be. Instead let’s ask, like Billy did, “what is God calling me to do? Who is God calling me to be?”

Then let’s do and be that.

Embrace every vehicle for spreading the gospel. Take a strong stand. Preach the gospel as God leads you, then cheer on others who preach it using new methods and technologies that you might not understand.

Stop grousing about ministries that look new and strange to you. Billy Graham’s ministry looked new and strange to many churches in the 1950s and ’60s (and ’70s, and ’80s…). But those critics have faded away, while Billy and his simple gospel message stand taller than ever.

No, you and I won’t have Graham’s worldwide fame or impact. But the greatest reward Billy will ever receive is the same one each of us should be striving towards…

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”

The Exodus Story

Ed's Note:   This is a fascinating story of God's protection over his people Israel.  Part 5 is particularly interesting as the fleeing chariots of the Egyptians are found at the bottom of the Red Sea.

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

  

This Is Why Women Live Longer Than Men ~ #57

Your Sex-Starved Husband ~ From Dr. Dobson's Family Talk by Julie Clinton

By Julie Clinton

Anybody who believes that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach flunked geography.  –Robert Byrne 

Shaunti Feldhahn interviewed more than 1,000 men prior to writing her book, For Women Only. Though it was no surprise that the interviews revealed that men desire more sex, what was surprising was why. She writes,

Men want more sex than they are getting. And what’s more, they believe that the women who love them don’t seem to realize that this is a crisis—not only for the man, but for the relationship…. For your husband, sex is more than just a physical need. Lack of sex is as emotionally serious to him, as, say, his sudden silence would be to you, were he simply to stop communicating with you. It is just as wounding to him, just as much a legitimate grievance—and just as dangerous to your marriage.

(Read More of this article by Dr. Jim Dobson's Family Talk -Link)

Faith Can Bring The Victory!

Related: 
What Does the Bible Say About Faith? ~ The ANVIL Newsletter April 2014
Hebrews 11 ~ The Gallery of FAITH ~ The ANVIL Newsletter Sept 2015

faith

fāTH/

noun

1. 1.

   complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

Galatians 2:16: Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Early Christians, often steeped in Judaism, struggled with grasping the simplicity of the Gospel.  Sometimes after accepting Christ, they were dragged back into their old family Jewish customs through family and peer pressures. This struggle was endemic to many early believers, but Paul was relentless in his teaching efforts to alleviate their wrong beliefs.  They couldn't imagine the Good News was really that good - they felt & thought they had to "do" something to deserve it. Paul continued to stress that no "works" were needed.

Currently my church family is studying Paul's Epistle to the Galatians.  If I could succinctly give you the basics of the Galatians struggle, I'd say it's essentially about the freedom we have when we clearly understand the Gospel message.  Not faith in FAITH, but just simple faith in God through Christ's atoning death.

Salvation is solely by God's grace, through faith alone in Christ alone!

I grew up in the 60s and 70s, and today a chorus came to mind from that era, reminding me of how very important Faith in God is. Not only does He bring Salvation, but literally equips us to live a victorious Christian life!



Faith in God can move a mighty mountain,
Faith in God can calm a troubled sea,
Faith can make a desert like a fountain.
Faith can bring the Victory!

Great Is He Who's the King of Kings (1) ~ He is Wonderful!

Great Is He

Great is he who's the king of kings
And the lord of lords he is wonderful

Great is he who's the king of kings
And the lord of lords he is wonderful

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
He is wonderful

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
He is wonderful

Hallelujah salvation and glory honour and power
He is wonderful

Hallelujah salvation and glory honour and power
He is wonderful

HEART ~ The Bible Project

This Is Why Women Live Longer Than Men ~ #58

Success as defined by Winston Churchill

Sharia Law?

I Am Redeemed ! ~ Jessy Dixon

Sometimes it just hits ya.  ....What a Saviour!

And if anybody asks you just who you are, Tell them...

 "....I am Redeemed, I've been bought with a price",

Jesus has changed my whole Life!

If anybody asks you just who I am,

Tell them that "I Am Redeemed!" ~ Jessy Dixon (1938-2011)

This Is Why Women Live Longer Than Men ~ #56

To God Be The Glory ~ Temple Baptist Church, Powell, Tennessee

LOVE ~ The Bible Project

Never, Never Give Up! ~ Winston Churchill

Never Give up!