“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (Acts 4:31).

In days of revival I have turned to the Word of God for guidance as we seek Him for His fresh touch upon our lives.  I have also turned to church history for descriptions of what times of revival looked like in various settings where God moved in an extraordinary way.  What I read often leaves me dumbfounded because we rarely see these kinds of manifestations of God in our day. (more…)

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18).

One of the great duties we have as believers is to be continuously alert to the opportunities to pray for and encourage others.  The Holy Spirit will prompt us when others need prayer and encouragement.  This reality was powerful illustrated a few years ago in an article in Billy Graham’s Decision magazine: (more…)

First Samuel 30 tells of the incredibly sad day when David and his band of warriors returned to their home in Ziklag. They had been off on a military campaign and returned to find that the Amalekites had raided their town, burned everything and carried off their women and children into captivity.  We can imagine the horrific grief that overcame David and his men:  “David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep” (v.4).  Then their grief turned to anger directed at David for leaving their hometown undefended.  “David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters” (v.6a).  (more…)