The Church Awakened
A New Pentecost: Dry Bones Arise!
This message is for the Church, the universal Body of Christ, the ekklesia, the believers “called out from the world” by God: YOU ARE BEING SIFTED! A line has been drawn, and now, your decision is required. No longer will you be allowed to languish on the sidelines, enjoying your preferred idol: comfort and leisure. The commandment has always been clear. “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below” (Exodus 20:3-4). When Jesus walked the earth, He reminded the disciples of the suddenness of His return and their own preparedness. He wanted them to be awake and watchful. In Luke 21:34-36, Jesus warned, “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He instructed the disciples to remain behind in Jerusalem until the Spirit comes. Ten days after His ascension, the Spirit arrived with a mighty rush of wind as tongues of fire rested over the heads of the 120 people assembled in that upper room. They were astonished and began speaking in languages they did not understand. This event, known as The Pentecost, marked the coming of the promised Holy Spirit and the beginning of the Church Age. Ever since that first Pentecost, men and women, filled with the Spirit, sojourned to all corners of the Earth, bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to every people of every tongue. The Church, in its current state, however, has fallen short of the Great Commission to “Go . . . and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). It appears as though the Church has fallen asleep and is lukewarm, much like the legendary church of Laodicea, as described in the Revelation of John the Apostle. We’ve been praying for a new Pentecost! We want to see a spiritual revival of the dry bones lying dormant in the seats every Sunday! The writer of Hebrews puts it this way, “You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment . . . God willing, we will move forward to further understanding. For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened . . . and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come—and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross . . . and holding him . . . to public shame” (Hebrews 6:2-6). Lukewarm Christians and those who have walked away from the faith will not enter heaven because they never had a memorable relationship with Jesus to begin with. Therefore, we say to these dry bones, arise, and repent before it’s too late! As for all you true believers who are persevering and stand ready, the writer of Hebrews continues, “For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers . . . Our great desire is that you will keep . . . loving others as long as life lasts, . . . to make certain that what you hope for will come true . . . you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance” (Hebrews 6:10-12). The Day is coming, and the wheat is being separated from the chaff. Are your lamps filled with oil? Are you truly ready to meet the King of Kings?
The Church Awakened - written by Daphne Collins
the Lighthouse Keeper for
Carry the Light Ministries
