A Ministry of Christian Chefs International (CCI)

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Before you can have Revival ...you have to have...Vival!

REVIVAL
When the Natural and Supernatural meet... and what happens is an explosion of God's Power, Grace, and Love that is expressed by the body of Christ in our calling out to God, His hearing, Jesus interceding and the Holy Spirit Moving! Like Heaven meets earth
As a Cook I was thinking of this theme REVIVAL and what would a Recipe for Revival would be. Now oddly Godly this is not a new concept! I read quite a few “recipes” and let them digest in my heart and mind. I can only thank God for the multitude of writers inspired to do such a recipe and for all the little tidbits of each that fill this...recipe...
As a musician who loves Bluegrass music as I was waiting on the Lord what came to mind was a favorite song called Revival by the group ...New Grass Revival! What a coincidence ;).  listen to this    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk-jn9AMlCE
I really enjoy the lyrics and sentiment...as we all get older we get more tired, as we are engaged battle with the darkness and principalities in this world we tire...and as the songwriter states to “I am going to take these feelings and put them in this song...Right Now!” We all know Psalmists put their hearts on the scrolls...for a relationship with God is not all ink and paper (or papyrus) ...Its a new song of Revival.
Paul tells us of our physical “tents” that are wearing out, or at the very least wearing thin! And in our Spirit Person we also weaken occasionally experiencing battle fatigue and damage. We then need Rest, Recovery, Rehab, in short we need Revival! If we have been seeming half beaten to death we need to be brought back to life. Many years ago the Lord put this into my vocabulary and since than I have always said “ Before we can have Revival...we need to have...”Vival” The RE in revival, resurgence, revitalization, redo, revisit, remodel, reconstruct, remake, and revivification... means “once again” Vival as in the root of vivification animation, activity, quicken, and Revive! Bring back to life or energize empower what is left there! That “Vival”is that new life when we are born again. Revival also refers to the Act, the meeting, Rally, and gathering where that experience can be magnified and shared...often becoming a beacon to the light of Jesus Christ shining in those of us in whom He lives.
As a Recipe has Ingredients, and method/instructions I humbly present this.
REVIVAL, A Recipe
YEILD: For 2 or more gathered in His Name
INGREDIENTS: Please use Organic ( From the Creator), Free Range ( Made Free indeed by Jesus Christ), and pesticide/principality free (Cleansed by the Holy Spirit).

Prep work: 2 Chron. 7:14 There is always prep to do in this verse we find our basket of “ingredients” that need to be made manifest before we can cook!
2 Chronicles 7:14 New Living Translation
Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
It's a great verse chock full of ingredients for us. The first thing I see is deeply comforting to us. We are a needy people. We are a sinful people in need of a savior! We sin; We fall short and sometimes...We fail, but look at the personal note the verse starts out with. "And my people"! What a comfort! We are God's people! He is our Father. He is our God. David says in Psalm. 23, "the LORD is my shepherd." What a comfort... We belong to God. He is our God.
1st ingredient; A sense of Belonging
Reading on we read “who are called by my name” Wow as persons in this day and age in relationship with Jesus who has told us time and again...”IN my name” We are IN His name...Not only called Christians ( little Christs') ..."Who are called by my name.” The concept of God's name is very important in Scripture. It is filled with significance. It says we are called by God's name. There is ownership there. There is security and safety there. There is comfort there for us. There is another concept we need to see. God is very jealous about the honor or dishonor of his name. In the Bible there is a very real sense in which our lives bring either honor or dishonor to our Living God and heavenly father. What an incentive for us to live careful, consistent, holy lives in order to bring honor to God's name...Our name...Amen? Doing all things in My ( now our) name…
2nd ingredient; A sense of Identity
the next phrase that jumps out is ”will Humble themselves”. One of the conditions for revival is humility. Humility is so important in our lives. Humility is also very elusive. If we think we have it, we don't! Humility is related to meekness which speaks of one's life being perfectly controlled by God's grace, and that is power enough to attain such a lofty goal. Another facet of humility is teachableness. The proud man thinks he knows it all. He can't learn because he doesn't think he needs to. The humble person is teachable. They realize their limitations. We must be willing to be taught. God can use us because we are teachable. How do we do? Are we teachable?
3rd ingredient; A sense of Humility
The next word is “pray”...enough said... it is that special quality time we spend when we exercise our faith muscles and are IN that relationship in communion, communication, and yeah consumption...we we consume the food and drink the Jesus is. We walk, talk, and breathe each other in...Abiding and Being in Love…Actively being believers...Pray for revival.

4th ingredient; Praying
While prepping grab some “seek my face” ha ha now you may say “ How do we do that?” OK and this is just my personal take and insight but I believe worth sharing...OK we all know it is a “Love” thing...God is Love. Jesus, His expression of Love ...We are IN Love, having fallen and in that relationship that is described as the paradigm of the Bride and Groom. In that intimate relationship one would kiss their spouse...Amen? All I can ask is “ Have you ever kissed your spouse in the dark? At night? Invariably you reach out to find where you are going to kiss in that same process reaching out to the lover of your soul creator of your being...and even as those who kiss their parents Yes seeking reaching thirsting panting hungering,,,all words in the Bible expressing the passion of “seeking his face”...Reach out...

5th ingredient; Seeking

Next up is the active phrase turn from their wicked ways” We have to keep turning not like a piece of meat being grilled, or an egg in a pan, but in our souls sense turn as in Repent...Turn around and head in the right direction...leave the wrong behind and go with the righteousness the right way...He will lead we follow. Revival is on the way!

6th ingredient; Repenting

So take all your ingredients and mix them well carefully adding each one after carefully examining them...folding them together like you fold your hands in prayer...placing them carefully together...then lift them up to the Lord for completion.

The Groovy thing about all this prep work is that once done Jesus does all the work...in fact He has already done the work...accomplished and finished the work His Father started at Genesis 1:1 at the Cross! And we go on from there the great CO-mission...and yes humans being that we are we do get tired...and nothing wrong with that All things in the physical wear out fall apart as our bodies do while waiting on the resurrection morning when union with Father Son and Holy Spirit commutes into eternity we can get a preview...Revival, not only a supernatural get together , but an earthly resurrection of purpose and power, providence and empowerment, restoration and recovery, healing and rehabilitation but also a glimpse of heaven on earth where the body is working together and doing His Will. Born Again New Creations doing the Word of God all those awesome miracles! Bring more New Creations into the family...…A place like heaven where a New Song is sung!, a New dish is prepared!...and the Wedding feast of the Lamb is where you want to be …Rock and Roll! Jesus is the Rock and we Roll! As the Glory Boys sing “ The Kingdom of God is a Party!” Yeah were going to have a Revival ...OH Yeah!  PLease oray for that for the Christian Culinary Academy and the students God brings to it...


Saturday, August 1, 2015

IN times like these..It is good to know there have always been...Times like these!

Forgive the little hiatus as the Lord and I have been dealing with physical issues for which I thank the many prayer partners and humbly ask for your continued prayerful support of Christian Chefs International, the Culinary Academy, myself, and family.  As we apply layers of flavor to our culinary creations Our Father also adds layers of experience to those of who are His creations.  During this time the words "Promise" and "Promises" have come up in my spirit to meditate and feed on.  I was blessed by this excerpt from Charles Spurgeon and I share it with you as it so eloquently speaks on this topic in a way that edified me and gave me more to "feast" on!  Taste and See!
  "Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn."

Ruth 2:2

"Downcast and troubled Christian, come and glean today in the broad field of promise. Here are abundance of precious promises, which exactly meet your wants. Take this one: "He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax." (Is 42:3). Doesn't that suit your case? A reed, helpless, insignificant, and weak, a bruised reed, out of which no music can come; weaker than weakness itself; a reed, and that reed bruised, yet, he will not break you; but on the contrary, will restore and strengthen you. You are like the smoking flax: no light, no warmth, can come from you; but he will not quench you; he will blow with his sweet breath of mercy till he fans you to a flame. Would you glean another ear? "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Mat 11:28). What soft words! Your heart is tender, and the Master knows it, and therefore he speaks so gently to you. Will you not obey him, and come to him even now? Take another ear of corn: "Fear not, you worm Jacob, I will help you, saith the Lord and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." (Is 41:14). How can you fear with such a wonderful assurance as this? You may gather ten thousand such golden ears as these! "I have blotted out thy sins like a cloud, and like a thick cloud thy transgressions." (Is 44:22). Or this, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Is 1:18). Or this, "The Spirit and the Bride say, Come, and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely." (Rev 22:17). Our Master's field is very rich; behold the handfuls. See, there they lie before you, poor timid believer! Gather them up, make them your own, for Jesus bids you take them. Be not afraid, only believe! Grasp these sweet promises, thresh them out by meditation and feed on them with joy."  
I have always tried to be true to the vision of "looking to the fields" as Jesus shared in John 4:35 ..and now I see a more full  "field"  fields of Promise, opportunity, and revelation of Him...White and ready for harvest indeed!  
Rock and Roll!  Jesus is the Rock and we Roll!