REVIVAL

By Odon Bulamba (16 MAY 2003)

It’s a joy to meet again tonight. It’s a grace that we have that we might be together.
I thought about what happened in my life these last 10 years. One day like this one, my life changed, my life became something new. This day reminds me of something important in my life.

In our everyday life we remember about things that happened, we remember what happened 2 or 3 years ago, so sometimes we have memories. But sometimes we forget the big memories of God, for example if someone shared the gospel with you 2 years ago it’s very easy to forget. But if someone gave you a pair of shoes 2 years ago you remember who gave you these shoes. Why is this? Because sometimes we don’t give God the importance that He has, sometimes we forget that God exists. When we plan our day, every morning we think about what our children will eat and what they are going to do. It’s very easy to say at 9 o’clock I’ll take my son to school and at 3 o’clock I have to pick him up. This is a duty. But when it’s about God it’s rare to say everyday at 8 o’clock I have to pray, although the Bible says pray without ceasing. We remember sometimes to meet God. For us as Christians we are called to live according to the truth and the truth is the Word of God. The truth is Jesus Christ himself, He said I am the way the truth and the life. He also said the Word that you have is the truth, it is John 17:17. Because of that, truth is important in our life.

I meditated a little bit on my life; when you have to go to a court trial, for example, you find a witness who will give an oath to say; I give you the truth and only the truth. When you leave there you go to Christian people and they say only the truth will set you free. If you leave the Christians and go to the politicians they will say I will tell you the truth, the truth is this. When a parent corrects his child he will say; tell me the truth. Because everybody needs truth in his life. When the truth is there, there’s nothing to add to it.

When scientists do research and they find the truth, the research is over. The truth is the last thing of everything. When a journalist interviews someone he says I’m going to go in depth to find the truth. Even people when they argue together they say; what I say is the truth. They are eager to convince people what they think because they think it is the truth. Truth is truth only if it can be proven with facts. If there are no facts coming with this truth then this truth is vain. Why do I say that? Facts are very necessary in Christian life. Suppose I say today that I’m a Christian and the Word of God says Christians must live this way and if for example there are no facts proving that I’m a Christian will I keep saying that I’m a Christian? Suppose a child will say, “I can play a piano”, it’s true his talent won’t be visible on his fingers, but show him a piano and you’ll see.

When Lebon first came here to New Zealand he was only 7 years old but in everything he would say, “I know”. So we had to say prove it. Then he would say, “um, um, um…” We would tell him that if he doesn’t know then he has to learn and that’s the same thing in Christian life. When we say we belong to the truth there will be facts to go with this truth. If your truth were not facts it would be better to stop and see where it’s wrong.

Today we are talking about Revival. Revival is a very important step in Christian life. It works with the truth and the facts that go with the truth. Revival means strength or to find strength or to give strength. The facts around us give strength to our belief. One day when Jesus will be back, our actions will be there to be with us, and each Christian will be there with his acts. That will be the acts that will come with this faith.

If these facts prove that really you didn’t believe you would be one of those that say in the Bible, “Lord, Lord I walked with you”, but are not acknowledged as such. After having learned to glorify God we are going to learn a little bit about the truth and the facts that come with truth, to have a solid basis on revival. Who is a parent or a person who wouldn’t like the truth in their lives? When your child tells a lie, what do you feel in your heart? Do you feel joy or sadness? Sometimes you even feel you might punish this child, because the child has to change and walk in the truth. In front of God we live in the same situation. When for example we lie and say I am a Christian it’s not good for God because your actions don’t prove you are telling the truth when you say you are a Chrisitian. God feels uneasy in his heart and he sends people to teach you how to change your behaviour.

The Bible says a light will never be put under a table. If you want your lamp to lighten the house you have to put it on the table. If you hide this lamp underneath something it is covered. Many Christian’s have known the truth but they prefer to put the truth under the carpet. On Sundays they lift up the carpet and say, “I’m here, Praise the Lord Pastor, God bless you Pastor”. Only on Sundays you will hear their voice. Find them on the road on Mondays and you will see even the way they talk changes. They are evil, but on Sundays they are the first one to praise God.

This week I went to the IRD office in town and I found someone who works there and told him “I have a letter from you”. Because he saw me, maybe my race, I don’t know, he started talking in English I have never heard in my life. When I told him, “what do you say?” He said, “come on!” So I said, “but I have the right to understand what you say, could you at least speak slower and nicer please, because English is my sixth language, so if I talk to you in my 1st language you won’t understand, so please try to be considerate”.

Thank God another man came. He said, “how are you my friend?” I said, “I am all right”. I saw you somewhere, you were talking with other servants of God and I was happy with what you said. The man who first dealt with me looked at me and said, “are you a Christian?” I said, “yes I am”. He said, “oh, ok maybe we’ll talk later”. When this second man left, the 1st man said, “I am a Christian too”. His way of talking changed, he remembered there is a gift of the Holy Spirit that is kindness. He spoke with kindness and I started thinking if this is Christian life, when Jesus will be here nobody will know if it’s Jesus or not because I don’t know what Jesus’ face looks like. So we must put the truth on the table and practise it.