But my observations today come from a desire to warn the people of God about things that are happening in that church. Speaking out in some situations is as important as being silent in others.

Consider with me the Western style "revivalist" of our day. Some of them have mastered techniques that they use to milk and fleece God's sheep. Unfortunately a multitude of congregations have dozed off, and a razzle-dazzle performance geared to "waking up the saints" can work wonders. Or so it would seem.

I'm a skeptic about much of what I see and hear and read because the church, and I'm part of that church, has been lied to too often. That does not mean that I discount a genuine miracle or an all-powerful God.

The written revelation continues to be the standard by which we can judge all things. Thank God that He took the time to pass along to us principles and examples that we can hold up to the men who stand before us and would carry us away to who knows where.

Look at the prophets. Granted, they did some things we would have to call strange. Walking around essentially naked, or stretched out on the ground, first on one side then the other. But their motivation was obedience. This was not their style, and none of this unusual-ness "worked up" an audience to give money. Until the interpretation of their actions was given, the crowd did not know what to think.

And Jesus. Individuals were worked up with anxiety and pain, to be sure. They wanted to be well. And yes, there was power to meet the needs, definitely. But the miracles came, for the most part, commensurate with the faith of the inquirer, not the emotion of the crowd. And that emotion, when it did come, came in response to a miracle, not to make one happen. Miracles are free.

The apostles followed their Master. They preached. Signs followed, as a bonus. No one was told to do anything so that the power of God would fall. Pentecost, and all subsequent outpourings were directed by God on unsuspecting groups of people. Never once did an apostle demand or perform a show so that God would "show up."

Remember Jonathan Edwards? Well, he was a little before our time. He's the one considered to be the main spark of the "Great Awakening" of the mid 18th century. And the one who preached "Sinners in the hands of an angry God." He was not considered a great orator, though his words were intense. But his hard stand against sin and for judgment brought a true revival.

Yes, there were strange things that happened in his meetings. People passed out under conviction, for example. They call this fainting by other names today, even though the Bible does not name the phenomenon. Edwards did not encourage a response or try to make it happen. Men and women simply confronted themselves and their God at the same time. An awful and dangerous experience.

When challenged about the things that happened in his meetings, Edwards stressed that they were all incidental to the preaching, that they were not to be emphasized, nor was favor to be reckoned to those whose "bodily effects" were more noticeable. Gradually though the "bodily effects" people changed the course of the revival, as they always do.

It's a different world today, at least to some degree. It becomes obvious early on in some "revival" meetings that the leader is trying to "make something happen." Some preachers will suddenly yell, or blow into a microphone, or run around. The crowd is sure that the Spirit is moving, and it reacts accordingly and unpredictably, throwing caution and order and compassion for those who have come along with them, to the wind. But with all the smoke, often there is not a word of conviction spoken in the entire meeting. It's all for show and money in some cases.

We want to say, "nevertheless, Christ is preached" as the gracious Paul could say, but that might not even be true in some of these meetings, as people have stopped looking for sound teaching and the true power of God, and are seeking out feel-good shows of signs and wonders that they can talk about to their friends.

Let me say this. We insult and endanger folks when we tell them they must get "all worked up" in order for Jesus to move. That's not how it happened as our church was being formed. And that notion is nothing more than a revival of the old "works" mentality so prevalent in the institution(s) out of which we have come.

Preachers, preach Christ! Preach the Word! Preach grace! Don't imply that I must do something to receive the gifts of God. Just fill my mind and heart with God's Truth and let me deal with it. Oh I may get excited and even loud but not because of shenanigans and not to meet your needs. Or silently God may do a work in me that you could never imagine, that God will never tell you, lest you be lifted up with pride and think you did it.