This morning I was browsing through my e-mails and stumbled upon this one listed below, and it pin point some main things that I was thinking about the church and being human, we all go through trials and tribulations and don’t really understand something’s and most of all we mess up, but the thing is that in the church we often try to cover that and be the “Perfect people” by putting on a I am holy and perfect mask, I admit it I do it, but recently I have been really trying to be honest with myself and be open with people about the areas of my life that I am not perfect. My favorite part of the e-mail was this: “the fact that the Holy Spirit is leading people into being open even about the not so good areas of our life is for me a big green light of hope into an amazing future of blessings and revival”. So I am going to say it bold and loud, I AM NOT PERFECT AND I MESS UP… it is not like I have done anything wrong lately it is that I am human I make mistakes I get frustrated, I have troubles and drawbacks in life… and I want to be open about it and stop covering it up trying to put on a mask. Last year when I was walking from class to my Dorm, I was praying and asked God what he was doing with me, what plans he had for me, and what he wants for my life and he told me “Lindsay, I am breaking you to perfection”…and that is all he said… do I know exactly what he meant? No I don’t...but what I do know is that he is challenging me and is working with me…he is breaking me to perfection, I will never be perfect but I can strive to follow God and listen to his calling in my life…



. . . And I am getting really happy about it! We all have troubles, and drawbacks, and frustrations, and a lot of times we mess up! Actually, it seems sometimes we mess up big time! Yet it seems to me that we are not trying to hide it. This does not mean we are to bask and relish on our having problems and become proud of our messes, but the fact that the Holy Spirit is leading people into being open even about the not so good areas of our life is for me a big green light of hope into an amazing future of blessings and revival.

Why revival? How does revival relate to messed up people? People who have all their ducks in a row, leading aseptic perfect lives with no hiccups or surprises seem to develop a life that does not expect; the expectancy factor is lost. Would this be the reason why God seems to have a knack for unlikely people: boy do we have hope then!

The law of Entropy states in a nutshell that the universe tends to move to a state of order. Now, this that sounds so good is not, not really. The state of perfect order is achieved when everything is dead!

Look at this church: One had a row with another about aspects of ministry. Another did not get involved for fear of what someone else would say. Yet the other totally shunned and shut out his fellow minister rejecting him. They have a messy situation with the fellowship with some ladies complaining against another group of ladies. Some were praying and when the answer came they did not believe it. One was advised not to go, but he got himself into trouble because he did not hear. Another time one was taken to court but his fellow church members and ministers left him alone with no help. Some complained very harshly because one was asking for financial help for the ministers. Some were trying to use money to buy gifts. They were divided. They argued about doctrine. They exasperate each other at times. Many times they hurt each other with attitudes and words. Yet all the time people were blessed, saved, healed, restored, transformed, and the Holy Spirit moved big time with them!
Wow! And that was the most powerful church in history: the church in the New Testament! I do not want to come to church to meet masks as if every week we have a Venice Carnival going one for a few hours. I want a church with real people, not one where everybody wears a mask that hides the real "me" or the real "you". Some put on a mask of "all is well" and some put on a mask of "please pray for me", yet others put on a mask to say "oh how concerned I am" while the few that dare show themselves in their real-reality are usually frowned upon.

I want a church of Pauls, who messed up his ministerial relationships; and of Peters who play with the wrong crowd at times; and of Phillips that doubted, were rebuked and drawn back to faith: and all that action happened within the inner circle of Jesus; they failed but remained real close to Jesus. Too long to mention all the others because I would have to mention hundreds.
I want a church of messed ups who simply linger in the same room where Jesus is: for then there is hope for that church and for the city where that church is planted.
Moving toward a move of God

Rev. J. Conrad Lampan RevivalHighway Newport - Wales - United Kingdom