News and Updates
October 1, 2009
David Copeland · October 1, 2009
Newsletter · Volume: 9 Issue: 10
As I write this we have just completed out first Marriage Conference in Pigeon Forge Tennessee. Twenty-one couples from across the country gathered for two and one-half days of worship, teaching and the Power of the Holy Spirit. For some testimonies of what God did in our Marriage Conference, go to our blog at http://revivaljournal.com.
I Corinthians 9:24-27 Message Bible:
24-25You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally.
26-27I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself. (Message Bible)
It’s hard to believe that by the time you receive this newsletter, we are approximately 90 days away from the year 2010! Who would have even believed we would live to see 2001, much less 2010.
This year has been true to the word God spoke to me last November that major transition would continue to take place. I know change is something that has always gone on. But something that has broken my heart as we are now in the last quarter of 2009 is the casualties I have seen along the way this year.
I have seen more people fall away from God this year than ever before. Not unstable people. Not people who really were never committed to the cause of Christ to begin with. I have seen intercessors; pastors; youth pastors; dedicated servants of God who have been overwhelmed with marriage difficulties, ministry difficulties, financial hardships and the spirit of fear that seems to be on everyone’s lips these days, some fall into complacency, others fall away from the faith.
The Calvinist would say they were never truly saved to begin with. Others would say they were in the wrong church or wrong denomination. I think it’s because we have lost our focus.
It’s been said the only reason men fail is broken focus. Broken focus happens in sports. It happens in ministry. Broken focus happens in a marriage. It can happen to a nation as well as a church.
This is what Paul is saying to the Corinthian people. Stay focused. Get rid of the distractions. Keep your eyes on the finish line. It’s closer than you think!
In our recent Marriage Conference in Pigeon Forge, I told the story of a revival meeting we were in many years ago. Pam and I had just started traveling. We were excited that God was using us to encourage and strengthen congregations. We were seeing people saved, healed and baptized in the Holy Spirit everywhere we went.
Then we found ourselves in a church that was in such turmoil and bondage it was suffocating. To say it was dead is an understatement. On a Tuesday afternoon I was out walking crying out to God for not only a message, but I was crying out for deliverance from that place! It was so bad (I hate to say this) but I was contemplating calling the pastor and telling him we had to go home because a problem had come up we had to go home to handle. Please understand I am not a liar! But the services were so bad, even with 10 hours a day of prayer, I couldn’t seem to get a breakthrough for myself, much less a church that seemed to not want a breakthrough at all!
I fell to my knees on the dirt path I was walking on, weeping to God to just let me go home, when the Holy Spirit whispered to me “there’s a blessing in finishing the course!”
You know when God speaks to your heart! And I knew I had heard from God!
I jumped up from the dirt, wiped the tears from my eyes, walked to the end of the path way I was walking on and shouted “devil, there is a blessing in finishing the race, and I’m going to finish!” That night many were saved, filled with the Holy Spirit, and that little church received the breakthrough it so desperately needed! And I received my breakthrough also!
My point is this: we are almost to the end of 2009; we are also almost at the end of history. Don’t stop now. Don’t stop believing it’s God’s will for you to be out of debt. Don’t stop believing it’s God’s will for your marriage to be healed and full of passion. Don’t stop believing it’s God’s will for your church or your ministry to accomplish your assignment!
Don’t get caught napping. Finish the race. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. It’s almost over. We are at the finish line. Give it all you’ve got!
There really is a blessing in finishing the race!
Blessings,
David & Pam