HEROES, WAKE UP! By CLAUDE HOUDE
“Proclaim it amongst the nations, wake up the heroes! Let them come near and let the weak say: ‘I am strong!’ Let My people wake up and come together in the valley of decision” (see Joel 3:9-12).
I plead with you to pray with me, “Lord, increase our faith,” but also I challenge you to make the decision to be a hero for God. I deliberately use the expression “plead” because I believe it is appropriate and proportional to our cause and the seriousness of the times.
A BLAZING PASSION FOR GOD
The apostle Paul had a fire burning in him. He told the Corinthians, “The love of God constrains [presses] me” (see 2 Corinthians 5:14). The eternal kingdom issues at stake were so real and pressing to him that he let out a cry with an intensity that flies like an arrow straight to our hearts, transcending centuries and cultures.
“I plead with you, in the name of Christ, to be reconciled with God” (see 2 Corinthians 5:20).
The blazing reality of this passion burns within me today. I beg you, be reconciled with the desires and purposes God has prepared for you.
REAWAKENED FAITH
There is a faith that reawakens and revives the heroes. I have often thought that if, for even a fraction of a second, heaven could open to unveil the scope of the immensity and intensity of God’s desires, love and intention for humanity, monotonous Christian living would have to be put away. We could not continue to just sit in another church service, absent-minded and disinterested, between all the movie rentals and pointless reality shows on TV.
Dear reader, God’s voice is being heard in the hearts of millions of believers around the world: “Reawaken and revive the heroes!”
Claude Houde is the lead pastor of Eglise Nouvelle Vie (New Life Church) in Montreal, Canada. Under his leadership New Life Church has grown from a handful of people to more than 3500 in a part of Canada with few successful Protestant churches.
