The altar of God’s choosing is not approached by feelings of devotion or emotions of worship; that is why it is difficult to discover it. All natural religion reaches its climax in ritual, in the beauties of aesthetic and sensuous worship. God’s altar is discerned only by the Holy Spirit when that Spirit is in a man. ~ Oswald Chambers, Supreme Sacrifice

That Spirit was/is in the greatest ALL-IN team I have ever had the honor to serve with…the CLOTH John 17:21 Revival Committee. CLOTH has been led, blessed, and fed by the Holy Spirit since July of 2020. Through the inception of a classical Christian academy in December of 2021, to the actual Labor Pain birth of the John 17:21 Hudson Valley Revival, delivered on the Labor Day weekend, as only God could do. The original altar was a beautiful farm in Montgomery…until man got in the way, second-guessing our committee, with a better idea…a safer idea. As our CLOTH chaplain put it so well: It suggested the “things of men” rather than the “mind of God.” The better idea came from a church pulpit of all places. The committee never flinched, knowing and honoring God’s mind in the matter. This note to our committee this past Friday morning:

By day’s end we will have six “Hail Mary” passes headed for our 9/24 end zone…in the game already won! For the last several days I have walked by a face-side-down envelope on the table in the kitchen where new mail is placed. This morning I woke up thinking about what will be at this Sunday’s CLOTH meeting, our meeting today with Pastor Sam…and the words “ALL IN” from one who wasn’t. And how in this hour of our lives, every one of us must be. And for some reason  this morning I picked up that envelope addressed to me to read His 9/24 affirmation! And then His word Deut. 9:4-6…He will bring Revival to the Civic Center not for our righteousness, but for their wickedness! And Deut. 9:10:16:17 because “It is a great thing to have a God BIG enough to believe in!” He’s not done.  Psalm 37:12-17 and Luke 1:79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet unto the way of peace. 

~ Chip 

I see three types of people in America right now in this pivotal hour: Upenders, Pretenders, and Defenders…those ALL IN. Pretenders being the most dangerous. Those who pretend away the Truth will get in the way, and even betray those who at all costs will defend the Truth.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring…~ Teddy Roosevelt, excerpt from his Man in the Arena speech.

…and His Word is fresh every day…

Proverbs 31:3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

Something miraculous is about to happen. What the Upenders have turned upside down, God, working through His Defenders, is finally ready to put rightside up again. And He’s going to do it in the Arena…of the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie on Sunday, September 24^th!

My engineer, who produced my last CD a year ago, who I haven’t spoken to this year, who has no idea of any of these things, Fed-exed me one hundred of the CD’s this week without explanation…for the baby shower…just in time for today’s CLOTH meeting at 4pm. The CD title? “When the World Turns Around”!

 “God is tired of people like me getting credit for His work.” ~ Billy Graham, interviewed by Glenn Beck…covering the Oliver Anthony phenom.

I shared the ALL IN envelope Holy Spirit story with a young pastor the other day. His response, “That’s funny.” That told me I was talking to a young man who was not tuned into the supernatural dimension…where the Holy Spirit lives. Recently I was accused of being uncompassionate in my description of today’s business-as-usual church void of youthful potency because the youth have gone elsewhere to satisfy their supernatural craving. That’s why the Holy Spirit choosing Sunday seemed crazy to some pastors. But God isn’t looking to bring in pastors, He is looking to bring back His children. Amen? As I said to some…I am praying for many to consider the Mid-Hudson Civic Center their House of Worship on Sunday, September 24^th!