Praises from Upstate, SC

“The Upstate” region of South Carolina is a beautiful, multi-county region nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s known for the warmth of its people, diverse recreational activities and easy Southern living.

But the nation’s beleaguered economy has taken its toll on those who live in this idyllic setting. Only three other states have higher unemployment rates than South Carolina.  The state’s 12.6% rate is an all-time record which is broken by the Upstate’s even higher unemployment rate of 13.2%.

Thousands of the faces behind those statistics filled Greenville’s BI-LO Center March 19-20th. In her opening welcome at Just Give Me Jesus, Anne Graham Lotz asked for a show of hands from anyone who was personally out of a job, had an unemployed immediate family member, or whose job had been severely cut back. When hands were raised by nearly half of those in the arena, the statistics became dramatically personal.

Anne’s heartfelt response was that our finances may fail, our families may fail, our friends may fail…even our faith may fail…but God’s love NEVER fails!

LOVE THAT NEVER FAILS US

Throughout the weekend, God’s divine love story was unveiled by Anne, Jill Briscoe, Fernando Ortega and Stephanie Seefeldt. They shared the story through praise, prayer and preaching – all from the platform that held the ultimate symbol of God’s love – the cross.  It was the same simple, old wooden cross that has been the center of all of our arena revivals since it was constructed ten years ago for the very first Just Give Me Jesus in Knoxville, TN. As those in attendance came to the Cross, literally and figuratively, they went from having entered the arena beleaguered and beaten – to experiencing, embracing and enjoying the fullness of God’s love.

Love That Embraces

Those same arms that were once outstretched on a cruel, blood-soaked Roman cross as a sacrifice for our sin, are the arms now that wrap around us, comforting and upholding us as we live out our lives. We feel the tender warmth of His loving embrace…

...Through Salvation

Following Anne's first message Friday evening proclaiming Jesus as Savior, people streamed to the platform in the center of the arena. There at the foot of the Cross among them were…a young Jewish man, a Buddhist who never knew there was a God who loved her, a group of twelve ninth graders who came holding hands and clinging to each other… all confessed their sin, claimed Jesus as their Savior, and were born again into God’s family.  Many others repented of sin… some with tears streaming down their faces, others kneeling on the cement floor…and re-established a right relationship with the One who loves them to distraction.

...Through Surrender

Anne’s Saturday morning message focused on the living Hope of the resurrection.  She described the horror of Friday, when the disciples had witnessed the worst cruelty and injustice ever perpetrated; the utter hopelessness of Saturday when God seemed silent, uncaring, uninvolved…deaf to their cries…with no evidence of His activity at all.  She asked the audience if they were living on Friday, with the worst thing imaginable having happened…a divorce, or diagnosis of a dreaded disease, or bankruptcy, or job loss.  She then inquired if it was now “Saturday” when everything seemed lost, their plans and dreams had turned to ashes, and they were utterly hopeless, and God seemed deaf…or dead.  But then came her thrilling proclamation…Sunday is coming!!  "Even if a person’s entire lifetime is lived on Friday or Saturday," she stated emphatically, "Sunday is coming for the child of God!" 

Anne then told the thrilling, awe-inspiring story of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It’s a story that has brought hope to millions of people throughout the generations.  It’s a story of God’s power to make a way when there is no way.  It’s a story of a God who is the God of the impossible.  It’s a story of victory that offers, not the audacity of hope, but the reality of Hope.  It’s a story of the ultimate triumph of Good over evil, of Love over hate, of Hope over despair. Not a hope-so, but a confidence that the best is yet to come! By the end of the message, the same hands that were raised the night before in a visual roll call of those experiencing the hopelessness of job loss and financial failure were raised with white “flags of surrender.” Each white tissue, piece of paper and even baby’s diaper that was raised represented a courageous decision to surrender everything to a loving God who understands what it feels like to hurt, yet gives blessed assurance that after brokenness comes blessing! After death comes life!  After the Cross comes the resurrection and the glory!  

...Through Service

Perhaps unlike any other time in human history, it is frightening to contemplate what the future holds. Internationally, nationally and personally the world around us seems to be unraveling. Terrorism, nuclear threats, wars, earthquakes, fires, floods, corruption, diseases, and betrayal are just a few things that strike fear to our hearts.  But Anne’s closing message gave reason to exchange the current doubts, despair, defeat and distance from God for the three things that Paul told the Corinthians would remain:  faith, hope, and love.  Anne challenged everyone in the arena to trust Jesus completely because He is the Savior who has redeemed them with His own blood; He is the Lord who rules their lives giving them purpose and meaning; and He is the King who one day will return to receive them to Himself.  The challenge was answered by thousands who stood to make their lives available for His use until they see Him face to face!

LOVE THAT FILLS US

A meaningful relationship involves communication… listening as well as speaking. In a variety of ways throughout the weekend, those who came to Just Give Me Jesus discovered that if they wanted to have a fulfilling, personal love relationship with God, they needed to be intentional about developing it…

...Through Prayer

Jill Briscoe used her Saturday morning prayer session to inspire and instruct all present on how they could just “talk to the Father.”  Her disarming stories of personal shortcomings, as well as her warm humor, drew everyone into God’s presence. 

With the angelic voice of Stephanie Seefeldt musically articulating the prayers of all, even those who had never prayed out loud or with others found themselves drawn into ninety minutes of prayer that transformed the arena into a most holy place.

...Through Bible Study

Reading the Bible for facts and information can be meaningful, but the reader may fall short of the primary blessing if he or she doesn’t learn to listen to the voice of God speaking through its pages.  Following lunch, Anne guided the audience through a passage of Scripture, demonstrating and instructing on how vividly and personally God speaks through His Word. And the audience “got it!” The responses given as microphones were made available revealed that those present “heard” His voice and understood that God can use small, broken pieces…little bits of time, money, education, knowledge…to bless others as long as all of the little bits are given to Him. The entire audience discovered firsthand how relevant, personal and practical God’s Word is. The session concluded with Anne offering everyone the opportunity to participate in one of the 90-plus Follow-Up Bible Studies that will begin throughout The Upstate in early April.  Over one thousand attendees signed up on the spot!

 …Through Expressing Our Praises

Throughout the revival, Fernando Ortega helped all present give voice to their increasing love for Jesus. Joined by a superb band…Dave on percussion, Trinidad on bass; Tim on guitar; and for the first time, Matt on the cello…Fernando led worship that filled the BI-LO Center with praise and glorious exaltation of Jesus.  The theme song, sung so hauntingly before each of Anne’s messages, expressed the heart’s desire of all who gathered … Give Me Jesus.  "In the morning when I rise"... "When I am alone"... and "When I come to die" …give me Jesus. The testimony of the thousands who attended the revival is that God did!

HIS UNFAILING LOVE WAS RECEIVED

Already, testimonies are flowing in ... like these pulled from Anne's FaceBook page ... giving thrilling evidence that God's unfailing love was embraced:

"I was a drunk. Married 3 times. Instead of keeping my baby I gave her away. My sons were raised rough. The guilt is tremendous. I am 61 and Jesus found me at 31. I was in the Greenville service and I felt GREAT peace when I left." -S.O. 

"We had such a great time in Greenville today! Thank you for your hard work in putting the revival together... and for providing a setting clear of hype, hyperstimulation and distraction...it was so calming...and it made us focus on the reason for the conference...Jesus." -C.W.

"Attended the Greenville SC Just Give Me Jesus event this past weekend. Exactly what I needed after the loss of my sister 2 weeks ago. God healed my heart during the event. Thank you so much for coming to Greenville." -C.D.

"I enjoyed yesterday's convention in Greenville and have directed several people to your "How to read the Bible" page. I'm excited to start breaking down the scriptures this way and get a fresh word that is applicable to my life." -K.O.

"Thank you so much for yesterday (Greenville, SC). You have re-awakened my thirst for the word. May God continue to bless your ministry and those who support you." -K.H.K.

"Thanks for a GREAT conference in Greenville, SC! And thanks for everything that you do especially the new way in which you taught me to "hear God's voice". -K.C.W.

"I just attended the Just Give Me Jesus at the Bilo Center in Greenville SC. The last year has been horrible, but nothing like what Jesus went through on the cross. It was a refreshing change in life and gave me hope. I am unemployed, lost my car, and several other obstacles....This past year I have been faithfully seeking God's will in my life, and now I have the faith to continue on in my journey." -S.B.