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Can I Or May I
By Grant Phillips
Years ago in grade
school (elementary
school these days) I
learned the
difference between
“Can I” and “May I”.
Our English teacher,
who was also our
math teacher, and
our history teacher
… well, you get the
point … taught us
this lesson, and I
have never forgotten
it. She gave this
example to
illustrate the
difference between
the two words “can”
and “may”:
1.
Can
I go to the
restroom? This
sentence is actually
saying, “Am I able
to go to the
restroom?”
2.
May
I go to the
restroom? This
sentence is actually
saying, “Do I have
your permission to
go to the restroom?”
This now leads me to
the real issue. I
wrote another
article entitled “Is
It Too Late For
Revival”. Down
toward the end I
made the following
statement, “Is
it too late for
revival? I reiterate
that in my opinion
we have gone so far
in our rebellion
against God, we will
not choose to
repent, but instead
face judgment. I
would love to be
proven wrong.”
The two words
mentioned above,
“can” and “may”, fit
into this problem
perfectly, and they
are exactly where I
was coming from in
the statement I
quoted to you from
the other article.
Can
we have revival in
this United States
of America? Yes we
can, because we have
a God who says, “If
my people, which are
called by my name,
shall humble
themselves, and
pray, and seek my
face, and turn from
their wicked ways;
then will I hear
from heaven, and
will forgive their
sin, and will heal
their land.” (2
Chronicles 7:14) We
are most certainly
able to have a
revival, if we
choose. Nothing on
God’s end is
preventing it. The
only prevention is
our own hearts. We
are able, if we
will.
May
we have revival in
this United States
of America? Yes
again. God gives His
permission by the
same passage quoted
above (2 Chronicles
7:14).
Allow me, at this
point, to state
exactly what I mean
by a “revival”. This
word is related
directly to God’s
people, not to the
world. A “revival”
is an awakening of
God’s people that
brings them back in
obedience and
service to Him. It
has nothing to do
with an evangelist
meeting. An
evangelist meeting
is aimed at the
lost, but a revival
is aimed at God’s
own children, the
Christians.
Even if a full blown
revival were to take
place within the
Church, that doesn’t
necessarily mean
that judgment would
be withheld from the
sick, perverted,
blasphemous actions
of the world we live
in today. Neither
does it mean that
judgment would not
be withheld. This is
totally up to God,
but the Church could
be the only “second
chance” the world
has.
So if nothing
changes in our
country if there is
revival in the
Church, why bother?
Here is why. (1) The
fellowship of God’s
people would be
restored. (2)
Christians would
become true
disciples and soul
winners. (3)
Thousands more would
come to Christ than
are now, because
Christians would
actually be living
as God intends. (4)
Families would be
restored. (5) God’s
people would stand
up for the Truth.
(6) Thousands would
be saved from the
ravages of drugs,
crime, etc. because
of coming to Christ.
(7) Thousands of
innocent babies
would be saved from
the medical
butchers. (8) God
would be honored by
His own upon this
earth. (9) Many of
the local churches
would be swept clean
of the phonies
behind the pulpits.
(10) Many charlatans
who prey on others
to obtain their
wealth would go
broke, because the
innocent, duped
Christians would
wise up. (11) And
who knows, our
government could
actually be restored
by God-fearing
leaders. The
possibilities of
God’s power are
endless. We the
Church have the
unlimited power of
God behind us, if we
would only repent.
Now we are back to
those two words
“can” and “may”. We
know we are able to
repent (we can), but
will we allow
ourselves to do so
(we may)? “WE” are
the only thing
keeping us from a
revival. WE are our
own worse enemy.
Regardless of how
far we have fallen,
there is always room
at God’s throne for
a broken and
repentant heart. So
where are we in our
heart with Him?
I hate to be so
pessimistic, but I
am not seeing the
willingness in the
hearts of those who
claim to be
Christians to
repent, basically
because so many do
not see a need to do
so. There is room
for repentance in
all of us, without
exception. Jesus
said, “Behold,
I stand at the door,
and knock: if any
man hear my voice,
and open the door, I
will come in to him,
and will sup with
him, and he with me.”
(Revelation 3:20)
Take heed that this
statement of Jesus
was spoken to the
church at Laodicea.
Notice what Jesus
said to this church
in verses fourteen
through nineteen, “And
unto the angel of
the church of the
Laodiceans write;
These things saith
the Amen, the
faithful and true
witness, the
beginning of the
creation of God; I
know thy works, that
thou art neither
cold nor hot: I
would thou wert cold
or hot. So then
because thou art
lukewarm, and
neither cold nor
hot, I will spue
thee out of my
mouth. Because thou
sayest, I am rich,
and increased with
goods, and have need
of nothing; and
knowest not that
thou art wretched,
and miserable, and
poor, and blind, and
naked: I counsel
thee to buy of me
gold tried in the
fire, that thou
mayest be rich; and
white raiment, that
thou mayest be
clothed, and that
the shame of thy
nakedness do not
appear; and anoint
thine eyes with
eyesalve, that thou
mayest see. As many
as I love, I rebuke
and chasten: be
zealous therefore,
and repent.”
What did He say
last? “Be
zealous therefore,
and repent”!
This is today’s
church!
How many have sat
listening to a great
message from their
pastor, and thought
“you tell them
brother, they need
to hear this”? Until
we realize the
message is for us
too, we will never
repent. And even
then, if we do not
realize that we are
able to repent (we
can) and allow our
hearts to come to
Him in repentance
(we may), we will
never repent.
I urge you to prove
me wrong. I do not
want to be correct
in thinking that we,
the Church, will not
repent of our evil
ways. Folks, we are
not as well off as
some of you may
think. We need
desperately to
repent.
I need to make one
more point. Let’s
assume, with what we
know now, that
little Johnny or
little Suzie asks
the teacher, “Can I
go to the restroom?”
The teacher
responds, “Yes, you
are able, but you
still need my
permission.” The
light bulb comes on,
and little Johnny or
little Suzie now
understand that they
need to say instead,
“May I go to the
restroom?” So the
question is put
forth to the
teacher, “May I go
to the restroom?”
The teacher now
responds, “Yes, you
have my permission.
You may go.”
One more thing; let
us say that little
Johnny or little
Suzie represents you
and me, a Christian,
the Church. The
teacher represents
God. We ask God,
“Can I repent of my
sins Lord?” God
says, “Yes, you are
able to repent. I
have made it
possible for you.”
He then reminds us
that, “If
we confess our sins,
he is faithful and
just to forgive us
our sins, and to
cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.”
(1 John 1:9) The
light bulb lights up
and we now ask, “May
I repent of my sins
Lord?” God responds
with, “Yes child, if
you are willing to
repent, I am always
willing to forgive
you. Tell me what is
on your heart.”
We are able to
repent because Jesus
has already made it
possible for us to
do so, but do we
want to repent? God
has made it
possible. God has
given His
permission. Are we
willing?
Little Johnny or
little Suzie may be
able (they can), and
have the teacher’s
permission to go to
the restroom (they
may), but if they do
not get up and
actually go to the
restroom, what is
going to eventually
happen? You got it!
They can be able.
They can have
permission, but if
they do not actually
get up and do it,
they will have a
mess, right at their
desk.
We the Church are
already in a mess.
We have been
provided the ability
and permission by
our Father in Heaven
to repent. However,
until we do so, the
stench of our sins
may bring judgment
down upon us all. Is
it possible that God
would take the
Church to the
cloakroom for a good
paddling before
taking us home? The
“apple of His eye”
has not avoided
punishment. What
makes us think we
will?
Grant Phillips
grantphillips@windstream.net
Pre-Rapture
Commentary
http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
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