Revival

I've heard of this too, but I don't know were it originated.
My personal intake on this is that revival is a heart thing. You can bring in special speakers and preachers once a month for a year but if the people in the church don't individualy desire revival in their own hearts it will not come. I've heard the saying "Draw a circle in chalk, stand in the middle of it and say "Lord send revival here.""
I love the revival meetings my church has. I see it as a time to really get honest and clear out things I wouldn't normaly think of in my life. It's a time when every once in awhile someone gets saved or right with God.
But that dosn't mean because my church has a meeting this whole town, then state then nation is going to get right....it'd be wonderful if that happened and God would be able to do it, but our nation is full of wickedness and cold hearts. I'm the first one to say we live in the best contry, but you can't get away from the truth.
I've heard some of the older preachers talk about times when they'd have tent meetings and revival would break out in a town and sometimes meetings would last for weeks. I've heard of some of a towns absolute sorriest people get saved during these times. I can remember them talking about the SPirit of God showing up and people would get to shouting and running the aisles and crying and getting right {and theirs nothing wrong with that BUT, as they say if you're gonna swing from the chandleir you'd better come down talking right and walking right.}
And I often wondered why we don't see that today. I think there are at least two answers for that.
One is that back then we didn't have all we have now. Tv's and phones weren't as common and the internet didn't exist {at least not like now} and there wasn't as much to do. People wern't as busy. That ment that people came to the meetings and got exposed to God's word. Now many people are too busy with work and "pleasure" to go to God's house.
Two is because I believe the Carismatics and tounge talkers have taken our shout. I think people are to afraid to praise the Lord because they will be considered to "high strung" but let me say you'll probably find as many verses on praising God as you will salvation. It's a biblical practice that some Baptists might be afraid of. But there is absolutly NOTHING wrong with getting excited about God's word and praising Him, and if someone says there is they need to check up on something.
Some might have considered the months after 9/11 a time of revival, but how quickly we forget.
That's one thing that bothers me. It's sooo easy to be excited during a service on Sunday but can we carry that into our Monday? I HATE complacentcy in my life with a vengence! I hate to see my self harden toward wittnessing or staying close to God. I want to stay tenderhearted and on fire....unfortunatly I've yet to figure out how to be that all time...but then again I guess if I acheived that I'd be almost perfect, and I surely won't be that on earth!
I don't know if we'll ever see another great awakening. I think we might be in the gleaning age, gathering a few here and a few there. If God does choose to send another revial that would be wonderful, but I really don't know if that will happen agian in America.
~Miss Abby
Proverbs 31:30

 

Funny this subject has come up today. Our church is in the middle of a 'revival' this week. I mused to my wife that we pay a visiting preacher and a visiting choir director x-amount of dollars to come give a few sermons and lead us in a few songs at a scheduled time and expect God to show up and change our hearts. I mean, if the church members won't change by what their own pastor preaches every week, what makes them think they will get right by listening to someone else for a few days?

 

My pastor started a new series Sunday about personal revival. His working defintion = revival is when God visits His people to work in them spiritually. Lord, what is it in me that is holding back revival? Apparently revival, when it comes, results in changes...a new increase ? in corporate worship, a new commitment to holiness, an increased burden for the lost, a new senesitivity to the things of the Lord. He preached from Luke 15, the prodigal son....Two songs: Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it..Yes I wander, I drift away from the Lord by making bad choices or making poor uses of my time. Another song: "It's me, It's me O Lord, standin' in the need of prayer." Promise Keepers this year has been pushing the husband-wife relationship, the father-child relationship, and witnessing. How weak I am. I need to pray for the lost ones around me and try to see them the way God sees them. Godly men such as my father (I am in my 60's) did what they thought was right. But we still have a long way to go. Now a third song and with this one I must quit. I heard it first from the Promise Keepers music "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord...we will serve the Lord. Staying together, praying together, etc....Honesty, confession, adoration, thanksgiving and supply requests are a part of it. Accountability to one or more fellow believers could help. Yes, even in a small group. May God help us. He is the only One who can. He alone is worthy. thanks, Mr. Messy.

 

I wonder if it is a case of God is going to send a Revival, or if it is that Christians are going to witness in such a way that one happens?