If all goes well, I will be attending the RHMA Small-Town Pastors’ Conference Monday through Wednesday this week. The conference focus is “Seeking Revival in Rural America.” Assuming the hotel has a computer in the lobby to use, I will be writing thoughts about revival from the conference while I’m there. Since I’ll be using a public computer, I will be adding comments to this post rather than adding new posts. So watch for comments on this post during the week. And if you have thoughts on revival, please add your own comments as well. May the Lord revive his church!
6 thoughts on “Revival Thoughts”
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Brian J. Mikul 
We arrived at the conference Monday afternoon in a rainstorm. How appropriate! May the Spirit pour down on us as the rain poured down on us. For we are dry and our churches are dry and need a fresh and powerful work from God.
We heard from Henry Blackaby last night. He defined revival as (if I can paraphrase): “God has a mighty purpose to fulfill, but his people have major adjustments to make, so God transforms his people to do his work.”
Three thoughts for us that I gleaned from his message and that flow out of this definition. One, what adjustments does God need to make in my life? Two, look for what God is doing around us that he wants us to be a part of. Three, pray for direction, change, openness, and laborers – starting with me.
What a day! It is late, and I’m tired, but let me give you a few nuggets from Henry Blackaby’s message tonight:
The activity of God is not for our observation but our participation.
There is a great difference between me doing for God and God doing through me. (We should opt for the latter.)
God calls us to love God with all our heart. Our problem is that we have divided hearts.
We are too often content to not see God at work, to not see his mighty presence and power.
Our response should be to call upon him and seek him with all our hearts (Jeremiah 29:11-14).
Any thoughts?
Hi Brian,
‘We are too often content to not see God at work, to not see his mighty presence and power.’
Good words.
I’ve been keeping track of your posts. I do believe this statement and I also believe God is beginning to stir us and as He does and as we catch a new glimpse of His greatness, we will not be content any longer to not see His presense and power.
Don’t let up.
Blessings,
Mike
Yesterday morning, Mark Bearden shared with us the necessity of brokenness. Why is brokenness so important? Mark suggested it is because God will not share his glory with another – God will not send revival to vindicate your ministry but to glorify himself. So we must follow the example of Jesus, who made himself nothing taking the form of a servant, humbling himself even to death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-11). Or again as Jesus said – if you want to be great in the kingdom, you must be a servant.
Lord, help us to humble ourselves with contrite and lowly spirits before you. Revive our hearts for your glory.
Mark Bearden shared again this morning – this time on the need to pursue God. He said pursuing God must be the first thing in the Christian life – that from which everything else must flow. We need to understand our neediness so that we will have a holy desperation for God – that we might cry out with Jacob, “I will not let you go unless you bless me!” Oh to sense that neediness and have that desperation!