Category: Revival

Loving Christ’s Church

On By BrianIn Church Life, Revival

How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
ever singing your praise!
– Psalm 84:1-4

May we too desire to gather with God’s people as his temple
to praise the living God, to rejoice in his name. 
May we

long

faint

hunger

thirst

to come together into his presence!

 And they devoted themselves to
the apostles’ teaching
and the fellowship,
to the breaking of bread
and the prayers.
– Acts 2:42

This was not an after-thought
an “if we have time”
an “if there is nothing else going on”
a Sunday morning only affair.
No, they

devoted

committed

prioritized

these four things.
It was central to their lives.
It was an important part of their new lives in Christ.

  Restore us, O LORD God of hosts!
  Let your face shine, that we may be saved!
– Psalm 80:19

  Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
  and put away your indignation toward us!
 Will you be angry with us forever?
  Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
 Will you not revive us again,
  that your people may rejoice in you?
 Show us your steadfast love, O LORD,
  and grant us your salvation.
– Psalm 85:4-7

May we join the psalmists in their cry
for restoration and revival.
May we pray for his love and grace
to be poured out upon us
that we might be saved from our lukewarmness
and find all our joy in Him.

Father, revive your people.
Let us rejoice in you.
Let us delight in gathering together in your presence.
Let us devote ourselves to your church.
  Restore us, O LORD God of hosts!
  Let your face shine, that we may be saved!
Amen.

Restore Us, O God (Remix)

On By BrianIn Revival

Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!
– Psalm 80:3

Enemies have invaded and ravaged the church collectively and each of us individually.  We need God to restore us, to turn us again to himself.  We need God’s face to shine upon us with grace upon grace.  We desperately need salvation from these enemies:

The Enemy of “Respectable Sins”

These are the “little” sins that we allow, excuse, and tolerate – anxiety, frustration, discontentment, unthankfulness, pride, selfishness, lack of self-control, impatience, irritability, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, judgmentalism, envy, jealousy, gossip, slander, hurtful words, and worldliness.  Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

The Enemy of Idolatry

Idols abound all around us in our culture and continually call us to bow down to them.  And too often we do.  We treasure money, shopping, possessions, beauty, dieting, food, people, family, reputation, popularity, sex, sports, TV, sleep, comfort, or ease more than we treasure Christ.  We trust in these idols to bring happiness, fulfillment, and security rather than trusting in Christ and finding in him the true joy he offers.  Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

The Enemy of Misplaced Priorities

Our priorities too often don’t align with God’s priorities.  We are to seek first the kingdomof Godand his righteousness (Matthew 6:33).  We are to hold the gospel as of first importance (I Corinthians 15:3-4).  We are to live for Christ and for his glory (Philippians 1:21, I Corinthians 10:31).  And yet we continually center our lives on other less important things.  Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

The Enemy of Busyness

We have filled our lives with trivial matters that mean nothing in light of eternity.  We are too busy to spend much time in the Word, much time in prayer, much time in worship, much time with God’s people, much time in evangelism, much time in service.  Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

The Enemy of Moralism and Legalism

We have lost sight of the gospel, replacing it with goodness.  We seek to be good, not godly.  And by example and teaching, we seek to make our kids the same.  We have resorted to graceless keeping of Biblical commands mixed with man-made rules in hopes of earning God’s continued favor, rather than dwelling in the gospel that empowers and motivates a godly life.  Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

The Enemy of Lacking Passion

We have lost our first love (Revelation 2:4).  We have become lukewarm (Revelation 3:16).  We do not earnestly seek God with our whole heart (Psalm 63:1, 119:2).  We do not delight in His Word (Psalm 119:16).  We do not hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6).  We go through the motions with little emotions.  Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Do any of these enemies ring true in your church?  In your life?  Then let us join together in repenting and looking to God.  Only he can restore.  Only he can save.  Only he can revive.  Let us long to have his face shine upon us.  Let us join together in crying out:

Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Restore Us, O God

On By BrianIn Habit of Prayer, Revival1 Comment

Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!
– Psalm 80:3

Three times with slight variations we read this refrain in Psalm 80.  What a great prayer for us to pray.  How much we need this today!

In the Psalm, a neighboring country has invaded and ravaged Israel.  Israel desperately needs salvation from their political enemies.  They need God’s face to shine upon them.  They need God to restore them. 

Today, enemies have invaded and ravaged the church collectively and each of us individually.  We desperately need salvation from our enemies.  We need God’s face to shine upon us.  We need God to restore us.

The enemy of idolatry has invaded the church and our lives.  We treasure money, shopping, possessions, beauty, dieting, food, people, family, reputation, popularity, sex, sports, TV, sleep, comfort, or ease more than we treasure Christ.  We trust in these idols to bring happiness, fulfillment, and security rather than trusting in Christ.  Idols abound around us.  And too often we bow down.  Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

The enemy of busyness has invaded the church and our lives.  We have filled our lives with trivial matters that mean nothing in light of eternity.  We are too busy to spend much time in the Word, much time in prayer, much time in worship, much time with God’s people, much time in evangelism, much time in service.  Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

The enemy of “respectable sins” has invaded the church and our lives.  Ungodliness, anxiety, frustration, discontentment, unthankfulness, pride, selfishness, lack of self-control, impatience, irritability, anger, judgmentalism, envy, jealousy, sins of the tongue, and worldliness are tolerated among us.  Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

The enemy of moralism and  legalism have invaded the church and our lives.  We have lost sight of the gospel, replacing it with goodness.  We seek to be good, not godly.  And by example and teaching, we seek to make our kids the same.  We have resorted to graceless keeping of Biblical commands mixed with man-made rules in hopes of earning God’s continued favor, rather than dwelling in the gospel that empowers and motivates a godly life.  Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Do any of these enemies ring true in your church?  In your life?  Then let us join together in repenting of our idolatry, our busyness, our respectable sins, our moralism and legalism.  Let us cry out together to our Shepherd and King.  Only he can restore.  Only he can save.  Only he can revive.  Let us long to have his face shine upon us.  Let us join together in crying out:

Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Praying Together: Examples

On By BrianIn Church Life, Habit of Prayer, Revival2 Comments

In recents posts I have considered God’s expectation that we would pray together, as well as our excuses for not praying together.  As God expects his people to pray together, so we see God’s people praying together throughout the Bible and church history.

Israel

In II Chronicles 6, Solomon gathers the people together and leads them in a prayer of dedication for the new temple.  In II Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat gathers the people together to fast and pray for God’s help against a massive invading army.  And God sends a powerful answer as the invading army made up of several nations destroys itself.  In Ezra 8, as the people are planning to return to Israel after the Exile, Ezra calls the people to fast and pray for protection on their journey.  And God sends a powerful answer as they all arrive safely.  In Nehemiah 8-9, the people gather to hear the Word, and then pray – confessing their sins and dedicating themselves to the Lord.  Or consider Psalms 44, 60, 80, and others which are called corporate laments – cries for help that the people would pray together for their country.

And then consider the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth in Luke 1.  While Zechariah is in the temple offering incense, verse 10 tells us that “the whole multitude of the people were praying outside.”  This offering of incense and corporate prayer was a daily event.  Indeed in Acts 3:1, we read that Peter and John went to the temple “at the hour of prayer.”  God’s people Israel knew what it meant to pray together.

The Early Church

If Israel knew what it meant to pray together, how much more did the early church.  Indeed the entire book of Acts seems to take place in an atmosphere of prayer – individuals praying, apostles committing themselves to prayer (6:4), and the church gathering together for prayer.

After the Ascension, the 120 followers of Jesus gather together for eight days and “all these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer” (1:14).  In this context of prayer, Peter realizes the need to replace Judas, so they put two men forward, and then pray together for guidance (1:24).  As they continue to pray together, the Holy Spirit comes upon them at Pentecost.  After eight days of praying together and filled with the Holy Spirit, they are now ready to go out and preach the good news of Jesus Christ.  As a result 3000 people are saved, baptized, and added to the church.  And they all devote themselves to the apostles’ teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread, and the prayers (2:42).  In the context, the prayers is a clear reference to praying together.  The church that was born in prayer together continued in prayer together, and gospel spread.

After Peter and John are arrested for preaching and then released, they meet with the church.  And they “lifted their voices together to God” in prayer (4:23-31).  And God gives them a powerful answer as they are filled with the Spirit and boldness to continue to spread the gospel.  And so they continue to devote themselves to prayer as the gospel spreads, persecution comes, and the church spreads to the Samaritans and Gentiles.

James is killed, and Peter is imprisoned.  What does the church do?  They make earnest prayer together to God (12:5).  And God sends a powerful answer as Peter’s chains fall off and all the doors open for him to escape.  He goes to a house where “many were gathered together and were praying” (12:12), to tell them what happened before he leaves the area.

Meanwhile in Antioch, Paul, Barnabas, and others are gathered in worship, which probably included prayer.  As they are worshipping, the Spirit calls Paul and Barnabas to go on a missions trip.  And so they fasted and prayed dedicating these men to God for the work God had called them to do.  Notice they fasted.  That implies they skipped at least one meal.  This was not a five minute prayer.  They spent hours together praying for these two men.  As Paul and Barnabas finish their missions trip they go back through the towns they had visited appointing elders for each church they had planted.  And with prayer and fasting they dedicated these newly appointed elders to the Lord.  Notice again, these were not five minute prayers.  Fasting implies several hours at each town praying together over these men.

At Philippi, Paul and Silas go to a riverside where they are looking for a place of prayer.  They find a group of God-worshippers praying together (16:13).  Paul shares the gospel with them and at least some of them were saved.  They continue to use the riverside as a place to pray together (16:16).  Then after Paul casts out an evil spirit and is arrested and beaten, we find Paul and Silas in jail.  And what are they doing?  They are praying and praising God!  They are holding a prayer meeting right there in jail.  And again God powerfully answers as an earthquake comes and every door is opened.  As a result, the jailer is saved.

Paul continues his missionary journeys.  On his way to Jerusalem he meets the elders of the Ephesian church, and there on the beach they pray together (20:36).  At Tyre, he meets with the church and before they leave they all pray together (21:5).

The early church devoted itself to praying together when they met together, when they were in trouble, and when God called people to new ministries.

Recent Church History

Undoubtedly we could trace the example of praying together throughout church history, but let’s fast forward to the last few hundred years.  The Great Awakening in the 1740’s was tied to people praying together.  In the 1850’s the Great Prayer Revival started with six men praying together and exploded across the United States with thousands gathering to pray together.  In the 1860’s Charles Spurgeon’s church had prayer meetings every morning and every evening – no wonder that church became such a powerful church and Spurgeon was such a powerful preacher!  The Welsh Revival in 1904-05 and the revival in Korea later in that same century were also tied to praying together.

Three Conclusions

As we consider all these examples of God’s people praying together, let me suggest three conclusions.

1. We should have special times set aside to pray together.  We see people gathering for special times of prayer to dedicate the temple, themselves, new missionaries, and new elders.  We see people gathering together for special times of prayer to seek God’s help – in the face of an invading army, for protection in a long journey, and for deliverance from prison.  The church has a clear example to call God’s people together for special times of prayer for dedication and help.

2. We should be devoted to regularly pray together.  The early church devoted themselves to praying together.  It was a regular part of what it meant to be a Christian.  There were groups that met for prayer.  Whether they met by a river, on the beach, or in a prison, they prayed together.  The church has a clear example that we should gather regularly for prayer, and that praying together should be a natural part of meeting together.

3. We should expect powerful answers when we pray together.  We see God defeat armies, provide safe travels, free people from prisons, and bring great revivals through united efforts of prayer.  Now God is sovereign, and we cannot force his hand.  But we see a clear pattern – when God’s people pray together, God answers.  And if we don’t pray together, he can’t answer.  “You do not have, because you do not ask” (James 4:2).  The church has clear encouragement to pray together expecting God to do great things as we do.

Drifting Heart

On By BrianIn Heart, Revival3 Comments

As I was preparing for my last class on the Great Awakening, I came across 25 evidences of a drifting heart in need of revival.  These are slightly adapted from Richard Owen Roberts’s book, Revival.  For further elaboration of each point, I recommend you pick up his book, but in the mean time these 25 points should be enough for some serious reflection:

25 Evidences of a Drifting Heart

Adapted from Richard Owen Roberts in his book Revival

 1.When prayer ceases to be a vital part of our lives.

2.When the quest for biblical truth ceases and we are content with knowledge we have already acquired.

3.When the biblical knowledge we have is treated as fact and not applied inwardly to the heart.

4.When thoughts about eternal things cease to be regular and gripping.

5.When the worship services of the church lose their delights.

6.When pointed spiritual discussions are an embarrassment to us.

7.When sports, recreation and entertainment become a necessity to us, more important than the things of God.

8.When we can indulge in the sins of the body and mind without an uproar from our consciences.

9.When aspirations for Christian holiness cease to be dominant in our lives.

10.When the acquisition of money and goods becomes dominant in our thinking.

11.When you can sing the songs of the church without your heart.

12.When you can hear the Lord’s name taken in vain and spiritual things mocked without indignation and action.

13.When you can watch degrading movies and TV and read the same.

14.When division and breeches in the peace of the church are of no concern to you.

15. When you able to use the slightest excuses to keep yourself from spiritual duty and opportunity.

16.When you become content with your lack of spiritual power and no longer even seek God’s power.

17.When you easily pardon your sin and sloth saying the Lord understands.

18.When there is no music in your soul and no song in your heart but only silence for God.

19.When you adjust happily to the world’s lifestyle.

20.When injustice and human misery exist around you and you do little or nothing in response.

21.When your church has fallen into a spiritual slide and you are content with it.

22.When the spiritual condition of the world around you is not apparent to you, you just adjust to it.

23.When you are willing to cheat your employer.

24.When you find yourself rich in grace and mercy and marvel at your own godliness.

25.When your tears are dried up and the cold, hard facts of your spiritual condition can not unleash them.

Revival Lessons

On By BrianIn Revival1 Comment

Just attended a seminar  by Jeff VanGoethem on the Welsh Revival and the Layman’s Prayer Revival.  Here are a few takehome thoughts:

  • We ought to be seeking a deepening relationship with God.  Too often we are seeking success as defined by the world.
  • We need the power of the Spirit.  Too often we minister according to the flesh.
  • We need to get serious about prayer and evangelism.
  • We need to challenge our young people to draw near to God – revivals often begin with them.
  • It is easy to listen to a seminar (or read a blog) about revival, but how will we respond?

Lukewarm Coffee

On By BrianIn Revival

I have come to like coffee – when it is hot.  Lukewarm coffee makes me want to, well, spew it back out.

Have you ever thought about what happens when someone orders coffee at a restaurant?  The coffee comes hot from the pot.  But it doesn’t take too long for it to start to cool off, to get lukewarm.  So what does the waitress do?  If she is good, she comes by regularly to pour more hot coffee into the cup so the coffee in the cup stays hot.

We are the cup of coffee.  Jesus is the pot.  If we stay away from Jesus too long, we cool off, we get lukewarm.  We need to regularly draw near to him, let him “fill” us, so that we might stay hot.

So how is our cup?  Hot?  Or have we stayed away from the pot too long?  Does Jesus want to, well, spew us out of his mouth?

“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”  – Revelation 3:15-16

Sick Church

On By BrianIn Revival1 Comment

In Revelation 3:14-22, Jesus addresses a sick church.  The Creator of the world gives a certain and true diagnosis, and faithful counsel for needed healing.  His words were originally directed at the church of Laodicea.  Might his words describe our churches?  Might his words describe us?

The church is sick because they are lukewarm.  A nearby city was known for its cold water, another for its hot springs.  Laodicea was known for its lukewarm water.  Unwary visitors were known to take a drink only to spit it back out.  Their water was a picture of their spiritual condition.  They had not coldly rejected Christ.  Nor were they fervently serving Christ.  They were lukewarm, indifferent, apathetic, comfortable.  And Christ wants to spew them out.  How well does that describe our churches?  How well does it describe us?

The church is sick because they have a faulty perception of themselves.  Laodicea was a wealthy city and relatively self-sufficient.  The church thought they were rich and needed nothing – but they were deluded.  Christ says they are wretched and pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.  Do we see ourselves as rich, or as sinners saved by grace?  Do we think we can manage the Christian life on our own, or do we recognize our need of help?

Christ’s counsel first addresses the second problem.  He calls them to look to him.  They need to acknowledge their spiritual poverty and give up their spiritual self-sufficiency.  Laodicea was a wealthy city, but the church needed to look to Christ for true spiritual wealth – for all the spiritual blessings that flow from Christ. Laodicea had a textile industry specializing in black wool, but the church needed to look to Christ that they might be clothed in white garments – good deeds flowing from God’s grace. Laodicea was known as a medical center with a focus on the eyes, but the church needed to look to Christ that they might see themselves as God sees them.  Are we looking to Christ?

Christ’s counsel continues – moving to the first problem.  They must repent of their lukewarmness.  Though Jesus gags on their lukewarm condition, he still loves them.  He will not allow them to continue living in sin; he will lovingly discipline them.  They must repent – turn from their apathy and be zealous for him.  How?  They cannot do it on their own, they must again look to Christ.  He is knocking at the door of their hearts.  He wants to come in and fellowship with them.  In that fellowship, their hearts will be warmed that they might be zealous for Christ.  Do we need to repent?  Has our relationship with Christ grown distant?  Do we need to open the door again and draw near that we might again be zealous for Christ?

To those who overcome, he promises that we will reign with him.  May we hear what the Spirit says to us in these verses.

Fellowship with my Wood Stove

On By BrianIn Revival

Winter is quickly coming and with it comes the cold.  Soon my wood stove will be full of burning wood to keep our home warm.  The wood stove is in the living room.  My office is the farthest room away.  While the living room stays nice and warm, my office is more lukewarm – even chilly.  After an hour or two in my office, I often go out to the living room to fellowship with the wood stove.  I’ll stand next to it and let its warmth warm me.

The Christian life is much like this.  On our own, away from Jesus, we grow chilly.  No longer hot, on fire for Christ, we grow lukewarm, indifferent, apathetic.  Our greatest need is to fellowship with Jesus.  As we spend time with the Lord, he makes us hot again.  He gives us a hunger and desire for him.  He makes us fervent in spirit.  He fills us with passion for God and compassion for people.

Have you grown a bit chilly, kind of lukewarm? Is it time to draw near again that he might make you hot?

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8).

“…you are lukewarm….Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:16-20)

Driftwood

On By BrianIn Revival1 Comment

This summer I picked up a piece of driftwood from the beach.  I wonder how long it was drifting in the water before it washed up on shore.  Was it days, weeks, months, that it drifted, carried along by the waves?  Once it was part of a tree.  It was growing.  It had a purpose.  But then somehow it broke off, fell in the water, and just drifted.

How easily we can be like a piece of driftwood.  Once we were walking in close fellowship with the Lord.  We were growing.  We lived with a purpose to serve the Lord.  But somewhere along the way, the close fellowship was broken and we started drifting.  Maybe all at once, probably a little bit at a time.  We drifted further and further away, carried along by the waves of our world.  For how long?

Thank God, there is a difference between us and a piece of driftwood.  The piece of wood can never become part of the tree again, but God invites us to stop drifting and return to him.

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”  – James 4:8a

Amen.  May it be so.