Strings for Your Harp
Part IV. The Imperatives
B. Revival (Continued)
A proof that misery and sadness are endemic
in the human race is that we need a host of
comedians to try to raise a laugh.
At his expulsion from Eden, man took the
wrong turn,
and he has been on the wrong road ever since.
We have been spiritually satisfied with so little
for so long-
when there is so much land for us to possess!
Today there seem to be no recognized limits
governing personal behavior. The password
seems to be: do what you want, with whom
you want, where you want, when you want.
If our nation has to break down materially in
order that God may break through and revival
break out, is the Church mature enough to
welcome this?
Revival, like charity, begins at home.
Holiness teaching contradicted
by unholy living is the bane of this hour.
God's problem today is not Communism, nor
yet Romanism, nor liberalism, nor modernism,
nor humanism.
God's problem is dead fundamentalism
America needs a Joan of Arc. The British need
another Boadicea to wage war on her immorality.
Both nations need another Jeremiah to
weep over their sins, another John the Baptist
to call them to repentance, and another Elijah
to bring fire down from heaven that the multitude
may cry again, "The LORD, He is God!
The LORD, HE is God!"
We go down to our knees, or we go down to oblivion.
We have labored in the flesh too long.
We have interpreted success by material gain -
bigger buildings for our churches, bigger
crowds for our hearers, bigger offerings,
as proofs of His favor. We have had pygmy
preachers too long. God, give us giants! We
have had promoters too many. Lord, send us
revivalists! We have played evangelism with
a hundred gimmicks. Lord, give us, in this dark
hour of human history, some John the Baptists
to burn and shine, some Knox to say,
"Give me Scotland (or England, or America), or
I die!"
Maybe, nay, surely we need ten days in an
Upper Room or maybe more suitable for us a
basement to mourn the departed glory, to
apologize for our arrogance in preaching so
long without a NATIONAL revival.
The last revival mentioned in the Old
Testament is found in the book of the prophet Joel.
He proclaimed a solemn feast and said, "Let
the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep
between the porch and the altar." Well, let's
face it, who weeps anymore?
Before Jesus comes I am convinced that we
will see a great, sweeping Pentecost that will
out-Pentecost Pentecost. God will pour out
His Spirit on all flesh, as Joel said. Our sons
and daughters will prophesy. God will produce
a race of spiritual giants for the last
mighty ingathering. Today God has these
leaders hidden, but in the great Day of the Lord
He will bring them to light, and the last shall
be first. I pray that day will come soon.
Let the Church live again with holy passion
and America will be reborn.
THERE IS NO OTHER DOOR OF HOPE.
God said, "I will pour out my Spirit upon all
flesh.... BEFORE the great and terrible day of
the Lord come." (Acts 2:17, 20) If it is true
that greater is He that is in us than he that is
in the world, and it is true; if it is true that
the gates of hell shall not prevail against His
church, and it is true; then what have we to fear?
Spiritual and moral revolution is only possible
to men whose "eyes have seen the glory of the
coming of the Lord!"
Excerpts taken from "Heart Breathings"
by Leonard Ravenhill.
Used by permission.
Copyright 1995 by
Harvey Christian Publishers, L.L.P.
United States Address:
Harvey Christian Publishers, L.L.P.
3107 Hwy 321
Hampton, TN 37658
Tel / Fax (423) 768 2297
E-Mail Harveycp@psknet.com
British Address:
Harvey Christian Publishers, L.L.P.
PO Box 510, Cheadle
Stoke-on-Trent, ST10 2NQ
Tel / Fax (01538) 756391
E-Mail jjcook@mac.com
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