A Desperate Cry for Church Revival

[0:00] I'm going to go to the Word of God to 2 Chronicles 7. 2 Chronicles 7, it's a passage often talked of that talks of the reviving of God, God's reviving of his people.

[0:15] ! 2 Chronicles 8, verse 1.

[1:00] Verse 14 here shows how to get the rain back.

[1:15] How to get revival. Don't we need some rain in Adelaide? I know the farmers really want it. And what about spiritually so? How to get the rain back? How to get revival?

[1:26] And of course we know these words are not written to us, it's to Israel in the context, but we can see that it's written for us. There's much we can gain from these words as it tells of God touching a people, doesn't it?

[1:40] Of revival. It tells of that. And don't we want that, God's touch? Don't we? What is revival? It's been variously called a bringing back to life, a restoring, a fresh awareness of God's presence.

[1:57] We need revival, don't we? Why do we need revival? Verse 12, it reads there, The Lord appeared to Solomon by night.

[2:12] The Lord appeared to Solomon by night. I've gathered some thoughts here, some of the outline from another message I heard. And the preacher picks up the point here, why do we need revival?

[2:25] We need revival because of the darkness. Because of the darkness. The Lord appeared by night. It's a spiritual night time.

[2:38] We live in dark days, don't we? Liberties are in danger. Just been hearing some of the stuff about the digital ID. I was watching something lately about even your phone, how it can track you.

[2:51] And Google knows everything you're doing, if you've got your phone with you. There's a darkness, and it's really quite apparent.

[3:04] And truth is a rare commodity. Why do we need revival? You hear news stories that are quite alarming. A 16-year-old boy carries a gun into a school and murders a classmate.

[3:16] We've heard just in our own state of a 7-year-old boy stabbing a classmate. In our own city. A mother gives birth to a child and leaves her in the garbage can at Disney World.

[3:29] Teachers are being assaulted by students in school. Motorists are shooting other drivers for going too slowly in front of them. This is the world we're living in. Our country, our country has forgotten God.

[3:40] And the crying need of the hour is for revival. It's for revival. A powerful spiritual awakening in our land, in our churches. Our Lord sees the drugs being sold in the playgrounds.

[3:53] The teenagers having abortions. He sees the people in their poverty and suffering and their loneliness, and he grieves with them. And we should also cry out for Australia. No human solutions are going to turn back this tide of evil.

[4:06] We must have divine intervention. You know, I get calls of people that are feeling overwhelmed about the sadness that is in their lives. People in the streets nearby. People hurting.

[4:18] Wondering, why is this happening to me? We see a world that's full of abuse and sin and hurt. Hurting people. We live in a godless, sin-saturated society, don't we?

[4:30] And our nation's false gods are sport, leisure, pleasure. We've passed laws legalising abortion till birth. It's right across Australia now that you can have an abortion right up till the very last day in the womb.

[4:45] And what God calls abomination prevails, doesn't it? And while our governors are condemning God and Christianity, there's a hate for God. You know, when we were out on the doorstep yesterday, we were just about attacked.

[5:00] The venom, the hatred, the profanities. And when we tried to declare the gospel to our soul, and you see there's the devil in them.

[5:12] The devil's really apparent. You see this world that we're living in, it's shrouded in the spiritual darkness, isn't it? It's everywhere. Homes are not Christ-centred. The fabric of society is being torn apart.

[5:25] We see the destructive forces that are at work of drink, of dope, tobacco, worldliness. It's everywhere, isn't it? And what's blocking the way to revival? We think of us, the Church of God.

[5:36] We should be strong. We should be a shining light. We should be faithfully preaching the gospel. But there's many churches where you hardly hear the gospel. You don't hear the Word of God even spoken, even read.

[5:49] It's all stories and fanciful tales. And it's like in some quarters, we're no longer faithful in proclaiming the Word. It's missing. It's gone. Lest it offend. They don't even mention the Scriptures.

[6:02] And friends, as believers, we're sometimes failing to shine the light. Maybe we don't have that garment on that we should be. We're not got that shining testimony that we should have for the grace of God.

[6:13] We're failing to deny ourselves, to carry our cross. And it's getting to where, I heard one preacher put it like this. It's getting to where they will put you in jail for saying that it's wrong to do what they used to put people in jail for doing.

[6:31] Isn't it? You know, they used to put people in jail for certain things that are now celebrated and lauded and applauded and paid for by the government to march down our streets.

[6:44] They used to put people in jail for doing that. But now they're putting us in jail for daring to speak against it and saying, thus saith the Lord. That's an abomination. Preachers are being threatened and even put in prison in some countries for standing up and saying, sodomy is wrong.

[7:03] Using Scriptures such as this one, Leviticus 18, 22. Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind. It is an abomination.

[7:15] Abomination. That's a very strong word. You can get in trouble for saying that. You can get in trouble for saying that the transgender agenda is wrong too. For example, such scriptures as this would say, Deuteronomy 22, verse 5.

[7:30] The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment. For all that do so are an abomination unto the Lord thy God. Strong words, abomination.

[7:41] A man should not want to look like or act like a woman and vice versa. And we see that it is abomination in God's eyes.

[7:52] We see the darkness, don't we? Our learning institutions are full of darkness. Growing darker and darker. Schools have become dangerous places for our children. There's dangerous ideologies that are being pushed on the next generation.

[8:05] You see, I'm staggered by the things that I've seen of some of the examples of that. And I don't want to labour it unduly. But it's in the kindergartens right through, right through.

[8:17] It's night. It's night. It's night time. And these are dark, dark days, people of God. Dark days. And we need the one who is the light of the world, don't we? The Lord Jesus. We need the light of the world, our Lord.

[8:29] We need revival because of the darkness. We need revival also because of the drought. Because of the drought. But in our text, it tells that the Lord shall shut up heaven that there be no rain.

[8:45] It tells of a lack of rain. It tells of a time of drought. Surely we're living in such a place, aren't we? In a dry, dry land. Spiritually so. We need God to send the rain, as it were.

[8:57] To send showers upon our land. In verse 13, it begins, If I shut up heaven that there be no rain. As the song goes, mercy drops round as a falling.

[9:10] Mercy drops. But for the showers we plead. Revival is that picture, isn't it? Of that blessing. The blessing. Pictured as showers. Showers of blessing. That would come upon God's people.

[9:23] And we see in Deuteronomy 32 that God compares rain to the word of God. It reads here, Deuteronomy 32.

[9:33] My doctrine shall drop as the rain. My speech shall distill as the dew. As the small rain upon the tender herb. And as the showers. As the showers upon the grass.

[9:46] The word of God. There's no rain in many places across our land. Talking spiritually now. As we see in Amos, our Lord relates, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, That I will send a famine in the land.

[10:06] Not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea, And from the north even to the east.

[10:19] They shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, And shall not find it. Again, in many places the Bible's not even read. In churches even.

[10:31] In many homes. The word of God is not there. We need revival. Don't we, people? Don't we? Don't we? You believe that? We need revival. We need to see some more churches in Adelaide, Where the word of God is preached, Fearlessly, fully, Without fear or favour.

[10:50] The word of God. We need revival because of the darkness. We need revival because of the drought. The spiritual drought. We need revival because of the devouring locust.

[11:02] The devouring locust. In verse 13 it talks about, If I command the locusts to devour the land. And we think about the devouring of locusts. I know, I actually had a locust on my property not long ago, And as did a neighbour, And we're starting to get worried about the locusts.

[11:21] That these, They're dangerous in a country setting. That they could devour whole crops. And all the feed for animals.

[11:32] Devouring locusts. And when you think about it, Our land is being devoured as well, Isn't it? It's being devoured by sin. By Satan. The devil is a devourer.

[11:44] It reads of him in 1 Peter 5, Be sober, Be vigilant. Why? Because your adversary, The devil, As a roaring lion, Walketh about.

[11:56] Seeking whom he may devour. Devour. Satan is devouring people. Devouring communities. Spirits of devils are devouring. They're doing this devouring work.

[12:08] And seducing spirits are devourers. We talked about Satan on our Wednesday night study. There's so many scriptures that talk about demonic influences. Even doctrines of devils.

[12:19] As I was kind of relating, In effect, That the devil is a Bible teacher. He's got doctrines. Doctrines of devils. So we've got to be careful. What doctrine are we tuning into? He's a devourer.

[12:31] And he wants to devour. He's seeking whom he may devour. And the satanic works going on all around our country. You think of the government of our land. The high places.

[12:41] Canberra. We think of what's going on there. What are the governors of our land bringing in? It's devouring, isn't it? We need revival. Because of the devourer. He's hard at work.

[12:52] The devouring locusts. We need revival also because of the disease. Verse 13 tells about pestilence. It says that it's going to be a pestilence. Like a disease.

[13:02] A plague. And it tells of, really, sin. We see that there's a disease. And man's worst disease is, it's not cancer.

[13:14] It's not whatever you could name as some dread disease. It's actually sin. That's the worst disease. And we're all afflicted with it. But thank God there's a cure. Amen. There is a cure for that one.

[13:25] And so the word of God tells of this pestilence. This plague. And you think as the Bible relates of leprosy as being a picture of sin.

[13:35] And think of the sinfulness of our land. The exceeding sinfulness of sin. Our country's sins are like a disease. As a sin that is spreading.

[13:47] A contagion. Like a disease spreads. And so we need some Bible-believing churches. We need more Bible-believing churches across our land that can stand up and speak forth the word of God.

[14:00] And stand strongly for truth. And say that sin is sin. Abortion is sin. Thank God there is forgiveness. If you've had an abortion, we're not condemning you here this morning.

[14:11] Because there is grace with God. That God can forgive you. And so, you know, whatever sin we can name. Sodomy is a sin. But you can be saved. You can be saved. Gambling is a sin.

[14:22] Fornication. Fornication. Adultery. There's so many things. We've seen this disease that is our sin. And it's in all of us. And we could name many, many sins that you might think they're lesser sins.

[14:33] But really, sin is sin, isn't it? In the sight of God. And sin is everywhere. But there is a saviour from sin. There is a saviour who can save us from sin. And we see this disease, as it were.

[14:45] This plague. This pestilence that covers our land. And it's in all shapes and forms. Our land is filled with drug abuse.

[14:56] I've heard some stories about that lately. I'm just totally oblivious to half of it. But how widespread it is. How common it is. How easy it is to get drugs.

[15:08] And then once you start getting them, you might get the first one as a freebie. But then you're hooked for life, aren't you? And it's a deathly spiral. It's a spiral. Think of drunkenness.

[15:20] It's just so common. Worldliness. Pride. Envy. Gossip. Covetousness. There's all manner of sin.

[15:31] We could name. And it's in all of us. It's in me. And yet there is a saviour from our sin. We can trust him. Think of the people in this passage.

[15:43] Think of ourselves. Think of our nation. Think of Australia. As a people, we've forgotten God. God's not in the picture. There's people that we meet and they don't even know the very simple basics of the gospel.

[15:56] We've got whole families growing up with children with no exposure to even basic children, Sunday school and such things. As a people, we've forgotten God. Thankfully, God can bring life from deadness.

[16:09] There is a wonderful salvation we can know. And God knows there's no rain spiritually. There's locusts devouring in our land.

[16:20] There's pestilences. But thank God there's grace with God. There's grace available. And there's hope in this passage that we just read. If my people.

[16:31] If my people. God wants for his people to make a decision. To respond to him. And God is able to revive us again. There's a hope there for you, for me.

[16:42] It's going to take a decision from us. If my people, it says. If my people. Choose you this day. Make up your mind. Think about for yourself.

[16:54] In this woeful world. This world of darkness and destruction of devouring. We can be the people of God. We can shine his light. In this darkness, we can be the light of the world.

[17:06] Revival begins with a return to God's word. That sincere repentance towards God. A change of mind. A change of heart. A change of direction. A change of will. For us to decide.

[17:17] We can get lax. We can get sloppy. We can be slack. Backsliding. It's reality. We can all be subject to that.

[17:28] Think of where we were. When we were first saved. And maybe. Have we grown? Or have we declined? We can get active again. We can get fruitful again. We can get faithful again.

[17:40] And we can pray like Habakkuk did. Oh Lord, revive thy work. And you can pray that for yourself. Revive thy work in my heart. Revive thy work in my soul.

[17:52] Revive thy work in my family. Revive thy work in this congregation. And that's revival. It's the visitation of God. It's the grace of God. That God can revitalize us.

[18:03] And refresh our heart. Renew our faith. That we can encounter God. And his holiness. And be encouraged in our walk with him. And draw closer to him.

[18:14] And that transforming power. That only he can touch our lives with. It's a drawing closer to God. And Habakkuk prayed that prayer. That's a prayer. That's a verse you can remember, isn't it?

[18:27] Five words. Write that one on your fridge. Oh Lord, revive thy work. Make that your prayer. Make that your daily prayer. We can ask God for it, can't we? For reviving. Here's another one.

[18:39] Wilt thou not revive us again? That thy people may rejoice in thee. Psalm 85 verse 6. Wilt thou not revive us again? You can be revived and you can be revived again.

[18:52] It can happen again and again. Revival isn't just some special meeting. Where you have some response. And then you just move on.

[19:02] And it's just a memory. But you can ask God, revive me again. Revive me again. Revive me again. And notice there's a joy here too. That thy people may rejoice in thee.

[19:14] There's a joy when God comes. And he touches us. And when we're revived, there's a rejoicing again. He does that mighty reviving again. And the Bible tells us a number of times about revival.

[19:26] There's of course in King Josiah's time. He had some reforms in 2 Kings 22, 23. See the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. The times of reviving. We need revival today.

[19:39] We need revival today. And today you can't tell in some places where the world ends and where the church begins. Because the world's largely adopting the ways of the world.

[19:49] There's so much carnality, materialism, fleshly ways. I can be guilty in that sense that sometimes you resort to your own efforts and energies and all the tools and resources we have in this modern world.

[20:04] But this is the one we need, isn't it? This is the tool that we need. This is the resource we need. This is what we've got to get back to, people. We need to get back to the word. Not the ways of the world.

[20:14] We need to spend more time in the word of God. In the truth of God. Rather than in the social media feeds or the news channels. Reading the word.

[20:25] The word of God. The good news. Ask yourself, how much time do you spend in prayer? And in the study of his word? Compared to other activities. Lord, revive us again.

[20:38] Wilt thou not revive us again? That thy people may rejoice in thee. Some churches have lost their way. In the efforts to convince the world that Christianity is fun, we've entertained and amused ourselves to death.

[20:51] There's a lot of that. And we can be guilty. And we can miss the point. We can have so many programs that we're taking away from really what matters. And in some places it's like they feel that they can't reach people without the rock bands or the hip talk or the worldly things.

[21:08] Whatever happened to the power of God? The truth of God's word? We can get dependent on the strategies and methods and techniques of men, programs, rather than on prayer and on the Holy Spirit.

[21:21] Have we lost confidence in the power of God and his word? To convict. To draw people to Christ. To have the gospel that converts men. The spirit of God.

[21:32] We've seen what human effort can do. We know what creativity and technology can do. We know what money, what organisation and promotion can do. But we have yet to see what God can do.

[21:43] That's what we need, isn't it, brother? Sister? What prayer can do. What the power of God can do. And really, prayer is the catalyst for revival. As we seek God earnestly so.

[21:53] Through prayer. Through prayer. And there's some actions that it tells here in this text of what God's people can do. If my people. There's some actions we can take.

[22:04] There's some challenges we can take to heart today. First, we need to humble ourselves. It's time to stop bragging and boasting and thinking we've got it all together.

[22:15] Because we haven't. The church is in a crisis. The church worldwide, Australia wide. We're too busy playing church. There's much pretense. And there's a lack of substance, of strength.

[22:27] We're missing the bone. If my people. God's promise is conditional. And it depends upon you and me. If my people. But we are the people of God.

[22:38] As much as it was Israel at that time. The people of God. We could say, it's you and me, isn't it? We're the people of God. So if my people. It says there's some action to take. First, God says if my people.

[22:50] My people. Not the pagans. Not the irreligious. Not the politicians. Not the worldly folk. If my people. That's the church of God. For us in this context.

[23:01] It's not the irreligious. But it's if my people. If my people. And then it says we'll humble. Humble themselves. Can we have that heart to humble ourselves. Such that we'll put away the false.

[23:15] We'll put away that which is in his place. We'll admit our wrongs. Our need of him. We'll come humbly. Beseeching him. Wanting him to do his work. Wanting him to do his will.

[23:28] To be honest with God. Before God. Who is on the Lord's side. Are we going to make that decision? I want to be such that I am one of the people of God. And I'm going to humble.

[23:39] Humble myself. Look at the condition of Christ's church. The carelessness. The unconcern. The carnality. The coldness. The insensitivity to the Holy Spirit.

[23:50] And even those that talk about the Holy Spirit. Sometimes they're really missing the boat. Really it's a cold. Decaying church. Dying church. It's a worldly falling church. Where the carnal overtakes the entertainment.

[24:01] The emptiness. The shallowness. The superficiality. And many believers are suffering from a spiritual malnourishment. We must restore the truth people. We must restore the truth. And it's my people he's talking to here.

[24:15] That's you and me. The saints of God. That's you and me. We need to be awakened. Reawakened. Jolted. Into action if it be. We see the darkness. We should be shining the light ever brighter.

[24:27] The church of God. We desperately need. To shake ourselves from sombre. And sloth. It's easy to be that way. Especially Aussies isn't it? I know. I'm a naturalised Aussie.

[24:39] And I like Australia. But I know Australian culture isn't always good is it? Let's face it. Let's face it people. Especially when it's paganised Australian culture.

[24:50] And God's harshest words of reproof here. They're not to the pagan world. He's reproving the church. In effect. He's reproving my people.

[25:01] Here. He's addressing the church. As the ones that he wants to bring reproof to. And what does he say? That we should humble. Humble ourselves. Are we humble enough that we want to depend upon God?

[25:14] That we show that through prayer. That we want to humble ourselves such that we heed his word. We take it to heart. Pride can get in the way of God's work. In all of us. In all of us.

[25:26] And our Lord says humble yourselves. Humble yourselves. So there's a need for us to lay aside pride. To not think of ourselves more than we ought to think. It seems sometimes in churches there's this seeker driven mindset.

[25:42] That we're worried more about offending visitors than offending God. And we should actually not be afraid to declare what it says. And declare it strongly so. Because we want to not offend our God.

[25:54] We want to please our God. Not about pleasing people. Not about people feeling good. But about being right with God. That's what we want.

[26:05] That all of us will get right with God. We can make the mistake that we want people to leave feeling good about church. And about themselves. Rather than actually challenging.

[26:18] That are we right with God? Are we offending a holy God? Are we under his condemnation? Is there something we're missing? That God wants to stir us.

[26:29] To stir our hearts. To a deeper faith. We think of the staleness. The stagnancy. The worldly minded church. Where God's really dishonoured. Routinely dishonoured.

[26:40] There's a lack of reverence. We must return unto the Lord. Return unto the Lord. And it can happen for us. We might think. Again. I can think.

[26:51] Well we've got it all together. We've got the right doctrine. But actually. No. We've got to be humble. We've got to keep humble. Keep humble. And there's a problem of neglect. Isn't there? As we see.

[27:02] That it can happen. In good churches. It can happen. To us. A neglect. A neglect of the Bible. The word of God. A neglect of prayer. We can have a lack of faith.

[27:13] We can have a lack of love for God. For souls. We can lack self-denial. We can so easily be led astray. By the ways of the world. And there's a neglect of prayer.

[27:25] Because God says you have not. Because you ask not. You see that one there. That James 4.2. It says you have not. Because you ask not. There's a challenge there. Why don't we have revival?

[27:36] Maybe we're not praying. And believing. Maybe our walk with God. Isn't what it ought to be. Because we're not asking God. To help us. To walk with him more truly. Spurgeon used to describe.

[27:48] The weekly prayer meeting. As the heating apparatus. Of the church. Yet in how many churches today. Is the heating apparatus. Never turned on. And we have got a prayer meeting.

[27:58] At 5.30. Tonight. God says. If my people shall. Pray. Pray. Then will I. Heal. Their land. God says we must humble ourselves.

[28:08] And. Pray. First thing there. Do we pray. Or do we just give prayer. Kind of lip service. Prayer is mentioned. 38 times. In the book of Acts.

[28:19] That's a lot. Isn't it? That's the early church. If we want to go. To back to what the early church had. They had a lot of prayer. A lot of prayer. 38 times. And every significant event. In the history of the early church.

[28:31] Was. Really. You could trace it back to prayer. Back to prayer. Sometimes we lack prayer. Don't we? I know we've got a Monday. Prayer time too. There's opportunities to pray.

[28:42] Pray at home. Pray. At home. Amongst yourselves. Keep on praying. Wait upon the Lord. That he will be pleased. To grant us his mercy.

[28:54] His blessing. Let's get back that old passion. That holy passion. To pray. To pray. Believingly. Pray. Pray. For a passion. For God.

[29:06] We see in Amos. There's. A rebuke here. Amos 6. 1. Woe unto them that are at ease. In Zion. It's a picture of.

[29:17] I suppose. When I look at this scripture. I like to think of the. People might not know. This old example. But. You know. The norm. In the life be in it. He remembers that.

[29:28] And he's just sort of laid back. In the deck chair. Maybe with the remote. You know. At ease. In Zion. It's that kind of picture. Being too laid back. Being too laid back.

[29:39] And we need really. To not be laid back. But to be fired up. We need some old fashioned. Hellfire and brimstone. God honoring. Sin convicting.

[29:49] Soul winning. Bible preaching. Revival. We need that individually so. For each one of us. And revival. You think of it. It's like a rebirth. It's a renewal. Of God's life in us.

[30:00] It needs to renew. Or restore. To a new life. That which is dying. Or dead. To bring back to life. The word in the Hebrew. Means to repair. And keep alive.

[30:11] There's some repair work needed. Some restoration. I heard about a car accident lately. There's some. There's a repair needed there. What about spiritually so? There's some repair needed.

[30:21] Isn't there? There's some repair needed. To our spiritual life. How can we have a true revival? How can we become what God wants us to be?

[30:32] There's some repair. An old evangelist said this. Power. From on high. Is the supreme need. Of today. And it's the spirit that gives life.

[30:43] Isn't it? It tells us that the spirit giveth life. It says the letter killeth. But the spirit giveth life. The power of God. It's spiritual power. It's the Holy Spirit's power.

[30:54] It's his transforming power. So we see that we should humble ourselves. That we should pray. Thirdly. That we should turn from our wicked ways.

[31:07] And seek his face. So we see the presence. The power of God. And it comes as we repent. There's no revival without repentance. There's this call to change.

[31:19] To transform. Revival will only come. After that true repentance. We need that mind shift. That is called repentance. A mind shift. A mind change.

[31:32] A mind turning. Repent. Repent of worldliness. Of carnality. So many things we need to look to our God.

[31:43] It tells us here in Acts 3.19. Repent ye therefore and be converted. That your sins may be blotted out. When the times of refreshing shall come. From the presence of the Lord.

[31:55] Repentance. It's not cheap. It means change. Change of behaviour. Change of mind. Change of purpose. Change of lifestyle. From a sinner to a saint.

[32:06] Friends that's what we need. Doesn't it? That's what we should see. We change from being a sinner. To being a saint. Revival will not come to the church. Until the people of God return to their Lord.

[32:17] And submit and obey him. It's only then that we'll see that revival that we need. Can we honestly examine our hearts? Ask the Lord to search out our hearts. Here's a good scripture here.

[32:28] Lamentations 3 verse 40. It says, Let us search and try our ways. And turn again to the Lord. It's good to search our hearts. You know, we had a communion time.

[32:39] We examine our hearts. It tells us in Corinthians, examine. Are you in the faith? It tells us here, search and try our ways. We need to look into our hearts.

[32:50] Are there areas that God wants us to change? Are there things we should have a change of mind about? To identify those areas where there's perhaps that being at ease in Zion.

[33:01] That complacency. That lack. That we can see. Have we drifted from God? Are there areas that he's pointing out to us? We need the fire to burn up all the dross.

[33:12] There's a cost to revival. Here's a quote. Dr. Campbell Morgan says, We cannot organise revival, but we can set our sails to catch the wind from heaven.

[33:23] When God chooses to blow upon his people once again. So it's like a picture of a sailboat, that we can set our sails. Put that sail up such that we catch the wind. Yeah, we can let the wind blow and that the spirit will catch our sails.

[33:40] That will catch the wind from heaven. When God chooses to blow upon his people once again. So let's, as we've heard the theme of preparing, are we prepared that God would touch us so?

[33:51] Are we ready that God would touch us so? We should be longing for revival. Of course we mean, when we say the word revival, it means things, different things to different people.

[34:02] But we're talking about a Bible revival. I heard it was in a land where English wasn't the first language. And the preacher was saying we need a revival.

[34:13] And one of the local people who didn't speak English that well put it, we need a re-Bible. That's what we need. We need a re-Bible.

[34:23] That's what we need. Because we've not got the Bible. It's gone out the door. We need to get back to the Bible. And not some pretend revival. Because there's things that are called revival that are really just a bit of a spectacle, a human display, an emotionalism.

[34:37] Not a pretense of revival, but a genuine revival. That's what we need. Isn't it? And God helping us, we can know that, personally know that, and corporately know that. Where there's a true repentance, that change of mind and heart, of a refreshing of zeal, a trusting of God in a deeper fashion, in a more searching for God and finding Him, a wanting His holiness, a wanting of godliness, a wanting that true heart of God.

[35:04] Seeing that deep conviction of our sin, that need of Him, a dying to self, a waiting upon Him. We're not only called saints, but we're called to be saints.

[35:17] In other words, there's a call to a holiness of walk. And let us not only believe in the new birth, but also the new life. There's that sense where we should be walking with God.

[35:27] He wants that for us. Sure, our salvation is not by our works, but He certainly wants us to be working. He doesn't want us to be at ease in Zion, as in just sitting back inactive, but to be activated in a godly way.

[35:44] And so the Word of God tells us much about this theme of living for our God, living for Christ, that we'll see that holiness of God, it'll activate us, it'll overwhelm us with that conviction, with that brokenness over our sin.

[35:58] We see in 1 Thessalonians 1 verse 9, it tells that they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, how you turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God.

[36:13] We could talk much about idols, that's another abomination, we're going to touch on that tonight, God willing, how we turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God.

[36:25] Think of the idols, we'll talk about that later. God wants us to have a renewed faith. Eternity is drawing nigh. We've heard the wedding preparations are underway and He's about to say it's time.

[36:43] May we be a people that are crying out for God, crying out, if my people shall humble themselves and pray, turn from their wicked ways, seek my face, He's going to hear from heaven.

[36:59] But we've got a cry. It says here, oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence.

[37:09] And I think in the context there, it talks about that we should lay hold of God, that we should be a people who lay hold of God, lay hold of God.

[37:23] We need a mighty awakening of the Holy Spirit. And when you think of revival, of history, of the book of Acts, there was a revival, there was zeal, there was godliness, there was a conviction of sin, not taking it lightly.

[37:37] There was earnest prayer, people pouring out their hearts. And then we'll see God's work in that convicting, saving power, such that we'll see people converted. There'll be a conviction, a conversion.

[37:50] We'll see God's working. And we'll see men and women who believe something definite. They're willing to live and die for their faith. Friends, it could get to that. It could get to that.

[38:03] We're going to face some persecution. I see the signs are there. We should be ready. And we need to have our heart to cry out, Lord, rend the heavens, that that word has come down.

[38:17] Revival. It's a supernatural thing. It's a call to holy living. It's a renewing of our first love. There's no more time for the philosophies of men, all the distractions of this world.

[38:29] We need to get serious about our faith, a holy seriousness about our faith. And Isaiah tells us, God says, cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins.

[38:48] We've got to reach out to a dying world. There's people dying all around us, in the streets all around us. There's people that are walking into a Christless eternity. Friends, do we care?

[39:00] The early Salvation Army had a motto, go for souls and go for the worst. We should be going for souls, people. How's our zeal for souls, that passion for the lost?

[39:14] Are we asleep? Where is the fire? The fire on the altar, the red hot faith. Let's kindle it again. We need a holy desperation. Tells us here, without faith, it is impossible to please God.

[39:28] For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, that he is a reward of them, that diligently seek him. Notice the word diligently there. Do we have that diligently seeking God, that holy desperation, to think of that heart, that hungers and longs, that passion, to earnestly, earnestly seek him, diligently seek him, that inward yearning, to please him, to be fully yearning, that he would do his will, to seek to please him, him first, him above all, to give him glory.

[40:04] The early church was a revived church. They sought God with all their heart. They had faults and failings. They still had false teachings, even in the early days, there was challenges then.

[40:14] In the early church, the book of Acts, is full of challenges there still. And we've got more today too. So, when we think of revival, here's how someone has put it.

[40:25] If all the sleeping folk, will wake up. If all the lukewarm folk, will fire up. If all the dishonest folk, will confess up. If all the depressed folk, will cheer up.

[40:37] If all the gossipers, will shut up. I like that one. If all the true soldiers, will stand up. If all the dry bones, will shake up.

[40:49] If all the church members, will pray up. Then, we can have revival. True, isn't it? We've been talking about a reviving of God's life. Where is that life?

[41:00] It's in the Word. It's in the Word. It tells of the Word of God, but the Word of God is quick. You could describe it as living, alive. It's quick. It's powerful.

[41:11] Sharper than any two-edged sword. Piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit. And of the joints and marrow. And is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

[41:23] Do we have a love for the Word of God? A love for the Word. Here's a preacher of renown, Spurgeon. He says, Let me bid you, instead of grumbling at your minister, instead of finding fault with the different parts of the church, to cry, O Lord, revive thy work.

[41:43] We do not want fresh ministers or fresh plans or fresh ways, though many might be invented to make the church better. We only want life in what we have got.

[41:54] Cry, O Lord, revive thy work. Keep to the old plan, but get life in it. We do not want anything new. The old is better.

[42:05] Let us keep to it, but we want life in the old. End quote. Good quotes there, isn't it? To think, O Lord, revive thy work. It's about God reviving, God's life.

[42:15] And it's as we seek his face. It tells about seeking his face. This is true Bible Christianity, a reviving of old-fashioned doctrine of personal holiness, to have that longing for holy living, to be a holy people, that one day we will be a church without spot or wrinkle.

[42:34] Friends, for the meantime, it seems like we've lost the glow somewhat. It tells in the holy book that they went everywhere preaching the word. They had a powerhouse. They had the upper room.

[42:45] They had the holy place. Christ will help us to have his life, his passion. What does God say that he will do? It says that he will work.

[43:00] Then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. As we seek after God, he's going to do a work in us that lives can be changed.

[43:11] There's going to be forgiveness and healing. Of course, we know it's through the cross, that salvation. We have that, that forgiveness, that grace. Yet there's a calling to God's people here.

[43:24] There's a calling to God's people to move forward in faith, to be that soul-saving station. We can be a rescue mission right here on the devil's front doorsteps.

[43:35] We can be that rescue mission. We can be an oasis for the weary travellers of life, a shelter for the storm-tossed, a place where God is, a place of healing and deliverance.

[43:48] I had contact with a woman who was struggling with abuse that she suffered. There's healing. There's healing, people. There's healing.

[43:58] We need to be the people that love the abused, love the hurting, love those that need healing. They're all around us. We need to be the people that love them for Jesus.

[44:09] It's been rightly said that a revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God. I think that's a good quote too, isn't it? How would you rate your obedience level, as it were?

[44:20] Not that we're putting a yoke on anyone, but could we obey God more than we do? Do we mean business with God? Are we taking it seriously, our faith?

[44:32] Have we got a hunger for His Word? It's the Word of life. There's life in His Word. Will we truly seek after God and His ways? How's our devotion to God? Our Lord admonished the church in Ephesus, Revelation 2, 4, Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

[44:53] Remember, therefore, from whence thou art fallen and repent, and do the first works. He called for a change of mind. He called for a refreshing, a returning to the first love.

[45:07] He called for a doing of works. How's our love? Can we rekindle it for our Lord? That relationship, He's our first love. He should be our first and foremost love.

[45:18] Is He? How's that devotion looking? Can we immerse ourselves in His Word? Tells that the Word of God is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path.

[45:30] He wants us to love His Word. If we love Him, we'll love His Word. We'll want it. Take opportunity to come and hear it, or at least tune in and catch it, the Word of God, that you'll be fed with its truths as you'll study it in your home time, in your personal time.

[45:48] Obedience. Jones 1, 22 tells us, But be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. God wants us to practically apply His Word.

[46:04] When we're looking for answers, when we're looking for His will, when we're looking for decisions to make, this is the source that helps us to find it. It's His Word.

[46:14] And let's believe God to revive us, that we be that godly community He wants us to be, to seek His face, to seek His face. And we can be that revived church such that at our gathering times together, there'll be that provoking unto love and to good works.

[46:31] There'll be that growing together, that exhorting one another. As we see the day approaching, so much the more. as we pray earnestly for revival, not just for ourselves, but our families, for our nation, our community, our church.

[46:48] May God revive us again. May God revive us again so that His people may rejoice in Him. May our love shine brightly for His glory.

[46:58] Friends, it's conditional. If. That's a big word. If, isn't it? If. My people. We can know God's life, God's joy, God's power, God's grace, God's refreshing, God's reviving again.

[47:17] O Lord, revive us again that Thy people may rejoice in Thee. Lord, we praise You for these truths of Your Word. We know these words were for Israel.

[47:29] And yet, we can think it's the same heart that You have for we, Your people, in this time, in this place, in this world, in this community.

[47:41] Lord, You want us to get humble, to get right, to get things sorted. Help us, Lord, that we'll see our need of You, that we'll let go of our own fleshly self-will, our own self-sufficiency, that we'll humble ourselves, that we'll pray, we'll be a prayerful people, Lord, will depend upon You in prayer.

[48:02] We'll ask You for Your will to be done. We'll ask You for Your kingdom to come. We'll ask You, Lord, to be glorified in us. Lord, that we'll turn from our wicked ways.

[48:14] Lord, if there's any wickedness, if there's any laxity, any lukewarmness, any backsliding, Lord, point it out to us, search us, Lord, that we can confess that to You.

[48:27] and know Your healing, Your forgiveness, Lord, know Your grace, that we'll seek Your face, Lord, that we'll seek Your face, earnestly so, that we'll seek You with an earnestness, that we'll diligently want to seek Your face, Lord, to seek Your will.

[48:46] Lord, help us to be a people that cares about Your truth, that cares about souls. Lord, revive us again. Help us, Lord, where we've fallen short, that You'll lift us back on track.

[48:59] Help us, Lord, to be refired, refreshed, revived, Lord, that we can have a stronger faith, a deeper walk, that You'll be glorified in Your church, we pray in Jesus' precious name.

[49:10] Amen. Amen.