Lots of talk and excitement about revival here on SI and all over the church world. And with the Revival Conference only a few days away (unfortunately I can't attend), I've been pondering the purpose, necessity, prospects, conditions and price of revival. In all that I keep harkening back to a quote concerning revival from a DeVern Fromke sermon...
"...and we read of the darkest hour in Israel's history during the period of the Judges. They cried out to the Lord, and with each new judge that He raised up there was a bit of revival, but I believe that this would teach us that mere reviving is not the real answer. God must awaken His people to be alive to His larger purpose, not merely awakenings and revivings for themselves."
...His larger purpose...
Oh how we need to be awakened and freed from our earth bound limits-always looking up to see how things relate to us. Jesus must lift us up to His perspective so that we see all things as they relate to Him. We desperately need the reality of these verses...
[i]Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
(Col 3:2-3 ESV)
[i]even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
(Eph 2:5-6 ESV)
Lord save us from mere revivalism and bring us beyond our natural ability to understand You and Your purposes for these days.
In Christ,
Ron