Will God Send Another Great Awakening?

[b]Will God Send Another Great Awakening?[/b]

[i]The Church needs something different. Something that brings the body of Christ back to God in a simple yet effective way.

by Daina Doucet[/i]

What is the greatest need in the Church today?

"I think it's to realize the absolute desperate need for God to bring revival," says Greg Gordon, founder of [url=https://www.sermonindex.net]https://www.sermonindex.net[/url] and the current intern executive director of the Canadian Revival Fellowship [url=http://www.revivalfellowship.com]http://www.revivalfellowship.com[/url] . "Also for churches to rely again on prayer," he adds. "That need is beyond desperate. So few churches dedicate meetings to prayer and intercession these days. Anyone can talk about what's wrong with the Church, but someone's got to bring a solution."

For the past three years, Gordon has been trying to bring a solution. Something "different." He has organized seven Revival Conferences with an "emphasis on revival without entertainment and commercialism" in the USA, Wales, Ireland, Nepal and now Canada. The first of this year's Revival Conferences will be in Victoria, British Columbia, at the Victoria First Church of the Nazerene, from Tuesday June 8 to Thursday June 10 with a preceding all-day prayer event on June 7, "especially so ministry leaders and pastors can attend."

With Christendom inundated with more than 10,000 conferences a year world-wide, how is another conference "different?" There is no cost to attend. No materials will be sold. No big bands. No emphasis on money. "The conference will focus on glorifying God. The speakers will come on their own accord trusting God for provision. The event will be simple, apostolic - yearning for a genuine biblical revival in our day."

So far Revival Conferences have attracted as many as 1000 pastors and ministry leaders per event, many of whom are personally revived. "Sin is confessed, pride is humbled, hope is renewed, prayer is kindled. But also there is a great expectation of a divine visitation from God and that our prayers will ignite a larger work in Canada so many souls can come into His kingdom."

Speakers at the Victoria event will be from a broad Evangelical background. Charles Price, the keynote speaker, is a television host, and pastor of Peoples' Church in Toronto. Other speakers are Clayton Dougan, an evangelist with the Brethren churches, Don Mclure of the Calvary Chapel movement, Richard Sipley a veteran team member with the Canadian Revival Fellowship, Mark Greening who emerged as "fruit" of the 1970 revival in Saskatoon and Andrew Strom, a representative of the prophetic movement from New Zealand.

"We hear much talk of revival and the excitement involved, but people who come to these conferences want to see a biblical, genuine revival come," says Gordon. "I believe these conferences will cause people to see that we must repent and come back to God. God will meet us and revive us!" It may seem impossible, he says, but he is hopeful. "We serve a God of impossibilities! We can have revival in Canada where millions come to Christ. And we can believe for it."

The Victoria Revival Conference will be held at the, "Victoria First Church Of The Nazerene" 4277 Quadra St, Victoria, BC and is open to everyone. Call to register freely and with questions: 1-800-273-7273

[i]Daina Doucet is a writer and editor based in Hamilton, Ontario. She edits the website, Christianity.ca [url=http://www.christianity.ca]http://www.christianity.ca[/url] for The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.[/i]

God will send another "Great Awakening" when His people wake up to the uncleanness of their ways before him, some of which this very article reflects.

"I think it's to realize the absolute desperate need for God to bring revival," says Greg Gordon, founder of https://www.sermonindex.net and the current intern executive director of the Canadian Revival Fellowship http://www.revivalfellowship.com .

When people are introduced along with things which act as qualifications or credentials, they demonstrate a type of pride which acts as a hinderance to the very thing which they are trying to see accomplished. A truly spiritual man or woman has no need for anyone to introduce them in such a way. A truly spiritual man/woman only wants to be known as a brother or sister and relies upon grace and truth to work for them. What this quote demonstrates is te need to promote the speaker, in this case Greg Gordon as someone to take seriously because he's the founder of sermonindex and the executive director of the Canadian Revival Fellowship.

A second point which must be pointed out is that whenever men take to forming their own organizations and attaching their own particular franchise name to it, for instance the "Canadian Revival Fellowship", they can't possibly expect to receive God's full blessing because they're demonstrating an aspect of the very same spirit which the institutionalized system demonstrates.

For the past three years, Gordon has been trying to bring a solution. Something "different." He has organized seven Revival Conferences with an "emphasis on revival without entertainment and commercialism" in the USA, Wales, Ireland, Nepal and now Canada. The first of this year's Revival Conferences will be in Victoria, British Columbia, at the Victoria First Church of the Nazerene, from Tuesday June 8 to Thursday June 10 with a preceding all-day prayer event on June 7, "especially so ministry leaders and pastors can attend."

With Christendom inundated with more than 10,000 conferences a year world-wide, how is another conference "different?" There is no cost to attend. No materials will be sold. No big bands. No emphasis on money. "The conference will focus on glorifying God. The speakers will come on their own accord trusting God for provision. The event will be simple, apostolic - yearning for a genuine biblical revival in our day."

How can one bring something which one doesn't have or in this case fully comprehend? Did God bring change through specially organized conferences?

What many people don't understand is that charging for admission, materials, large bands, and the like are only symptoms of an underlying spiritual problem. If one takes away the symptoms but the disease stills remains, the end result will still be death.

So far Revival Conferences have attracted as many as 1000 pastors and ministry leaders per event, many of whom are personally revived. "Sin is confessed, pride is humbled, hope is renewed, prayer is kindled. But also there is a great expectation of a divine visitation from God and that our prayers will ignite a larger work in Canada so many souls can come into His kingdom."

And still there has been no change. Why is that? Could it be that these people are only superficially 'revived'? Could it be these people have only been superficially 'humbled'? Could it be that these people's prayers are being hindered by their own sins, (unintentional as they may be) and unknowing allegiances to the same spiritual corruption which they are trying to overcome?

Speakers at the Victoria event will be from a broad Evangelical background. Charles Price, the keynote speaker, is a television host, and pastor of Peoples' Church in Toronto. Other speakers are Clayton Dougan, an evangelist with the Brethren churches, Don Mclure of the Calvary Chapel movement, Richard Sipley a veteran team member with the Canadian Revival Fellowship, Mark Greening who emerged as "fruit" of the 1970 revival in Saskatoon and Andrew Strom, a representative of the prophetic movement from New Zealand.

Any gathering which feels the need to invite 'special guest speakers' demonstrates the need to give itself respectability, as well as demonstrating carnal thinking. Furthermore, each and everyone of these guest speakers are actually representatives of the very things which the Lord finds to be unclean; sectarianism, control, spiritual pride, and hypocrisy. Not one of these people, not one, are right before the Lord. Can't any of you see why?

"We hear much talk of revival and the excitement involved, but people who come to these conferences want to see a biblical, genuine revival come," says Gordon. "I believe these conferences will cause people to see that we must repent and come back to God. God will meet us and revive us!" It may seem impossible, he says, but he is hopeful. "We serve a God of impossibilities! We can have revival in Canada where millions come to Christ. And we can believe for it."

These 'conferences' will never cause people to repent until these people actually understand what it is they need to repent of themselves. These people have already met God, but for one reason or another have strayed away from Him in various ways. He will never, never be able to use people such as these while they are walking according to their own ways. There may be lots of emotional hype surrounding these meetings, but no real change will come out of them until the participants become willing to leave all of their dross behind.

What is truly needed in order for a "Great Awakening" to occur is for people who have been truly chosen, trained, matured, equipped, and sent for this very thing to be revealed and recognized.

My sincerest hope is that what I've shared will be unbiasedly examined and the truth will be applied.

I'm not saying that anyone of them aren't in the faith, but I am saying that at the very least they all have a mixture of carnality and even unclean allegiances in their walks.

What do they need to repent of? Pride, sectarianism, desire for the limelight, personal kingdom building, and hypocrisy. Now I'm sure that they all truly do desire to serve the Lord, but because they have such a mixture they don't really know how. If they did, there would be change, and such a change that it would be like wildfire burning across the globe.

Instead of praying for revival, what they need to be praying for is correction and cleansing. Then they will all be used in a much greater way.

Will God Send Another Great Awakening?

Yes, He is. His people need to be corrected and taught in order to prepare for the times which are coming to the world.

If you look at the New Testament, you find that with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the move of God was the order of the day.

If you look at the New Testament, you find that with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the move of God was the order of the day.

But when one looks at the whole of Scripture, it becomes clear that only when the people put away their idols and turned back to God that He rewarded them with favor. The people then, as now, had to return to following Him as He commanded. But just as the people of Israel forgot the ways of the Lord, so to have His people of today lost much of the understanding of Him and His ways which were once known.

God's desire is to see the manifestation of the son's of God all over the earth. He desires "revival" and "awakening" more than we can fathom desiring it. God desires to use us in the same way He has used great men and women of God who have seen the His power manifest in great ways in the past.But He works as His Holy Spirit moves through man. He uses us.

This is truth. He has always desired for us to walking in Him. Not just for periods of time, but a sustained walk as an example to the world around us. It wasn't He who withdrew from us, it was us who withdrew from Him; His ways, His commands, His examples. He can't and won't dwell in the midst of a people who are unclean, whether through ignorance or rebellion.

I don't think we are waiting on God. I think He is waiting on us. I don't think we need to convince Him to do anything.I don't think we need to convince Him to do anything. He did it through Christ and through sending the comforter.

In a fashion you're correct. We have been shown the Way through His Son and through His Holy Spirit, but as His people of old, quickly after the apostles died, people started twisting and changing things until we have what we see today. He is waiting on us, but at the same time He has a plan for this hour which He's unfolding, too. Many have recognized the birth pangs of it already, yet still don't recognize the magnitude of what He's going to do. He knows that His people don't understand or fully recognize what it is that they're doing wrong. In His mercy and grace, He will show us. In fact, He has already shown us much of what displeases Him. But it's His people who've refused to change. When we move towards Him, He moves towards us.

I think He needs to convince us to lay before Him, allowing Him to change us and to make us more usable.

This is definitely a part of it.

Great post, Travis. You're on the right track.

Blessings and hugs.

Ezra 8:21,22

The Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of pentecost and He has never been retracted. God's desire to see people come to Him and to see His people's hearts on fire for Him never varies or wanes. If that be the case, then we are the limiting factor, not God. So to cry out to Him to send another great awakening, to me, is not scriptural. To cry out for Him to do a work in me so that I can be a usable conduit through which the power of His Holy Spirit can flow to minister, to cry out that I might be on fire, to repent where I need to and run to Him is what needs to happen. This is not because He somehow sees the gesture and when it is sufficient pours out, but rather because His Holy Spirit can now flow through me more freely.

Exactly! But then the question remains, what are the things which His people are doing which are impeding the flow of His Holy Spirit, what sins are His people walking in? Obviously, there is much which must be corrected and restored so instead of a great awankening or revival shouldn't they be praying for correction and restoration and be willing to recieve it?

Ps. 42:1-2

This thread has been watched from inception, usually in the Spirit, but always prayerfully.

Many good points are made, and it is hard to see how anything done Godward could be wrong, however, the state of the church-(that term is loosely applied)- in both continents of the Americas, for the most part, is heading in the wrong direction.

Even as Judgement begins in the house of God, so the state of the nations indicates little of any revival consistent with prayers here.

Pockets of revival, even on a state or country wide scale is not the outpouring, i dare say, that any of what we who are praying for desire.

Talk with many believers here and abroad is indicative of that statement.

Personally, revival is looked at as "on a heart by heart basis" , eventually creating a cumulative effect. The scriptures state this plainly in the fact of "one shall put a thousand to flight, and two ten-thousand."
( It has been thought that this is the reason for the effectiveness of conferences, crusades, churches, etc...)

In regards to the idea of idolatry being the source of keynote speakers in conferences, it is possible, however this often is not usually the case, especially in settings where there is revelation towards repentance, prayer, and seeking God's face. (If an event/proceedings remain unannounced, there are very few who are spiritual enough to discern that God wants them to be at that a certain place at a certain time.)

This lack of discernment is what actually indicates idolatry.

(this has been a source of God's leadings for me to study of late. You might possibly note it's influence in the threads responded to by Phanetheus. Though all the ducks are not in a row yet,freely given is what God has revealed clearly.)

STUMBLING BLOCKS

Ezekiel 14:
3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?

4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.

--------------------------

Stumblingblock is just another way of saying idol, and idolatry is the process by which this occurs.

This is the source of all iniquity, ie., disobeying God's teaching of the Law.
Mt. 7:22,23,24

The process by which this comes about is called wickedness, which comes basically from three Hebrew root words, explained as follows:

1)>(The blinding of the eyes)
Rationalization-considering what you think greater than God's will and ways... LEAD TO

2)>(the deafening of the ears)
Imagining-(according to those rationalizations)-develops feelings that cause us to think, creating intentions...LEADING TO

3)>(a hardening heart, eventually engrossed in fat)
Speaking and Doing (according to what is rationalized and imagined),

Gen. 6:5,6,7--in these verses we see the process where man abandons God, and judgement falls.

Brother Paul spoke plainly of this in the first chapter of Romans. (please note that even as wickedness is a three step process, so is judgement. Romans chapter one indicates the end result of this 3 step process in three statements that "God gave them up/over to" but all under Gods's wrath, mentioned at the onset of this fall into 'reprobation': Rom. 1:18,24,27,28:
vv.18-24 are step 1)
vv.25-27 are step 2)
vv.28-2:1 speak of step 3.) as a (being) set (in/) of a way established.

Step 1.) & 2.) comprise coveteousness
Step 3.) is the outworking of the e(motionally)-vil(e) (to God and the godly).

These things happen first with the individual.
They then permeate the individuals sphere of influence.
They then travel and cover the land in which they live.

This is why any peole, city, nation is judged and eventually obliterated.

--------------------------
For him who has eyes to see, read into this:

H onestly
O penly
T ransparently

The Lord told me to go talk to a brother here, whom He has put on my heart to pray in regards towards for quite some time-9 months. At the time the praying was instructed, i was asking the Lord "why, this guys more solid than me."

The Spirit told me "do not let words fool you."

So both things have been done, as instructed.

In conversation, he talked about sin, and was trying to confess to me about it all...
(...long before he started blabbering tearfully, Lord had already shown me his sin , the root of the problem, and the solution.) My Brother was reminded that stealing a paperclip is as much of an abomination to God as even the most vile practice. Sin is sin, and that is between Jesus and him. I told him as well, "i am not your Priest!..much less, High Priest."

I talked with him about the work God wanted to do through him, and he told me he knew.

Then he again began weeping and an arm was put over his shoulder, and he was comforted with these words" _______, you are no worse than any other human on the face of this earth. We all stand condemned before God, and only your relationship with Jesus can straighten that out.

He then started in,"if you only knew the..."

He was cut short per instruction with these words,
"You have not murdered anybody, but, you are destroying yourself, You ask God how can you do what he has called you to with that one certain sin in your life. Listen, sin is sin, and as long as we are in the flesh, sin is a law in our members. It's in your nature, Do you realize that by focusing on your sin, you are not even pointing out your own problem? You are committing idolatry by focusing on and praying to God about your sin. Brother, you must fix your sight on the author and finisher of our faith, specifically, when he cried out, "it is finished". You will not walk in the power of His Spirit until you do."

He said he knew; but, he never thought about the idolatry of it all. I told Him that God loves him so much and yet he is turning his attention to the evil that he does, still forgetting the source of the nature to do this, as well as the solution to the problem.

I told him i loved him, and that he could call me or come over any time. Any time he needs anything, it's his.

I walked away.

He was too shook up to say anything more at that point.

I asked the Lord if there was anything else, and was told to go.

i said, " DONE!" and walked home.

Since then, this brother and i will spend much time in bible study and prayer together. WE learn alot in cohesive entertainment of what God says. we continue to see great things God does from whenever we bow down worshipping Jesus together and prayer to our Heavenly Father.
---------------------------------

It should not be said there is so much idolatry in any conference, church meeting, etc. as there is in our own hearts intentions and attitudes of "what's in it for me",
"my sin", "that message did not speak to me" etc.

The passage quoted only in a previous post must not have been looked into completely, nor ramifications considered:

Ezra 8:
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.

22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

The questions could be asked:

Has whatever Christian meeting attended become a sorry substitue for daily communion with God?

A relationship is growing perpetual conversation-(in the widest sense of the word)-between to parties.

Are you doing all the praying and not listening to Him?

Are you in the scriptures yet not looking to Him for the answers?

Have you hardened your heart from hearing and seeing because you rationalize, "oh, i know what that means"?

Acts 2:
38 Then Peter Spoke to them, "Repent and be immersed in the purpose, work, and authority of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall recieve the (charity) gift of the Holy Spirit.
(transliterate from gk./ see english literation Acts 2:38

Nobody has any room to be critical of anybody's obedience to God in ministry.
Get a grip: Let go, and let God...
Words can be dirt cheap.
Fight like a man of faith:
Do something about the problems you see:
get on your knees and pray.

Don't critique unless God has revealed to you the true picture for the purpose of correcting the problem.

?Focusing on flaws and glorifying what's wrong?
Fault finding is just another form of idolatry.

Do you not know that by our own words we are justified or condemned. In the same way a person criticizes any God ordained ministry, the same way we shall be critiqued by God over our own service.

What is the work of God for each of us?
Jn. 6:27, 28, 29

Fasting and praying are not the answer (in themselves),
to the problem:
seeking God's face,
relating with Jesus,
on His terms,
is.

More later,
gotta go!

Agape,
g
I Tim. 1:5,6

Edited: for literary ideosyncracies

The admonition was given to me first, and not near as tenderly worded as written here. Yet, this straight forthright manner of rebuke was requested of God long ago. (Since answered, it has always brought me straight to Him: on my face. It has prevented countless woes of chastisement other believers recieve. I also know that i know that He is always here with me, because in my flesh, i become a blundering idiot.)

[ my dad's comments to another about me, that was revealed second hand, seems to summarize 'my' way:
"He's smart as a whip,
but dumb as a post.
Polity is not his best suit.
Pray for Him
that he only speaks
as the Lord leads."

After writing on the WoF thread, i recieved the "spanking".

It was all about my fleshly attitude, manifested in calling it W.O.O.F.(tm), rather than Word of Faith.

All in all, the emphasis of God's message to me was that whatever type of movement or meeting in Christendom, there are always things wrong with them, that even the most spiritual do not even see into.

God uses us not because of what we do.

God uses us in spite of what we do.

It is when our heart is lifted up in thinking this is the "only" way, yet it is not in accord with His Word, things go awry.

In alignment with A.W. Tozer's statement that there need be reformation before revival:

If we do not come to purity of faith
in God's Word ALONE,
disgarding the rationalizations
and resulting traditions of man,
the presence and work of God
in peoples lives
remains limited to what has been
experienced, seen, and recorded
in the past.

If we are to be a glorious church
without spot or wrinkle,
we must
without exception,
lay aside our own thoughts and ways
and lift up
our great God
Lord
and King over all,
glorifying Him in His Greatest Glory:
the man
Jesus the Messiah.

Is. 55:6,7,8,9,11
Jn. 1:1,3:14,15

John 12:
12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

14 And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,

15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt.

16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

17 The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.

18 For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.

19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.

20 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:

21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,

40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

SEE

UNDERSTAND

BE CONVERTED

BE HEALED

Agape,
g
I Tim. 1:5
Acts 20:32ESV