Truth and Revival (part 5)

Let no one suppose that in this series I am advocating that we may have Revival by reason of our own goodness.  I acknowledge that I have placed a great deal of emphasis upon the necessity for us diligently to study to discern truth from error, and to apply ourselves to render wholehearted obedience to the Word and will of God.  All of which, however, I insist is to reverence God in His Word; it is to humble ourselves and to seek the face of God, and to turn from our own wicked ways so that we may make "straight paths for our feet" and, so, prepare the way of the Lord into our own hearts.  In short, our seeking earnestly to restore Truth and, then, to insist upon our obedience to that: according to my best understanding of the Word of God, that is what it means to repent and to return unto the Lord.

We find ourselves living, as best we know how, as followers of Jesus Christ ~ in the midst of the Great Apostasy; which is spoken of in Scripture as being one of the most important signs of the soon-coming of our Lord.  We have all of us been adversely affected in some measure, by reason that we are surrounded with, and bombarded by, the perverse ideas and symbols and practices of a culture which has utterly rejected the truth of God.  As Christians, we live amongst a nation whose social institutions including its government, its schools, and yes, even for most part its churches, have embraced a self-centered and God-less philosophy.

It is an exceedingly wicked generation in which we live.  Thus, it is a far more dangerous time than we may suppose. 

In my own writings and teaching, I have labored to expose the evil nature and the vast scope of the Apostasy; and, to show how that affects the ministry of the Gospel in America.  But how effectual can the preaching of the Gospel be, to bring an apostate generation to repentance: seeing, that the Church itself stands in desperate need of Revival?

Jesus Christ, through the agency and ministry of the Holy Ghost, is the power of Revival.  Our warfare to restore Truth; and, our efforts to break up the fallow ground of our own heart; and, our earnest prayers to God: all of that amounts to our seeking God for Revival.  It is we the people of God, who, as the result of long years of carelessness and neglect, have strayed from the paths of righteousness and thus did we distance ourselves from the presence and the favor, of God.  Now, we must return to Him.  And I have found that returning ~ as a people ~ is not a simple matter at all.

When it has happened that an entire generation has been tempted and led astray from God, it may then be the case that God, in mercy, will awaken and stir up the hearts of some within that generation to return to the Lord in truth.  What a task is thus set before them!  For, not only must those individuals first labor to discover by what means, by what falsehoods and temptations, they with their generation have been deceived and led astray (which is no simple nor easy task).  But then those same individuals must find themselves striving to live in keeping with those principles of godliness ~ that is, with those very ideals which their own generation rejected and turned away from.  How, then, shall a godly remnant persuade their cohort to return, again, to walk in paths of truth and righteousness?  Their exemplary lives likely will not suffice to convince many others to follow their example: for, the lives of such Reformers are characterized by suffering rejection and persecution.

They have no other recourse but to go, weeping, to God in prayer, to plead with Him to pour out His Spirit ~ and by the power of the Holy Ghost to turn the hearts of their fellow Christians to cease from loving the world so much as they do, and to fear, again, the Lord ~ in light of the perfect holiness of God, and in full view of the very soon-coming of Christ.

Revival, real Revival, is very costly indeed.  For, it entails seeking ~ in the midst of a culture of unfaithfulness and unbelief, to be filled with faith and hope; and, seeking not only to have Light sufficient for oneself but, moreover, somehow to shine brightly enough that others may see clearly a path whereby they too may return unto God.  Keeping faith with God for Revival ~ when Revival is generally so little understood and it is not much wanted, even by many who profess to love Jesus Christ, is a continual struggle.

Knowledge truly is needful to Revival.  But knowledge is not Revival.  Knowledge of God’s Word should lead us to humility and to deep repentance; and repentance, to earnest prayer; and prayer, to Revival.

Revival is the highest, most valuable thing which can be desired of God, this side of Heaven.  For, Revival is nothing else but the manifest Presence of God come very near.  We must not cheapen our estimation of the value and, thus, of the cost of God’s Presence for Revival.

We, the Church of God, are the Light of the world.  Therefore, we have a solemn responsibility to reach this generation not merely with a message, but with demonstration of the power of the living God.  God has spoken.  And He has provided, in the Person of His Son Jesus Christ, all power in heaven and in earth, to the Church.  But God is not the God of compromise and lukewarmness; He is the God of truth and faithfulness.

Will we now humble ourselves before God and repent of our prayerlessness and of our carelessness in so many other ways?  Will we truly set our faces like a flint, to seek unto God for true Revival?  God is waiting for us.  And the hour is very, very late.

Wherefore, as the Apostle James, by the Holy Ghost, hath written unto us:

“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God  Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.  Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.  Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.  Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.