REVIVE US AGAIN!
Revive us again!
Fill each heart with Thy Love!
May each soul be rekindled with Fire from Above!
Hallelujah, Thine the glory! Hallelujah, Amen!
Hallelujah, Thine the glory! Revive us again!
Clem Thurman
writes in Gospel Minutes Sept. 27, 2002: “Some folk, faced with the conditions
as they are in the world today, are led to believe that ‘Christianity has
failed.’ Even among those who are
supposed to be Christians, many are ready to give up on ‘the law of the Spirit
of life’ (Romans 8:2) as a world-changing movement, claiming that the gospel
will just not fit the complex issues of our society today.”
The Lord’s
church has existed since Pentecost in Acts ch 2. But over the centuries there have been times
of revival and renewal, movements, brotherhoods, and difficulties - all within
the Lord’s church. Note the “church of God ”
at Corinth
The Lord’s
church is indestructible!!! Even the
gates of hell cannot prevail against her!!!
Yet individual churches are only one generation away from extinction,
and the local church may lose her candlestick [Revelation 2:5]. But our Lord is always n control. HE opens doors which no man can shut.
"And to
the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is
holy, He who is true, "He who
has the key of David, He who
opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens": I know
your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it;
for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.” Rev 3:7-8
The Church is
continually in need of "times of refreshing from the Lord." Satan does his worst to discourage us and to
send us down "blind alleys" to turn our attention away from Jesus
Christ and Him Crucified. Note Paul in 1
Corinthians 1:10-31. We need revival and
renewal to fill our hearts with the love of Christ [Romans 5:5]. This gives us hope, and hope is the anchor of
the soul! Peter proclaimed: "Repent
therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of
refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." [Acts 3:19]
But the devil
does his worst. Whenever revival comes,
the devil works to oppose it. He tries
to convince good people that the revival is sinful and that these things are of
the devil. Note how the Pharisees spoke
of Jesus in Matthew 12:24.
“Then one was
brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so
that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. And all the multitudes
were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?" Now
when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not
cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."
Matt
12:22-24
Jesus said
they were in danger of the unpardonable sin, verse 32. But it is the Lord who opens doors that no
one can shut (Revelation 3:7-8). In
opposing “revival” we could be opposing God.
And now I say to you, keep away from these
men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come
to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it--lest you even
be found to fight against God." Acts 5:38-39
Sometimes
honest and sincere brethren will differ over what to them is a matter of
"The Faith." Note Romans
14. We are to welcome all the Lord's
followers - even those whose faith is weak, as Paul says. We are not to spend our time arguing with
them over their concerns. We are to love
them and help them. Yet of course our own freedom is not limited by what others
think.
"Conscience," I say, not your own,
but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man's
conscience? But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the
food over which I give thanks? Therefore, whether you eat or drink,
or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Cor 10:29-31
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