Revival

October 31, 2011

Revival is not some emotion or worked-up excitement; it is rather an invasion from heaven which brings a conscious awareness of God.

– JE Orr –
Heart Cry for Revival, p. 48

October 25, 2011

All Christians are not in proper relationship with their Lord. The present obvious dearth of revival is largely due to the fact that the majority of Christians are out of touch with the source of Divine power. Even at conventions, the first work needed is to get things put right in the lives of those attending. To give a sick stomach an overdose of cream is to risk indigestion. Even a sick stomach prefers the taste of cream to the flavor of the bitter medicine. Still the bitter medicine is necessary, and it does not prevent the enjoying and digesting of good food afterwards-rather it creates the actual appetite of good health, which is quite distinct from the false cravings of indigestion.”

– J.E. Orr –

October 21, 2011

The popular notion that the first obligation of the church is to spread the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth is false. Her first obligation is to be spiritually worthy to spread it. Our Lord said “Go ye,” but He also said, “Tarry ye,” and the tarrying had to come before the going. Had the disciples gone forth as missionaries before the day of Pentecost it would have been an overwhelming spiritual disaster, for they could have done no more than make converts after their likeness, and this would have altered for the worse the whole history of the Western world and had consequences throughout the
ages to come.

– AW Tozer –
from Of God and Men, 35-37.

October 19, 2011

As long as Christians people can trust religious organization, material wealth, popular preaching, shallow evangelistic crusades and promotion drives, there will never be revival. But when confidence in the flesh is smashed, and the church comes to the realization of her desperate wretchedness, blindness and nakedness before God, then and only then will God breathe in. Yes, there must be the point of desperation but there must also be the point of intercession. Oh, that God would bring us to this place of intercession! We cannot think or talk, let alone taste of revival, without intercessory prayer. Indeed, the reason for an unrevived church in the last analysis is the sin of prayerlessness.

– Stephen Olford –

October 17, 2011

God is not dead. The gospel has lost none of its power. It is we Christians who have lost OUR power with God. God is able right now to give us the same times of blessing that He gave this church one hundred years ago—even greater! Are you willing to let God search your hearts to see that there are no sins which grieve God and keep back the blessing?”

From a sermon of the father of William Chalmers Burns preached at the gravesite of James Robe, whose pastoral efforts brought a great revival in Kilsyth Scotland in 1742

October 12, 2011

Recognizing and admitting sin is not enough – Revival must result in Reform – or it is merely the expression of enthusiasm.

– Arthur Wallis –

October 11, 2011

We are too busy to pray, and so we are too busy to have power. We have a great deal of activity, but we accomplish little; many services but few conversions; much machinery but few results.

– R. A. Torrey –

October 8, 2011

Be courageous, O Christian! Be not dispirited, as though your spiritual enemies could never be destroyed; THOU ART CHRIST’S, and sin has NO right to thee. You are able to overcome them not in your own strength – the weakest of them would be too much for you in that; but you can and SHALL overcome them by the blood of the Lamb. Do not ask, “How shall I dispossess them, for they are greater and mightier than I?” but GO to the Strong for strength, wait humbly upon God, and the mighty God of Jacob will surely come to the rescue, and you shall sing of victory through HIS GRACE!

Charles Spurgeon
from AMEN & AMEN!