A prayer for revival

Deuteronomy 3; Psalm 85; Isaiah 31; Revelation 1

The church is in a precarious time. We have a God-given mandate to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth yet many segments of the church have failed. Even those whose goals match God’s goals are severely persecuted and some simply give up or go into hiding. I know this generalizes the problems, yet many agree that we need restoration and a return to our mandate.

Isaiah warned God’s people in his day and continues to do so. He says:

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord! And yet he is wise and brings disaster; he does not call back his words but will arise against the house of the evildoers and against the helpers of those who work iniquity. The Egyptians are man, and not God, and their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand, the helper will stumble, and he who is helped will fall, and they will all perish together. (Isaiah 31:1–3)

Egypt suggests bondage, slavery to sin — a life of doing my own thing and not relying on God. God says those who do that, even though their abilities may seem very strong, will find themselves in trouble. The biggest problem is when I do things “the way I’ve always done them” I’m often not aware that I’ve slipped away from listening to and following the Lord. It isn’t that my way is overtly bad or stands out as rebellion but that I have not consulted the Lord who rules the world. In the same way, when the church becomes a social club, or anything other than what God intended, we need revival.

If I have ever thought or said that I don’t know how to pray for revival, Lord forgive me. The instruction is in Your Word. This psalm is my prayer:

Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. Selah You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger. Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly. Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky. Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way. (Psalm 85:1–13)

In the last book of the Bible, Jesus reveals Himself and future events to the Apostle John who was exiled for his faith. John wrote this Revelation to the church then and to the church today. He pointed us to this hope:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:4–8)

APPLY: No one knows when Jesus will return. All I know is that I’d rather He not find me doing my own thing, messing around with stuff that has no eternal value, and ignoring His voice, replacing obedience with frivolity. He is the Lord God, the Almighty who rules over all. May I listen and obey, be part of what He wants done rather than opt for anything else. Jesus, enable me to glorify You today.

 

What about revival?

Numbers 36; Psalm 80; Isaiah 28; 2 John

From a recent news item, George Barna of The Barna Group (USA) says only 6% of adults today have a biblical worldview. He also says the church has "gotten off the path" God intended for it. At the same time, the leader of this well-known Christian polling organization is convinced that radical revival can still happen. Most Christians would agree; nothing is impossible for God. However, Barna says this will not be “executed by the church as a whole” but through a remnant of those who are totally sold out to Christ. He believes God will use a small group to radically change American culture and bring glory to God who richly deserves it.

The psalmist speaks of this kind of restoration for ancient Israel. He asks the Lord to restore and save them from the calamity that destroyed these once flourishing people. He rightly realizes that a revival depends on the work of God:

Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved! O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure. You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved! (Psalm 80:3–7)

At the end of his prayer, he speaks of the nation as God’s son. Today’s readers could easily assume he is talking about Jesus, God’s Son who is at the core of the church and God’s saving power:

But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself! Then we shall not turn back from you; give us life, and we will call upon your name! Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved! (Psalm 80:17–19)

I notice the psalmist realized that the power of God must first go to work. Their salvation depends on Him even though they are accountable for their failures. His plea is based on God’s restoring power. Without it, he knows they are helpless and will not be heard.

Isaiah presents another aspect of this challenge. The people in his day were stubborn and more interested in revelry than honoring God. God reached out to them but they refused to listen to Him and His messenger. When they responded this way, Isaiah told them:

Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement, when the overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter”; therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’ And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter.” Then your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be beaten down by it. As often as it passes through it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be sheer terror to understand the message. (Isaiah 28:15–19)

In other words, those who refuse to listen will suffer dire consequences and not even realize what is happening to them. It happened then; will it happen today? It could.

My thoughts go to “Blessed are the poor in spirit” and “blessed are the meek.” No one likes to feel the poverty of not being what God created us to be or the meekness that goes with that helplessness. This applies also to Christians. We are reborn and given new life in Christ, but that new life is not like a genie in a bottle. He works in us as He pleases, expecting our cooperation but we cannot push a button and make it happen. That is certainly true when it comes to revival.

God impresses me with the need in the world and the need in my own life. This is worthless unless I respond with a contrite heart and a willingness to do what He says about what He has shown me. Because a contrite heart is also “poor in spirit” and “meek” it is difficult to go there. Life has been comfortable. Most Christians want it to stay that way, not volunteer for helpless dependency on God for every detail of life. However, that is what God uses, particularly when it comes to revival.

Will revival happen? Barna hopes so. Many pastors are preaching that direction. My friends want it too. But am I willing to go there, to feel the need so deeply that I yield much of my waking hours to pray like the writer of Psalm 80 prayed?

APPLY: God keeps stirring my heart to listen and obey. I feel like I’m hidden in His hand but at the same time realize that like a sword, He can put me in His scabbard or throw me at His enemies. Either way, I’m to go willingly.

 

Do my prayers affect God’s judgment on sin?

It was very early in the morning when I read my Bible today. After that, we left for a funeral in a city that is more than two hours from here. The weather is cold and although our vehicle is reliable and has an amazing heater, I was not looking forward to five hours of driving.

The funeral is for a Christian friend who died from a brain tumor. He knew it was terminal for the past couple of years yet remained calm that his doctors could not remove the tumor and calm about his impending death. Knowing he would be with Jesus was his comfort. He leaves a wonderful wife, four adult children and their spouses, and several grandchildren.

As I read about the end of this world as we know it, his same anticipation should be in my heart. Those who know Jesus will see Him face to face. Yet at the same time, I am in an awe that is hard to describe because the wrath of God against sin is a serious and horrible series of events. It began in chapter six and continues almost to the end of this book called The Revelation.

Several years ago while reading the main section of Revelation, it came to me that the seven seals were a beginning of the Lord’s judgment. Then the seventh seal introduced another series of seven, this time trumpets, and then the seventh trumpet introduced seven bowls. Today I read that others understand these descriptions the same way I do. The trumpets do not double back over the seals, nor do the bowls of wrath double back over the seal and trumpet judgements.

One theologian says: “The series of three sevens are really included in one series of seven, that is, the seven trumpets are included under the seventh seal and the seven bowls are included under the seventh trumpet, so that we have in fact a single series in three movements.”

That is, the seventh seal includes all the events from chapter 8 to 19:10. This affirmation is helpful, but the scenes that unfolded before John are not pretty.

What startles me today is that the prayers of God’s people are tied to His judgments in some way . . .

When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:1–5)

As the seven angels blow their trumpets, it seems that some of this is connected to our prayers. Is it prayer for relief during persecutions in those days? Or asking His mercy on all those who experience these events? These verses say “all the saints” so what do all of us pray for? Is it justice on the earth? The end of our battle with sin? Whatever it is, the prayers go to God and the next events are not what most of us expect:

The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter. The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night. Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!” (Revelation 8:7–13)

I’m stopping here. One third of nearly everything is being destroyed or ruined in some way, yet this is not the end of it.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus, while I hate sin and the way many people mock You, yet this scene is severe and devastating. It challenges me to pray and to think about how You could answer my prayers. It also gives me something to think about. How do I regard sin, death and the fate of those who do the mocking? Show me how to pray regarding this revelation of Your response to the prayers of Your people.  

Today’s thankful list . . .

- Your grace for salvation and protection.

- the blessing of a God-honoring celebration of our friend’s life and Your blessing on his family.

- safety on the road to and from today’s funeral.

- challenges to live a good life and die well.