THE NEED OF REVIVAL

God continues to speak and move me to seeking Him for revival. Today, the Spirit's presence was unusually powerful as I prayed in the sanctuary of our church. It's hard to describe His presence. Though He is always present, today was one of those days when His presence overwhelmed me. In Scripture it talks about Jesus "praying in the Spirit." I don't know if that is what I've been experiencing, but especially in my time of prayer I sense Him taking over my thoughts and leading me to pray His words. It is an incredible experience.

I continue to study and learn about revival. One of the things I came across is a list produced by Richard Owen Roberts, of signs that revival is needed. The full list contains 25 items; I've listed only 12 here (the numbers correspond to the orinal list). The full list can be found in Promise Keepers Becoming an Agent of Revival.

1. When prayer ceases to be a vital part of a professing Christian's life.
2. When the quest for biblical truth ceases and one grows content with knowledge of eternal things already aquired.
4. When earnest thoughts about eternal things ceases to be regular and gripping.
5. When services of the church lose their delights.
7. When sports, recreation and entertainment are a large and necessary part of your lifestyle.
8. When sins of the body and of the mind can be indulged without an uproar in your conscience.
10. When the acquisition of money and goods becomes a dominant part of your thinking.
11. When you can mouth religious songs and words without heart.
13. When you can watch degrading movies and television and read morally debilitating literature.
15. When the slightest excuse seems sufficient to keep you from spiritual duty and opportunity.
17. When you pardon your own sin and sloth by saying the Lord understands and remembers that we are dust.
25. When your tears are dried up and the hard, cold spiritual facts of your existence cannot unleash them.

I confess that more than a few of these items hit home. I need revival, and that is my prayer - Lord, send revival and let it begin in me!