The Weekly SERMON
Volume No. 2010Issue No. 24Date July 18, 2010
Publication of the BIBLE BAPTIST MINISTRY, 48 Alexie Rd, Hanover Township, PA 18706
Phone: 570.829.5216
In Psalm 85:4-7 we read, “Wilt thou be angry with us forever? Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? Wilt thou not REVIVE US AGAIN: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.” In Psalm 80:3 we also read, “Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.”
Far too long we have played at just going to church. We have just gone through the motions of Christianity, singing a few songs, hearing a sermon, going to some church activity and then back home again with no change in our lives. Most of our talk is hot air, just religious talk, with no real substance. The price of playing Church has been costly:
Costly to the world that is WATCHING,
Costly to the teenagers, who are SEARCHING and
Costly to the families that are CRUMBLING.
Far too long we have been in the dry barren spiritual wilderness thinking this is what Christianity is all about, and not knowing we are thirsty for the real things of God. Someone said,"There is no doubt but that 99.99% of our trouble as Christians is that we are ignorant of God. We spend so much time in feeling our own pulse, considering our own needs and moods and producing results in the energy of the human flesh and wondering, If OUR GOD IS REAL." The cry of the Psalmist is found in Psalms 62:1-2, "O God, thou art my God,...my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee ...To see THY POWER AND THY GLORY, as I have seen Thee in the sanctuary."
When we are no longer Spirit filled, we need revival!
When we allow carnality to be the norm in our life, we need revival!
When we are no longer excited about the work of God, we need revival!
When we can find other things to do on Sunday, even one Sunday, and have no twinge of conscience about it, we need revival!
When we are bored at preaching time, we need revival!
When we carry no gospel tracts, give no witness and never win a soul to Christ, we need revival!
When we can spend our tithe at the mall and assume there are no consequences, we need revival!
When we lose our song and the joy is gone, we need revival!
When we sit, soak and sour week after week, we need revival!
When we can analyze everything and everybody, but yet we ourselves do nothing, we need revival!
Once again, let me say a few things in regard to our need of revival. If we would expect the Lord to “revive us again” then:
First: We must place our faith in God! In Psalms 121:1-2 we read, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. (2) My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.” When we have our faith in God that means we believe Him and we trust Him. Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
It is so basic to the matter that there simply is no other starting point. When you read the Word of
God-whether it is a promise, a warning or some other truth-accept it fully, acknowledge it as true and then act confidently upon it. That's faith, and it is the way we should live as we read in Romans 1:17, "The just shall live by faith"
Second: We must acknowledge our Need!When we are so full of ourselves that we think we can handle whatever comes up we are thereby unwise, indeed we are foolish. Prosperity, education, heritage, popularity and whatever else that may vie for our love and loyalty cannot meet muster in supplying our greatest needs. We need to remind ourselves of Philippians 4:19, “"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Let's be quick to admit our desperate need of God and our inability to manage ourselves. With our eyes lifted heavenward and our empty hearts turned upward, we bend our knees before the court of Heaven in full admission of our need.
Third:We must deal with Sin! When spiritual victory is absent, you can be confident that sin is present. In Isaiah 59:2 we read, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Sin stifles the flow of heavenly manna. Sin extinguishes the flame of God’s Holy Spirit burning within us. Sin destroys that which is holy. As Christians, we need to avail ourselves of the privilege of which we read in I John 1:9, 2:1-2, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.(2:1) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Fourth: We must warm up our walk with the Lord! Christians are supposed to pray and read their Bibles every day. Prayer is the vehicle that enabled me, as a Christian, to have a direct line of communication with my Heavenly Father. The Bible is the Word of God. It is where I learn what He wants to tell me.
When you get your prayer life and your Bible reading going right and you are in a good church where you will be taught and nurtured, it is then predictable that your walk with the Lord is going to warm up. No program, no plan, no event can do for you what getting your spiritual walk right will do. We must ever keep in mind Ephesians 5:18, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;…”
Fifth: We must give ourselves to know His Will! In Romans 12:1-2 we read, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Is prayer in the will of God?
Is Bible reading in the will of God?
Is church attendance in the will of God?
Is holy living in the will of God?
Is tithing in the will of God?
Is soul winning in the will of God?
Is separation from the world in the will of God?
If the answer to all of these questions is "yes" (and it is), then why are we waiting? Surrender
now! Yield yourself to His will! Forget your own ideas! Cut out the procrastination! Sign up by faith; then give yourself to His known will. If we resist His will or reject it altogether, there will be no revival!
Sixth: We must get to Work: In Matthew 4:19 we read, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Ephesians 5:16 tells us, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." And in II Corinthians 5:20 we read, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."
There is no revival going to come our way, no showers of blessings, no refreshing from above-unless we are ready to roll up our sleeves and go to work. Paul said in I Corinthians 4:2, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”The Lord has left us here to do His bidding. If we will not do it, why should He unload the blessings we crave?
Seventh: We must keep our eye on the Sky! In I John 3:1-2 we read, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (2) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”Living in anticipation of the Lord’s return turns up the spiritual temperature in any of us. As we look upward with a longing eye, we are motivated in living for Him.
The desire and the challenge of my heart is for an old fashioned GENUINE REVIVAL, that results in GODLY FAMILIES, and a REPENTANT MEMBERSHIP, A BAPTISM OF FIRE that sees SINNERS SAVED, our CHURCH ALIVE and our CHILDREN HUNGRY TO BE IN GOD'S SERVICE FOR THE THINGS OF GOD!
The challenge in this Weekly SERMON is found in Psalms 85:6 "Will thou not REVIVE US AGAIN, that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?"
Revive Thy Church, O living Lord, And may Thy Spirit be outpoured
Upon all those who long to see Revival blessing come from Thee.
Oh, hear us, Lord, in this dark hour, And fill us with Thy Spirit's power!
Revive Thy Church, O Lamb divine, And cause Thy face on us to shine,
Hast thou not died our love to win, And freed us from the power of sin?
Oh, break our hearts that we may see Revival spread abundantly.
Revive Thy Church, O coming King, The eastern skies are reddening,
And all creation groans and waits To meet Thee at redemption's gates.
Oh, may Thy bride awake and sing, Adorned to meet her Bridegroom-King.
Heaven-sent REVIVAL will require divine intervention.
By Revival, we do not mean scheduled meetings. One frequently sees signs reading: REVIVAL - ONE WEEK ONLY or REVIVAL EVERY NIGHT EXCEPT SATURDAY. These signs indicate that special meetings are being held.
By Revival we do not mean a series of evangelistic meetings. As significant and important as evangelism is, such labors cannot be called revival. Evangelism is work men do for Christ in reaching the lost. Revival is work Christ does for men.
By Revival we do not mean an emotional religious service where there is special music and hell-fire preaching.
Revival is NOT the ORDINARY results of ORDINARY work. Revival is always EXTRAORDINARY. The term REVIVE suggests a RETURN to "consciousness of life." Someone said, "Despite the tremendous amount of activity found in religious circles today, there is a very real sense in which the church itself is like a sleeping giant. All the good that the church is accomplishing throughout the world is nothing in comparison with the good that needs to be accomplished. The fury of religious activity, has yet to awaken the church. We have a lot of good works, but what we need is something only God can produce, and that is REVIVAL!" Revivals are not explosions; they are spiritual awakenings
In Habakkuk 3:2 we read,"O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord, REVIVE thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy."
And again in Psalm 85:6, "Wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may REJOICE in Thee."
In using the term REVIVAL, we are speaking of "An extra ordinary movement of the Holy Spirit producing extraordinary results."
Notice Revival is extraordinary. There is a sense in which revival is like a prairie fire ignited by a bolt of lightning. It comes from the heavens. Without organization, advertising, or even sometimes human leadership, revivals have altered the hearts of men. Revivals can do what nothing else can do.
Notice Revival is the work of God. No amount of human effort can produce true revival. "THERE IS MUCH THAT PEOPLE CAN DO, AND EVERYTHING GOD HAS TOLD US TO DO WE OUGHT TO DO, WITH ALL OUR MIGHT." But having done it all, we must still wait upon Him to do what He alone can do. Revival comes from God.
Notice Revival produces extraordinary results. With revival comes a tremendous "breaking."
WhenREVIVAL comes, we will be overwhelmed by the conviction of our sin. Confession of sin will be the order of the day. Conduct that has always seemed acceptable will be deemed unbelievably wicked.
When REVIVAL comes, agony over sin will be so great that the thought of prolonging life in the midst of such wickedness will be intolerable. From the very depth of men's beings will come the cry, "O God, save me from myself and sin, from my wickedness and depravity."
When REVIVAL comes, long forgotten sins against members of the Body of Christ will be remembered with great grief. Those who have sinned in private will make their confession before God whom they have wronged. Individuals who have sinned against other individuals will go to those persons and make their peace. A watching world will stand in astonishment as Christians who have lived like heathens now begin to manifest the love of Christ for one another.
When REVIVAL comes, prideful self-centeredness will no longer be excused.
WhenREVIVAL comes, we will re-focus upon the Cross of Christ.
WhenREVIVAL comes, habits of self- indulgence will be broken.
WhenREVIVAL comes, men may expect to have their well-laid plans and ambitions changed. God's timing, God's purpose, and God's plan will rule the day.
WhenREVIVAL comes, there will be an intense interest in the Word of God. The principles of the Word of God will no longer be relegated to discussion on Sunday. They will be lived on a daily basis.
WhenREVIVAL comes, the agony of souls will inflame us. Prayer for the eternal welfare of others will become a passion. The results of Revival will bring a great evangelistic harvest. Souls will be saved, the church will grow, and the fruit will remain.
WhenREVIVAL comes, holiness will become the prime object of Life. "To be like Jesus" will become the theme song of the revived.
WhenREVIVAL comes, prayer will become pure delight. It will be the "sweet hour of prayer."
WhenREVIVAL comes, we will sing William Mackay's great hymn, "Revive Us Again," and make it our prayer, our vision, our urgency, and our zeal.
We praise Thee, O God, for the Son of Thy love,
For Jesus who died and is now gone above.
Hallelujah; Thine the glory! Hallelujah! Amen!
Hallelujah; Thine the glory! Revive us again.
We praise Thee, 0 God, for Thy Spirit of light,
Who has shown us our Saviour and scattered our night.
Hallelujah; Thine the glory! Hallelujah! Amen!
Hallelujah; Thine the glory! Revive us again.
All glory and praise to the lamb that was slain,
Who has borne all our sins and has cleansed ev'ry stain.
Hallelujah; Thine the glory! Hallelujah! Amen!
Hallelujah; Thine the glory! 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.
The most wonderful aspect of the breaking, the remaking, and the pouring forth of true revival is that God does it all. If men could produce revival, they would stand back and glory in their handiwork. But when God, who is dependent upon no man or church, does it every single revived individual will have cause to praise Him without ceasing. Isn't this why the psalmist prays, "Wilt Thou not revive us again, that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?"
In HIS Amazing Grace,
Pastor David Miklas
Page 1