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Intention

That we would truly understand the reality of revival

Scripture

‘Yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but in pretence,’ says the Lord. (Jeremiah 3:10)

Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. (Psalm 85:10)

Reflection

We should never mistake revival for some worthwhile outward changes. We are not to despise the day of small things, but God looks at the full picture. We are to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and our neighbour as ourselves.

In Jeremiah’s day, the ten northern tribes of Israel had already perished under the cruel hand of the Assyrians. The two southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin failed to learn the lesson and instead complacently viewed Yahweh as a Santa Claus who would always look after them.

The one kingly exception was Josiah who sought to bring about a reformation by turning the nation back to God’s Word. But when he was killed about 609 B.C., that was it. It became obvious that the dam would break. Josiah’s friend, the prophet Jeremiah, saw that the reformation under Josiah, while achieving what political reformations can achieve, had not touched the hearts of the people of Judah.

Thomas Carlyle, who was no evangelical believer, described 18th-century Scotland in harsh terms:

‘Soul extinct: stomach well alive.’

It looked to be a Christian country, but much was lacking. Professing Christians today are likely to agree with the statement that ‘The purpose of life is enjoyment and personal fulfilment.’

This is where Psalm 85 comes in. Most errors are made when people overemphasise one attribute of God. Today it is often love without holiness, so the general belief out there is that if there is a God, He loves everybody equally and unconditionally. That is not the God of the Bible.

God is neither lopsided love nor unrelenting justice. He reconciles steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, and peace. At the cross of Christ, He is righteous and merciful — sin is punished by Christ as our substitute, and mercy can be poured out justly (Romans 3:25-26).

Revival will always centre on the great truths of the cross. We want more than a few wins in the public arena; we want the Spirit to come in convicting power to reveal Christ in His holy power and His redeeming grace.

Video

Prayer

John Milton prayed:

“Rise, Lord, judge Thou the earth in might,
This longing earth redress;
For Thou art He who shall by right
The nations all possess.”

Our most holy and loving Lord, we ask that You would stoop down to us in all our weakness and waywardness. Make us more spiritually aware of our fallenness and Your lovingkindness. Revive Your people, we pray. Make us more of what we ought to be, as those who each day are being conformed more and more to the image of Christ who is the visible image of You, the Father. Sweep through the churches, renew us, and add to the number who are being saved.

We pray in the name of the only Saviour, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Author Bio

Rev. Dr Peter Barnes is the Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia. He is also the editor of AP, the National Journal of the Presbyterian Church of Australia (PCA), for which he also regularly writes.

Prayer Points for 31 Days of Prayer & Fasting for Revival

1. To worship Jesus and give extravagant praise to God. Hebrews 12:28-29
2. Pray that the Lamb who was slain might receive the reward for His suffering. Revelation 5:6-14
3. Pray for Revival for Australia and for millions to find Christ. Isaiah 64:1-2

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