Biblical Revival - A Vision for a Life Lived to the Glory of God

Revival - we must all agree that we cannot cause it. Revivals are not things we schedule for a week in the spring. Nor for Saturday night. I think of Gardiner Spring who said,

“Revivals are always spurious when they are got up by man’s device, and not brought down by the Spirit of God.”

They start with a genuine, Spirit produced hearing of the Word of God. At the same time, an awakening within the people of God, while the work of the Spirit, can be the result of obedience to the Word. We recognize that the Spirit must prepare our hearts, but we should leave that to God, trust that He will prepare our hearts, and then obey the Word.

Obedience must come in many areas. God calls us to humility, prayer, an open heart to the Word of God, genuine faith, and then obedience.

The Lord says,

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

This evening, the Lord brought to mind a passage which I believe would bring revival to the church if the church actually grasped the depth and meaning of this passage and the ramifications it has on everything we are about, everything we think, everything we do, everything we say, everywhere we go. The passage would first promote humility as we realize how we have sought after that which is worthless and maybe sinful more than the true riches of God. It would humble us as we consider just how little we live life for Christ and His glory alone. It would promote prayer as we seek the Lord's forgiveness and as we praise Him for His greatness, giving glory to His name. It would cause us to seek God as we beheld His infinite value. And it would cause us to turn from our wicked ways as we came to an understanding of our purpose for existence and the greatness of the knowledge of God.

That passage is Romans 11:33-36:

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

How often do we seek after that which is not the true riches? How often do we value the world more than the treasure hid in the field, which when the man found he sold all that he had to buy the field? Do we love the world's wisdom more than the wisdom and knowledge of God? Do we delight more to learn some new thing the world has to say than to dwell upon the Words of the great shepherd?

Further, do we really view all things - including ourselves, our families, our churches, our jobs, our properties, our conversations, our thoughts - as for Christ? How might that change our life? If we realized - not just in word, but in real understanding - that all of life is for the glory of God and God alone, would that not change the way we live our lives? If our thoughts were constantly on whether we are glorifying Christ, we would redeem the time. That thing which is unprofitable, it would become worthless in our sight because our vision is filled with the true riches. That conversation with our neighbor would become an opportunity to glorify our King and to tell of the riches of knowing Christ. Wrong treatment would now be an opportunity to glorify Christ. All of life would be changed if we just grasped that we are here because of, through, and for Christ and that that means everything is to be for His praise and His glory, no matter what.

Oh Lord, send revival to your people. Let us humble ourselves under your mighty hand and let us develop a God glorifying vision in which your glory is our highest goal and your knowledge and wisdom the greatest riches.