When Do Revivals Come?

   

  When life is going well, people often forget about God. Yes, they may still go to church, say a prayer, or listen to a hymn, but sometimes, it's just not real. Often, we simply go through the motions. When life is going well, why would we need to pray? We have everything we want. Besides, there's so many other things to fill our minds with: recent places we've gone and friends we've met and all of our summer plans. They can distract us from what really matters.

     It seems like hard times are what truly lead us to Christ. Persecution is often what comes before revival. Think about it; when do you pray the hardest? Usually it's during a hard time, when there is a great need. We should be able to see that there are always huge needs in the world, like the 150,000 babies aborted each day, and the thousands upon thousands of children sold to human trafficking around the world. We should see that we always need more love for God, that we should always be praying for wisdom. Why don't we?

     We get too comfortable. We fail to realize how real these needs are, and so we ignore them. Not until persecution is dropped on our doorstep do we really get on our knees and seek God. 

     This has been true throughout history. Over and over the Israelites would ignore God, and seek idols. Then, when they were captured, or sick, or afraid, they would seek Him. Revivals have hit during dark and terrible times. When faith was against the law is often when it spread the fastest. There have been times when rulers have captured Christians and publicly killed them, for the purpose of scaring people. What was the result? Well, when they burned Jan Hus at the stake, it gave thousands of people the courage to follow Christ.

     I think now is the time for another revival. With many churches closed, people have been meeting elsewhere. In California, many people have been having churches at beaches since meeting in a church building has become illegal. There have also been churches in homes, campgrounds, and even Wal-mart. Why does this matter? Well, often times at churches, everything is planned out ahead of time. They basically just go through the schedule: sing these three songs, listen to a sermon written at home, etc. With groups meeting outside of church, I think there's more of a chance for God to lead. Without a sermon written out for one man to preach, there's more time for God to speak what He wants through people. Without the songs planned out, people can sing what the Holy Sprit leads them to sing. Without a schedule, people can spend more time on their knees, praying for the world. Matthew 18:20 says,  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. American churches do not spend enough time in real prayer. There are so many urgent needs we should be praying about!

     Will you join me in praying for revival? Will you pray that God will once again light a spark in the heart of man and let it spread throughout the world? Will you help to spread that flame?

A flame was lit

In the heart of man

T'was never quenched

For no one can.

In the fourteenth century

As Wycliffe read

A new thought came

Into his head.

The common folk—

Not only we,

Should have the Bible

To freely read.

So many a copy

Was written by hand

In languages the people

Could all understand

Many were angry,

His Bibles were banned

People must burn them

All through the land.

But were they diminished?

Are they all gone?

No, Wycliffe's Bibles

Today still live on.

In the fifteenth century

Another stood strong

He stood by the Bible

And spoke against wrong

The Emperor summoned him

"We won't lay a hand,"

So Jan Hus bravely went

To that far-away land.

When he got there, they took him

Threw him into a cell

Where they left him for months

Till a trial befell

They condemned him to death

Yes, they burned Jan Hus

They thought that that would

Stop the fuss.

But as he suffered,

He sang and prayed

Even in the trial

His faith was stayed

Will this now

Make people scared?

For sufferings thus,

Are they prepared?

Somehow this took away their fear

By thousands they were slain

They wouldn't deny Jesus

For any earthly pain.

It still lives on

This flame inside

It wasn't put out

Though so many have tried.

Will you stand up

Though great the price,

Is Jesus worth

Our sacrifice?