1 Samuel 7:2-4 Series

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Sermon: Are You Ready For Revival? Part 1

before I read our scripture passage this morning I want to begin with a question

ARE YOU READY FOR REVIVAL?

I Samuel 7:2-4

2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. 4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.

INTRODUCTION:

I heard a preacher who told a story about visiting a friend and while he was visiting His friends children and nieces and nephews were playing church.

They had a preacher, song leader, ushers, a piano player and members of the congregation.

They knew the moves to make and the words to say.

From start to finish they knew how it was done.

I think that there is a lot of people today that are doing just that

…PLAYING CHURCH!!

now Let me say that we have a great church!!!

I am honored to be the pastor of such a great group of people…

so I am not necessarily speaking of this church

But churches today in general all they do is PLAY CHURCH!!!

well here at this church We have seen God do some amazing things in this place,

wonderful wednesday night prayer and praise services

wonderful services on sunday morning and sunday evening

but I still believe that most of you will agree that we need revival!!

this community needs revival

this denomination needs revival

this country needs revival

I am not referring to a series of meetings;

I am speaking about REAL REVIVAL!!

G. Campbell Morgan said that - “Revival cannot be organized, but we can set our sails to catch the wind from heaven when God chooses to move upon His people once again”

We can’t manufacture a revival.

I can’t preach it down.

We can’t sing it down

You can’t play church good enough to bring it down.

But God can BRING IT DOWN!!

But before we will ever see revival, the people of God have got to recognize that they have wandered away from the Lord.

There is a barrier

…a separation …

a hindrance in our relationship with God.

Just like those children who know how to play church.

Some people have been playing church for a long time but after a while they will get burnt out and one of two things will happen:

1) they will quit church all together

2) they will go somewhere else that seems more exciting.

Then they will say I left that church because they weren’t doing anything for me!

I just wasn’t getting fed anymore...

.Or some people will just blame it on God

”God told me it was time to leave”

they may not have talked to God in 6 months but all of the sudden He told hem to leave”

What brings about these actions and mindsets?

When people who should be out BEING the CHURCH are only PLAYING CHURCH

what we need is...

o We need something that is real

o We need something that is relevant

o We need something that is refreshing

o We NEED REVIVAL!!!

In I Samuel 7, Israel was at a place where they needed revival.

They had been attacked, overcome & defeated by their enemies The Philistines.

As a result the Philistines took possession of the Ark of the Covenant

The Ark of the Covenant - was the chest which held the two stone tablets of law which Moses brought down from Mount Sinai.

The Ark of the Covenant was renowned for its mysterious powers against the enemies of Israel.

During the time of Eli (the High Priest) the Ark was at Shiloh