Revival

PSALM 85:5-7 “REVIVAL”

A) I’m talking about a revival that brings real joy, not just excitement!

* There is a vast difference between joy and excitement .......

* Joy = Cheerfulness; Calm delight ... Excitement (not even found in the Bible) = To stir up the

emotions of: ROUSE; to increase the activity of: STIMULATE!

B) Let me illustrate the difference between joy and excitement .......

* What excites you the most? * I don’t mean just any one thing, but what are the things that come

to your mind that really get you excited?

* I thought about this and this is just a short list for me, but it will give you some idea of the things

that really get me excited ....... A romantic get away with Libby.

* Spending time with my church family ... Breaking seventy on the golf course.

* Hot homemade chocolate chip cookies.

* Anytime Gamecocks wins ... Especially when they beat Clemson!

C) The kind of revival that we need brings joy, not just excitement!

* Let me give you some good, sound advise ... Prov. 8:33 “Hear instruction, and be wise, and

refuse it not.”

* The lack of revival of God’s people is a major problem that is receiving minor consideration!

* People today are not hungry for revivals like they were many years ago!

* It’s about time that God’s people get a spark to get the fire burning in our souls!

D) Here are some things we need to do ... It’s time for sleeping folk to wake up!

* 1 Cor. 15:34 “Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of ...”

* It’s time for the lukewarm to fire up ... Rev. 3:14-16 “And unto the angel of the church ...”

* It’s time for the disgruntled to sweeten up ... The discouraged to cheer up ...

* The dishonest to confess up ... The depressed to look up ...

E) It’s time for the gossipers to shut up ... Prov. 26:20 .......

* “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.”

* Prov. 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the

fruit thereof.”

* Prov. 25:23 “The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting ...”

* Backbite = To say mean and spiteful things about someone who is absent.

F) It’s time for the God-robbers to pay up – Mal. 3:8-10 .......

* It’s time for the offended to make up ... The crooked to straighten up ... Soldiers to stand up ...

* Then we will be prepared to receive a revival from the Lord!

G) I want to give you two things in this message today .......

(1) REVIVAL WILL BEGIN WITH A BURDEN!

A) We need to ask God to melt break our hearts for those who are lost and without Christ!

* Lost people are always welcomed to come to this church and every function that we have!

* Hos. 10:12 “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for

it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.”

* This is ground that has already been slightly plowed! * Fallow = Dormant, Inactive.

B) Here’s another way of putting it ... 2 Tim. 1:6 “Stir up the gift of God, which is in thee ...”

* Church ... We need a burden ... Psa. 142:4 “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was

no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.”

* REVIVAL WILL BEGIN WITH A BURDEN!!!!!!!

(2) REVIVAL WILL COME WHEN WE WANT GOD MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE!

A) Turn with me to Psalm 42:1-4 ....... * Matt. 5:6 Jesus says “Blessed are they which do .......”

* We need to thirst for God like a man in the dessert desires water!

* We need to thirst for God like a drowning man desires air!

* Story of a preacher and a little boy that was being baptized ... That’s the way you should thirst ...

B) We need to be on the altar hungering and thirsting for God instead of fussing and fighting!

* Instead of holding grudges and ill feelings ... Mad at the preacher or Deacon or someone else in

the church ... And then they say, “I’ll never get over that one!” * Oh, yes you will!

* Can you imagine being in heaven for eternity with a grudge with someone else who’s there?

C) Some would get revived if they came to church more than just once a week!

* Some people are like wheelbarrows ... They’re no good unless they’re pushed!