Revival

     Revival is the renewal of the first love of Christians, resulting in the awakening and conversion of sinners to God. In the popular sense, a revival of Christianity in a community is the arousing, awakening, and reclaiming of the more or less backslidden church and the more or less awakening of all classes, and insuring attention to the claims of God. It presupposes that the church is sunk down in a backslidden state, and a revival consists in the return of a church from her backsliding, and the conversion of sinners.
    
A revival always includes conviction of sin on the part of the church. Backslidden professors cannot wake up and and begin right away in the service of God, without a deep searching of the heart. The fountains of sin must be broken up before revival can take place.

     Backslidden Christians will be brought to repentance. A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God. Just as in the case of a converted sinner the first step is a deep repentance, a breaking down of heart, a getting down into the dust before God, with deep humility, and forsaking of sin.

     Christians will have faith renewed. While they are in their backslidden state they are blind to the state of sinners. Their hearts are hard as marble. The truths of the Bible only appear like a dream. They admit it all to be true; their conscience and their judgment assent to it; but their faith does not see it standing out in bold relief, in all the burning realities of eternity. But when they enter into a revival they no longer see men as trees walking, but they see things in that strong light which will renew the love of God in their hearts. This will lead them to labor zealously to lead others to Him.

     A revival breaks the power of the world and of sin over Christians. It brings them to such vantage ground that they get a fresh impulse towards heaven. They have a new foretaste of heaven, and new desires after union with God; and the charm of the world is broken, and the power of sin is overcome.

     When the churches are thus awakened and reformed, the reformation and the salvation of sinners will follow, going through the same stages of conviction, repentance, and reformation. Their hearts will be broken down and changed.

-Charles Finney

Profile of the Lukewarm

 

     I am currently reading a book called Crazy Love by a California pastor named Francis Chan. In this book, Mr. Chan outlines what a real Christian life should look like. He talks about how a true sold-out life will break the status quo and go past the usual.
     People in this modern age, Americans primarily, are caught up in "religion" and not so much in a personal relationship with God. They somehow think that their good deeds will get them to heaven. They assume that just because they are not smoking, drinking, cussing...ect. that they are on their way to heaven. This largely adopted opinion could not be farther from the truth!

     I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would that thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
-Revelation 3:15-16

     It is very clear from scripture that God is not satisfied with a half-way, in-out, lukewarm Christian walk. The speaker (Jesus) is basically saying that anyone who is lukewarm needs to get saved! In the following verses he talks about "buying gold tried in the fire" and "White raiment that thou mayest be clothed", all symbolic of becoming born again.

     "Profile of the Lukewarm" is the fourth chapter in Crazy Love. It outlines what a lukewarm life will look like, why lukewarmness is not acceptable, and how we can be pulled from a life of lazy Christianity.

Lukewarm people attend church fairly regularly, it is what "good Christians" do, so they go.

Lukewarm people give money to charity and to the church....as long as it doesn't impinge on their standard of living. When it is time to give, they never move out of their comfort zone.

Lukewarm people rarely share their faith with their neighbors, co-workers, or friends. They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by bringing up topics such as religion.

Lukewarm people say they love Jesus, and He is indeed a part of their lives. But only a part. They give Him a section of their time and money, but He is never allowed to control their lives.

Lukewarm People do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to. They don't have to trust God if something unexpected happens-they have their savings account! They do not need God to help them-they have their retirement plan in place. They don't seek God's will, they already have everything mapped out.

 

     These are just a few examples of what a lukewarm life will look like. It will be only half-way committed to working for God. Are you only partially living for your God? Is he really controlling your life, or only just a small part? Do you fit into this group? Can you really look at your life and say "I am really dedicated to God, nothing is too much to ask?" If you cannot truthfully answer the question with a resounding "yes!" then there is a major problem!

     

     When you look at the lives of the disciples, you notice that Jesus demanded total surrender. He expected nothing less than complete commitment from those who followed Him. He didn't tell James and John "Well, you finish fishing, and come follow Me whenever you have the time" He told them strait out that this is a commitment and that they would have to be willing to give up some things to follow him.

     I hope that you don't just brush over this article and forget about it. Please just try to retain an open mind and think about all i have said. The verses from revelation (above) state that if you are classified as a lukewarm, if you are not totally sold out to God, you may not be going to heaven! This is serious! Please get out your Bible and look up this reference for yourself. Ponder all that i have said. If you let God have full rule and rein in your heart and life, then there is no telling what could happen! If you are not lukewarm, if you are hot on fire for God and are getting closer to him every day, then just keep on the path! Continue to walk in the paths of righteousness and love God with all of your heart!

It is not scientific doubt, not atheism, not pantheism, not agnosticism, that in our day and in this land is likely to quench the light of the gospel. It is proud, selfish, luxurious, church-going, hollow-hearted prosperity.

-Francis Chan(Crazy Love)

-AaronU

(Many of the points, references, and examples are quoted directly from Crazy Love, I encourage you to buy the book and read it for yourself)