Skip to main content

How to Pray for Revival: Part 1, by Ray Ortlund

By Anonymous

How to Pray for Revival: Part I
By Ray Ortlund

After church today, I (Pastor Charlie) will be traveling to California to meet with the pastors of the Treasuring Christ Together Network (TCTN) for a time of retreat, prayer, and strategizing. Pastor Kevin and Karen will be flying out on Tuesday. The TCTN is the family of churches to which we belong and with which we serve, and as I think about our common ministry, my heart longs to pray with you for a revival to break out in our country. In that spirit, I want to share a helpful article over the next two weeks by Ray Ortlund on how to pray for revival. I pray that God will inspire you as you read so that you’ll add this kind of praying to your daily routine. Ortlund writes…
“When Jonathan Edwards described the awakening in his church, he had to use words like ‘surprising,’ ‘extraordinary’ and ‘astonishing.’ The Bible says of the early church that ‘awe came upon every soul’ (Acts 2:43). We can’t program that into our worship: 10:45 am – Awe comes upon every soul. Since revival is of God, we should pray for it. But how? The Bible teaches us how to pray and Isaiah 63:15-64:12, for example, is a biblical prayer for revival.
“LONGING FOR THE LOVE OF GOD: ‘Where are your zeal and your might? The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion are held back from me’ (63:15). Isaiah is saying, ‘Father, your mighty heart beats with so much passion for us. But you’re holding back. We need more of you!’ We can pray for the outpouring of God’s felt love upon us.
“LAMENTING OUR OWN HARDNESS: ‘O Lord, why do you make us wander from your ways and harden our heart, so that we fear you not?’ (63:17). Isaiah is not blaming God for our sins, but he is saying God can hand us over to the power of our sins. We think we can play with sin, no big deal. But it isn’t that simple. When we are stuck, we can ask God to move toward us and free us again: ‘Return for the sake of your servants’ (63:17).
“LONGING FOR THE PRESENCE OF GOD: ‘Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down!’ (64:1). God hung the starry canopy above us like a big curtain in space (Isaiah 40:22). Isaiah is saying God can take that curtain in his mighty hands, so to speak, rip it apart and step down into our world with power from above. ‘When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down’ (64:3). Our God is full of surprises. Let’s never settle for any status quo.” More next week; for now, let’s pray!




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Worship Songs, October 15, 2017

By
We post these worship songs leading up to the worship service so that parents may listen to them in the house or in the car within the days leading up to the worship service. Our hope is that children will hear the songs prior to and it will prepare them to participate in worship on Sunday mornings. My Redeemers Love Hope Has Come I Will Glory In My Redeemer Blessed Be Your Name Here In Your Presence Your Glory Be Still My Soul (In You I Rest) -- Sermon Text: John 11:1-16 That the next generation will set their hope in God and not forget the works of God (Psalm 78:7).
Post a Comment
Read more

God Displays His Beauty While Lifting Heavy Burdens by Pastor Kevin

By
I know I am a little bit overweight. My doctor tells me so. The mirror that I look into affirms it and the scale (that I mostly avoid) reminds me every time I step on it. All of that makes what I am about to say so much more impressive. I had the privilege of sitting on the beaches of Florida's Atlantic coast for 8 days on our most recent family trip. For me there is something magical about the beach, especially on the Atlantic side with the waves washing up against the shoreline. We have been lucky enough to find a sleepy beach town to vacation at. A nook, if you will, that typically features retired folks or families with kids. Out of the way of those who want to party, the beach is truly a relaxing place for me.  Let me tell you something that I gleaned this time around that never quite landed on me. This last week it landed on me, almost literally. My son Ben and I are the more adventurous specimens in the Feder five. We actually get into the salty water where there are jelly f...
2 comments
Read more

We Will Feast in the House of Zion by Patience Griswold

By Anonymous
No one ever plans to have their lives upended. We know that the world is broken and bound in futility, we know that everything can change in an instant, and yet crises still have the ability to shake us to our core. None of us entered 2020 planning to experience a global pandemic this year, but here we are, practicing social distancing, wondering how the virus will affect us and our families, and wondering when we will be able to return to our regular rhythms and routines as what can feel a little like the world falling apart around us.  In the midst of social distancing, I miss my church family. I miss my Bible study, the kids in my Sunday school class, the ability to meet people for coffee, and I know that I am not alone in this. It is not wrong to grieve the temporary loss of these things. In fact, we ought to grieve, even as we seek to live joyfully and find satisfaction in Christ in the midst of difficult circumstances. If we feel no grief whatsoever over the loss of some...
1 comment
Read more