We were made for the dark; we should not fear it.
Revival! (7)
The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined. Isaiah 9.2
Ministers of Scotland: Lectures on Revival XII
The Rev. Patrick Fairbairn, Minister of Bridgeton
“The first hindrance of [revival], or rather the first kind of hindrances, which we shall mention, is found in the present state and constitution of society, which in various respects is unfavourable either to the commencing, or to the continuing of a revived state of religion.”
For most Christians, “unfavourable” hardly describes the “present state and condition of society” with respect to the Gospel. Hostile. Angry. Mean. Closed. Those words probably get closer to what most Christians think when they consider the likelihood of revival occurring in our day. But the light of the Gospel always shines into the darkness of sin and unbelief, even though that darkness at times be very dark, indeed. As today, for example. The problem, when social and cultural conditions are so contrary to the practice of true religion, is not introducing the Gospel into that darkness. There’s no end of ways we can do this. The problem is convincing the followers of Christ that God can work revival and bring in the Kingdom of light, when everything in their experience seems to tell them the world is just not interested. We see the darkness, so we fear or hesitate to shine our light. Such timidity does not become us.
So how do we convince God’s people that it is never too dark for God to pour light and revival into the world?
Pray for Revival
Join us online once a month to pray for revival. We meet for 30 minutes, once a month, pray a psalm and seek the Lord together for revival. We’re looking for men who will commit to seeking the Lord for revival together. If you’re interested, write to me at tmmoore@ailbe.org, and I’ll give you a list of available times. Or we can discuss beginning a new group to pray for revival at a more suitable time.
Mission Partners Outreach
Our Mission Partners Outreach can help your people identify and begin working their Personal Mission Field. We’ve adapted the program so that it can be used in a Sunday school or Bible study format. If you’d like to learn more, watch this brief video (click here). I will be happy to talk with you about how you can learn this free ministry program and begin to use it in your church to promote revived Christian living. Write to me at tmmoore@ailbe.org.
All quotations in this series are taken from Ministers of Scotland,Lectures on Revival, Richard Owen Roberts, ed. (Wheaton: Richard Owen Roberts, Publishers, 1980). Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
