Can We Have Revival in Our Time? Part 1 - II

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by some special friends of this ministry pastor Greg wanted to see a special word of thanks to the harvest partners who make this ministry possible next time your online check out Pastor Greg's personal blog@blog.greglaurie.com one of those we would avoid our finger at somebody else using the problems in our country is Hollywood or the source of the forms of the 1000 God says source of the problems is Pastor Greg Maurice's believers will humble themselves and pray and turn toward God and he will heal our land with all the sleeping people will wake up all the dry bones will shake up of all the church, then we can have a robot you stop at the stop sign that we don't get a ticket.

If we push the power button and the computer turns on studying the Bible that we grow as believers today on a new beginning. As we study the five Pastor Greg Laurie points out one of the most important things given by God himself.

It's a very recipe for revival, there's no better time for revival here and around the world right now.

Grab your Bible second goal 714 in the title of my messages. Can we have revival in our time revival could ever happen again.

Could we have another Jesus movement or are the best days of America behind you know, for those of you that are been around for a while like me. You remember the 50s and in the early 60s. In the early 60s were a lot like the late 50s. It was an idyllic time we had come through World War II and people were building homes and guarding families and there was an optimism in John F. Kennedy was elected president but everything change in America when our president was assassinated on November 22, 1963, and then culture began to change before our eyes almost monthly. Certainly yearly. Add to this effect that the Vietnam War is raging young American boys are coming back in body bags and it was a drop back then and we all wondered, we get to be Max and then the worst year of the 60s happened it was 1968, our president is already been assassinated and now Martin Luther King is assassinated as well. Robert Kennedy, the president's brother sorta stepped into the gap and decides to run for the presidency in a mandamus hand surgeon can shock Bobby Kennedy three times, only two months after Martin Luther King was killed. Now Kennedy is been assassinated only five years after his brother. The Vietnam War is raging on Watergate is about to happen an entire generation of young people are disillusioned. There's huge protests there's riots in the streets. Kids were rebelling against society and turning to drugs, sex and rock 'n' roll.

The slogan at that time was turned on soon in dropout and you know the church was not effectively reaching this generation. John Lennon of the Beatles was famously quoted to say the Beatles are more popular than Jesus and for many, that was actually true in my case it was time magazine came out with a cover issue with these words on it is God dead and some liberal theologians announce that indeed he was. So things are bleak. Things are dark.

Things are desperate and God intervenes, God intervenes, and the Jesus movement explodes on the scene suddenly seemingly out of nowhere, but right in God's time schedule, thousands of young kids are coming to Christ, so time magazine runs a different cover in 1971 with the image of Christ on the front and the words that Jesus revolution.

I thought of basically five principles that I remember from that time about just a typical church service number one there was a sense of expectancy in the service.

No one was ever late for church because you wouldn't find a seat if you were and you came expecting God to work a sense of openness like what the Lord going to do today. Number two, the word of God was always taught the word of God was always taught that gave stability to a subject I still have my Bible from those days you can see there's an old beat up leather cover.

Here's a better shot of it but get a little bit closer it's all beat up and I marked it up and so the word of God was taught number three people participated in the worship we effectively sought what we know is just worship now we have worship bands now that was not happening. In the late 60s. By the way, there were no electric guitars of the most part unchurched stages. There were notes from kids. It was a whole different thing of his choirs and there's nothing wrong with that but I'm just saying it was different culturally and this is when all of this started to happen things that we take for granted now, but people engaged in worship. They would lift their hands in worship.

They would participate in worship number four people brought nonbelievers to church and invitations were extended and kids were coming to Christ not just kids, people of all ages every week there was a sense that God wants people to be saved and for the lastly there was a belief in an constant teaching of the eminent return of Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus was coming back again some of your thinking where you got that wrong didn't you how many years is it been dragged a quite a few but they we were wrong. What is 40 years 45 years to God. The Bible says to God. A thousand years or as a day to what is of the millisecond.

By the way the Bible says God is not late as some men count lateness but is long-suffering toward is not willing that any should perish, that all should come to repentance. True we were praying for Jesus to come back in 1970, but aren't you glad he didn't answer our prayer. How many of you have become a Christian since 1970 razor you what's quite a few of you so you think God is at work. God wasn't working, God still wants to work so he's able Greg that's a nice little history lesson, but the you know so what so what listen. We should not live in the past but we can learn from it.

We should not live in the past but we can learn from it now if you look at this generation and realize we need another Jesus movement. Just as in the 60s and specifically 1968. We have riots in the streets. We have racial unrest.

We have a drug epidemic. There's a sense of hopelessness in the air. How desperate are we for another Jesus movement.

How desperate are we for another spiritual awakening. The prophet Habakkuk understood this when he prayed this prayer and have a good three to have heard all about you, Lord, I filled with awe by the amazing things you've done, but in this time of deep need revive your work as you did in years gone by.

Show us your power to save us, and in your anger. Remember mercy. Have a good thing, Lord of all the stories about the old days. Do it again, revive your work again. The psalmist says in Psalm 85, six, will you not revive us again that your people may rejoice in you. So let's try to understand what revivalism strip the mystery away from the word.

What is revival simple definition it's to come alive again revival is this far if you will that starts the engine, and you know it periodically. We need a new spark great evangelist Billy Sunday once." Tell me revival is only temporary, but so is a bad that does you some good." So maybe temporary, but we need one right now revival is like waking up from your sleep. One person divided revival is nothing more or less than the new beginning of obedience to God say we pray that nonbelievers have revival.

They don't need a revival they need salvation. The church needs revival. This is a church were this is for believers only, who once were perhaps more alive than they are today and they need to be revived again. One person put it this way. Of all the sleeping people will wake up of all the lukewarm people will fire up of all the dishonest people will confess up of all the disgruntled people will cheer up if all the estranged people will make up of all of the gossipers will shut the ball to soldiers will stand up of all the dry bones will shake up of all the church people will pray up, then we can have a revival and I agree with you. The revival starts with the that it affects the church then the church that the nation Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in just a moment. It's reassuring when we read letters and emails from listeners who been helped by the ministry of Greg Loring and a new beginning every morning on my way home from dropping my husband at work helped me to my hardest times. I am a little boy with moderate and I lost my mom's cancer unit.

My soul has been so heavy every day you help me realize that God is claiming more than anything and he will take care of the rest.

My husband and son. Now let's listen to in the car. Thank you for helping millions of people just like us were so grateful to hear how Pastor Greg's teachings have help this young on if you have a story to tell. I hope you will contact us today. Email Pastor Greg at greg@harvest.org again, that's great@harvest.org now. Pastor Greg continues his message called can we have revival in our time. Let's listen. So let's go now to the passage I had you turn to a very familiar passage second Chronicles 7 and it tells us really God's prescription for revival no initially was given to the nation Israel and applied to them, but I think the principle of the place to our country or to any nation. Second Chronicles 714. I want you to read this out loud with me okay second Chronicles 714 if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sin and will heal their land and amazing verse. I love that. So we want God to heal our land.

We want our nation to change how does it happen. God lays it out for us. It starts off with his people because we want to point our finger at somebody else. We think the problems in our country. It's due to Washington DC or will say this is due to Hollywood are going. It's the source of the problems of the White House.

God says the source of the problems are his house. This house the church. Notice he says if my people, which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, doesn't say a thing about secular culture. He doesn't say a thing about garden-variety sinners if you will. He talks to his own people that you that's me if my people, see I think one of the problems we have in our nation today is where a lot of folks running around who think they are Christians that really are not that the Bible says in second Corinthians 13 check up on yourself.

Are you really Christians you pass the test or are you just pretending to be a Christian when you are not at all. And then there are those who are living a double life. You know they put on a good performance at church. That's all the right stuff, but they're living alike that's completely contradictory to what the Bible says about how a Christian ought to live. So what do we do if we want to see a revival number one if you're taking notes. If you want to see a revival. You need to humble yourself and pray. By the way, the word use their prayers. Interesting. Of the 12 Hebrew words employed in Scripture to express a single verb to pray the one used here means to judge self habitually judge self habitually know are so quick to judge and criticize others habitually.

But the Bible says we should be really judging ourselves if we spent less time criticizing others and more time examining ourselves. Maybe we would have revival. It starts with you. It starts with me notice Jesus is not Satan. We need to love ourselves.

That's a culture tells us, Jesus says we need to deny ourselves and take up his cross and follow him and then here in second Chronicles we are to judge ourselves what is that mean it means that we realize we have a long ways to go. Let me ask you a question. How many of you are completely satisfied with where you are spiritually right now you don't think there's any more need for change or transformation in your life you're happy with where you're at. At this moment raising on Glenwood razor is no one should any Christian who really knows what it is to follow Jesus will always realize they have a long ways to go. The apostle Paul said after years of walking with the Lord in Philippians 3 that I don't consider myself to arrive spiritually nor do I consider myself already perfect. I keep going on. Grasping ever more firmly that purpose for which God has grasped me. It's been said self-satisfaction is the death of progress. So the moment I think I've arrived, I've reached a plateau. I'm here know you're really far off man, you gotta keep growing. Keep learning, so we want to keep moving forward spiritually know we cannot organize a revival, but we can agonize for one in prayer. Perhaps we can prepare the ground but better yet, maybe we had a pre-prayer the ground lease it again. Yet we can prepare the ground but let's pre-prayer the ground there's never been a prayerless revival history so it does start with prayer. If my people, which are called by my name on themselves and pray and point number two that the pray and seek his face. Not just pray and seek his face every little brother Lauritzen revival. Amen.

Let's get lunch. Or you can sail Lord, Lord, were seeking you Lord were calling out to you Lord were desperate for you, Lord. We need to send an awakening to America that's effectively a prayer that will not take no for an answer. Several Greg are to be presumptuous when you breathe awake know Jesus said ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be open in a different translation would say keep asking, keep seeking, keep talking press on because, listen when you're praying for revival, you're praying according to the will of God. We are pray for the salvation of a loved one, you're praying according to the will of God.

So we need to press forward in our prayer and seek his face not backing down.

Number three.

There must be repentance from all known sin, so first we humble or judge ourselves, evaluate ourselves, so we have a long ways to go. Secondly, we pray with passion with earnestness with with the complete dependence upon God. And thirdly, there must be repentance from all sin. Again, God says my people which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways. Listen all the praying in the world is not going to help you if you're living in known sin. The psalmist said if I cling to iniquity in my heart. The Lord will not hear me. God says in Isaiah 59 it's not them I hear is heavy I can't hear is not that my hand is short.

I cannot save the church since separated you from me.

Listen to pray and to then live in known sin is like hanging up the phone to heaven, so it starts RC Lord, is there any wickedness in me and let me ask you be honest right now before God. Is there something you're doing you know you should not be doing as a follower of Jesus. If so, you need to turn from it because you will never experience personal revival until you do. Those are not only the sins of commission doing bad things. They can be sins of omission to because you can sit there and think hey Greg, you know I'm I'm of likely love. I don't lie. Don't steal I don't get drunk and faithful to my spouse.

Hey amen. God bless you for all that sure. But then you could be guilty of the sin of omission right sin of commission doing what you should not do sin of omission not doing what you should do.

The Bible says to him that knows good and does not do it to him it is sin.

So the Lord's prompting you go share the gospel. You say no. The Lord is saying share freely of your finances and invest in the kingdom you flat out refuse the Lord nudges you and shows you to pray more.

I don't want to do that. Study the word more know that can be a sin as well. My people which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways. Let me personalize this insert your name. There take out my people and put in your name.

I'll do it if Greg will humble himself and pray and seek my face and turn from his wicked ways, put your name in there. God wants to do it for you.

First, he wants to revive you first and foremost. But know this, having said all of this, God wants to send revival is not good to know God wants to send revival, but he wants us to participate in the process. I know God answers prayer.

How did you agree with that governance is the right but often the reason we pray, is because well we have a knee we have a crisis. Something's come up I need healing. I need direction I need a financial provision on whatever it is you need to pray because you're in trouble. It's only got just give you everything you've ever wanted more. No problems no goblets and allow conflict in your life so you see your own weakness and then see the greatness of God as you depend upon him. We can all remember situations in our life where things were looking rather bleak and we called in the name of the Lord, and he intervened right can you remember something like that I can many things sought out here in our nation, things are looking bleak. Gotta say, check this out, calling me watch all do pray right now. Follow my prescription for revival. Watch how I will intervene listen. It's his desire to bless that you know God wants to bless you even more than you want to be blessed.

Some 84 says the Lord is a son in his shield. He was those favor and honor and no good thing will he withhold from those that walk with him figures of God says call my name, pray, turn from your sin I'll hear your prayer and I'll heal your land. When we see a closing word to someone that's joining us today is maybe a nonbeliever getting what you guys even talking about over talking about our nation were talking about you. You don't need revival. If you're not a Christian, you need Jesus you need to see how much he loves you and how he will forgive you of every sin you've ever committed and change your life. This is what can happen for you. My life was changed many years ago. Your life can be changed right now. Maybe your life is falling apart.

Maybe you need God to heal your life heal your marriage, you're in the throes of drug addiction or alcohol addiction or urine despair.

Whatever it is. Jesus Christ says everything you're looking for and more.

If you'll just ask him to come into your heart and life and ask him to forgive you of your sin, you can know that you go to heaven when you die and then you will begin to discover God's unique and special plan for your life. That's why many give you an opportunity to believe in Jesus and also an opportunity now to ask for personal revival. Let's all pray father referred your word and the Lord were praying for those that do not yet know you those that have joined us to don't have the hope of heaven they don't have Jesus in their life. We pray that your Holy Spirit will convict and convince them of their need for Jesus Lord bring them to yourself now pastor Greg Laurie here on a new beginning. And if you like to make a change in your relationship with the Lord today. Pastor Greg will help you do that in just a moment, and if you'd like to preserve what you heard today for the future. Get in touch for a permanent copy of Pastor Greg's message called can we have revival in our time.

Part one will pass along all the details when you call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or order online@harvest.org and then were so happy to make available found and loved a picture book set from noted children's author Sally Lloyd Jones and Pastor Greg and his wife Kathy are here to talk about it. Your pastor Greg a big portion of this gradebook said deals with the Lord's prayer, Jesus model for effective prayer for us as disciples and know what a great thing to teach our kids. You think his parents. Maybe we do our kids a disservice by only teaching kids how to say grace or by only teaching that now I lay me down to sleep. Prayer well I think it's good to teach children prayers but it's more important to teach them how to pray and the Lord's prayer. That's actually what it is, the disciples came to Jesus and they then say Lord teaches a really good prayer.

They said, Lord, teach us how to pray and then he said our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come that will be done and on it goes. In this powerful prayer that is a great prayer to pray.

But even more, it's a template for prayer.

But what a great thing to commit to memory and I don't think you could start too early by getting that prayer in the hearts and minds of little children, and we happen to have that very prayer in the special book written by the fantastic author Sally Lloyd Jones and illustrated by John ago was an amazing artist and she's taken the Lord's prayer and she's written it in a way that a child can understand, but also in a way that an adult can appreciate, and Sally does take the words of the Lord's prayer and she brings them in a fresh and just a beautiful simple way that expresses exactly what the essence of this prayer is all about. It covers the facets of prayer adoration of confession of hope and it brings even such a way that I will guarantee that you as a parent or grandparent will be equally ministered to by tell you how many times I thinned ministered to by the words that Sally has written for children and they have spoken of my life to my situation as an adult and so you're going to love these beautiful full color on every page illustrated books hardcover in this set comes in eight special jacket.

It's going to be a treasure that you going to keep forever and ever and pull those books down and read over and over again because these are the words of Scripture.

And they're going to land and you're going to hear them with new ears because the language it Sally has chosen in the words that she has selected her so beautifully simple and powerful. That's right were talking about the two picture books that called found and loved and would like to send it your way to thank you for your investment in this outreach. It's an investment that touches lives every single day. In fact, we read a social media poster said Pastor Greg, I just watched your webcast. I reached out myself and started a Bible study online. I want to thank you for having the webcast because of these I found my way back to God and I'm finally at peace in my life is not great. Yeah so we hope you might invest so others can be touched in the same way and when you do will send you found and loved to write a set a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or just go online to harvest.org Pastor Greg you spoke today about having a relationship with the Lord. Someone can enter into that kind of relationship with God right now can't take yet they really can. That's the amazing thing.

I think people are surprised that it doesn't take years to become a Christian. It doesn't take months. It doesn't take weeks. It doesn't take days, it doesn't even take ours you can believe on the spot and I would like to lead you in a prayer where you can ask for his forgiveness. A prayer where you can receive Jesus Christ into your life as your Savior and Lord.

So if you want Christ to come in your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want a second chance in life. If you want to go to heaven when you die, stop what you're doing and pray after me these words Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and I'm sorry for my sin and I turn from it now and I choose to follow you from this moment forward as Savior and Lord is God and friend. Thank you for loving me and calling me ever giving me in Jesus name I pray, amen man lesson if you have just prayed those words with pastor Greg and mentor them.

Sincerely, the Bible assures us, your sins have been forgiven were told.

The Lord is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness and we want to send some resource materials to you that will help you in your new relationship with the Lord we call it our new believers growth packet and will send it without charge.

If you pray for the first time today with pastor Greg just escort when you write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click know God when next time more important encouragement about revival in our time pastor Greg takes us to the story of Jonah wish he revival started first in the heart of Jonah. Jonah helped leave revival in Nineveh encouragement coming next time you're beginning possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email, devotions@harvest.org