When God comes to church, many wonderful things happen, and when that happens, we sometimes call it a spiritual awakening or revival. It happened in the church in Thessalonica, and to see their impact on a whole community. It also happened in America, God has done some unusual things in these United States. Today's message is a little unusual because I'm not going to be giving an exposition of Scripture, though at the end we will turn to 1 Thessalonians 5 if you want to turn there now. And we'll be talking about what to do while we are waiting for an awakening. But today I'm going to tell you the story of America's great awakenings so that, number one, faith might be quickened in our hearts and we might say, My goodness, if God did it then, why can't He do it now? [... more]

When God comes to church, many wonderful things happen. Times of revival, known as times of God's special presence in power, bring new life to the church. In the 1700s, the first great awakening transformed Northampton and other places, with 50,000 people converted and taverns closed. The second great awakening, from 1790 to 1860, saw God working mightily through many people and in many ways, with an estimated million people coming to the faith. The third great awakening, from 1857 to 1859, was a businessman's revival, with 10,000 men gathering daily for prayer in New York City and 5,000 meeting for prayer in the evening in Chicago. [... more]

The psalmist finds comfort in God's word, even in times of affliction, and encourages believers to remember God's mercies and promises, leading to hope, joy, and a pilgrim's heart, and to sing praises to God in all circumstances. [... more]

The source of hope is God's faithfulness and promises, as seen in the Bible, particularly in Psalm 119. The Psalmist's hope is in God's word, which is a valid expectation based on God's character and promises. This hope is not an idle wish, but a positive expectation that is demonstrated through prayer and trust in God's word. [... more]

As we delve into the 119th Psalm, we explore the concept of heart knowledge and the preciousness of time spent in God's presence. This idea is rooted in the pakudim, visits of God or coming into His presence, which quicken us and bring light to our understanding of the Bible. [... more]

In times of affliction, finding comfort in the word of God can be a powerful source of strength. The psalmist's words in the 119th Psalm offer a message of hope and faith, reminding us that God's promises are true and that He will use all things for good. [... more]