The Call for Revival

Just as soon as you feel comfortable doing that. I asked Brother

Cox to speak tonight, you know, when he was over at Norris,

and he taught on a different day, I think, than I did. And so

we pass each other a lot. And I've known him, he preached at our

church there in Weatherford. But I've got to know him better in

the last four months. And I do appreciate. And I didn't know. I

just found out last Sunday. Him and I graduated the same time,

two different schools at the same time, in 1973. And he's a lot

younger than me. I think he acts younger than me anyway. But

he's been around the block as many times as I have, and I like

to hear men like that. I told him, I want you to just preach on

revival. I'm going to get your perspective of what revival is and

what it's all about and what it should be. And so I'm looking

forward to hearing from him. So open your Bible. Take your Bible

and get ready to open it up. Brother Cox, you come, and God bless

you. And when he's through, we'll have an invitation. We'll have

one final prayer time together for the revival.

Thank you, Brother. Appreciate that. I didn't realize that you called

and texted and we got dressed the same, so we're kind of like twins

almost. Yeah. Before you get into your Bible, please, Second Chronicles

chapter seven is where we're going to be. Second Chronicles, Chapter

seven. I happen to remember something of a prayer request for

Norma Schuller. Many some of you may or may not know, she, anyway,

got involved with some WASP yellow jackets, got stung 15 times

all over her face and back and her arms. But she's doing better.

But if you can imagine the stings and the swelling and all that

goes on. So pray for her recovery. If you would, please want

to thank Brother Weatherby for the opportunity to preach here today.

So thanks so kindly. You know, when we first started learning about

Jesus at 12 years of age, we heard that he was busy about his

father's business. We now know that Father's business is the gospel

business. And now on the verge of revival, it's also the church's

business of revival. It's not a business commodity to buy and sell

and do profit, but it is in the process of providing a service,

an emergency service, much like cpr, especially to revive people

in the church when they get a faint heartbeat or an irregular heartbeat.

And it is a revival's job to kind of jolt them or shock them back

into a normal rhythm. And that's what revival can do for each

and every church. And because of that, we want to find out what

spiritual CPR might be like. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we

thank you for the opportunity to be in the Word tonight. And I

pray that you will hide me behind the cross, let people see

Jesus and him alone. Direct my thinking, thoughts, ideas, and we

pray, Father, you'll bless as we have revival coming. Help our

church, help our people, help us all to understand the need and

the importance of this wonderful service and, and not to

begrudge it because it'll take up some evenings, but to encourage

it in our lives. And we thank you for that. In Jesus precious name

we ask and pray. Amen. The first verses that we've ever learned

about revival have been found right here in second Chronicles chapter

seven. So hopefully you have that before you and you are fully

aware in 2nd Chronicles chapter 7. Looking at verse number

14, 2nd Chronicles chapter 7. And I am on my way to turn there.

Hold on. Second Chronicles chapter 7, verse number 14. We know

2 Chronicles 7 · chapter mention

these familiar words and we read this. If my people which are

called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek

my face and turn from their wicked ways, then only then will

I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land.

It's very clear, very plain, not really complicated at all what

this verse says to all of us here today. Judy and I grew up in

a small rural area. We attended church and small town of

1300 people called Haven, Kansas and I ended up pastoring there.

While with the rural people I got to hear a lot of stories concerning

from old timers about the old brush arbor revival meetings. Now

if you're not familiar with a brush arbor revival meeting would

be, it would be that the country folk would go out to a piece

of property somewhere that was donated and allowed to be used and

they would dig poles in the ground. Then on top of the open air

meeting, they would put leafy branches on top for the roof and

it would be a temporary shelter outdoors for open air meetings.

Some of those brush arbors had sawdust floors to them maybe to sit

on. There would be split rail benches without a back killing. If

you're going to be in a revival for long and or maybe some

old chairs, depends upon the timing of it all. There would be

lanterns, maybe torches, hopefully not too close to the thatched

roof that they had over them, maybe campfires at night and they

were open to the mercy of God, of the wind, the dust and the allergies

that would Come along. But the main thing would be that the people

there knew what they were there for. They knew they were there

for revival. So the music was extra loud and the people in the

community surrounding it would hear it all the way in town. There

would be people that would be drifting in, walking in and they

would want to see and understand what's going on, what's

taking place. And they would come to that old fashioned revival

once they get there. They would see the people vibrantly singing.

They would see the circuit riding evangelist. He had his white

shirt up to rolled up to his elbows and tie loosened down and

he was just preaching away with all of his heart. I mean there

was sweat on his brow, he had the old red hanky and he would wipe

it from time to time and bring in another point over and over again.

When that meeting was over, some churches had baptism at the

nearby creek and then they would invite people all to join them

for a plate of fried chicken, homemade bread and apple pie. Now

that's what I call revival. God bless those old fashioned revivals.

But I've often wondered why. Well, having to describe it for you,

one of the reasons was people put out themselves a lot just to

see that revival would happen, just to see for the meeting to take

place. They sacrificed greatly to get things set up. And more than

that, they believed by faith and knew and trusted that God was

going to do a great thing for them. That's why they did what they

did and worked hard as they did. God saw their efforts to sacrifice

their faith and he blessed it all. Back when Jeanne and I were

younger and I remember in churches there were such a thing

as two week revivals. Then we went down to 10 day revivals. Then

we went down once again, one week revival. And then because we

have air conditioning and we have padded pews and because we some

can't stand it, we go the four day revivals, right? Sunday through

Wednesday, that's what we do. The Rinses and myself attended the

church in Haven, Kansas and we started out with one week revival.

It got to be so good and people's lives were changed so greatly

that the deacons asked all the churches to get the people to get

together and we had a church vote. Let's extend God's blessings

for another three days. We ended up having by church vote on

purpose a 10 day revival. Who does that? Who does that? Only people

who saw God blessing them. Only people who put their trust and

faith in what the Lord was going to be doing in their life.

In Halstead, Kansas a town that we pastored as well, 2,000 people.

The evangelist had a six o' clock in the morning prayer meeting.

And every day of that revival, the farmers, the ranchers had to

rearrange their feeding of their cattle or the milking of the

cows. And somehow. And they came to Church at 6 o' clock in the

morning. Even the wives got the children up and drug them there

at six o' clock in the morning just to have a prayer meeting each

and every day. They believed God. They believed that God was going

to do something uniquely special. It wasn't the evangelist

they were trusting in. They were trusting in God. And in our

small town of 2,000 people for that revival, 26 came to Jesus Christ

as their personal savior. All because they believed God. All because

they took the time and the sacrifice to get up and come and

pray and seek God's face. As we see right here. The people came

and rededicated themselves. Different Bibles, revivals do different

things according to God's choosing and desire. What we need

to understand is God wants us to have revival. Turn, if you would

Please, to Psalm 85, the 85th Psalm, if you would please, Psalm

85. And we see here that God wants revival for his people. And

it's recorded here, Psalm 85. Looking at verse number one, Psalm

85, verse number one, we read these words. Lord, thou has been

favorable unto thy land, and thou hast brought back the captivity

of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, and thou

hast covered all their sins. Selah, thou hast taken away all thy

wrath. Thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine

anger. After all of the goodness that God has done. Then

the psalmist says, turn us, turn us, O God, of our salvation.

Cause thine anger toward thee, us to cease. In other words, give

us revival. Turn us around. Turn us around. And wilt thou be

angry with us forever? Wilt thou draw out thy anger to all generations?

Wilt thou not revive us again that thy people may rejoice in thee?

God wanted revival for his people. After all that God has done.

Then they asking a question. Wilt thou not revive us again? Wilt

thou not revive us again and that we may rejoice in you once again?

Do you know, for some people it's been a while since they've been

able to rejoice in God in church. It's been quite a while and

they need revival. We all need that revival. We need to see what

God is all about and rejoice in Him. And for all that he has done

and how he has blessed us over and over again. As we see in 2nd

Chronicles, chapter 7, verse 14. Revival's conditional. If my

people, if my people like those old time farmers, ask yourself,

how much are we willing to do for revival? How much are we willing

to put up for revival? They were willing to sit on old benches

that didn't give much, I guarantee you. They were willing

to be in a open air brush arbor where leaves would be coming

down, maybe little spiders and bugs would come down. And yet they

were singing away and preaching the word. And they were

singing that God would do something great among them. Now,

here's how revival comes. According to some people, something

may be like this. Hello, Brother McCracken. Ah, want you to

check your calendar, if you would, please, and see if you'd be

available on the first week of August when we always, always schedule

our revival. And we'd love to have you here this year in 2024.

No, you can't make it in 2024. I'm so sorry. How about that same

week in August of 2025 when we have revival? Would you be able to

come then? No, you can't come in 2025. Well, how about if we try

to schedule you in 2026? You can make it. Oh, great. Well, put

it down on your calendar on August 2nd through the 5th and we'd

love to have you. Oh, by the way, bring your revival case, if

you would, please. Make sure you pack the best revival you can

and have it available because we really, really do need revival.

Thank you. Looking forward to seeing you. That is not how revivals

are scheduled, although we kind of think that way. We know revivals

are scheduled on purpose because of the busy schedule of our

evangelist. However, whenever revival is, we need to be ready and

prepared for it. In each and every way. Revival comes to those

who desperately see a need. If you would please turn with me to

the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah, chapter one. We know this

is a favorite book of Brother Wetherby. He had asked me to preach

a missions conference at his church there in Weatherford on the

book of Nehemiah. Here we are in Nehemiah, chapter one. Look at

verse number two. Then Hanani, one of my brethren came, and he and

certain men of Judah, and I asked them concerning the Jews that

had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning

Jerusalem. And they said unto me, the remnant that are left of

the captivity. But there in the province are a great affliction

and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem also was broken down and

the gates thereof are burned with fire. And it came to pass when

I, Nehemiah, heard these words that I sat down and wept and mourned

certain days and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.

You see, Nehemiah, a butler or cupbearer, saw a need. Nehemiah was

no preacher. He's no evangelist. He was no prophet. He

was just an ordinary individual. But when he heard the

conditions of his hometown, Jerusalem, when he heard what was

going on, when he saw the conditions of that holy city, he

just had to do something. That's when revival is needed the

most, when you know you have to do something. For months, they

had not forgotten the holy place. And we here at Heritage Baptist

Church for months have not forgotten our church, our holy place.

We see that the walls are broken down. The enemy has come in.

We see that the gates. The gates are burned so much to the point

that people are afraid to come in. Something has got to be done.

Like Nehemiah. We need revival. Same for Chloe. Turn, if

you would please, to. First Corinthians, chapter one. First Corinthians,

chapter one, if you would, please. Paul wrote this book to a

troubled church. And he was only made aware by a person by the

name of Chloe. First Corinthians, chapter one. Look at

verse number 10. Now, I beseech you, brethren, by the name

of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak with the same thing,

that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly

joined together in the same mind and the same judgment. For it

hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are

of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

One of the reasons this book was written was because someone by

the name of Chloe and her household made mention of it to the

apostle Paul. She was concerned. She got bothered that

her church that she knew is not the same church anymore. And

she said, something's gotta be done. Paul, I want you to know. Be

aware of it in chapter three. There's strife and division over

baptism. Oh, I got baptized of Paul. No, no. I got baptized of Peter.

Wait. I got. I got baptized of Apollos. They argued among themselves

among who they were baptized with. Chapter 5. Immorality to the

which the Bible teaches us was not even named among the Gentiles.

Chapter six. Christians were suing each other. Chapter seven.

They were taking marriage lightly. Marriage and re. Marriage

and divorce and remarriage. It was a. It was a mess. Chapter 11.

The Lord's Supper was. Was being abused. Chapter 12 to 14. Spiritual

gifts were being misused. It was a terrible church. It was a church

in need of revival. And Paul was written to by Chloe. Something

has got to be done. Chloe saw the problems and she wanted her church

back for God. That was the reason for Paul's letter. Can't stand

it anymore. For Chloe, she wrote, enough is enough. Something's

got to be done. And Paul wrote back to the church at Corinth telling

what had to be done. Revival came with Moses, Mount Sinai. When

he came down from the mountain, he heard the noise, the

music. He saw the golden calf being offered up and the people were

dancing. He came and told them, revival, you've got to come

back to the law of God. You've got to come back to what God has

established for all of you. Joshua, revival for him. Before his

death. He told them in chapter 24, before I leave you, I want you

to choose this day, right now, whom you're going to serve. And Joshua

gave them an ultimatum. If you're going to want God's blessings,

you're going to have to come God's way. But as for me and my house,

we will serve. The Lord Jesus himself sought revival among the

seven churches in the book of Revelation, chapter two and chapter

three. Turn if you would, please. Revelation 2, chapter two.

We're not going to go through all of them. That in itself is a

sermon. But chapter two. And note the church at Ephesus he uses

as an example. Look at verse number two. I know thy works and

thy labor and thy patience, and how thou cannot bear them which

are evil. And thou has tried them would say they are apostles

and are not. And has found them liars. And has borne, and has

patience for my name's sake, and has labored and has not fainted.

Yes, I, I, I know what you've done. I know your history. I know

your past. I know how I've blessed you. And I know the efforts

that you made to make sure that you upheld the standards and

the thinking and the teachings of the Word of God. I know that.

And you found those false prophets apostles to be liars. Great.

Thank you so much. However, verse four, I have somewhat against

thee because thou has left thy first love. Remember, therefore,

there is a lot of remembrance in revival. Remember what used to

be. Remember the past. Remember when we all got started

and preaching the Word and people started getting saved and

people were added to the church and the buildings grew and

grew and grew. Remember all of that. This is what revival is. It's

going back in remembrance of the past, of God's blessings. Going

back in the past and seeing what God has done and how great God

has been then. Well, if God was great to the church, then God

can be great to the church today. Right now. That's revival.

That is revival. Yes. Like Chloe, revival is needed and wanted.

When individual Christians have had enough and they see that

nothing is happening. Nothing. And we need the Lord to fill our

lives, our church. Well, let's be honest and be honest with ourselves.

We've all changed in the last few months. We all have no lie. And

because of that, our church has changed. And for revival, we

know that we cannot go back to the way things used to be for our

church. We cannot go back to the things the way it used to be.

Everything has changed. Revival brings a difference. Revivals

are supposed to change people. Revival supposed to transform people

and churches and make them totally different. And that's what

revival is. We're not to be revived in the old ways. I mean,

I don't want to go back and do the same things I used to do. That's

not revival. I want to go ahead. I want to move ahead. I want

to see what God can do in my life. I'm looking forward to God

blessing my life once again and doing things bountifully that

I have never experienced before. And we want that for our

church that's never had it experienced before. That is revival.

But question is, are we ready for real revival? And could we ever

handle it? If it came our way, would we be able to handle it? Real

revivals are about change, transformation. But it does have

a price tag. It does cost. It will cost us and our church something

to see God's blessings. I mean, real revival means that we.

We won't be the same anymore. Real revival means our change, our

church won't be the same anymore. It will change. It will

be different. We need to be prepared for this radical change,

for the same old way of doing things. Not going to get it. The

same way of living. Not going to get it. We need to be prepared

and ready for that radical change that comes from 2nd Chronicles,

chapter 7, verse 14. It starts out with my people called by my name.

It reminds us who we are. We're God's people, God's people.

We're not some pastor's people. We're God's people. And because

we are God's people, he has something special, unique. I mean,

hey, I'm a child of God. Being a child of God means I have a Heavenly

Father, that's unique and special and has great things for

me in my life. We need to understand that. Don't you realize

that you're not your own? You're bought and paid for with a

price. You don't belong to yourself. I belong to my Heavenly

Father. So I cannot expect revival to be the way it used to

be. God, if you're willing to change it, change it. I mean, after

all, hasn't there already been a change? Yes. Secondly, we must

humble ourselves. Humble ourselves. Need to get rid of that

pride and that independent attitude of being right now. Buckle

up. Because humbleness also has a price tag. If you're really

the humble Christian that you think you are or that you really

want to be, then real revival is humbling ourselves and going back

to those people who quit and inviting them back to church. Isn't

that revival? Yeah, that's revival prayer. After we humble ourselves,

we pray. Prayer is always humbling. It takes. Gets rid of ourselves

and asks the Lord to step in. I can't do it, Lord. I can't do it.

Please. You take over. You make this church the way you want

it to be. Not the way it used to be, but the way you want it to

be. We have an opportunity. Get a chance. Got the opportunity

to. To see God greatly working and blessing in our church. But it

takes prayer. Then we seek God's face to personally meet with

him. Have you ever sat down to meet someone face to face? When Covid

came teaching at Norris, we taught on Zoom. I hated that. I mean,

pick people on little TV screens. No, I enjoyed teaching and

preaching to people face to face. I saw them right up front.

God wants us to seek his face personally. Personally. When you

seek God's face, you seek his favor. You seek his grace, you seek

his desire of his presence. And that's what you want. If we wish

to know God closely, you've got to get to him face to face. That's

the only way to do it. Confess your sins. That's the hardest part.

Confessing our sins, repenting of them. Those secret sins, those

secret, false sins. Nobody knows about that attitude, that bitterness.

It's amazing how people don't have to say anything. They just express

an attitude. Oh, you can tell it. When our kids were growing up,

yeah, they might comply with what we did and we. They might say

and do what we wanted them to do. But one daughter especially,

she didn't like it. And so she would go, I'll do it, but I'm not

happy about it. You can tell about the attitude, right? It's amazing

how people's attitude, they can smile, shake your hand, but,

you know, there's an attitude there, an attitude problem. Confess

your sins. The attitudes, the bitterness, the grudges, the resentments,

it's all there. And then turn. Turn from those wicked sins that

we've confessed. Don't keep them. Don't hide them in any way.

He's asking for repentant hearts. He's asking for a righteous

remnant. He's asking for people like Nehemiah and Chloe have

a burdened heart. A burdened heart that you want to see things

different and you want God's blessing upon this church. Because

we're changed. The church has changed. We need God's blessings.

He will forgive our sins. He will hear from heaven. He will apply

his son's blood. He will heal our land. He says here, I will restore

back what you've lost. I'll restore the name once again of Heritage

Baptist Church into the community. I. I'll restore once again

our witness into the community. I'll restore once again

our testimony into the community. And isn't that what we

want for this church? God wants to provide us with revival,

a new life. He wants to make things great for us in revival. So

this is what we have to look forward to. Good things, great things,

wonderful things. A new beginning with God. A new beginning

with his power and his spirit. I leave you and I close with something

I found in a song that gives lyrics that might make you think.

It goes like this. My eyes are dry, My faith is old. My heart is

hard and my prayer is cold. Lord, I know how I ought to be alive

unto you, but dead unto me. Are you like that? Every head bowed,

every eye closed? We're looking at revival. It takes a cold,

hard look at us for ourselves. Before our church can experience

revival, we've got to experience it ourselves. Heavenly

Father, we know this is tough, this is difficult. It's not easy.

And Father, I pray that you'll make us ready and prepare us for

the change, for the radical change that may come to our lives.

We may have to stop certain things, quit doing certain things,

quit looking at certain things, quit hearing certain things.

We just may have to see our life turned around. And if our life

needs to be changed and turned around, our church needs to be changed

and turned around. Speak to us now through your spirit and this

invitation. Help us, Lord, now to realize that I must die to self,

but be alive unto you, for it's in Jesus name we ask and pray.

Amen.

It's.