Oh, Restore Us Again
We love to speak of God's blessings to us, as believers. They are abundant. However, reality forces us to speak of His displeasure with us, when we sin and ignore Him and His will. There are times when God casts us off and breaks us down, so that we will see that we must return to Him.(Psalm 60:1)
I did not get to attend the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Houston this year. I wanted to go to the convention and to see some dear friends there, but it was just not God's will, at this time. I did watch quite a bit of it on the Internet, though, and there was a common theme. Revive us, again! Restore us. Bless us, Oh Lord, because the numbers are lower than they have been in over 50 years. We need God's blessing on us again. This downturn can only be because of God's displeasure, since God is not effected by the economy or other earthly factors. We have failed Him, and He is displeased with us. I pray we are broken enough to listen to Him and return to Him.
The same thing can be said for many churches and individual believers. They are experiencing stagnation and decreases, instead of increases. This is not God's will. It is not something we should right off as "signs of the times." God is still in the business of saving people and working miracles. It is happening all around the world, but it is sorely lacking in the USA. We need to cry out to the Lord as David did. We need to seek personal and corporate revival. We need to realize that God is displeased with us and change our hearts and ways.
This is not a call to return to the past. It is a call to look at the past, so that we can see where we should be today, and where we could be with God's blessing on us. It is a call to righteousness, because God blesses His people when our hearts and lives are right with Him. Let's pray for revival to start with us and spread through our churches and across our nation.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 61-64.
I did not get to attend the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Houston this year. I wanted to go to the convention and to see some dear friends there, but it was just not God's will, at this time. I did watch quite a bit of it on the Internet, though, and there was a common theme. Revive us, again! Restore us. Bless us, Oh Lord, because the numbers are lower than they have been in over 50 years. We need God's blessing on us again. This downturn can only be because of God's displeasure, since God is not effected by the economy or other earthly factors. We have failed Him, and He is displeased with us. I pray we are broken enough to listen to Him and return to Him.
The same thing can be said for many churches and individual believers. They are experiencing stagnation and decreases, instead of increases. This is not God's will. It is not something we should right off as "signs of the times." God is still in the business of saving people and working miracles. It is happening all around the world, but it is sorely lacking in the USA. We need to cry out to the Lord as David did. We need to seek personal and corporate revival. We need to realize that God is displeased with us and change our hearts and ways.
This is not a call to return to the past. It is a call to look at the past, so that we can see where we should be today, and where we could be with God's blessing on us. It is a call to righteousness, because God blesses His people when our hearts and lives are right with Him. Let's pray for revival to start with us and spread through our churches and across our nation.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 61-64.