“Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” (Ps. 85:6 ESV)
On Friday and Saturday, March 18 – 19, Dr. Terry Long, Associational Missionary of Choctaw Baptist Association, will be sharing with us about his personal experiences of genuine revival as well as other times throughout Christian history when God’s Spirit has fallen upon His people. I personally invite our PBA pastors, members, and communities to participate in the “When Falls the Fire” conference.
In Psalm 85, the Sons of Korah recognized that God’s people upon returning from exile in Babylon were still suffering under the consequences of their sin against God. As worship leaders, they wanted to know from the Lord, when could they experience revived hearts in order to rejoice again because it had been over 70 years since God’s favor was upon them.
Although we have many people and some churches who are seeking Jesus fervently, there are many who are not. As believers, we realize that we have been affected more by society than we have affected society. One of the hallmarks of revival and awakening is “a significant impact upon the community at large” (Terry Long). Long talks about the Welsh revival of 1904-1905 whereby “Whole towns and villages were caught up in revival…There was such a drop in crime that police officers formed quartets because there were virtually no crimes to process…It is said that mules had to be retrained because their owners had stopped cursing and the mules didn’t recognize their voices!”
Oh, that God would move like this among believers and churches in Pickens County! A.W. Tozer wrote, “There is no limit to what God could do in our world if we would dare to surrender to Him with a commitment that says, ‘Oh God, I hereby give myself, my family, my business, and all I possess to You. Take all of it, Lord’”.
William Paton Mackay composed the hymn “Revive Us Again” during the Scottish Awakening of 1859-1860. The second verse reads, “Revive us again, Fill each heart with Thy Love, May each soul be rekindled with Fire from Above”. Honestly, I don’t know what God will do through this “When the Fire Falls” conference, but I’m asking you to make a commitment to pray for revival until it comes. It may not come for some time, or it may come quickly, but may all of us see God’s Spirit work mightily through us in Pickens County!
Until Next Month,
Bro. Lyle