Thinking Biblically & Hearing From God

Will God’s plan for me simply pop into my head someday or should I actually do something to obtain His guidance? Can I simply pray asking for wisdom from God, or do I have other responsibilities that I must satisfy to obtain wisdom from God? These are good questions! Some teachers say that all we need to do is ask and God will give us wisdom in generous measures (James 1). Other teachers tell us that we must research the Bible with a commitment to act on the wisdom God gives—through diligent study of the Bible we gain wisdom. The first prescription requires little of the believer while the second depends almost entirely on the believer’s efforts. Which way is correct? Before I answer the question consider this passage:

A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: He will guide his affairs with discretion. (Ps. 112:5)

Personal generosity is healthy and good, but it should be exercised with a fair amount of discretion. That is, we must be discreet, responsible and restrained exemplifying sound judgement and prudent management. Discretion is generally the ability to make sound decisions. We are challenged to “guide” our “affairs with discretion.” Thoughtfulness, planning, measurement, and care are to be exercised as we address matters of personal and commercial business.  

Furthermore, discretion involves carefulness, maturity, prudence, and good judgment in spiritual decision making as well (Ps. 112:5). It is the ability to use God-given discernment while making decisions pertaining to routine and peculiar matters. Such capability can be learned by the people of God. Yes, sound decision making that fulfills God’s plan for our lives can be learned through the Word, the Holy Spirit, prayer, and disciplined decision making. Understand, this quality must be cultivated, developed, and intentionally pursued. Each believer should make a conscious choice to cultivate spiritual discretion.

The answer to our original questions is “both.”  Yes, we are to pray earnestly to God for wisdom, but we must also cultivate the development of spiritual thinking for the sake of making decisions consistent with God’s Word and will. Yes, we can hear from God through thinking biblically, and God imparts wisdom when we ask and as we study the Word. 

Theme: as responsible believers, God expects us to actively cultivate discretion related to His will

GOD’S WORD ASSURES US SPIRITUAL DISCRETION CAN BE CULTIVATED.

The Bible repeatedly makes this claim and assures us that each child of God’s life can be an exercise of discretion.  God uses His Word to develop within us discernment—a sense of right and wrong, good and bad. The Spirit helps us distinguish between character and image, and substance and vanity.  God helps us realize what ‘right’ looks like so that we can recognize the right from the wrong, and decide between good, better, and best in a given situation.

In order to lead a life that reflects God’s wisdom and discretion, and to limit our susceptibility to misconceptions we must cultivate spiritual discernment.

Phil 1:9-11, And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; [moral discernment in ethical matters]10, That ye may approve [recognize as genuine through examination—appraisal] things that are excellent [better, or of greater value]; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; 11, Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

In effective service for the Lord, we must use our intelligence and exercise discernment. Otherwise, our efforts are apt to be futile. So Paul is here praying not only that the Philippians will continue in the display of Christian love, but also that their love will be exercised in full knowledge and all discernment.

Love that is thus enlightened will enable them to discern the things that are more excellent. In all realms of life, some things are good and others are better. The good is often the enemy of the best. For effective service, these distinctions must be made.

Love that is enlightened will also enable them to avoid what is questionable or downright wrong. Paul would have them sincere, ⁴ that is, utterly transparent, and blameless in view of the day of Christ. –Believer’s Bible Commentary

Think Session:

Moral Discernment Exercise: What if someone who is truly saved and genuinely loves the Lord desires to unite with the church, but they are HIV positive and have openly communicated this fact? Should this be a condition for excluding from membership? Would it be morally wrong to pry into his or her past? Do we feel a moral obligation to inquire about how they contracted the disease?

Appraisal Discernment Exercise: I know that it is time to purchase another automobile for my family of six. What should I buy? How much does my budget allow? What would actually meet our needs?  Consider that it is good to buy a reliable vehicle that satisfies our needs—everyone in the family fits safely and it gets us from point A to B. It is better to buy a pre-owned (minimal depreciation) one that fits our budget—we can actually afford the car note, insurance, and maintenance. It is best to purchase a car in cash or with a huge down payment; a car that can be readily serviced here in the area.

GOD’S WORD SPELLS OUT HIS WILL FOR US IN SPECIFIC MANDATES.

Our tendency to misread God’s plan can be significantly reduced by “understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17). God’s will can be known and understood by us!  Eph. 5:17,  says, “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding [connect concepts together in the mind] what the will of the Lord is.” Understanding is like collecting the pieces of a puzzle and putting them together. The mind grasps concepts and sees the proper relationship between them. This requires serious thinking on our part—exercise your mental muscles.

“Understanding” implies placing precept together with practice as well. That is to mentally comprehend in order to govern ourselves according to God’s pleasure and will. This largely reduces misunderstandings, misconceptions, misapplications, and general misreading of God’s will! Again this demands discipline and exertion of mental energy. 

God’s Plan for our lives is not hidden, incomprehensible, nor mysterious. In fact God desires for His people to be well informed and actuating His will daily. But it may require engaging all our mental powers to arrive at what the Lord wants to achieve through us.

To guard against misconceptions related to God’s will, gain a practical awareness of specific Bible statements related to God’s will and their Implications.

Colossians 1:9-10, For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; ¹⁰ That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Note This Prayer for the Knowledge of God’s Will (Col. 1:9).

Paul’s primary request was that God would fill them with the knowledge of His will. There are two key words, “filled” and “knowledge” to consider. “Filled” refers to a filling out to completeness, and “knowledge” suggests a full, deep understanding. This is not an inner impression or feeling, but a deep and thorough knowledge of the will of God that is finally and completely revealed in the Word of God (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:17; 1 Thess. 4:3; 5:18; 1 Tim. 2:4; 1 Pet. 2:13, 15; 4:19).

·        Such knowledge of God’s will does not come from a fleshly mind (which “puffs up,” 1 Cor. 8:1), but the Holy Spirit enlightens a believer’s inner person (1 Cor. 2:5-6, 13), with the Word of God.

·        “Wisdom” is, practical know-how which comes from God (James 1:5; 3:15), and it is also the ability to accumulate and organize principles from Scripture. Wisdom applies knowledge in the best way.

·        “Spiritual Understanding” speaks of clear analysis and decision-making in applying spiritual knowledge to various problems—the application of Bible principles to daily living. Understanding sees what agrees and what conflicts with God’s will. God’s will, revealed in the Bible, is made known to believers by the Holy Spirit’s teaching ministry.

Note This Purpose for the Knowledge of God’s Will (Col. 1:10).

Why did the Apostle Paul want the Colossians to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will? [1:10] Was it so they might become mighty preachers or sensational teachers? Was it so they might attract large followings to themselves, as the Gnostics sought to do?

·        No, the true purpose of spiritual wisdom and understanding is to enable Christians to walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him. Here we have a very important lesson on the subject of guidance. God does not reveal His will to us in order to satisfy our curiosity. Neither is it intended to cater to our ambition or pride. Rather the Lord shows us His will for our lives in order that we might please Him in all that we do. –Believer’s Bible Commentary

Exercise:

What does the Bible say about God’s will for us?

1.     God Wills that We Be Saved (2Pet. 3:9; 1Tim. 2:4).

2.     God Wills that We Be Spirit-Filled (Eph. 5:15-18).

3.     God Wills that We Be Thankful in Everything (1Thess. 5:18).

4.     God Wills that We are set apart from sin and unto His purposes (1Thess. 4:3-5).

5.     God Wills that We Be Submissive to Legitimate Authority (1Pet. 2:13-15).

6.     God Wills that We Suffer for Christ’s Sake (1Pet. 4:12-16, 19).

7.     God Wills that We Glorify Him with all our Opportunities (1Pet. 4:16; 1Cor. 6:20; 10:31).

The Lord Jesus epitomized all of these mandates and is the supreme example for all aspects of God’s will (see John 4:4; 5:19, 30; 1 Pet. 4:1, 2). Honestly if we truly lived this way in the energy of the Holy Spirit, there would be little else to consider or to decide upon with regard to God’s plan. Also bear in mind that God does afford us a measure of latitude and freedom in decision making. There are times and instances when He in His sovereignty literally leaves the choice with us.

Conclusion:

Eph 5:15, See then that ye walk circumspectly [exactly, precisely, diligently, accurately], not as fools, but as wise,   (Also Col. 4:5)

Walk or proceed with clear direction from God. Live each day knowing exactly what God expects and with confidence in the type of life He prescribes. Once you know what He requires, proceed with precise adherence and compliance. Walk circumspectly before your Lord. Much like a person walking a tight rope across the Grand Canyon proceeds with preciseness and accuracy; let us walk with exactitude in the plan of God for us. Again He has disclosed His will in His Word there is no reasoned to be mystified regarding His plan.

Yes, there will still be times when we need to make a decision and we will feel uncertain about how to proceed. This is no indication that God has failed to direct. It may mean we need to dig some in the Word and pray far more for wisdom from God. It may also mean we need to connect spiritual principles one with another like the pieces of a puzzle in order to discern God’s plan in a particular matter. I am afraid God has been blamed far too often for hiding His will when the key to knowing it is a matter of research on our part.

The Lord never intended for His will to be mysterious or confusing. He does not hide it and taunt us as we try to find it or figure it out. God’s will is not hidden nor is it lost! Through the Word, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and prayer we can understand exactly what God’s will is and make decisions in the light of it. In doing so, we limit and reduce our vulnerability to deceptions related to His plan for our lives. God not only want us to know His will but to execute it daily with precision and accuracy to His glory!

Spiritual Restoration and Renewal

Psalm 51:9-19

David viewed his sins as being so hideous that he asked God to hide His face; “Hide Thy face from my sins,”(vs 9), he earnestly pled.  He felt deeply ashamed for God to behold such disgraceful and rebellious behavior. He had ignored God; he had violated God’s law. Instead of attempting to further cover it up or pretending it did not happen, David appealed to God. Yes, in fantastic boldness David turned to the grace and mercy of the Lord asking that his iniquities be blotted out. Can this be done? Can it be there is a real solution to gross sinful indulgences...profound moral failures?

Isaiah the Prophet conveys the tender heart of Almighty God saying, “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” (Isaiah 43:25) God, motivated by who He is, moves to forgive and forget our sins when we turn to Him! He is willing to blot out our transgressions refusing to bring them to mind again! There is hope for the discouraged, depressed, guilt-ridden soul! Furthermore God invites us to His throne of grace to secure grace and mercy as we need them. Note what Hebrews 4:16, says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” That is correct! Though we have greatly offended the Lord with our sinfulness, He insists on being the key to our help, healing, forgiveness and restoration.

David knew this and He provides an illustration of God’s marvelous grace and willingness to restore and renew his fallen people. David secured Wall-to-Wall Forgiveness because he fully sought Forgiveness from the God who restores and revives. Consider now how all of this unfolds.

I.   DAVID'S WALL-TO-WALL RENEWAL, Psalm 51:10-12.

David was interested in far more than having his sins forgiven, he asked God to use His creative powers to make him a brand new creation with a new, fresh clean heart.  He obviously did not want to continue in this pattern of sin any more.

A.  GOD’S WORK OF RENEWING IS THOROUGH AND COMPLETE.

David’s life was in ruins and shambles; he could now clearly see the damage the old nature can cause. But, please do not fail to note where our true help comes from! 

   1.  God Can Still Create Purity Deep Within Us.  Vs. 10

“Create in me” is the same word used in Genesis 1:1, meaning to make something from nothing. The request was for a heart that would be suitable to the purging and “clean heart” washing he had asked God to perform. David longed for a fresh start with the Lord and cried out to God to do the supernatural on his behalf. There are many religions in the world, but only the Lord God can create in us clean hearts. Hearts that are free of gross contamination and hearts that love God supremely!

   2.  God Can Change Our Attitudes About Sin.

 “Renew a right spirit” had to do with a steadfast heart toward God.  He asked that God perform a radical work in his soul–he did not want to keep sinning in the future. He was aware that he had become indifferent in his attitudes toward sin so he needed total renovation. He did not want to fall back into the same sins! We all desperately need this ministry of God in each of our lives. Because we are compassed about with so much sin, we can become desensitized and careless in our choices. We can begin to tolerate little sins and before we know it we are excusing larger transgressions. If we are not careful we can begin to justify a warp and twisted lifestyle plagued with sinfulness. Beloved, periodically we need God to change our attitudes about sin through His Word, sound preaching, and by His Spirit.  

B.  THE PURITY OF LIFE AND TESTIMONY HAD BEEN LOST.

David's witness for the Lord among his family, Israel, and the nations had become nil. The need was for a steadfast spirit so he would not be tossed aside as worthless.

You may recall how Paul prayed that his ministry would never be considered a throw away item (1 Cor. 9:27). In 1 Corinthians 9:27, he says, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” When we disqualify ourselves we limit our usefulness for the Lord.  

C.  THE SALVATION OF DAVID WAS NOT LOST.

Psalm 51:11, Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

    1.  This Was Not a Cry for Salvation or Even the Fear of  Losing Salvation.

David had been anointed by God, and His Spirit had been with him in a mighty way (1 Sam. 16:12, 13). God had made a covenant with the house of David.

    2.  David Was Fearful That God Would Think Him Unworthy and Put Him Aside. We can rejoice with David that He who promised is faithful. 

    3.  David Remembered When Saul Was Rejected as King.

Thirdly, David witnessed firsthand what King Saul went through when God removed His Spirit and Presence from the Life of Saul and gave him instead an evil spirit. (1 Sam. 16:14-23)

D.  DAVID REPRESENTS FALLEN CHRISTIANS IN DEEP DEPRESSION.

Sins and past failures can dig a mighty deep hole and sap us of all hope!

    1.  He Lost His Joy.

“Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation” is the cry of this weary saint of God. The Christian life that has little joy is a poor testimony to the grace of God.

    2.  He Prayed For Steadfast Power.

It was David's desire never to be guilty again. Thus he prays, “Uphold me with thy free spirit” (Vs 12). His heart longs for a complete cleansing that purges, washes away and blots out every taint of sin in his life.

He wanted to be preserved from falling into this practice again by the power of God’s freeing Spirit!

David secured Wall-to-Wall Forgiveness because he Desire Real Spiritual Renewal; he did not merely want to use God to remove his guilt feelings! He wants to be right with God, right deep within, and renewed that He could steadfastly live for the Lord’s honor.

II. DAVID'S WALL-TO-WALL DEDICATION, Psalm  51:13-17.

Psalm 51:13, Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

David wants his talk and his walk to be a matched set. The mixture of guilt and shame had formed a strong adhesive that had kept David silent far too long. The blood of Uriah had left a great weight of regret on David. Guilt can be confining and restrictive. Like a python it can squeeze the very life out of its prey! In contrast, David yearns to be totally free. So he asks the Lord to deliver him from the guilty stain of Uriah's blood, and all the others who had been so adversely affected by his sin. As a result of his renewal he turns his attention to dedicated ministry to others and service to God.

A.  DEDICATION TO WINNING SOULS.

Psalm 51:13, Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

    1.  David's Witness Had Become Both Inappropriate and Inactive.

    2.  Dedication to Winning and Teaching Transgressors Should Be a Priority in the Life of Every Child of God.

We do not want to be guilty of the blood of anyone (Ezek. 3:18; Acts 20:26, 27). Note the following quotes from the Prophet Ezekiel and the Apostle Paul:

Ezekiel 3:18, When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

Acts 20:26-27, Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. ²⁷For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

B.  DEDICATION TO BROKENNESS OVER SIN AND PURITY OF LIFE

Psalm 51:16-17, For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. ¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Verses 16 and 17 are one hundred percent applicable for today. David knew what God required. The Law of Moses appointed no sacrifices for these sins. Those guilty of adultery and murder were to be put to death (Lev. 20:10; Num. 35:16). The cities of refuge were not to hide those guilty of premeditated killings. David's only plea was to the mercy and grace of God. David's confession, plea for forgiveness, cleansing and dedication were right on track with God's will.

The same must be true of us today. Micah 6:6-8, is still the standard for God's children.

Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? ⁷Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? ⁸He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:6-8)

III.   DAVID'S WALL-TO-WALL INTERCESSION, Psalm  51:18, 19.

Herein lays more proof of David's sincerity and humbleness. He looks beyond himself to the needs of others. David in these closing verses is once again the prophet who looks to Israel’s glorious future when they shall turn to God and He will fully bless them. This will be a time when David and Israel may offer acceptable sacrifice unto the Lord.

IV. LET US MAKE A WALL-TO-WALL APPLICATION.

What happens when a child of God commits a sin or lives for a period in sin?

A.  FIRST AND FOREMOST, HE OR SHE DOES NOT LOSE HIS/HER SALVATION.

Jesus promised never to leave us comfortless (John 14:18). He promises to never send us away or leave us behind like orphaned children. As Believers, once we are children of God, we should never fear being deprived of our spiritual parent. Our Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, are eternally committed to a saving relationship with us. When we sin, God treats us erring believers as children in need of His correction (Heb. 12:5-10).

B.  THE JOY OF GOD'S SALVATION MAY BE LOST THOUGH, PSALM 51:12. A less than joyous service is a testimony that something is not right between us and the Lord. God is not the one who changed or needs changing, we are. So if ministry and service has become drudgery and church attendance is a burden to us, it is time to take some personal inventory. We have allowed some sinful thought, deed, value, or habit to come between ourselves and the Lord Jesus.

C.  SIN WILL HINDER EVERY ASPECT OF OUR CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.

If the joy of our salvation has waned away, we will find little joy in prayer, Bible study, worship, giving or witnessing. Sin is a massive hindrance to service and ministry. Remember God is plenteous in mercy and is ready to forgive and pardon the very moment we pray and ask forgiveness (1 John 1:7-10). This does not excuse the effects and consequences of sin. We will reap what we have sown (Gal. 6:7, 8). If we continue to sow to the spiritual and godliness we will eventually begin to reap the good as well. Do not become discouraged with the consequences of sinful decisions, stay focused on the Lord Jesus and draw on His faithful supply of grace.

CONCLUSION:

Beloved, you too can know the blessings of forgiveness (Psalm 32:1-11).  The way of blessing is through confession, forgiveness, and sweet restoration. It is progressing from the sorrows of gross failures, deep soul-stirring convictions, and on to experiencing the joy of our Lord’s gracious salvation again! Not by being saved again, but by being fully restored to fellowship with God. There is cleansing and mercy available to each of us when we return to the Lord. Yes, we will have ups and downs in our spiritual journeys, but Psalm 51 and 32 give us reasons to hope in the gracious and merciful nature of our Heavenly Father!

I am of the opinion that the message of forgiveness and restoration need to be herald with brilliant clarity and deep conviction. Those who have been restored can perhaps tell it better than any other. While it is far better to prevent and avoid extended periods out of fellowship with our Lord, God can still use a life broken by the harshness of sinfulness to serve as admonition to others. Yes, the restored Believer can effectively minister to other believers who have strayed.

Yes, Beloved, the Lord can remove the incredible weight of guilt. You can know forgiveness and restoration deep within, just as King David was aware of his forgiveness. Give yourself permission to pause and appreciate this truth. Permit it to affix itself to your very innermost being. There is real forgiveness with the Lord! It will do us well to remember the words of 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  

CRY ALOUD AND SPARE NOT!

  

Cry aloud, spare not,

Lift up thy voice like a trumpet,

And shew my people their transgression,

And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)

Our modern brand of pretentious Christianity needs honest voices revealing our hypocrisy, faithlessness, sin, traditionalism, fruitlessness and materialism. Occasionally God commissions His faithful preachers to sound the alarm to awaken His people to their intimacy with sin. He is not moved by hatred, but loving concern for the welfare of His people. Let each of us be extremely honest with ourselves, we desperately need a heavenly Father who will correct us! One way the God of the Scriptures evidences real love for us is by correcting and chastening His genuine children (Heb. 12). He desires that we partake of the "peaceable fruit of righteousness" (Heb. 12:11). His grand love moves Him to pursue what is best for us, and sin is never something He is willing to tolerate. 

Transgressions…sins…and iniquities pervade, though many people are 'religious' and appear interested in the Lord. Actually the modern brand of Christianity is weak and shallow. I am not certain the Spirit of God even recognizes it as Christian. Carnality predominates and sin is unchallenged... routinely overlooked... dismissed...and even justified! Our selfishness is extreme and our narcissism is consuming! So many believe God is their servant instead of vice versa. People believe themselves to be the center of the universe while God simply orbits around them to reflect their glory! God exists to make them happy seems to be the prevailing sentiment.... 

We are guilty of trying to use God to get what we want out of life, and we cling to this world as if it is all we have and want. The Lord God does not have our hearts; there is little or no real passion for Him. Instead we seem crazy for more and yet more stuff, things...more money, more material possessions. A second home, a new car, another big screen TV for the theater room, and on the list goes.... The pervasive form of idolatry in our country is MONEY! Too many bow down at this altar and worship at the 'temples of commerce' with radical faithfulness! People will easily miss church with a small case of the sniffles, but they will be at work the day after a serious surgical procedure! Few Christians are concerned about hundreds of churches closing each year, but EVERYBODY is nervously interested in a failing and fragile economy! If you say "No one was saved all year in the average church." a few souls would register slight disappointment. In contrast, if I say, "The stock market crashed!" you would be hard pressed to find anyone who is not intensely interested. Everybody wants to be happy and satisfied, but there is precious little interest in being holy and sanctified! While there is incredible zeal pursuant of what we want from God, there is precious little desire for Him. Why isn't God more central to our deepest longings and desires? Why isn't there a powerful hunger and thirst for God and righteousness? Beloved, we have transgressed; our churches have crossed the line…we have gone too far…and have forgotten why we exist. By our own iniquities we have been lead astray! We desperately need a prophet of God….   

We need fearless prophets throughout this land confronting us with the imperative of REVIVAL. This should not be regarded as a luxury or nice extra...revival is extremely vital to our time. Without a modern "Awakening," Christianity will continue to die in our country. Actually this 'death' seems to have accelerated in alarming ways in recent years.... We need courageous lionhearted prophet-like preachers now! Prophets in the Scriptures are God's spokesmen...Jehovah's mouthpieces. They faithfully delivered God's messages without alteration or dilution. Whether the message was popular great news or ominous announcements of judgment because of sin, they delivered God's messages to His people and the nations. When the message was grievous to the people the prophets were sometimes mocked, attached, imprisoned and even killed. Some of them suffered greatly for sounding the truth...proclaiming "thus saith the Lord." Never-the-less, they consistently sounded the alarm to alert the people of God to God's displeasure with their sinfulness and disregard for His Law. They did not merely mention specific sins occasionally; they righteously thundered against it repeatedly like the Lord Jesus did (Matt. 23). They had to be men of courageous faith and dynamic holy power! Bold, audacious, indomitable, and fearless describes them quite accurately.... Such preachers burned white-hot with passion for God and spiritual concerns. They understood deeply that righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a terrible reproach to people. Resultantly, they lifted their voices like trumpets to painstakingly reveal the sins of God's people... to unveil the flawed justification for their high tolerance for sin, and to unmask gross transgressions (Isa. 58:1). They called people to repentance, godly renewal, and yes...REVIVAL!

Our wretched times require Soldiers of the Cross who love God supremely and trust the Word of God entirely. We must have Preachers with a white-hot passion for God and His glory above all else. The present spiritual climate demands blazing prophets like Elijah, men zealous for God's worship like Elisha, and Holy Spirit embolden servants like John the Baptist. Our times require men who understand the power of the pen like Isaiah, and servants propelled by holy vision as Ezekiel and Daniel were! Nothing less than flaming evangelists craving the salvation of the lost will suffice! Certainly our prayer is that God in great mercy and grace would raise up among us men of God passionate for the glory and honor of the Lord Jesus Christ. Such men should not be considered a luxury that would be nice to have, but essential to our spiritual revival and invigoration. While there are many faithful pastors, missionaries, evangelists, and preachers, our nation needs an army of fearless prophets lifting their voices and wielding their pens to show God's people their transgressions and sins. Revival is the aim! Deep spiritual cleansing is the goal! Glorifying God again is the chief point of interest! O' dear God give us men who love you supremely and love their neighbors as them self! We need such servants of the Most High more than we need food and water.

Countless modern preachers are far too soft on sin...they are distracted by concerns for themselves instead of the things that are of Christ. I am afraid...yes, I know deep inside that those modern spineless placebos will never lead our nation to experience real revival. They are NOT willing to get right with God and such points of interest seem irrelevant to them. They refuse to humble themselves acknowledging their failures to God. They even believe REVIVAL is impossible and unnecessary for this generation of Christians! Actually those modern day Pharisees and Sadducees could not care less about what is on the heart of Christ Jesus. They care about themselves and not the things of Christ.

Dear Father, please raise up real men of God with the courage of thunder and voices like lightening! Men of tenacious faith and abiding love. May they storm all over this land until the rains of revival fall with redeeming, purging, transforming, and correcting power! O’ Lord send a torrential downpour of righteousness! Graciously cascade your spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus upon us that we may be mobilized to battle and to build. A deluge of chastening grace is needed my Father…a deluge! Father God, I pray the mountains of sin and iniquity will melt like wax before your brilliant glory. I plead for wickedness, injustice, and idolatry to flee before Thy exalted presence. I cry out to You against apathy, indulgence, theological poison, and gross avarice. I beg for all fortifications and strongholds of sin to fall like dominoes before Thy awesome Spirit of revival all across this country. Turn hearts to Your holy Word again as the foundation and rule of all reality and truth. Turn Believers to seek your face again…. Almighty God, move among us like wildfires across the prairies of the Mid-West. Not to our destruction, but to the end that every Bible-preaching church may be spiritually renewed. Breathe holy life into all Bible-Believing churches. May Your churches become living centers of worship, ministry, preaching, teaching, evangelism, and missions to the world. Thank You for our high regard for sound teaching, but inundate us with holy power from on high! Start a royal mighty heaven-sent fire in our souls! The hour is late.... We need You more than we know…. 

Erect, O' God, a palpable fear of the LORD in each heart. Forgive us, dear Father, for our unfaithfulness, worldliness, fruitlessness, and tolerance of wickedness. Forgive us for entertaining ourselves with the most violent and brazen forms of transgression. Forgive us for embracing worldly godless values and ambitions while abandoning Your truth and plan for our lives. We have permitted the wrong people and wrong ideas to influence us far too deeply. We have been careless with spiritual advancement, growth, and holy service. Forgive us... forgive us...O' dear God, forgive us. Please establish an adamant hatred for sin in our hearts; erect such a standard throughout this country also. Afford us precise discernment to discriminate between truth and lies. May we, O’ Father, not only recognize the best, but faithfully choose it seeking your honor as our highest priority. Restore every facet of this land unto yourself, and seize new territories for Thy kingdom's sake. We claim homes, neighborhoods, schools, governments, and civil authorities for Thy glory sake. May You always and forever be greatly honored in this land! Revive us O' God! Pour out your power upon us anew! Revive us again…in mercy O’ God, revive us again. May we always treasure You supremely, and humbly walk with Thee in the beauty of holiness. This is my revival prayer in the Awesome Name of our Mighty Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.