Wake Up America

Wake Up America!

(We Need a Revival)

II Chronicles 7:14

(2 Chr 7:14 KJV) 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 will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

This morning we are going to look at the subject of revival. We shall look at who needs it, how to attain it, and what we get out of it. R. G. Lee describes revival like this:

If all the sleeping folk will wake up,

If all the lukewarm folk will fire up,

If all the dishonest folk will confess up,

If all the disgruntled folk will cheer up,

If all the depressed folk will cheer up,

If all the estranged folk will make up,

If all the gossipers will shut up,

If all true soldiers will stand up,

If all the dry bones will shake up,

If all the church members will pray up...

Then we can have a revival!

--R. G. Lee

But the question is, do we need it? Or maybe more to the point, do we WANT it? Let's decide first if we need revival.

Who Needs Revival?

Do we need revival in America? Is it time for a new awakening? I submit to you this morning, with a loud and resounding YES, that we do need revival. It's time to wake up America! Billy Graham said in an address to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1989 that:

We've lost sight of the fact that some things are always right and some things are always wrong. We've lost our reference point. We don't have any moral philosophy to undergird our way of life in this country, and our way of life is in serious jeopardy and serious danger unless something happens. And that something must be a spiritual revival.

Billy Graham in a speech at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary's Founder's Day (April 4, 1989). Christianity Today, Vol. 33, no. 9.

Our nation is on a downward spiral, slipping down the slope of self-satisfaction, with no regard to spiritual matters, only economic ones. We need revival, and we need it now. Our text this morning tells us who needs revival, it says "If my people, who are called by my name…" IF MY PEOPLE… That is an indictment from the grand jury of heaven laying the responsibility, the necessity, at our feet. God says His people must turn back to Him.

But do we need revival? Well let's turn on the television news to see if that is true or not. Here are some of the headlines stories in recent memory.

A 16-year old boy carries a gun into his school an murders his childhood tormentor.
A mother gives birth to a child and leaves her in the garbage can at Walt Disney World.
In a drug roundup, 3 men are arrested for selling drugs at an Elementary School.
Two weeks ago, Westside Baptist Church here in Daytona Beach was broken into and several thousands of dollars worth of equipment was stolen or damaged.
A Black College Reunion Participant shoots four police officers in an attempt to resist arrest, and the police are blamed for the shooting by the bystanders.
A kindergarten age little boy kisses a fellow class mate on the cheek and is sued for sexual harassment.
Teachers are being assaulted by students in school.
Motorists shoot other drivers for going to slowly in front of them.

The only effective response to our nation's crime problem is spiritual revival.

N. Lee Cooper, president-elect of the American Bar Association. Leadership, Vol. 16, no. 4.

And the biggest story is the one that is dominating the news right now. This story is a story that has our news turning X-Rated, and is causing parents to have to answer questions to their children that it's not time for. Do we need Revival? You bet! You bet we do. And that revival is directed toward the Christians…towards God's people! "If my people, who are called by my name…" Folks, there are still Christians that are vocally defending Mr. Clinton's actions! Christians who are saying that Mr. Clinton's personal life has no bearing on his ability to lead our nation. Christians who are saying "The economy is good, let's not rock the boat." Christians, who by their lack of appetite to do something about it, are condoning the actions of Mr. Clinton. This must stop. I can no longer even give him the respectful title of Mr. President. He no longer represents me, and my values. I don't understand why God's people are willing to stand by and allow economics to take precedence over values. Do we need revival? Watch CNN today and then ask yourself the question. You better believe we need revival.

In his book, English Social History, G. M. Trevelyan suggested that the darkest days in the history of American Christianity were the last two decades of the 18th century. The largest denominations were declining. The dislike for the things of God was so blatant among college students that a mock Communion service was held at Williams College. When the dean of Princeton opened a Bible to read from it at a chapel service, he found that some students had cut out the interior and inserted a pack of cards. But God was faithful, and in the early 19th century a history-making revival broke out at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia. Soon it swept through other colleges, including Harvard, Bowdoin, Brown, Dartmouth, Middlebury--and Williams.

Sounds like what we need today, doesn't it? Let's pray that God would move in our nation again and send a great revival.

How do we attain it?

If we need revival, and indeed we do, how do we go about to find it? How do we experience that life changing revival in our own lives Well, the first thing we must do is to humble ourselves. Now, this won't be easy for the average American. See, as James Davison Hunter said, "We Americans generally want to think of ourselves as good people. That, in many respects, is where the trouble begins." We are proud, at time arrogant. Many times people around the world refer to us as those arrogant americans. We are truly the last of the world's great powers, and God has blessed us beyond measure. Perhaps we must be taken down a peg or too. Sometimes it does us good just to realize who we aren't instead of who we are.

Comedian Jeff Foxworthy, who stars in his own TV sitcom, quit a job at IBM in 1984 to try comedy full time. He credits his wife, Gregg, with helping him keep perspective:

Not long ago, while I was washing dishes, I saw a commercial on television for a show called "Before They Were Stars IV." There I was onscreen, from 1985, doing stand-up on amateur night in Eufalla, Ala. "Honey," I called to Gregg, "if I'm on this show, does that mean I'm a star now?" She handed me the crusty roast pan - a reality check if ever there was one.

From No Shirt, No Shoes . . . No Problem!, (Hyperion)

The second thing we must do to attain revival is that we must pray. Without prayer, nothing of importance can ever be accomplished. We need to wear out our knees before the throne of God. God will hear our prayers and answer them. Revival will break out if we are faithful to pray.

Mr. Moody tells us a remarkable incident in connection with an early visit to London. He had gone there for a visit. He was unknown in London; hence he did not expect to preach; but a little while after arriving there he was invited to preach for a certain church, which he did. He said it was a very cold and uninteresting service to him, but he announced that he would preach again that night. Upon reaching the church, he noticed that the atmosphere had changed, he did not know just why. At the close of the meeting, he was led to give an invitation for those who wanted to be saved to stand. A great crowd of people stood. He left the next day for Dublin Ireland. Shortly after arriving there, he received a telegram from the church to return, stating that the whole community was in an upstir and clamor for a series of meetings. He went back, and found that a great revival was beginning and hundreds of people were being converted.

Not long after, he learned the secret. An invalid lady, who could not attend the church, was praying for a mighty outpouring of the Spirit upon the church. She prayed for months. Once she saw in the papers accounts of some of the Moody meetings in America, and although she had never heard of Mr. Moody before, she began to pray that God would send him to her church in London for a revival. One Sunday morning, her sister upon her return from the service informed her of Moody's presence and his preaching, whereupon she spent the whole afternoon in prayer that God would make that night a night of power. That explains the difference between morning and evening services! Oh, I tell you what we want in the churches is praying members! Would that we could find even one who would thus resolve to pray to God for salvation and power to come upon the church. This is the need of today--importunate prayer like the SyroPhoenician woman's "Lord, help! Lord help!" --L. G. Broughton

Prayer is a time when we approach God, not man. It is a time when we appeal to His grace and His mercy. A time for us to lay out our needs to Him, and expect His reply. If we are to attain revival we must pray specifically as well. We must pray that our nation will be brought before throne in judgment. We cannot achieve revival until our misdeeds are addressed before God's judgement. We must pray our leaders will seek God's direction. We must pray that Christians elect Godly men and women. We must pray for our own forgiveness, and pray for His filling in our spirits. Prayer is the essential tool for us to attain revival.

Thirdly, we must seek God's face. Simply put, we need to shape up, or ship out. Given the situation in our world today, the time for playing is over. We must become serious about seeking God's will. The single thing which keeps us away for God is sin in our life. We must change our lifestyles if we are ever to seek His face. Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs us to:

(Prov 3:5-6 KJV) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. {6} In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

When we begin to lean upon our own understanding, then we begin to fail. We must realize that God is sufficient for what we need. We must turn our eyes upon Jesus, and away from everything else.

Finally, we must turn from our wicked ways. This is where true repentance comes in. We must change our lives. If we are going to bring our country to revival, the status quo cannot continue. We must call upon God's people to make a difference. Are you embarrassed by the deviant and unethical behavior of our top leaders? Then make it known that you will not tolerate moral perversions any longer. We must stand up and make America wake up. If we as God's people do not call America to repentance, who is going to do it? The first step in that process of repentance should be for Mr. Clinton to honorably remove himself from his office. The next step in the repentance of America could be for us to hold our leaders and each other to a higher ethical and moral standard. Not our own standards, but the standards laid out in God's word.

What's in it for me?

The valid question out of all of this is, "What if we do turn our country back to God? What's in it for me?" Spiritual revival will bring us both tangible and intangible benefits that we might never be able to fully measure. Our society will improve, our hearts will be made right, our standard of living will be better.

Rochester, New York, was dramatically transformed by work there in 1830-31 in what has been called the greatest year of spiritual awakening in American history. Shops were closed so people could attend his meetings, and as a result of the changed hearts, the town taverns went out of business. Finney soon won international fame.

Our home relationships will improve, we will see less broken familles, less shattered lives. We will see people living together in harmony, and peace under the umbrella of God's protection.

This is a win-win situation for us now. Things going on today in our country are so deplorable, that up is the only way to go now.

More importantly than these benefits will be the effect this has on our sins. Our sins will be forgiven, and will no longer be a barrier before God. And the forgiveness of our sins will bring about the healing that we need.

Our text says that God in response will heal our land. He will mend it, make it whole. Listen, we need healing. 13% of Americans over-indulge in alcohol. Divorce in our country is nearly 6 out of every 10 marriages. Ten's of thousands of babies are aborted every day. These diseases need healing, and God is the only one that can provide that healing.

Conclusion

It all boils down to this one question. Do we really want revival? True revival is going to change our lives radically, are we truly prepared for that? Do we even want our lives to change? God has outlined the steps necessary for us to achieve it. Are we willing to follow these steps? Wake up America…we need a revival.