The God of Revival

Hosea 6:1-6

It has been said that the most important thing about a person is what comes to mind when they think about God.

Do we really believe that?

Do we really live like that?

What comes to our mind when we think about God?

Or more importantly, what fills our hearts when we think about God?

If this is true, then there is no better use of our time than to spend it studying God.

It is of the greatest importance that our thoughts about God would be true thoughts about God, and the only way to have true thoughts about God is to have thoughts that are shaped and formed by His Word.

What I hope to do in this series is to stir up our affections towards God through the study of His attributes.

Revival is an ever-increasing awareness of God’s presence, that stirs our affections towards Him and others, as we grow in our knowledge of God and in grace driven obedience to His Word. All of this being initiated and carried out by the Spirit of God and instructed by the Word of God.

Revival is less about experiencing revival and more about experiencing God.

If we want to experience revival, we must know the God of revival and be moved in our affections towards Him.

2 Corinthians 6:11-13

11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 13 In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.

Luke 18:9–14 CSB

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Who is better? One who knows the entire Bible front to back and yet remains cold and unchanged by it or one who knows a single verse, even a single word, and is moved in love and obedience towards God?

How can we come here Sunday after Sunday to worship the living God and hear His living Word proclaimed and our hearts not be set on fire by that?

Is it not a testimony against us that many are more affectionate and responsive towards a God that does not exist, than we are towards the one true and living God?

To be doctrinally sound and yet dead is as shameful as being excited about that which is wrong.

Do you want to know the God of revival?

What are you willing to give up to know the God of revival?