Revival! (5)

I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting… 1 Timothy 2.8

Ministers of Scotland: Lectures on Revival VI
The Rev. Alexander Cumming, Minister of Dunbarney Parish
“God has stamped the impress of his holy approbation on united prayer…How important it is that groups of neighbours, consisting of six or seven, should associate themselves together for devotional exercises, in addition to their engaging in the solemnities of public worship: a small number is most expedient, for when many are admitted into such praying societies, the members are apt, when conducting their devotional exercises, to become a prey to the love of display which is inherent in our fallen nature, or to be damped by the fear of man, which bringeth a snare.”

People do not spontaneously gather to pray for revival. They are sheep – as are all God’s people – and they must be led to pastures of prayer, where they may flourish together in feeding on the Lord and bleating their requests to Him with full souls. It is a pastor’s responsibility to organize his flock for prayer, to lead them in prayer, train them for it, demonstrate its loveliness and power, and insist they persevere at it until God pours out His blessings in fresh and undeniable ways. If God’s sheep are not praying today, it’s because they are not being led to pray. And what is the reason they aren’t being led? Is it that we who are entrusted with leading the flocks of the Lord in prayer, are not lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting, calling on the Lord, laying before Him His promises, and eagerly waiting and waiting and waiting on Him until He brings the showers of revival and awakening that we seek? If so, this is a situation we can remedy. Will we?

Would you describe yourself as this kind of prayer leader? Why or why not?

Pray for Revival
To help you in preparing for revival, we have two brief books that won’t take you more than an hour to read. Preparing Your Church for Revival tells you what to expect as the Lord begins to move, and shows you how to get ready even now (click here). Restore Us! provides the rationale and means for praying together for revival. It includes 12 psalms to guide your times of praying together (click here). You may also find our book and prayer program, If Men Will Pray, a help in enlisting your men to join you in praying for revival (click here).

Join us online once a month to pray for revival. We meet for 30 minutes, once a month, pray a psalm and seek the Lord together for revival. We’re looking for men who will commit to seeking the Lord for revival together. If you’re interested, write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and I’ll give you a list of available times. Or we can discuss beginning a new group to pray for revival at a more suitable time.

All quotations in this series are taken from Ministers of Scotland, Lectures on Revival, Richard Owen Roberts, ed. (Wheaton: Richard Owen Roberts, Publishers, 1980). Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.