Revival! (6)

One thingI have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple. Psalm 27.4

Ministers of Scotland: Lectures on Revival X
The Rev. Charles J. Brown, Minister of New North Kirk Parish, Edinburgh
“A third fruit of revival is a high and loving esteem of communion with God, and all divine ordinances and means of grace…Wherever there is a genuine work of God in the soul, there will infallibly be a high regard for the sanctuary of God, for the Sabbath of God, for the mercy-seat of God, for the word of God, for the holy table of God, for the very instruments employed and blessed of God to the soul’s eternal welfare.”

In times of revival people cannot get enough of the Lord. They clamor for more frequent services of worship, and they linger long there. They are much taken up in prayer, both individually and with other believers. They hunger for God’s Word, and take up the disciplines of reading, meditation, and study with greater eagerness and delight. What they learn, they readily pass on to others, talking excitedly about the Word, and the Lord they meet there in glory. Their witness for Christ comes alive with urgency and joy. The Lord’s Supper becomes for them a true feast on the Lord’s holy presence, increasing the efficacy of His grace in the lives of His people. The Lord’s Day recovers its true meaning of rest, contemplation, and weekly review and renewal. Worship becomes a way of life, extending throughout the week, and coming to expression in a wide variety of good works. Revival brings renewed communion with God, bringing a greater measure of salvation to every area of life.

How do you assess the “spiritual temperature” of your congregation? Do you have a good sense of where your people stand with respect to the means of grace?

Pastoral Hope Initiative
The tools and resources of our Pastoral Hope Initiative can help you gain a better of understanding of your own needs and those of your congregation as well. We have permanently waived the fee for this 7-session, 14-week protocol, and we welcome into it men who are seeking an enhanced perspective on their walk with and work for the Lord. Watch this brief video (click here), then drop me a line at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you’d like to think about entering this assessment protocol.

Pray for Revival
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.