Revival! (8)

He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 126.6

Ministers of Scotland: Lectures on Revival XIV
Nathaniel Paterson, D. D., Minister of St. Andrew’s Parish, Glasgow
“Again, we may confidently expect a revival of religion in every place from the blessing with which God has promised to accompany his word…But well it ought to be observed, that if we would expect such blessings of a gospel ministry, there must be by a full and free and faithfully preached gospel; it must be the word of truth having nothing of man’s device superadded – nothing of God’s counsel withheld.”

Nothing of our own added. Nothing of God’s withheld. Nothing but the Gospel, the Gospel of the Kingdom. That’s an excellent formula for preaching, don’t you think? In many churches today, the Gospel has become a shrunken thing (David Wells). The preaching is mostly stories and anecdotes. The applications are too often merely personal and soothing. Many sermons omit to declare the work of Jesus Christ in redeeming and renewing lost sinners, and reconciling the world to God. We take it for granted, wrongly, I believe, that most of our hearers know this, so we concentrate on other things. But Christ is the center of all wisdom and knowledge, and the express manifestation of the living God. He is our life. Is there anything besides Christ which can help sinners find forgiveness, hope, and life? Let’s make sure that in all our preaching we’re preaching Jesus and the Kingdom over which He rules forever and ever.

How do you bring the Gospel into your own preaching, so that hearers always have the opportunity to respond to Christ?

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.

Preparing for Revival
To further help you in preparing for revival, we have two brief books that can guide you. 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).

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.