“‘It was the best of times and the worst of times.’ that was the opening sentence of A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, referring to the time of the French Revolution. yet it can be said of our day too”  

 I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment we’ll talk about the wonderful day in which we live, and the perils of it…

… You know in the world of Christianity there are two vitally important works or ministries every church and its pastors need to perform. The first is of course reaching out to people everywhere with the “Good News” Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes, to tell others of God’s love for them, and His fabulous and wonderful plan to save us from the coming penalty of our sins. Of course, we all have a foretaste of that penalty – it is called death! None escape what the Bible says is “the wages of sin which is death” (Rom. 6:23 ). Now indeed, that’s bad news, but really we Christians are “Good News” preachers! It’s true we have to share the bad news first, so we can tell others of the Good News that Jesus Christ, our Creator God came in human flesh, and has devised a plan and way to save us from the sin penalty all will face following physical death.

However, once we share this truth with others and they respond by surrendering their hearts and lives back to God --  by trusting alone in Jesus Christ as their God and Savior -- now comes the work in the Church to grow the saint into the very image of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is a long and often hard process, but one everyone can experience along with the great blessings that come with it. Yet, since we all have, what the Bible calls a sin nature, we can slip up along the way, fall by the wayside, and worse even defect before it become real and permanent in our hearts. So today I want to talk about the other side of ministry – the call and work to bring “revival” in the hearts of God’s people who have grown cold and dead to the things of God that once enlightened them and excited them. But first, another message in song and following that my message entitled: IT’S TIME FOR REVIVAL…

… As Charles Dickens opened his classic works “A TALE OF TWO CITIES” with that well known statement – “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” referring to the French Revolution, it is an apt description of the day and age we live in. Yes, there is no question we live in what I believe is the most exciting age of human history! With new inventions and technology that dazzle us and ever expanding horizons of life and living before us  -- it is truly the best of times! Yet, with all we have at our fingertips, we seem to be no more happy, and no more satisfied with this amazing life around us.

It is as another once said: “We are living in a dying culture,”  and I firmly believe this is true. Look around at our major cities in America and what do we see? We see political corruption, gross immorality, growing poverty , increasing crime, wickedness and violence. Coupled with this, we all fear the dark clouds of terrorism that now has surfaced on our shores. In addition, we are fighting what seems to be an un-winnable war on many fronts as we witness our soldiers dying every day to stop it. What’s worse is, there is no answer on how to fix the problem, and just retreating from the terror fronts is the worst response we can give.

How frustrated we are by this.  Yet in the world of spirituality, particularly the world of Christianity, we face similar threats and sorrows. Many of our churches have succumbed to what we call a compromised faith, where upholding the standards of historic Christianity are almost lost to the many. In its place we’ve substituted the pleasures and desires of the world-system of life without God as the norm for Christian life and living. With it has come divorce, broken homes and hearts, and lives ruined by sin, and compromised and corrupted by its wages. Indeed a large segment of the Church of Jesus Christ has adopted the corrupt spirit of this age and is apostate. Few realize that the real hope and future of the nation, as well as the organized Church on earth, depends upon God’s people maintaining a holiness of life and separation from sin that is driving our world to its grave.

What is needed desperately at this moment among Christians in America and many around the world is that one biblical word – REVIVAL! Yes, REVIVAL!

Unfortunately many people know nothing about what true revival is. You see, revival is not great preaching, nor even people being converted to Jesus Christ. Rather, it is something entirely different and yet just as important. So we ask -- What is revival? Well in simple terms, it means to “live again,” to enter into a new obedience to God, just like the first time when a Christian was saved. It begins with a deep humility and a contrite heart that sees oneself as fallen away from the beauty and goodness of God. Therefore revival in the spiritual realm of Christianity, is to love Jesus Christ in a new and significant way. To be revived is to regain a spiritual God consciousness for living every moment of your day!

Friend, if you’re a Christian, have you experienced this? If not you need revival! Now how can the Church of Jesus Christ experience revival and its power? How can it be revived once again to be the light of the world, and to be the salt of the earth? Permit me to share with you God’s prescription for revival. We must go to a well worn, timeless and powerful verse of Scripture where we read,

2 Chr 7:14 (NIV)  if my people, who are called by my name, will 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.

The first thing we note from God’s Word is, that God indeed wants His children to continually experience His bountiful blessings in their lives, as well as maintain a close intimate relationship with Him. Yet this ongoing blessing is “conditional.” How often do you hear that? Now let’s get one thing straight – SALVATION from sin is NOT CONDITIONAL once we have it. There is no place in the Bible that tells us that once a person comes to Christ, confessing their sins and calling upon Jesus to save them, that they can ever lose this salvation and state. The Bible assures us in

John 10:27-30 (NIV) “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

John 6:39 (NIV)  And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.

2 Tim 4:18 (NIV)  The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

So we are not talking about conditional salvation. Anyone and any religious organization that teaches this is not Christian no matter how entrenched and how long it has existed. Historic Christianity teaches that once you come to Christ, and you are saved due to your surrender to Jesus Christ as your God and Savior – you are heaven bound and no one nor anything can stop it. Again we have this confidence not because of our own presumption, but God’s Word and promises. The apostle Paul stated this clearly,

Rom 8:38-39 (NIV)  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

But knowing your going to Heaven is great and possibly the best thing any one can know and have, but the Bible does warn us that while we continue our stay on earth, there is a requirement to grow in that faith and to become conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. This process in theology is called personal “Sanctification.” Now this process begins the moment you are saved and never stops until you are fully glorified in Christ upon death or Rapture of the Church.

However, this process can be thwarted and ruined by two things. First your own sin nature that still resides in you; and secondly, by interference of Satan and his demons. This breakdown of our growth in Christ is called  -- “Backsliding.”

It can happen to any Christian, pastor or missionary. It does happen to any of us who get careless with our Christian life and living, and fail to follow God’s commands to maintain a godly separated life.

Now the passage we quoted from 2 Chronicles gives us a prescription to get well when we have fallen into sin, compromised our faith, or just plan neglected it to the point we have little relationship with God and His people; and, there seems to be no desire or life in us to have and enjoy it. Of course when this comes along with it comes the consequences of backsliding sin. This can be seen in immoral living, dishonest activity, abusive treatment of ourselves and or our families and loved ones, with the corresponding effects that surface in our hearts and lives such as  -- depression, unidentified sorrow, extreme sadness, loss of love towards family and friends and everything around you seems to be working against you. If your life is experiencing this and you know that you are a Christian – you need revival! Now what can you do about it? Here is God’s prescription and answer:

1. IF MY PEOPLE WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES -  We humble ourselves by admitting we have a serious need, and we go to God with it. However, as long as Christians are unbroken, unconcerned, unimpressed and unforgiving, revival of their heart cannot come. So we first must admit we have strayed from God and His Word and we’ve indulged in the sin life again.  Secondly, for revival the Christian must,

2. PRAY AND SEEK GOD’S FACE – Every sinning saints who has fallen back into the depravity of the sin life, needs to pray and seek God, not a priest or religious worker, but God alone. How important it is to pray and know God will hear you. He has promised never to turn away a contrite heart. King David after he sinned with adultery and murder, tossed in his bed night and day with guilt until he came back to God and prayed for the Lord to heal him. Oh, how we need to pray for revival personally, but also collectively for our churches, our schools, our nation. Do you pray for revival, which incidentally must begin in you? I’m convinced it can and will come to all who sincerely will do this. Now thirdly,

3. WE MUST TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS – There will be no revival, no return of blessing, no cleansing of the heart and life, no restoration and communion of souls and spirit for the backslidden saints unless he or she exercises the will to say – “Lord with your help, I will turn from my sins.” You see, God does not forgive unrepentant saints or sinners. We repent by willing to turn from your sins that displease God. Not in our own strength because we have none but God’s power. We are powerless, that’s why we are sinning. Do you want power to live above sin? Then ask God and commit to follow His will and Word to gain it. Next we see,

4. THEN I WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN AND FORGIVE YOUR SIN – Oh what wonderful and blessed words anyone can hear! Yet that is what God says. He doesn’t enjoy disciplining sinning saints. He doesn’t enjoy seeing the ravages of sin eat up their lives, and ruination come to them. God wants all His children to be in the place of blessing.

Now the big question is  -- do you recognize your fallen and sinful state and desperate spiritual condition? So many Christians do not realize they are backslidden. Do you? Well here’s a test to see if you are, and if you are, you need to repent or God’s disciplines will follow shortly.

SIGNS OF BACKSLIDING IN SAINTS

1. Christians who regularly neglect personal and family prayer and devotions.

2. Christians who show spiritual apathy, and have little desire for bible study and worship.

3. Christians who love and immerse themselves in worldly amusements and entertainment that violate God’s Word.

4. Christians who habitually neglect personal and corporate prayer with the saints.

5. Christians who show no interest in evangelism and missions.

6. Christians who have become negative and who have a critical and censorious spirit.

7. Christians who are always irritable and show it with an uncontrolled temper.

8. Christians who have no daily “God consciousness,” or awareness of God’s presence throughout their day.

9. Christians who no longer enjoy in-depth preaching and the worship services of God.

10. Christians who do not support the work of God with their treasures, gifts and talents, but rather spend it upon themselves.

The list could go on, but really, if any of these things are truly characteristic of your life as a Christian – you are backslidden and need to repent and confess it to God; for failure to do so will bring many of the other things in this list upon you, and ultimately judgment from God in His timing.

God’s Word tells us it is important to maintain a godly Christian life for it can slip, and it can be lost. The Bible tells us in the Book of Hosea what we are to do,

Hosea 10:12 (NLT)  I said, 'Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of my love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.'

How serious is the backsliding of Christians today? Well just look around the nation. The vast majority claim to be Christians, but their lives are anything but that. Even many of our so called contemporary Churches that gather great sums of people – their teachings and ministry are difficult to tell apart from just plain old 21^st century rock concerts and entertainment clubs.

In addition, the lives of the saints who worship there, many are no different from the unsaved crowd that doesn’t know better. Did you know that today the divorce rate among Christians is equal to secular statistics? Moreover, the levels of lying and cheating, and adultery cannot be distinguished. This is because we have not taught the need for the sanctified and holy life God wants us to live as Christians. which is wholly different from the world of sinners.

Now I’m not criticizing or mocking the unsaved. I was there myself and no different until Christ came into my life and changed me. That change did not happen overnight, but this growth was continual and as I yielded myself to God’s Word, God began this process in me. I’m still in that process, and I know if I had begun to neglect it, I too would be a backslider, and lose my blessings and place in service to God.

But I appeal now to every listener. God loves you whether you be a sinner or a saint. In fact, the Bible tells us God has the same plan for you to rescue you, to give you a life worth living and to flow abundant blessings into your life. The only condition is that you surrender to Christ anew or afresh. That’s the key to abundant life and living in God’s kingdom. The unsaved sinner surrenders to God’s love expressed in Jesus Christ, coming to earth and dying for the sins of the world. His death on the cross is full payment for every sinner and will be applied to their sin account in heaven if they will turn from sin and self to place Jesus Christ on the throne of their heart and life. This is easily done simply by through a prayer of faith and confession, done anywhere and at anytime. For the saint it is similar. Although they never have to be saved again, they still need to confess sins and surrender their sinful ways to God, with the will to follow right doctrine and teaching once again.

O God is a good and loving God, and His ways are always right. If we learn them and follow them not only will we individually be blessed, but our homes and families, and our nation as well. The only hope we have for the 21^st century in America or the world, is for Christians to live godly in Christ Jesus, serving the kingdom work and multiplying themselves by the power of the Holy Spirit. May God so bless us all with these truths and words today. Amen…

…Well indeed, it’s time for revival! Will it come? The answer is yes, if you will yield yourself afresh to Jesus Christ. But remember first one must be saved and that comes by surrendering your heart to Jesus Christ today! Then for the rest of us whoa re saved, to keep in a right relationship with the Lord day by day so as not to backslide into sin.

 

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