“Great Things for Grievous Times”

 

TOPIC:‌“The Greatest Need of the Church”

                  by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap

 

TEXT:‌II Chronicles 7:14

 

‌‌“If my people, who are called by my name, shall 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.”

 

‌Have you ever considered why the Christian Church has been in existence for nearly two thousand years, and yet, has not influenced more people than it has? Why does the Church limp along at such a slow speed, and not really make much of an impression on the non-Christian world? Why has it not made more of an impact on the home life and the political life of our country?

 

‌If the Church of Christ is ever going to be a force for God, instead of a farce, then it must be melted down in the flames of an old-fashioned, God sent, heaven-born, heart-searching revival. And I mean by revival, the gentle breathing of the Spirit of God upon a church and congregation, which awakens within each Christian a new love for God and His work. It is a genuine melting and gracious moving of the Spirit of God upon His people. Or to put it in the words of a well-known Christian writer: “Revival is the inrush of the Spirit of God into a body that threatens to become a corpse.”

 

‌Say what we will, this heavenly-born-fire is long overdue in coming. Of course, there is plenty of discussion about the need for revival and much talk about the nature of revival, but the question still remains to be answered: Where is the revival for which we pray and of which we sing? Has not our song been, and still is:

 

‌‌“There shall be showers of blessing

‌‌This is the promise of love;

‌‌There shall be seasons refreshing

‌‌Sent from the Savior above.”

 

‌Now that is God's promise to us. Not the meager sprinkling of revival, but the mighty showers of it. Malachi, the last of the Old Testament prophets, speaks of this when he proclaimed these words to Israel: “Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there . . .