“He Has Done All Things Well”
And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they besought him to lay his hand upon him. And taking him aside from the multitude privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And he charged them to tell no one; but the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.”
The words, “He has done all things well,” were spoken about Jesus. In fact, these words can refer only to Him. It might be said of some of us that we have done some things well but never that we have done “all things well.”
The words of our text are worth memorizing for they are words that have eternal significance. They can be used constantly here on earth when reviewing Christ’s dealings with us, and the ages of eternity will not be long enough to exhaust their use.
Sometimes we may find it difficult to understand that “He has done all things well” but that fact remains true just the same. Often it takes years to understand that even when we go through trials and testings, our Lord is doing all things well.
Our text tells us how Jesus dealt with a deaf mute who was in desperate need of help. He imparted such a blessing that the crowd was astonished beyond measure and uttered the memorable words of our text. Jesus deals in similar ways when He imparts blessings today. So let us learn from this text how to receive a blessing.
HE TOOK HIM ASIDE
Jesus first took him “aside from the multitude privately.” This act was disappointing to those who had brought the man to Jesus, for they “besought him to lay his hand upon him.” In the past they had seen Jesus lay His gentle hands upon the afflicted and had witnessed the healing which followed. They came therefore with their afflicted friend and requested that He do the same for him.
We often make the mistake of dictating to the Lord how and when He should impart a blessing. If the Lord does not act in response to our demands, we are quickly discouraged and become an easy prey for the devil.
There are some cases where the Lord cannot impart a blessing immediately—not that He is not able to give the blessing but the individual involved is not able to receive it. Time is required for people to become prepared for what the Lord has to give. Whenever the Lord imparts a blessing in a different manner than we request, He is always doing it in the best way. The sooner we learn this truth, the better. Most of our requests are marked “Rush.” God, however, uses a different time schedule which often calls for a waiting period. The case of the deaf-mute called for just such a waiting period. Jesus saw that this case required private attention. The man was not prepared for what Jesus had to give and, therefore, he had to be taken “aside” for a time of preparation.
To be taken away from one’s friends and to be left alone with Christ is an act not easily understood. Those who have found themselves suddenly removed to a sickroom often rebel at the thought of being taken away from their associates. Others who have had to move to new surroundings, away from their old friends and acquaintances, often spend their time feeling sorry for themselves rather than finding their joy in private fellowship with Jesus Christ. If only lonely people could see the act of God behind the circumstances of their lives, their outlook would soon change. Most people would rather be with their friends in the multitude than to be alone with Christ.
Jesus desires to bless the needy but He often chooses lonely circumstances in which to impart this blessing. The hustle and bustle of everyday life are not conducive to imparting a blessing. He who prays for a blessing must be prepared for private fellowship with Christ before he can be answered.
HE PUT HIS FINGERS IN HIS EARS
When Jesus received the undivided attention of the deaf-mute, He was ready to prepare him for the coming blessing. Still He did not “lay his hand upon him” but He “put his fingers into his ears.” This case required His fingers rather than His hands.
The ailing one not only had to be taken away from his friends but he had to learn the lesson of waiting—that lesson which is so difficult for us to learn. Our nature is so rebellious that if we are not granted our request immediately, we are apt to sulk. The psalmist, knowing this weakness, cried out, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage” (Psalm 27:14).
This waiting period was required to enable Christ to put His fingers on what was wrong. The ears of the deaf-mute caused his trouble and Christ immediately put His fingers in them.
He who spends time alone with Christ will soon get acquainted with His “fingers.” The physician of our souls has a very thorough clinic through which He takes I-us patients. The Holy Spirit’s X-rays miss nothing. Those who are yielded and teachable soon have their sins pointed out and can say with David, “I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me” (Psalm 51 :3). Often at this point a sin-sick soul feels more miserable than he did when he first came to Christ. To have Christ put His finger on our trouble is no laughing matter. Sorrow fills the soul and inward pains that cannot be described are felt.
The opposite of what we expect often results. Well do I remember the time when I prayed that I might be saved. I thought that God’s peace would fall on me like gentle dew. Rather, He took me aside and put His fingers on my sins. In place of heaven’s peace falling upon me, a period of great conviction gripped me. Misery, sorrow, and fear filled my heart. Wherever I turned, I saw God’s accusing finger pointed at me. I saw my sins as I had never seen them before. I knew then what the apostle Paul meant when he said, “Wretched man that I am! who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24), and what David meant when he said, “Thy hand was heavy upon me” (Psalm 32:4).
God’s clinics are not easy. He who submits himself to such examination needs to pray with the psalmist, “Search me, 0 God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139 :23-24)
HE TOUCHED HIS TONGUE
The next step in preparation for the blessing was dealing with the deaf-mute’s tongue, for not only did he have ear trouble, but he had “an impediment in his speech.” The tongue is a small member very seldom seen, hidden away in the mouth. Before Christ could deal with this afflicted member, the man had to open his mouth and show his tongue. This, to be sure, was not a dignified sight but it was the only way by which he could be helped.
He who would secure soul help must not only have Christ point out his trouble but he must be willing to “open up” so Christ can help him further. This is not easy, for there is nothing harder to do for us human beings than to confess our sins. To open the inner recesses of our heart is the act whereby we “put to death” our members which are upon the earth (Colossians 3 :5). Death is never easy and certainly nothing dies harder than our old nature. Martin Luther in his catechism expresses it thus, “That the old Adam in us, together with all sins and evil lusts, should be drowned by daily sorrow and repentance and be put to death.”
Notice—Jesus “touched his tongue.” He did not slap it or criticize it but He gently touched the afflicted member. Christ, our Saviour, has such a way about Him that if He can but touch some afflicted one, that one will never be the same again. All whom Jesus touched were helped. It is interesting to notice that Jesus does not hesitate to touch the most miserable people. Lepers who had not been touched by a healthy human being since their dread disease was first noticed were touched by Jesus Christ when they cried out for mercy.
The slightest contact with Christ—even a touch— is so powerful that the one involved is changed. The woman with the issue of blood merely touched His garment and she was healed instantly. Once a contact is made with Christ, a heavenly current that produces a miracle immediately surges through the afflicted one. His is a miracle touch.
Do not hesitate to open your heart to Christ even if it humiliates you to tears. Lay bare the innermost recesses of your heart and let the one who can help you take over. Your case is not hopeless. He loves to deal with hard situations for He has not suffered defeat yet. He stands ready to handle your case now.
Christ dealt with the ears, the instruments of intake, before dealing with the tongue, the outlet—the organ of expression. Our listening members need correction before we can be in position to give. It is interesting to note that we have two ears but only one mouth. We are to have a greater capacity for listening than for speaking. James emphasizes this truth by saying, “Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak” (James 1:19).
HE SPOKE THE WORD
The fourth and last step in the healing of the deaf-mute was the giving of the proper word by Christ. Therefore Christ said, “Ephphatha,” that is, “be opened.” And his ears were opened, and his tongue was released.
Something always happens when God’s Word is spoken. He Himself has affirmed, “My word …shall not return unto me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). God has given us His inspired, revealed Word—the Bible. He has told us that “the word of God is living, and active, sharper t h a n any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). Living means “full of life,” not something dead like other books but something that imparts life to the dead. God speaking through Jeremiah said, “Is not my word like fire says the Lord, and like a hammer which breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29). Therefore we are urged to “search the scriptures” for therein we meet Christ who can give us the word that will bring blessing to us.
Satan knows that God conveys His blessings through the Word; therefore, he must do his utmost to keep people away from the Bible. That is why we find it so difficult to read and search the scriptures consistently daily. That is also why so many people never enter the church where God’s Word is preached—not that they have anything against the church but they have so many interests that keep them away. Satan does not need to get people to curse God to insure their being lost but he must keep them away from the Word, the means whereby God has chosen to bless His people today.
The Bible with its sixty-six books stands ready to impart untold blessings to all who will obey it. It is like a gold mine waiting to be explored. All who have had their eyes opened to behold wonderful things out of it can say “amen” to the testimony of the psalmist, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!“ (Psalm 119:103).
It is foolish to pray for blessings and then stay away from the Word which is God’s chosen way of conveying that blessing. He who would be blessed must come in contact with Christ through His Word.
Our text has given us four simple steps that lead to a blessing. When Christ completed His dealing with the deaf-mute, the people “were astonished beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done all things well.’” If Christ is permitted to have His way with people today, He will again impart a blessing so that the statement will be made, “He has done all things well.”
The people of this world should be given many occasions to be “astonished beyond measure” at the wonder-working power of Jesus Christ. If it could be said of the apostles that “they recognized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13), then similar statements should be heard about the Christians today.
The eternal fact remains that Jesus Christ has done all things well. His coming to this earth as our Saviour, His teaching, His individual dealings with seeking souls, His dying on the cross for our sins, His going to prepare a place for His own—all can be summed up in the words, “He has done all things well.” God the Father expressed this same truth in the statement, “Thou art my beloved Son, with thee I am well pleased” (Mark 1 :11).
A new chapter can begin in the life of any who will let this same Saviour lead them step by step. The one and only conclusion to which all come who submit themselves to Jesus Christ is that “He has done all things well.”
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Lord, Send a Revival - Maynard Force
Lord, Send a Revival
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14.
When Dwight D. Eisenhower took the oath of office as president of the United States, he requested that one of the Bibles used for the occasion be opened to this passage in Second Chronicles. He was impressed with the importance of this Scriptural promise and admonition, and wanted to place his hand upon it as he took his oath of office.
These words state God's requirement for a revival. We do well to examine them carefully so that we may rightfully claim their promise.
This statement is definitely directed to a people called by God's name. In our day we would call them Christians or, to be more specific, those who are saved. It is with this group the decision rests as to whether or not a revival is to come.
The words "if" and "then" mark a simple but effective twofold division of the verse.
"If"
Many of God's promises begin with the short but arresting word "if". He who would lay claim to what is promised must be careful to meet the requirements of the "if". In this verse, God's "if" introduces four definite requirements which must be met to His satisfaction if a revival is to come.
HUMILITY
The first of these requirements is humility. "If my people . . . humble themselves.'' This is the starting point. It is not a popular place in our day. Our nature rebels at the very thought of humility. Many have by-passed it in seeking a revival, and have received nothing.
He who would be humble must deal with his own sins. Nothing so humiliates an individual as having to confess his sin and seek forgiveness for it. To face God and fellow men and admit our wrong- doings is the death blow to our wicked nature. This is what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote, "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you'' (Colossians 3:5) . James, in his letter, put it this way, "Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you'' (James 4:10) . I know of no humility apart from the confession of sins. Do you?
The starting point for a revival is indeed a lowly place. It takes the grace of God to humble our- selves. We do not mind being used of God to humble others but we hesitate and rebel when the same medicine is applied to us. Our text, however, states that God's people are to humble "themselves."
PRAYER
The second requirement for a revival is prayer. "If my people . . . pray." He who truly humbles himself before God will find that his only avenue of escape is prayer. The road of humility always leads to sincere prayer.
Attempts have been made to bring Christians together to pray for a revival without first asking that they humble themselves. To all such, God's Word says, "Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you so that he does not hear''
(Isaiah 59:2).
The prayers God wants to hear are those that come from "a broken spirit." As the psalmist said, "A broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise'' (Psalm 51:17) . He who prays after being humbled by repentance is sympathetic and under- standing. His cold, critical heart has become mellow and tender toward others, and he is in a condition to know how to pray.
The prayer referred to in this text is united prayer. God said, "My people" -not only one or two denominations but all who belong to His people. Regardless of differences in doctrines, prayer "that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord'' (Acts 3:19) should surely be certain ground on which all God's people can meet. We have no right to classify ourselves as "God's people'' if we do not find common interests here.
Prayer and revival cannot be separated, f or prayer always, with no exceptions, ushers in "times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord." Our great need for this hour is to get God's people together for prayer. The promise still stands, "Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son'' (John 14:13).
READING GOD'S WORD
The third requirement for a revival is suggested by the words, "If my people . . . seek my face." It is a faithful use of the Word. "Seek my face," God says. He who would look into the inner soul of a man must do so by beholding his face. The face reflects the personality as no other part of the body can do.
We who would seek God's face must do so by be- holding Jesus Christ. God's beauty is revealed in Jesus as in no other way. Therefore, he who has experienced Jesus as his Saviour has in a very true sense beheld God's face.
There is only one place where we can find God's face today and that is in the Bible. Here, and only here, has God seen fit to reveal Himself to us human beings. It is true that "the heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork'' (Psalm 19:1) ; but a personal revelation of God comes not through the heavens or the firmament but only through the inspired Word of God. Therefore, he who would seek God's face must turn to the sacred scriptures.
Times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord never come apart from the searching of God's Word. Rather, every time there has been a mighty moving of God's Spirit, the Word of God has been given pre-eminence. The Pentecostal blessing came as the disciples preached the words of the prophet Joel. The Nineveh awakening came when Jonah obeyed God's command to proclaim to Nineveh "the message that I tell you'' (Jonah 3:2) . The blessing that came to Judah under the leadership of King Josiah was the result of finding and reading the neglected Word of God. The next revival that will come to this earth will be preceded by the searching of the Scriptures on the part of some earnest, God-fearing people.
It is an adventure to seek God's face by means of His Word. One stands amazed time and again as God speaks and reveals Himself. Then the Bible becomes an interesting and gripping book that satisfies the earnest seeker.
Has the Bible become uninteresting to you? Do you let days and weeks go by without reading it? Have you made feverish attempts to read it but somehow been unable to become interested in it? If so, there is something wrong with you. You have sinned grievously against God by this attitude. Confess your indifference as sin and ask God to create in you an appetite for His eternal Word. Go to the Word again and pray for grace really to seek God's f ace. You will find that the happiest moments you can spend on earth are those you spend meeting God face to face in His Word. ''Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied'' (Matthew 5:6).
REPENTANCE
The fourth requirement for a revival is that God's people shall "turn from their wicked ways." He who searches the Scriptures will soon discover how many "wicked ways" he has. To live apart from the Word leaves us ignorant of our sinfulness; to live in the Word is to have our condition revealed as God sees it.
To turn means to repent. Repentance is not some- thing we ourselves can bring about, but is a blessing that God bestows on those who seek Him. Paul wrote Timothy, asking that he correct his opponents, and declared, "God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth" (2 Timothy 2:25). Repentance, then, is a gift from God, a gift that He gladly gives to those who seek His face.
Times of refreshing come only after there has been a turning from "wicked ways." Not from one wicked way, we note, but from wicked ways - that is, all of them. That means not only confessing sin but also forsaking sin. "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy'' (Proverbs 28:13) Too often sins are merely confessed but not forsaken. To confess sins and not forsake them is mockery. We are given this warning in 1 Peter 1:15 : "As he who called you is holy, be holy your- selves in all your conduct." God refuses to send a revival to people who cling to sin. He has said, "Your sins have kept good from you'' (Jer. 5:25).
A striking definition of repentance are the words in 2 Corinthians 7:11, in which Paul describes the attitude of the Corinthians after they had repented: "For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what punishment!" The repentance here described is the kind that will permit God to send a revival.
"Then"
The second division of the text begins with the little word "then." There is no short cut to this part of the verse, for he who would claim the promise must first meet the fourfold condition that preceded it. The first part of the verse sets forth what God expects of us and the second states what we may expect of Him if we meet His conditions.
There are three things God promises to do for His people who obey His fourfold demands.
GOD WILL HEAR
First, "I will hear from heaven." This is how we may have a hearing with God. Our many prayers will not bring down a blessing from God. This blessing will come when we have allowed Him to prepare our hearts to receive it. As soon as we are prepared, the blessing will come. The Pentecostal blessings came at the third hour of the tenth day of prayer. It took the disciples that long to get ready to receive what God had for them. God is ready now to shower upon us "an overflowing blessing'' (Malachi 3 :10) .
GOD WILL FORGIVE
God's second promise is, "I will forgive their sin." The failures of the past will be forgiven and forgotten as far as God is concerned.
It is wonderful that there are such promises in the Bible. No one need be discouraged because of his past sins. God promises that He will forgive our sins. The greatest news that can reach a person is that his sins are forgiven. Before the prophet Isaiah began his great service for the Lord, he heard the words, "Your guilt is taken away, and your sin is forgiven'' (Isaiah 6:8) . No one who has not been given this assurance is prepared to serve the Lord. Revival clouds withhold their blessings until God's people are cleansed.
GOD WILL HEAL
In the third place, God promises, "I will heal their land." The blessings referred to here are far- reaching. God's favor falls not only on those whom He calls "my people," but on the entire land. When God sends forth spiritual blessings in revival proportions, the benefits of these blessings flow out like a flood. God never sends a revival to some select group of people who selfishly try to channel the blessing for themselves. Rather, God's revivals are as free as the wind. Jesus said, "The wind blows where it wills and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes: so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit'' (John 3:8) . God always directs His own revivals.
Our God is very definite. He has laid down four requirements f or a revival: humility, prayer, searching the Word, and repentance. When these requirements are met, He promises a threefold blessing: the hearing of prayer, the forgiveness of sin, and the healing of the land. God's requirements are definite and His promises far-reaching. Their combination will bring "times of refreshing from the presence of the lord."
God is ready to send the spiritual rain. What is your answer to His proposal? Zechariah admonished wisely when he wrote, "Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, who gives men showers of rain, to every one the vegetation in the field'' (Zachariah 10 :1) .
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14.
When Dwight D. Eisenhower took the oath of office as president of the United States, he requested that one of the Bibles used for the occasion be opened to this passage in Second Chronicles. He was impressed with the importance of this Scriptural promise and admonition, and wanted to place his hand upon it as he took his oath of office.
These words state God's requirement for a revival. We do well to examine them carefully so that we may rightfully claim their promise.
This statement is definitely directed to a people called by God's name. In our day we would call them Christians or, to be more specific, those who are saved. It is with this group the decision rests as to whether or not a revival is to come.
The words "if" and "then" mark a simple but effective twofold division of the verse.
"If"
Many of God's promises begin with the short but arresting word "if". He who would lay claim to what is promised must be careful to meet the requirements of the "if". In this verse, God's "if" introduces four definite requirements which must be met to His satisfaction if a revival is to come.
HUMILITY
The first of these requirements is humility. "If my people . . . humble themselves.'' This is the starting point. It is not a popular place in our day. Our nature rebels at the very thought of humility. Many have by-passed it in seeking a revival, and have received nothing.
He who would be humble must deal with his own sins. Nothing so humiliates an individual as having to confess his sin and seek forgiveness for it. To face God and fellow men and admit our wrong- doings is the death blow to our wicked nature. This is what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote, "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you'' (Colossians 3:5) . James, in his letter, put it this way, "Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you'' (James 4:10) . I know of no humility apart from the confession of sins. Do you?
The starting point for a revival is indeed a lowly place. It takes the grace of God to humble our- selves. We do not mind being used of God to humble others but we hesitate and rebel when the same medicine is applied to us. Our text, however, states that God's people are to humble "themselves."
PRAYER
The second requirement for a revival is prayer. "If my people . . . pray." He who truly humbles himself before God will find that his only avenue of escape is prayer. The road of humility always leads to sincere prayer.
Attempts have been made to bring Christians together to pray for a revival without first asking that they humble themselves. To all such, God's Word says, "Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you so that he does not hear''
(Isaiah 59:2).
The prayers God wants to hear are those that come from "a broken spirit." As the psalmist said, "A broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise'' (Psalm 51:17) . He who prays after being humbled by repentance is sympathetic and under- standing. His cold, critical heart has become mellow and tender toward others, and he is in a condition to know how to pray.
The prayer referred to in this text is united prayer. God said, "My people" -not only one or two denominations but all who belong to His people. Regardless of differences in doctrines, prayer "that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord'' (Acts 3:19) should surely be certain ground on which all God's people can meet. We have no right to classify ourselves as "God's people'' if we do not find common interests here.
Prayer and revival cannot be separated, f or prayer always, with no exceptions, ushers in "times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord." Our great need for this hour is to get God's people together for prayer. The promise still stands, "Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son'' (John 14:13).
READING GOD'S WORD
The third requirement for a revival is suggested by the words, "If my people . . . seek my face." It is a faithful use of the Word. "Seek my face," God says. He who would look into the inner soul of a man must do so by beholding his face. The face reflects the personality as no other part of the body can do.
We who would seek God's face must do so by be- holding Jesus Christ. God's beauty is revealed in Jesus as in no other way. Therefore, he who has experienced Jesus as his Saviour has in a very true sense beheld God's face.
There is only one place where we can find God's face today and that is in the Bible. Here, and only here, has God seen fit to reveal Himself to us human beings. It is true that "the heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork'' (Psalm 19:1) ; but a personal revelation of God comes not through the heavens or the firmament but only through the inspired Word of God. Therefore, he who would seek God's face must turn to the sacred scriptures.
Times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord never come apart from the searching of God's Word. Rather, every time there has been a mighty moving of God's Spirit, the Word of God has been given pre-eminence. The Pentecostal blessing came as the disciples preached the words of the prophet Joel. The Nineveh awakening came when Jonah obeyed God's command to proclaim to Nineveh "the message that I tell you'' (Jonah 3:2) . The blessing that came to Judah under the leadership of King Josiah was the result of finding and reading the neglected Word of God. The next revival that will come to this earth will be preceded by the searching of the Scriptures on the part of some earnest, God-fearing people.
It is an adventure to seek God's face by means of His Word. One stands amazed time and again as God speaks and reveals Himself. Then the Bible becomes an interesting and gripping book that satisfies the earnest seeker.
Has the Bible become uninteresting to you? Do you let days and weeks go by without reading it? Have you made feverish attempts to read it but somehow been unable to become interested in it? If so, there is something wrong with you. You have sinned grievously against God by this attitude. Confess your indifference as sin and ask God to create in you an appetite for His eternal Word. Go to the Word again and pray for grace really to seek God's f ace. You will find that the happiest moments you can spend on earth are those you spend meeting God face to face in His Word. ''Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied'' (Matthew 5:6).
REPENTANCE
The fourth requirement for a revival is that God's people shall "turn from their wicked ways." He who searches the Scriptures will soon discover how many "wicked ways" he has. To live apart from the Word leaves us ignorant of our sinfulness; to live in the Word is to have our condition revealed as God sees it.
To turn means to repent. Repentance is not some- thing we ourselves can bring about, but is a blessing that God bestows on those who seek Him. Paul wrote Timothy, asking that he correct his opponents, and declared, "God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth" (2 Timothy 2:25). Repentance, then, is a gift from God, a gift that He gladly gives to those who seek His face.
Times of refreshing come only after there has been a turning from "wicked ways." Not from one wicked way, we note, but from wicked ways - that is, all of them. That means not only confessing sin but also forsaking sin. "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy'' (Proverbs 28:13) Too often sins are merely confessed but not forsaken. To confess sins and not forsake them is mockery. We are given this warning in 1 Peter 1:15 : "As he who called you is holy, be holy your- selves in all your conduct." God refuses to send a revival to people who cling to sin. He has said, "Your sins have kept good from you'' (Jer. 5:25).
A striking definition of repentance are the words in 2 Corinthians 7:11, in which Paul describes the attitude of the Corinthians after they had repented: "For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what punishment!" The repentance here described is the kind that will permit God to send a revival.
"Then"
The second division of the text begins with the little word "then." There is no short cut to this part of the verse, for he who would claim the promise must first meet the fourfold condition that preceded it. The first part of the verse sets forth what God expects of us and the second states what we may expect of Him if we meet His conditions.
There are three things God promises to do for His people who obey His fourfold demands.
GOD WILL HEAR
First, "I will hear from heaven." This is how we may have a hearing with God. Our many prayers will not bring down a blessing from God. This blessing will come when we have allowed Him to prepare our hearts to receive it. As soon as we are prepared, the blessing will come. The Pentecostal blessings came at the third hour of the tenth day of prayer. It took the disciples that long to get ready to receive what God had for them. God is ready now to shower upon us "an overflowing blessing'' (Malachi 3 :10) .
GOD WILL FORGIVE
God's second promise is, "I will forgive their sin." The failures of the past will be forgiven and forgotten as far as God is concerned.
It is wonderful that there are such promises in the Bible. No one need be discouraged because of his past sins. God promises that He will forgive our sins. The greatest news that can reach a person is that his sins are forgiven. Before the prophet Isaiah began his great service for the Lord, he heard the words, "Your guilt is taken away, and your sin is forgiven'' (Isaiah 6:8) . No one who has not been given this assurance is prepared to serve the Lord. Revival clouds withhold their blessings until God's people are cleansed.
GOD WILL HEAL
In the third place, God promises, "I will heal their land." The blessings referred to here are far- reaching. God's favor falls not only on those whom He calls "my people," but on the entire land. When God sends forth spiritual blessings in revival proportions, the benefits of these blessings flow out like a flood. God never sends a revival to some select group of people who selfishly try to channel the blessing for themselves. Rather, God's revivals are as free as the wind. Jesus said, "The wind blows where it wills and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes: so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit'' (John 3:8) . God always directs His own revivals.
Our God is very definite. He has laid down four requirements f or a revival: humility, prayer, searching the Word, and repentance. When these requirements are met, He promises a threefold blessing: the hearing of prayer, the forgiveness of sin, and the healing of the land. God's requirements are definite and His promises far-reaching. Their combination will bring "times of refreshing from the presence of the lord."
God is ready to send the spiritual rain. What is your answer to His proposal? Zechariah admonished wisely when he wrote, "Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, who gives men showers of rain, to every one the vegetation in the field'' (Zachariah 10 :1) .
New Book- Our Refuge and strength- Pastor Force
I am going to start posting another of Pastor Forces Books on this blog.
OUR REFUGE
AND
STRENGTH
Sermons and Meditations
BY
MAYNARD A. FORCE
AUGUSTANA BOOK CONCERN
ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS
Copyright, 1954
(Best that I can tell this book is in the Public Domain)
AND
STRENGTH
Sermons and Meditations
BY
MAYNARD A. FORCE
AUGUSTANA BOOK CONCERN
ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS
Copyright, 1954
(Best that I can tell this book is in the Public Domain)
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