Brown's Daily Word 5-6-10

Praise the Lord for America, the best place on earth to live. Praise the Lord for the Church of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Sunita and Andy and their church in Washington are involved in a prayer conference, which began yesterday and will conclude Friday Evening. Sunita called me yesterday and told me that they have taken time off from work to attend the conference on prayer with Judith McNutt. Sunita told me that many of her friends and colleagues are attending this prayer event.
The Lord blessed us with a wonderful Wednesday gathering last evening. Our friend Dave Hettinger led the Bible Study. We studied from Mathew 7:1 ff. It is always a great thrill to study the word of the Lord with fellow sojourners .
In 1904 a young ministerial student named Evan Roberts, began to feel that God was sending an urgent message that He was going to pour out a mighty spirit of revival on Wales, which is now a part of Great Britain. Roberts began attending various revival meetings and during one he was deeply moved by the Spirit. As he prayed at the altar he cried out to God, “Bend me oh Lord!” This was a complete and total surrender of his will to God’s will.
Roberts soon returned to his home church to preach the message of revival but his pastor was reluctant to allow him to speak. In a compromise, the pastor announced that Roberts would be speaking following the regular prayer meeting and any who wished to stay were welcome. Only 17 people stayed to hear Evan speak and most of them were teenagers and young adults. Evan Roberts spoke in that church for nearly two hours with a simple 4 point message that he was convinced could help God bring revival.

1. Confess all known sin to God
2. Deal with and get rid of any “doubtful” area of your life
3. Be ready to obey the Holy Spirit instantly
4. Confess Christ publicly

When Roberts was finished speaking all 17 young people were at the altar on their knees crying out to God. They prayed until 2 AM that night and it was the beginning of one of the greatest movements of God in all history. By the end of the week, over 60 people were won to Christ and over the course of the next year and a half revival swept through the nation of Wales. Over 1,000,000 people were led to saving faith in Jesus Christ.
The revival was so great that the national culture changed dramatically.
• A rage of bankruptcies took place - All of the taverns and liquor stores went out of business
• Work at the coal mines was brought to a near standstill - The mules who pulled the wagons were so accustomed to hearing foul language from the workers that after the men were saved the mules no longer recognized their voices or commands
• The entire police force was dismissed for almost 18 months due to a complete lack of crime
• One of the few court cases that was actually brought before a judge was unusual. The defendant came into the court and admitted his guilt, the judge led the man to Christ and the jury closed the case by singing a hymn.
The revival eventually made its way across the Atlantic and swept through parts of New York and New Jersey. There was even a daily column in the New York Times called “Today’s Converts” that listed those who were being saved.
Times seem to have totally changed and we have to admit that our world is nothing like that of 1904. I would have to agree our world is a darker and more sinister place where revival seems almost impossible. The Promises of our Lord are still true today:
"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." 2 Chronicles 7:14
In Jesus the Saviour and the King.
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE1X4QL5hs0