Awakening

“This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life” (Psalm 119:50).

Eileen, Josh, and I are in Florida. Josh and his friends are enjoying Orlando. Eileen and I are attending the Ligonier National Conference. This year’s theme is “Awakening,” and we’re studying in-depth what God’s Word says about the spiritual fuel that is the necessary for revival. We’ve traced the great revivals of history in order to ready ourselves for revival in our generation.

It’s been great to catch up with some dear friends like Mac and Linda McKinley from SoCal. I won’t write much today because I have very little time, but I’ll send a couple of pics from the Sunshine State.

How do we seek God for spiritual awakening, even when we see no signs of it? You know by now how much I admire Joni Eareckson Tada. Well, Joni is here, and yesterday she unpacked for us the verse with which I began this blog posting. Despite quadraplegia, breast cancer, and excruciating pain,

Joni presses on for Christ. Joni assured us that each one of our trials, and each one of our tears, is used of our Sovereign God to ready our souls for revival: “God permits what He hates to accomplish what He loves.”

Perhaps you find yourself in a season of suffering right now. Difficult as it may be, this can be the sweetest season of your growth in grace. Trust the Lord, even now. Because Christ is risen, we know that God intends marvelous things for us! The awakening we need may be just over the next hill. So journey onward, Beloved.

50,000 people die, every day, without the hope of Christ. Oh, friends, how we need the Holy Spirit for such a time as this! Without Him, we have no evangelism, no discipleship, no fellowship, and in fact no power for Christian living on any level.

When Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones used to step into his London pulpit, he would say to himself: “I believe in the Holy Spirit! I believe in the Holy Spirit! I believe in the Holy Spirit!” Do we?

May His awakening come to us soon (Luke 11:13).

 

Pastor Charles