| Gleanings From My Readings |
GLEANINGS
Some Things I Think I
Have Been Thinking
by Dr. Glenn Mathews
Most every believer with a desire to be Christ
like would agree that the average Christian and
the average church is in desperate need of
Have Been Thinking
by Dr. Glenn Mathews
Most every believer with a desire to be Christ
like would agree that the average Christian and
the average church is in desperate need of
revival. If the church could be compared to a sailing ship that is
dependent upon the wind to move it, then that ship and the
church is sitting in the doldrums, with no wind, and no progress
being made. Yet, there is no wide spread revival.
There are many reasons why there is no revival in America. More
than a few people have written books on the subject – why it
tarries, what would produce it, etc. I have read such books and
have profited spiritually from them. However, the thought that
occurred to me in the past few days is not often discussed in those
books on revival. The thought is this:
In the ideal Christian life, revival would not be needed. In fact, the
ideal Christian life would not even regard the word “revival” as
relevant.
To say that one (you, me, the church in general) needs revival is
to admit that we are not living the Christian life as it was intended
to be lived. To say that one needs revival is to admit that we have
declined in the intimacy of our relationship with Christ – that we
have lived beneath our privileges and responsibilities as a
Christian. Such an admission is difficult for us to make, for we all
wish to think that we are AOK in our relationship with Christ. To
say that we have “lived beneath” is this: we have failed to keep
our “contract”, i.e., our life style that is to be lived in accordance
with His will and accomplished by His indwelling presence and
enabling power. We instinctively wish to keep our hands on the
helm of the ship, even if we are making no progress. If, instead of
the steady breeze of the Holy Spirit, we encounter storms that
toss us to and fro, then we want the Lord to take the helm of the
ship. That, however, is not revival. That is merely an act of
desperation! Even after the Lord has brought us through the
storm, we again tend to take control of the helm, even though the
storm may have blown us far off our desired course. Oh, that we
would learn that Jesus’ word is right when he says “without me,
ye can (keep right on doing) do nothing"!
Revival, as a noun, is neither a person, nor a place. Revival, then,
must be a “thing”. Does not our Lord tell us (Matt. 6:33) to seek
“first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these
things shall be added” to us? Indeed, if we were constantly
seeking His kingdom and His righteousness, (instead, even, of
seeking revival), would not we “have” revival? Perhaps we should
be praying to know more of His kingdom and His righteousness –
to devote ourselves to the incorporation of His kingdom and His
righteousness in our lives – and continue to pursue them until
revival (as a “thing”) is added to us.
In 31 years of evangelism/missions, I have heard two songs more
often than any other songs. Those songs are “Revive Us, Again”
and “It Is Well With My Soul”. Odd, that these two should be the
most often sung during meetings. Although I like the song “Revive
Us, Again), it says nothing about the recognition of our condition,
or of the repentance that is essential to experience revival. As for
“It is Well With My Soul”, perhaps one reason for no revival is
the fact that “it is too well” with our souls, i.e., we are living
within our comfort zone and do not sense the need to “hunger and
thirst after (His) righteousness”. The vast majority of church
members who attend fundamental, Bible believing churches, have
never experienced revival.
Surely, one of the reasons is that we have not had revival is that
we have decided we can do without it. May God help us to seek
“first the kingdom of God and His righteous”. Surely, such
seeking and living will produce a life within us that does not
“need” revival. SELAH
Glenn Mathews
P.S. I may have more to say about this in a later article.
dependent upon the wind to move it, then that ship and the
church is sitting in the doldrums, with no wind, and no progress
being made. Yet, there is no wide spread revival.
There are many reasons why there is no revival in America. More
than a few people have written books on the subject – why it
tarries, what would produce it, etc. I have read such books and
have profited spiritually from them. However, the thought that
occurred to me in the past few days is not often discussed in those
books on revival. The thought is this:
In the ideal Christian life, revival would not be needed. In fact, the
ideal Christian life would not even regard the word “revival” as
relevant.
To say that one (you, me, the church in general) needs revival is
to admit that we are not living the Christian life as it was intended
to be lived. To say that one needs revival is to admit that we have
declined in the intimacy of our relationship with Christ – that we
have lived beneath our privileges and responsibilities as a
Christian. Such an admission is difficult for us to make, for we all
wish to think that we are AOK in our relationship with Christ. To
say that we have “lived beneath” is this: we have failed to keep
our “contract”, i.e., our life style that is to be lived in accordance
with His will and accomplished by His indwelling presence and
enabling power. We instinctively wish to keep our hands on the
helm of the ship, even if we are making no progress. If, instead of
the steady breeze of the Holy Spirit, we encounter storms that
toss us to and fro, then we want the Lord to take the helm of the
ship. That, however, is not revival. That is merely an act of
desperation! Even after the Lord has brought us through the
storm, we again tend to take control of the helm, even though the
storm may have blown us far off our desired course. Oh, that we
would learn that Jesus’ word is right when he says “without me,
ye can (keep right on doing) do nothing"!
Revival, as a noun, is neither a person, nor a place. Revival, then,
must be a “thing”. Does not our Lord tell us (Matt. 6:33) to seek
“first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these
things shall be added” to us? Indeed, if we were constantly
seeking His kingdom and His righteousness, (instead, even, of
seeking revival), would not we “have” revival? Perhaps we should
be praying to know more of His kingdom and His righteousness –
to devote ourselves to the incorporation of His kingdom and His
righteousness in our lives – and continue to pursue them until
revival (as a “thing”) is added to us.
In 31 years of evangelism/missions, I have heard two songs more
often than any other songs. Those songs are “Revive Us, Again”
and “It Is Well With My Soul”. Odd, that these two should be the
most often sung during meetings. Although I like the song “Revive
Us, Again), it says nothing about the recognition of our condition,
or of the repentance that is essential to experience revival. As for
“It is Well With My Soul”, perhaps one reason for no revival is
the fact that “it is too well” with our souls, i.e., we are living
within our comfort zone and do not sense the need to “hunger and
thirst after (His) righteousness”. The vast majority of church
members who attend fundamental, Bible believing churches, have
never experienced revival.
Surely, one of the reasons is that we have not had revival is that
we have decided we can do without it. May God help us to seek
“first the kingdom of God and His righteous”. Surely, such
seeking and living will produce a life within us that does not
“need” revival. SELAH
Glenn Mathews
P.S. I may have more to say about this in a later article.
| PO Box 145 ~ Charleston, WV 25321 ~ (910) 948-4307 ~ glennandfleta@juno.com |
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| PO Box 145 ~ Charleston, WV 25321 ~ (910) 948-4307 ~ glennandfleta@juno.com |