The Roaring Of Revival Flames.

This past Sunday, a number of congregants volunteered to fast and pray during this week concerning Bronx Bethany's revival services (scheduled for February 10 through 13).

I encourage us all to continue in prayer.

One of the challenges of revival is that, in some instances, the services have become a form of entertainment, or an opportunity for engagement in cult of personality. We concern ourselves with guest singers, guest speakers, and "entertaining" services, and somehow we lose the sense of urgency of our own need to draw near to God in sincerity and contrition.

Perhaps this year will be different. We have been immersed in several sermons themed "Pursuing Holiness... Promoting Healing", and we are conscious of our deep need for God's holy nature in us, that we might be agents of His power to heal.

I am not sure what more to say, nor am I sure whether anything I say is akin to the dark side of "preaching to the choir". The dark side of preaching to the choir is that, because many nominal Christians have heard this appeal so many times, they have become hardened to the call to holiness. They have enjoyed measurable success while maintaining a mediocre, disinterested attendance to tenets of the faith. They see no reason to go deeper into the life of faith because they are quite comfortable in the status quo, and as such their purpose for attending revival is to do anything other than draw nearer to God.

I have been there. It is a dangerous way to live. In fact, one might argue that it is not true Christian living at all. And, as I sit here, I realize that the temperature of my written words is at best lukewarm, and my appeal a wasted exercise. Who can I convince to change, especially if they can rightly tell me that I am the one who needs changing? Such change cannot occur unless the fire of the Holy Spirit breaks in to the human heart, and it is God's prerogative as to how and when He moves... but, like Elijah, we can pray that God sends a consuming fire that will change our lives forever.

Lord, fan our feeble sparks into a roaring flame.