Fire in our hearts - Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS
CITY ON A HILL
Thank God for all this. We want his presence. But if he is to
‘rend the heavens and come down’ he must first bring conviction.
The Hebrides Awakening began when a man confessed
his sins. In the American revivals Finney thrust in the sword
before pointing to the Lamb of God.
‘Too many souls,’ wrote Frank Bartleman, ‘are dragged from
the womb of conviction by force. They have to be incubated
ever after.’ 71 This is why we lack power. Repentance is shallow
and we are plagued by the self-life. It needs burning out.
Tues. 21 Jan. All around Britain we hear of grace but who
speaks of the fear of God? Entertainment replaces awe. Peace!
Peace! they say, and the wound is healed lightly. We want the
mountain tops but refuse Gethsemane. ‘Don’t sing!’ Evan
Roberts would cry. ‘It’s too terrible to sing!’ How easily it
thrust away God’s presence.
Wed. 22 Jan. How have these recent changes come about?
Partly from frustration. We have sought to be the ‘friends of
sinners’. Many are drawn into evangelism, whether in the
front line, in prayer, or as deacons and caterers. Whole afternoons
are spent in ‘saturation evangelism’ when the church
is out in force. We bring folk back but few come through. So
much travel and energy! The reaping is hard and the church
is weary. Our great need is for God.
‘Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down!’ (Is
64:1). That was the burden of Noel’s ministry as we entered
the new year. Our hearts leapt as we considered the revivals
of the past. Maybe it could happen here. But it had to begin
with us. ‘Bend the church and save the people’ was the motto
of the Welsh Revival.
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