What areas of your life do you wish God would hit the fast-forward button? In what areas do you feel stuck? On Sunday we learned that when it comes to revival God can do in a moment what we could never do in a lifetime! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

TEXT: Psalm 85
PREACHER: Guest Pastor, Dustin Smetona
BIG IDEA: Pray and prepare for revival!

POINTS: 
1.  Revival is our family history. (vs. 1-3)   
2. Revival is our present need. (vs. 4-7)
3. Revival is our future state. (vs. 8-13)

OPENING ILLUSTRATION & QUESTIONS:
”As I was talking to [my six-year-old son] about his anger I told him, ‘Buddy, you’ve got to remember to talk back to your anger and say no to it.’ Without missing a beat he responded, ‘Dad I’m trying! But my anger just won’t listen to me and it’s so loud that I can’t talk over it.’

My son felt stuck.
What are those areas for you?

• Does anger have a grip on you?

• Are you spiritually dry or joyless? Depressed?

• Do you lack direction and vision for what God wants you to do?

• Are you stuck in a pattern of sin and feel like you can’t get out?

Wouldn’t you be so relieved if God hit the fast-forward button on that?”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Romans 8 - For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

QUOTES:
Ray Ortlund - “Revival is a season in the life of the church when God causes the normal ministry of the gospel to surge forward with extraordinary spiritual power. Revival is seasonal, not perennial. God causes it; we do not. It is the normal ministry of the gospel, not something eccentric or even different from what the church is always charged to do. What sets revival apart is simply that our usual efforts greatly accelerate in their spiritual effects. God hits the fast-forward button.”

Martyn Lloyd-Jones - “The history of the church is a history of revivals.”

Jonathan Edwards - “This work of God, as it was carried on, and the number of true saints multiplied, soon made a glorious alteration in the town: so that in the spring and summer following, the town seemed to be full of the presence of God: it never was so full of love, nor of joy, and yet so full of distress, as it was then. There were remarkable tokens of God’s presence in almost every house. It was a time of joy in families on account of salvation being brought to them; parents rejoicing over their children as newborn, and husbands over their wives, and wives over their husbands. Our public assemblies were then beautiful: the congregation was alive in God’s service, every one earnestly intent on the public worship, every hearer eager to drink in the words of the minister as they came from his mouth; the assembly in general were, from time to time, in tears while the word was preached; some weeping with sorrow and distress, others with joy and love, others with pity and concern for the souls of their neighbors.”

Richard Lovelace - “[Revival] is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit which restores the people of God to normal spiritual life after a period of corporate decline. Periods of spiritual decline occur in history because the gravity of indwelling sin keeps pulling believers first into formal religion and then into open apostasy. Periods of awakening alternate with these as God graciously breathes new life into his people.”

John Piper - “The only life I have left to live is future life. The past is not in my hands to offer or alter. It is gone. Not even God will change the past. All the expectations of God are future expectations. All the possibilities of faith and love are future possibilities. And all the power that touches me with help to live in love is future power. As precious as the bygone blessings of God may be, if He leaves me only with the memory of those, and not with the promise of more, I will be undone. My hope for future goodness and future glory is future grace.”