WORDS OF LIFE SERIES 48
BIBLE STUDY NOTES TEN STUDIES IN PSALM 1. You shall have no other gods before me.
119 2. You shall not make for yourself an idol.
by Francis W. Dixon 3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
5. Honour your father and your mother.
Study 8 A BELIEVER’S HEART-CRY FOR REVIVAL 6. You shall not murder.
Key-verse: “It is time for you to act, O LORD; your law is
being broken.” (Psalm 119:126)
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
It is quite obvious from these words that the psalmist was a very burdened and 9. You shall not give false testimony.
troubled man. He loved the Lord and wanted to please Him, but he was 10. You shall not covet.
surrounded by godless and careless people who lived and acted as if God’s How we need God to work in our land, our churches and in our hearts. It is time
laws, and even God Himself, did not exist. David was so affected by this for God to work; and if He does not work in revival, He must work in judgment.
spiritual and moral laxity, that suddenly all the pent-up longings of his heart What, then, is our part in the matter?
gushed forth in an urgent heart-cry for revival, a passionate prayer to God
Himself to step into the situation and do a mighty work that would turn back the 2. IT IS TIME TO WORK FOR THE LORD
tide of godlessness. How up-to-date this subject is! Indeed, this prayer of What can we and should we do to make it possible for God to do this work?
David’s is the one prayer above all others that should be in our hearts and on 1. Recognition. We must recognise the desperate need that exists, as the
our lips! The greatest need of our time is for God to work in spiritual revival in psalmist David did when he suddenly cried out for God to step in and work
His Church, and thus to the world around. mightily. We must have our eyes open to see the need for revival, and we
must be burdened men and women.
We need to remind ourselves that revival is God’s work. Only the sovereign
2. Faith. It is clear that David believed fully in God’s willingness to hear and
Lord Himself can send revival. Man cannot produce it – “according to the plan answer prayer and to send revival. Some do not believe that revival is
of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” possible today. The late R.A. Torrey did; he said, “I have a theory, and I
(Ephesians 1:11). And that is why in Psalm 85:6 we read, “Will you not revive us believe it is true, that there is not a church, chapel or mission on earth
again?” – with the emphasis on the word “you”. It is also true that revival is the where you cannot have a revival, provided there is a nucleus of faithful
work and power of the Spirit of God manifested in the Church and through the people who will hold on to God until it comes.”
lives of God’s people. God is the Author of revival, but God’s people have a 3. Prayer. Having recognised the need, and believing that God is willing to
responsibility to do their part and to open channels through which God may send revival, we must then present ourselves before Him and ask Him to
pour out His blessing. Notice 2 Chronicles 7:14, which reads, “If my people, “work”. All the great revivals of which we have record have been preceded
who are called by my name, will humble themselves…” Only God can send by earnest, believing prayer – sometimes by the prayers of just a few
revival, but it begins in the hearts and lives of God’s people and through their people; always by the prayers of some; and often by the prayers of a great
obedience to Him. So we see there is a divine and a human side to revival. many – look up 2 Chronicles 7:14 again, and compare Psalm 85:6.
Let’s consider, therefore, two main propositions:- 4. Amendment. That is to say, there must be amendment and adjustment of
life, a willingness on our part to bring our lives into complete conformity to
1. IT IS TIME FOR THE LORD TO WORK God’s will, so that we may be instruments in His hands to use. See verses
Wherever we look we see the need for revival and for God to come down and 127 and 128, where the psalmist tells us two things: first, that his great
work in His Church. There is lukewarm-ness, worldliness, lack of prayer, half- desire was to love and to do God’s will, and second, that he had a holy
heartedness, lack of clear testimony to the saving truths of the gospel, few hatred of sin and of all that was contrary to God’s will.
conversions, small attendances at worship, and God’s people are weak and
powerless. All these indicate that there is great need for revival. Notice that the This is the way to revival. It is time for the Lord to work, for only the Lord can
psalmist asks the Lord to step in and do a great work because “your law is send revival; but it is also time for us to work for the Lord, because revival
being broken”. In the world, and in the Church too, the declaration of God’s will must first come in our own hearts, and when it does come the blessing will flow
in His holy Word has been disregarded and flaunted. Look at the Ten out to the needy world around.
Commandments in Exodus 20:1-17, and see how every single one of them is WORDS OF LIFE MINISTRIES
being broken, not only by people in the world, but also by the people of God :- PO Box 334, EASTLEIGH, SO53 2UB, UK
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