Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Why Revival Tarries

Tom found Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill among his books at the church, and brought it home to me yesterday. I plan to start reading through it at soon as I finish reading I Saw the Welsh Revival by David Matthews. At first, Tom did not know he still had that book, so I went looking for it on the internet. Here are two things that I found thought-provoking.

First, this article, which exposes who is to blame for the lack of revival in our local church.

Second, this book review by an unknown minister, which I quote here:

This book should come with a warning label on it saying: "If you want to destroy your life go ahead and read this book!" This book absolutely destroyed me in every way possible. I remember receiving this book from a friend in Philly and was in a bad season in my life and also remembering being scared to read the book. No wait I wasn't scared to read it I was absolutely terrified, and my pre-conceived notions were correct. Once I picked up that book I was as good as dead. I began to weep and groan for weeks and weeks. The burning words in those pages completely consumed me and scathed me. I was skinned and hung up for death. Everything in my life was burnt up and left in an ash heap before my feet, so that I had to turn to God and say what now? He replied and said do what I have always wanted you to do, die! Everything changed for me, prayer life, ministry, preaching, relationships, church, conduct, and everything else. I walked away broken, battered, and bruised from this book and have never been the same. So with that read this book unless you want to live in your 'normal' Christian life, but if you have enough guts to actually do what the bible says, let Ravenhill expose your fakeness and start all over again from step one!

Brother Marcel, if you are reading this, I want you to know that what you said at the business meeting keeps going through my mind: that revival does not come because we are not righteous. Here are the verses I keep thinking of also:

Psalm 24:3-5 "Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation."

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I also remember the words that prayer does not take the place of obedience.

Marcel said...

Hi Cathy

I have read Leonard Ravenhill's book "Why Revival tarries". I have been deeply touched and shaken by this book. It is powerful stuff. It needs to be read more than once.

In the preface, A.W. Tozer says: "Towards Leonard Ravenhill it is impossible to be neutral. His acquaintances are divided pretty neatly into two classes, those who love and admire him out of all proportion and those who hate him with perfect hatred. And what is true of the man is sure to be true of his books, of this book. The reader will either close its pages to seek a place of prayer or he will toss it in anger, his heart closed to its warnings and appeals. Not all books, not even all good books come as a voice from above, but I feel that this one does."

I personnaly love this kind of book. It makes us think. More, it makes us act!

LOVE IN CHRIST

Marcel Longchamps