Hosea 14:4-8 – Revive Us – Bible study

Hosea 14:4-8 Revive Us Sunday begins our revival. A revival is a returning to the Lord. It is a necessary determination by every child of God to get right and stay right with God. We are not naturally spiritual beings. If left to ourselves, we will all turn the wrong way. That is not just my opinion. That is Gods fact. Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Constant evaluation and realignment is necessary if we are to be right with God. Tonight, let me share some things that need to be considered as we approach our revival. I. A revival is a realignment to Gods purposes. A. No one can be right with God if he/she is not living for the right purpose. 1. As Christians, everything changed for us when we trusted Jesus as our Savioreven our reason for living. 2. Lets ask, "Why are we here?" B. We (both the church and the individual) are here for three purposes. 1. We are here to glorify God. Romans 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are Gods. a. This is our reason for existence more than any other. b. A life lived that does not purpose to glorify God is a wasted life. 2. We are here to tell the lost about Jesus. Romans 15:20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another mans foundation: 1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel 3. We are here to build up Jesus body. 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. C. Revival is the time when we evaluate ourselves and make sure we are still living for the right cause. 1. Every so often, we must take our automobiles and get the tires aligned. Our Alabama potholes knock them out of alignment. 2. So the potholes of life tend to knock us off course. II. A revival is a repair of what is broken. A. We must ask ourselves, "Are things the way God wants them?" 1. Is this world the way God wants it? a. We live in a world that is Christless! It seems every other religion in the world is growing faster than Christianity. b. Buddhism is the fastest growing religion in Australia. c. Falun Gong was only established in 1992 and by 1999, by some accounts, it claimed as many as 100 million converts. d. From 1991 to 2001, Hinduism grew at a rate of 20%, meaning it would double every 38 years. e. Wicca had a growth rate in America, Canada, and Australia of 143%. f. One of the largest groups in America and Australia is the non-religious group. In 1991, 8.4% of Americans called themselves non-religious. In 2001, the figure had grown to 14.1%, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fastest-growing_religion 2. Is this country the way God wants it? a. We have crime, humanism, gangs, perversion, and corruption sweeping this land. b. Our government is so evil that they are now forcing their policies upon us with secret votes. (If you dont know what I am talking about, go look at how Pelosi wants to get the health care bill passed!) 3. Is this state the way God wants it? a. The sin of the hour is gambling, but it has been liquor, tobacco, pornography, sex education, abortion, and the removal of prayer and the Ten Commandments. b. Do you not find it strange that the Ten Commandments and prayer are too dangerous for our school-aged children but sex education, condemns, and abortion is too necessary for them to do without? 4. Is this church the way God wants it? a. Are we doing what God has commanded? b. Are we standing? Are we praying? Are we preaching? Are we Are we re-producing? 5. And most importantly, each individual must ask, "Am I the way God wants me?" B. There can only be two possible answers to that question. 1. Yes. This is just what God wants. 2. No. Things are not right. C. If the answer comes back, "No," then we must ask "Why?" 1. Again, we can simplify the answer to two possibilities. a. It is because of me. (1) The things that are wrong, are wrong because I am not doing what I am supposed to be doing. (a) I am not saved. (b) I am not living right. i. My own lifestyle is hurting the purposes of God. ii. My actions are moving mankind to the brink of destruction. iii. Do not think that I am being overly-dramatic because some who claim Christ are doing just that! (2) If that is the case, you must fall upon your face and repent. (a) If you need to be saved, get saved. (b) If your lifestyle and actions are against Gods Word, change them. b. It is because of others. (1) No one is laying claim to perfection. However, I would hope that most of the people in this church are not living contrary to Gods word. (a) It is possible for a Christian to be doing right. (b) You are not drinking, cussing, lying, stealing, drugging, gambling, worshipping false gods, doing violence to others, supporting or encouraging the forces of evil or even the flesh and the world. (2) I would hope that most would be able to lay an uncontested claim on chastity, purity, morality, and godliness as defined by the Bible. (3) Even so, we have a powerful and sacred duty to turn this world around even if others are doing the damage. (a) How? (b) By prayer! (4) If Gods people, with the promises God has left us to answer prayer, can not pray down a crooked politician, we are spiritual failures and worthless. (5) I am convinced that nothing is going to turn the tide of sin except prayer. (6) We who want to see God work must take up this powerful tool and use it to save the world. 2. If things are not right, it is up to the church to make them right! a. This country was not built into a God-fearing, righteous nation by humanists, atheists, Buddhist, Muslims, and non- religious people groups! b. It was done by ordinary men and women who determined to live as God commanded and to pray God down on people, situations, and things that were against God. D. A revival is a time to repair that which is broken. 1. Let me give you some steps to effect that repair. a. Realize that things are not what God desires. b. Return to the Word of God to find out what God desires. c. Repent personally. d. Pray for all that you are worth, all that your family is worth, and all that country is worth. 2. It would appear to me that if we do not have a revival soon, we will be too late. III. A revival is a rekindling of what has burnt out. A. During revivals, I constantly make references to putting the edge back on the blade. 1. God has made us to be sharp spiritually. a. The Holy Ghost is to abide upon us. b. We are to have understanding and discernment. c. We are to "know the times." d. We are to have a different lifestyle. e. We are to be joyous and blessed. f. Others are to be able to see Christ living within us. 2. However, any blade that is used gets dull. B. Three items that need to be rekindled. 1. Our desire needs to be rekindled. a. That is, we need our WANTER revived. b. We must want to go to church, read the Bible, pray, please Christ, live holy lives, see the lost saved, use our lives for Jesus, and impact a generation for Christ. c. Without a desire, the Christian life becomes LAW again. It is what we do simply because we must. d. A desire is not that hard to rekindle. e. Just get into Jesus presence and abide there for awhile. 2. Our duty needs to be rekindled. a. In time, we tend to let the necessary things go, both in our personal lives and in our church. b. Neither can remain right for long without the essentials. c. I have mentioned some essentials for the individual, but the church also has essentials. (1) Everything from teaching, to sweeping, to demonstrations of love (2) A neglected church can do no more for Christ than a dulled Christian. d. In the last few weeks, we have lost some who made it their own personal responsibility to make certain some important duties were done. (1) Grass must be cut. (2) Visitors need to be visited. (3) The missing need to be called. (4) Doors need to be unlocked. (5) Air conditioners need to be turned on. (6) Classes need to be taught. (7) Carpets need to be cleaned. (8) Furniture needs to be dusted. (9) Towels need to be washed. (10) Light bulbs need to be changed. 3. Our devotion needs to be rekindled. a. I define devotion as the distance between our first and second loves. b. Jesus told the church of Ephesus that they had left their first love \#Rev 2:4\. (1) That was the only failing that church had, but it was all that was necessary to merit having their light removed. (2) All backsliding as its beginning in the same place. (3) We decide to love something or someone else more than Jesus. (4) Sometimes that is a conscious decision. Most of the time it is not. I am ending earlier than normal so that we can pray together. Let us spend some time praying for ourselves, our church, our revival, and our world.