Today we began a more focused time of prayer for revival and spiritual awakening.

I remember as a boy attending revivals held in the Spring and Fall. We met every night for a week and usually there was a speaker from somewhere else and always a few “guest” musicians. Different emphases were held like “Youth Night”, “Pack A Pew” Night, or “Friend Night”. As a preacher myself, I preached a few revivals in my early ministry.

Because that picture of revival is so dominant and widespread in the south, that description is often imposed on the word “revival”. If you’re having a revival, those should be the ingredients. I've changed my thinking about that.

After more than 35 years in ministry, my understanding is that revival is not a series of meetings with guest speakers or musicians. It can be and God has often used those very things to send revival; but revival  doesn’t require guest musicians, guest preachers, or even a week of meetings.

Revival is the renewing of the soul by God Himself and he sends it when we (the people of God) re-focus our hearts and lives on Him and His purposes. God uses multiple “delivery systems” to get our attention so He can do a work in our hearts. He is constantly drawing us to Himself, but He waits for us to get to the place where we hunger after Him so much that we ask for renewal and revival in our own hearts. He waits for the time when we want sin gone from our lives so much that we pray deep prayers of repentance and confession. He waits for us to humble ourselves before Him as Lord.

Many of the folks called Riverbluff Church are in a daily walk with God that grows sweeter every day while many have yet to discover the blessing of that walk. During the next 21 days I am praying that the folks of Riverbluff will pray and seek His face. That is, that they will ask for a renewing revival in their soul that is the foundation of life. I am praying for a repentance of sin. Holy Spirit, please do a work in us.Our thinking is that God will do a work in us so that we may do a greater work in the world.

I'm praying for revival in our church and spiritual awakening in Charleston and the world. Please pray with us.If you would like to use the specific prayer guide we are using during this time, click here.

I hope many of you who read this blog will join me and Riverbluff in praying for revival in the church family and spiritual awakening in the US and world.