Wake Up!

If you think long and hard about sleep, the whole concept is a little weird. Your conscious self goes somewhat dormant and oblivious to your surroundings for almost a third of the day. Yeah, just admit it, it is weird, but we have done it all our lives.

Most of us during periods of our lives went through a time when we were just sleep-walking through life. We were doing the same thing day in and day out in a semi-slumber mode. Then something dramatic happens and we are awakened to a new reality.

I have read many accounts of spiritual awakenings. They are sometimes called revivals. When speaking of revivals, I am not talking about a week of scheduled meetings with a special evangelistic preacher. A true revival is when God steps down and shakes the sleepers awake. Historically, there have been a number of these throughout the world. You may have heard of the Great Awakening in the United States. In the British Isles there were the Wales Revival and the Hebrides Revival in Scotland.

Duncan Campbell, who was one of the prominent ministers in the Hebrides Revival, said one of the characteristics of the revival was people having an increased awareness of God. Some who had given little thought about God were awakened to the reality of a Holy God and came under severe conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit. Awakened to this reality, they sought relief by repenting of their sins, and placing their faith in the crucified and resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ.

I am praying more for another great move of God to awaken our nation to the reality of a Holy God and to our own sinfulness.

When we see the depravity of our nation and the destructive forces of evil at work to tear down all that is good and righteous—there is only one solution—a fervent awakening to the reality of God who holds sinful man accountable for his sins.

Before you call me judgmental, know that I have begun this process in my own life by repenting of my sins and tearing down the “high places”. I asked the Holy Spirit to awaken me to my own sins and short-comings, so they would be to me as grievous as they are to Him.

If you think political reform, church as usual, social action, riots in the streets, posts on Instagram, wearing Christian t-shirts will change our community and nation—YOU NEED TO WAKE UP!

If you think cranking up the sound on the church PA system, inviting in a hot-shot preacher to preach, or buying another expensive church growth program will change your community and nation—YOU NEED TO WAKE UP!

Start where you are. Find a quiet place, get on your knees, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what He sees in your heart and life. When He boils up the crude, REPENT (confess your sins, change your spiritual direction by walking in the ways of Jesus), walk in His grace, study the Bible and keep praying.

Get into the Word of God and pray. Don’t worry about doing anything else until you get further marching orders. Get the Word into your heart and pray. Then pray some more. Eventually someone will ask you how they can get the peace and grace you have. Then tell them the story of Jesus, your redeemer.

We can only do the job of directing people out of Hell by getting the Hell out of us!

When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, / if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:13-14 NKJV).

Yours on the Journey,

Harry L. Whitt