WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO OFFER FOR REVIVAL? TWO OLD WOMEN and MIGHTY REVIVAL!! by Duncan Campbell There are two things that I would like to say in speaking about the revival in the Hebrides. First, I would like to make it perfectly clear that I did not bring revival to the Hebrides. It has grieved me beyond words to hear people talk and write about the man who brought revival to the Hebrides. My dear people, I didnt do that. Revival was there before I ever set foot on the island. It began in a gracious awareness of God sweeping through the parish of Barvas. Then I would like to make it perfectly clear what I understand of revival. When I speak of revival, I am not thinking of high-pressure evangelism. I am not thinking of crusades or of special efforts convened and organized by man. That is not in my mind at all. Revival is something altogether different from evangelism on its highest level. Revival is a moving of God in the community and suddenly the community becomes God conscious before a word is said by any man representing any special effort. Now I am sure that you will be interested to know how, in November 1949, this gracious movement began on the island of Lewis. Two old women, one of them 84 years of age and the other 82-one of the stone blind, were greatly burdened because of the appalling state of their own parish. It was true that not a single young person attended public worship. Not a single young man or young woman went to the church. They spent their day perhaps reading or walking but the church was left out of the picture. And those two women were greatly concerned and they made it a special matter of prayer. A verse gripped them: I will pour water on him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground. They were so burdened that both of them decided to spend so much time in prayer twice a week. On Tuesday they got on their knees at 10 oclock in the evening and remained on their knees until 3 or 4 oclock in the morning--two old women in a very humble cottage. One night, one of the sisters had a vision. Now remember, in revival, God works in wonderful ways. A vision came to one of them, and in the vision she saw the church of her fathers crowded with young people. Packed to the doors, and a strange minister standing in the pulpit. And she was so impressed by the vision that she sent for the parish minister. And of course he knowing the two sisters, knowing that they were two women who knew God in a wonderful way, he responded to their invitation and called at the cottage. That morning, one of the sisters said to the minister, You must do something about it. And I would suggest that you call your office bearers together and that you spend with us at least two nights in prayer in the week... Well, that was what happened, the minister called his office bearers together and seven of them met in a barn to pray on Tuesday and on Friday. And the two old women got on their knees and prayed with them. Well that continued for some weeks--indeed, I believe almost a month and a half. Until one night... one young man, a deacon in the church, got up and read Psalm 24. Who shall ascend the hill of God? Who shall stand in His holy place? He that has clean hands and a pure heart who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity or sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing (not a blessing, but the blessing) of the Lord. And then that young man closed h is Bible. And looking down at the minister and the other office bearers, he said this- It seems to me to be so much humbug to be praying as we are praying, to be waiting as we are waiting, if we ourselves are not rightly related to God. And then he lifted his two hands... and prayed, God, are my hands clean? Is my heart pure? But he got no further. That young man fell to his knees and then fell into a trance. Now dont ask me to explain this because I cant. He fell into a trance and is now lying on the floor of the barn. And in the words of the minister, at that moment, he and his other office bearers were gripped by the conviction that a God-sent revival must ever be related to holiness, must ever be related to Godliness. Are my hands clean? Is my heart pure? The man that God will trust with revival - that was the conviction. When that happened in the barn, the power of God swept into the parish. And an awareness of God gripped the community such as hadnt been known for over 100 years. An awareness of God - thats revival, thats revival. And on the following day, the looms were silent, little work was done on the farms as men and women gave themselves to thinking on eternal things gripped by eternal realities. 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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land 2 Chron. 7:14
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 00:54:06 +0000
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