A Look Back

You may or may not know some of these names from history…. George Whitfield, Charles Spurgen, A.A. Torrey or William Clowes. However I find it very interesting to read about these great people, who were really ordinary folks that God used in their time. In reading a book called “Great Revivals. When God moves in Power”, I came across an interesting passage that I feel touches on where we are as a city and as people committed to God. Here it is….
“there often seems to be a wide spread spirit of dissatisfaction among those God is preparing for what He is about to do. the heart of a man begins to cry out to God for spiritual certainties, for fresh visions. From a faint desire this multiplies as it widens, until it becomes a vast human need; until in it’s urgency it seems to beat with violence at the very gates of heaven.” (75)
Before the great 1858 revival in America, things seemed destined to fail. No one wanted to go to church and it seemed that the church was quite okay with it. They had, for the most part become complacent, and ineffective. But there was a few who were not happy with how things were going. They did something different. They took risk. Most of all, they prayed. Because of a few; Revival did happen, and the very nature of society changed. Over 250,000 people accepted Christ in New York city alone! Brothels closed, gambling almost ended, and the crime rate went down.
I believe that this is where we are in Nashville. It is time to “look back” then look forward to what we can accomplish in the city. Change can occur! Lives can be restored! Communities of believers can once again make a difference in society. The Lift is a part of this move.
So. What say you? Do you sense that a new front is on the horizon? Maybe you stumbled into this blog. Do you believe that God hears you, and even cares about what is going on in the world, or that there even is a God? Let me know. Peace, Jory