SPIRIT BRAND

SPIRITUALITY for the 21st Century

This is the typical summer day in KC!  It is sweltering hot!  The humidity is thick and heavy!  And the AC can’t keep up with all the heat!  There are a lot of things that you can do to cool yourself!  For example, drinking a large slurpy from 7 Eleven, buy a bomb pop from the ice cream truck, stay inside in the air conditioning, or go to the pool!  All of which are excellent choices for keeping one cool in the summer heat!

When it is this hot, we are told to stay indoors, especially the seniors.  As we get older, the heat takes a harder toll on us than those who are young!  I find this interesting in light of a quote by Jonathan Edwards:  “The state of the present revival of religion has an awful aspect upon those that are advanced in years. The work has been chiefly amongst the young; and comparatively but few others have been made partakers of it. And indeed it has commonly been so, when God has begun any great work for the revival of his church; he has taken the young people, and has cast off the old and stiff-necked generation. There was a remarkable outpouring of the Spirit of God on the children of Israel in the wilderness, but chiefly on the younger generation, their little ones, that they said should be a prey, the generation that entered into Canaan with Joshua.” (volume one, part V, section 2)

In the sweltering heat of revival, I offer this observation in light of Edward’s comment. 

1)  Revival energizes young people.    

2) Revival mobilizes the young.

3) Revival is an outpouring of the Spirit of God.

4) Revival is difficult for those “advanced in years.”

5) Revival has a way of casting off those who are “stiff-necked.”

6.  Revival leads to Canaan.

7.  Revival always has a Joshua as a leader.

So what would happen to a church if a sweltering heat of revival would enter?  Would we continue to cool ourselves off with a large slurpy, a bomb pop, even go to the pool, or try to stay in the AC?  I just wonder how I would respond to a sweltering heat of revival, an outpouring of God’s Spirit!