This sermon emphasizes the importance of humility, brokenness, and contrition in drawing near to God for revival. It highlights the need to address pride, seek God's presence, and experience a transformation in the heart to revive the spirit. The speaker urges individuals to examine their hearts, repent of sin, and invite God's presence into their lives for personal and collective revival.

Good morning to all of you and welcome to the house of God. I'm going to ask our ushers if they'll come forward to greet our guests this morning. If you're a first-time worshiper with us or you've not filled out a visitor card for us in the past, if you'd raise your hand and let our ushers get this information to you. Guests in our service, if you've not filled out a card for us, would you just raise your hand? If you've been here before, that's sufficient. We welcome each of you to the house of God this morning and we're glad that you are here. We overlooked anyone? Thank you, ushers. I have a couple of announcements and then I do have a first-comer to introduce to you. This week is Bible school. Have you been around the building enough to discover that? And we are going to Cosmic City to see the wonders of God's creation and this is Command Central and it's great to have the Word of God proclaimed from Command Central, isn't it? So that's a great opportunity we have to hear the Word of God and this week your children will hear the Word of God in Bible school every day if you will bring them. And your neighbor's kids would come with you if you invited them, don't you think? So we've got something for every age. The adults will be here in the auditorium hearing the Word of the Living God from this pulpit this week. So we're going to start with a meal each evening tonight through Thursday night at 530. Then we're coming in the auditorium at 615 and and get ready for opening exercises. Then the kids will go out to their classes. Adults will stay. If you're a worker with our kids then whenever you're off-duty, slip in the auditorium and listen to God's servant who's come to speak the Word of God to us this week. We'll have two adult sessions and a break between those sessions. And next Sunday night at our communion testimony service we want to give you an opportunity to share what God did in your life this week and I trust that he will speak to your heart. I thank those of you who've turned in testimonies. I got my third one this morning so it's it's growing. I know many of you you're struggling to write it all down. You got a lot to say but you go ahead and do it. It was a blessing to read Pearl's testimony that she turned in for Evangelism Explosion to read that in preparation for her funeral service. Now in your bulletin today is our ministry sign-up form and this is an opportunity for you to say I'll serve God this next year at Abingdon Bible Church. And there's 101 ways to do that and if you don't know where the very first one is an area of critical need and it says I don't know what to do you just tell me and I guarantee you we'll find a place. We'll find a place. I'm willing to help in any air any place of critical need. We've got a lot of those and places for you to serve. So if you haven't turned in one of these this morning is the last time I give you a chance to do this without making you sit down in the service with paper and pen in hand. Now y'all remember if I don't get the quota then we just turn into you know we'll just become fifth graders and do it all together. Okay so y'all choose do it do it individually or we'll do it together it doesn't matter to me we just get the job done and look those over and ask God to guide you in area of service that he has for you. Two weeks from tonight at four o'clock will be our River Baptism service. We're asking God to bring some folks children and adults to the Savior this week. Have you been praying for that and we're praying that that will happen and that we'll have a privilege to baptize some in two Sundays. Now they're trying to walk in inconspicuously but if you'll look that direction standing on the wall over there are our missionaries Mark and Mona. Yay! We have a few months with them before they go to Africa to learn another language but they are loving they're loving hearing English preaching and English singing and English conversations and you let them know that you love them and you're praying for them this morning and they're going to be giving their report about their their year in France on the 16th of August it's on your Sunday night schedule list and you be sure to look at that. Now I told you I had to do one more thing and a couple of weeks ago you remember I said to Angie I said you're on the top of the list now that pregnant mother's list well she's off the list because of this. That's Zachary. Congratulations girls another boy evens things up at home doesn't it. Now this morning we announced Laura Laura King Barry was sitting over here and I said Laura would you mind me saying that you're now on top of the list and she's one day overdue so she hopes that that'll have the same results for her as it did for little Zachary and you praise God with with our families whom God is blessing with new little ones and we trust that God will bless us this week as well with some new ones in the kingdom of God and some new zeal for God in the lives of God's people. Hope you've been praying for that for yourselves and for others and our worship team is here to guide us as we worship God this morning. Prince stand with me please as we sing the wondrous love of the Savior. Oh my soul. What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful curse for my soul for my soul to bear the dreadful curse for my soul. When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down. When I was sinking down, sinking down. When I was sinking down, beneath God's righteous crown, Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul. Christ laid aside his crown for my soul. To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing. To God and to the Lamb, I will sing. To God and to the Lamb, who is the great I Am. While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing. While millions join the theme, I will sing. And when from death I'm free, I'll sing on, I'll sing on. And when from death I'm free, I'll sing on. And when from death I'm free, I'll sing and joyful be. And through eternity, I'll sing on, I'll sing on. And through eternity, I'll sing on. And through eternity, I'll sing on. How strong the power of Jesus' name. It is stronger than any other name. How sweet the victory that for my shame took the burden of my sin away. Hallelujah, what a Savior. I owe everything to Him. Hallelujah, what a Savior. Hallelujah to my King. Oh, how great the kindness our God has shown. We were strangers, now we're called His own. His grace has welcomed the sinner home. Tender mercies lead us to the throne. Hallelujah, what a Savior. I owe everything to Him. Hallelujah, what a Savior. Hallelujah to my King. Hallelujah, hallelujah to my King. Hallelujah, hallelujah to my King. Oh, what peace the Spirit of Jesus brings. Through the trials, He will carry me. One day in heaven our eyes will meet. Filled with wonder, all the saints will sing. Hallelujah, what a Savior. I owe everything to Him. Hallelujah, what a Savior. Hallelujah to my King. Hallelujah, what a Savior. I owe everything to Him. Hallelujah, what a Savior. Hallelujah to my King. Hail Jesus, you're my King. Your life frees me to sing. I will praise you all my days. You're perfect in all your ways. Hail Jesus, you're my Lord. I will obey your word. I want to see your kingdom come. Not my will, but yours be done. Glory, glory to the Lamb. You take me into the land. We will conquer in your name. And proclaim that Jesus reigns. Hail, hail, line of Judah. How wonderful you are. Hail, hail, line of Judah. How wonderful you are. How wonderful you are. Hallelujah, what a Savior. I owe everything to Him. Hallelujah, what a Savior. Hallelujah, what a Savior. Hallelujah to my King. Thank you and be seated. I'm going to invite Paul Timlin, our missionary to Germany, to the platform. And Sandy's recovering from her surgery, and we praise God for that. She's going up to see her doctor this week. You leave for Pennsylvania shortly and see her mother as well. And if you don't remember Paul and Sandy, Paul and Sandy are missionaries in Germany who send the interns to us year by year. So what a blessing that's been to our congregation. The flag on the wall is a reminder of the missionary of the week, Jim and Carla Jung. And that flag is, what country is that? Don, you put that flag up. Ghana. Ghana, Africa. They're just home on furlough. Just arrived the other day and called to say we're looking forward to an opportunity to come and share what God is doing in Ghana. And so every Sunday the flag here represents the missionary of the week and a reminder to pray for the country of Ghana, but also for Germany and for these United States. Paul, thank you for praying for us. Let's pray. Father, we sang a song just a few minutes ago about your love. Thank you for your love for us, which compelled you to send your son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins. Thank you for the privilege we have of knowing you, of loving you and of serving you. Thank you that we live in a country where we have freedom to gather together as we are here this morning. We thank you for the Abingdon Bible Church and for the ministry here. We pray especially for the coming week and for the emphasis with Bible school. We pray, as the pastor has said, that at the end of this week there will be new children in your family, whether young or old. We pray especially for the emphasis this week on spiritual things, awakening. Pray that you'll be with Brother Roberts and use him to speak to the hearts of many this week. Thank you for the service this morning, and we pray, Lord, that you'll prepare our hearts for that which you have for us. Pray that you'll speak through your messenger and through your word to us. And we pray, Lord, that this service will serve to bring honor and glory to you. In your name, amen. Amen. Amen. To draw near to you, but you clothed yourself with frail humanity. You did not wait for me to cry out to you, but you let me hear your voice calling me. And I'm forever grateful to you. I'm forever grateful for the cross. I'm forever grateful to you that you came to seek and save the lost. You did not wait for me to draw near to you, but you clothed yourself with frail humanity. You did not wait for me to cry out to you, but you let me hear your voice calling me. And I'm forever grateful to you. I'm forever grateful for the cross. I'm forever grateful to you that you came to seek and save the lost. And I'm forever grateful to you. I'm forever grateful for the cross. I'm forever grateful to you that you came to seek and save the lost. Stand with me as we sing Amazing Grace. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see. T'was grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed. My chains are gone, I've been set free. My God, my Savior, has ransomed me. And like a flood, His mercy rains. Unending love, amazing grace. The Lord has promised good to me. His word my hope secures. He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures. My chains are gone, I've been set free. My God, my Savior, has ransomed me. And like a flood, His mercy rains. Unending love, amazing grace. When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we've first begun. My chains are gone, I've been set free. My God, my Savior, has ransomed me. And like a flood, His mercy rains. Unending love, amazing grace. My chains are gone, I've been set free. My God, my Savior, has ransomed me. And like a flood, His mercy rains. Unending love, amazing grace. Unending love, amazing grace. I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, and wonder how He could love me, a sinner condemned unclean. How marvelous, how wonderful, and my song shall ever be. How marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior's love for me. For me it was in the garden, He prayed, not my will but Thine. He had no tears for His own grief, but sweat drops of blood for mine. How marvelous, how wonderful, and my song shall ever be. How marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior's love for me. He took my sins and my sorrows, He made them His very own. He bore the burden of Calvary, and suffered and died alone. How marvelous, how wonderful, and my song shall ever be. How marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior's love for me. When with a ransomed in glory, His face I at last shall see. Tell me my joy through the ages, to sing of His love for me. How marvelous, how wonderful, and my song shall ever be. How marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior's love for me. Is my Savior's love for me. Is my Savior's love for me. Amen. Be seated. Thank you, worship team. Let's get our children to the door for Children's Church. Thank you, Loretta, for leading them. If you were looking for a speaker for Abingdon Bible Church, I hope that you would be looking for the kind of person that God has brought our way this week. We've been praying for two things. We've been praying first of all for what? Rain. Has the Lord answered? Yes, He's answered abundantly. But besides rain, God's people need what? We need revival. We need our hearts drawn closer to the Savior. We need the lost to come to know Him. But it starts with believers. Now, it's more important to find someone who's got something they've got to say than to find someone who's got to say something. And what I appreciate about our speaker this week, Richard Owen Roberts, is he understands that time is short. Time is short for him and for our world, and he's got something he's got to say. He's got something that's urgent for God's people. I heard Richard Owen Roberts down in Jacksonville, Florida, and I called him up and I said, I'd like to know if you'd come to Abingdon to speak from your heart about the need of God's people. One of the things that I also appreciate about him is he's on the trail I'm on. He's just a lot further down the road. And like J. Gordon Henry, we had the beginning of the year on the subject of prayer. So Richard Owen Roberts is for me a mentor, an example, a model, someone who's finishing well, who's not just saying, well, I've got to do something until it's over, but rather whose cup is running over with the truth of God and the love for God's people and the zeal for revival among God's people. Mr. Roberts, come and speak to us. God bless you as you do that. The subject of revival is appealing to some and disgusting to many others. And that is really because they don't understand what the term really means. Do you? For some, it's special meetings. That's not what revival means to me. To some, it's noise and excitement. That's not what it means to me. To some, it is God in the midst of his people in a manifest way. And that's what revival means to me. Did you ever think about the question, what is the most desirable aspect of heaven? Well, think about it now. What is the most desirable aspect of heaven? Is it the fact that the streets are paved with gold? Well, now listen, friends. At my age, I can slip and fall on concrete. I can pretty well imagine what it would be like on slippery gold streets. Now, I know God can make non-slip gold. But somehow, I don't get the least bit excited about streets of gold. We are told also that in heaven, there's no night. Well, I suppose that we'll get used to it. But to be quite honest with you, I love it when night comes. In fact, my dear wife Maggie and I have a simple understanding. The last one to bed is responsible for putting the lights out. Now, I say this kindly, but facts are facts. My wife is a little on the slow side. I say it's time for bed, and like that, I'm there. But she's got to do all of these things, you know, ladies. I'm not making fun of you. I know it's a necessity. But still, it takes a while. And often, I'll holler out, hurry up, Maggie, and shoot out the lights. Because it's wonderful when the darkness comes and sleep with it. So, the talk about heaven being a place of constant light is not such a great appeal. Now, when you start to think about who's going to be there, well, then the subject really starts to become gripping and inspiring. I happen to love church history, and I've made a lot of friends from the past that I've never met. But by reading what they've written, and reading what's written about them. For instance, there was a man who was of incredible help to America. In the 1700s, roughly from 1738 to 1770, he preached in every part of the nation. And was responsible for tens of thousands entering the kingdom of God. I'm planning to sit down and visit with him for a couple thousand years. And there are a lot of others whom I know quite well who are there. Including both my mother and my father. And many, many loyal friends with whom I've lived and preached over the years who've gone before. So, heaven warms up when you start thinking about who's there. But, still, the most critical issue of heaven is not anything I've mentioned before, but I draw to your attention now. Has it occurred to you that in heaven we will enjoy forever the unbroken presence of the Lord? No, it's not that way now. May I come down here and speak right to your heart, sir? There have been wonderful days in my life when God has been near. Wonderfully near. And other days when it seems as if he's disappeared. Have any of you experienced that? In heaven, never once will God grow distant from us. But we will be with him and always enjoying his presence. And when one speaks of heaven, sheer honesty makes it necessary to say a word on the other side as well. For just as there is a heaven, so also there is a hell. And if you were to ask the question, what is the most awful aspect of hell? Would it be the fact that in hell there are worms that never die? As a boy, one of my tasks was to carry out the garbage. And in the warm months in upper New York, I can still smell and feel what I felt as I lifted the lid off the garbage pail. And it was a swarm of maggots. Imagine spending eternity in a place where the worms are crawling all over you and never die. Is that the most awful aspect of hell? Or is it the fire that never goes out? Some don't think that's possible. But someday just get an old issue of the National Geographic magazine that deals with volcanoes. And realize that the volcanoes have been burning for endless centuries. And for very long seasons, they're quiet. And then suddenly the whole thing erupts. Is the worst aspect of hell the fire? Or is it all the evil people of every generation living in the midst of all their wickedness? It's a place where you can't even escape for 15 seconds from the most vile evil. As bad as all of that is, none of it compares with the simple fact that one can be in hell a thousand years, a million years, a trillion years, and never once in all that time can they think and say, sooner or later God will come. Because just as heaven is marked by his unbroken presence, so hell is marked by his unbroken absence. And revival is a time when earth is closer to heaven than at any other time because God draws near. Can you not feel the power, the beauty, the attractiveness of that? Can you imagine anything more wonderful than God coming right here into this place in a manifest way so that all of us gasp in awe and fall on our faces before him. And his presence and his power are with us to such a degree that for months on end nobody dare think of sin because the Holy One is in the midst of his people. And we need to understand as well that revival is something that occurs to the children of God, the people of God, to the churches of the land and the nations. And when revival occurs among God's people, then an awakening occurs in the world. Because you see right now, most people in the world do not believe in Christ because they do not believe in us. Their conviction is Christians are hypocrites. The only thing that's different between a Christian and a non-Christian is the Christian has a religious vocabulary. But his conduct, his aspirations, his thoughts, they're just like everybody else. And tragically in many instances that's true. But that's not God's plan. God's purpose is that his people be wonderfully different from others, as different from others as he is from us. And that our beholding the beauty of his holiness is so attractive to us that we long to be like him and we pursue him with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind. But multitudes who once had some feeling of interest and concern in Christ have lost it. And all across the land this morning are millions of people gathered in churches of every stripe who are not in the grip of the eternal, who are much more interested in things than in the Holy One. And some of you, if you were to speak honestly of yourself, would say, I'm not really a serious-minded Christian. But how wonderful if God comes among us this week and we all fall in love with him. And then the world sees the radical change in us and says, that's what I want, that's what I need, that's what I must have. So a revival in the church and an awakening in the world. Now to help us in our thinking along these lines, take your Bibles, please, and turn with me to the book of Isaiah. If you will, find your way to chapter 57. And while you're turning, I want to turn and observe that this is the most astonishing sanctuary that I was ever in. I've been around for a spell, as you can see, and I haven't tried to keep track of the number of churches that I've been in, but it's a pretty large number when you put it all together. After all, 60 years of this kind of work, you do get to see a bit, but I've never seen the likes of this. No, no, of course not. But won't it be wonderful? Oh, how we need to pray that the children will see the Holy One in the midst of all that is set before them this week. And oh, how each of us needs the same. Now I'll not attempt to read the 57th chapter. I did so in the first service, but then I didn't quite finish my message because my time was up. So let me just give you the outline and then focus on a passage. Verses 1 and 2 answer the age-old question. Why do the righteous seem to die young and the wicked just seem to live on and on and on? Read it for yourself. You'll see God's answer. Verses 3 through the middle of verse 13 are what we call a polemic against idolatry, an explanation of how absurd it is to make something and then bow down and worship as your maker the thing that you've made and the sins that accompany idolatry. But the focus this morning begins in the middle of verse 13 and it runs through verse 19. In a moment we will read that portion, but the chapter ends, verses 20 and 21, with a statement about the future that every wicked person faces. But now, the portion that we focus upon starting in the middle, as I said, of verse 13. He who takes refuge in me shall inherit the land and shall possess my holy mountain. And it shall be said, Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstacle out of the way of my people. For thus says the high and the exalted or the lofty one who lives forever, whose name is holy, I dwell in a high and a holy place. And also with the contrite and the lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. For I will not contend forever, neither will I always be angry, for the spirit would grow faint before me and the breath of those whom I have made. Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain, I was angry and struck him. I hid my face and was angry. And he went on turning away in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him. I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners, creating the phrase of the lips, Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near. Thus says the Lord, and I will heal him. Now friends, I've given you one picture of revival, the nearness of God. Let me step down again and bring to your mind another picture. When one truly is born of God, what we call regeneration, brought from death to life, self is dead, sin is washed away, and one has newness of life in Christ, something many of you are well familiar with. But in the course of things, something often occurs. In fact, estimates are made that of those who call themselves born again Christians in America, at least 70% are in such backslidden condition that they're of no use to the kingdom of God. There is a proverb that describes what backsliding is like. It says the backslider in heart is filled again with his own ways, with his own ways. Now, did you ever ride on a subway car in New York City? If you have, you can recall it, and if you haven't, I don't think you'll like it very well. You get on these cars, and there are seats along the walls, and then countless numbers of straps to hang onto. You get on a car, and the last seat is taken by you. Well, the train rushes on to the next stop, and the door opens, and right there in the doorway is this big, hulking New York woman. And she spots that space of a half inch between you and the person next to you. And you say, oh no, not this. And she comes, and she plops herself down in that tiny spot, and with a little of this and that, she's got all the room she needs. Now, that's what happens in a person's life. You leave a little crack, and sin finds its way to that crack, and it plops itself down there. At the next stop, the door opens again, and another crowd pours in, and they find additional slivers of space, and sit down until the row is packed so tight you wonder if you can even breathe. When sin is tolerated in the life, it serves as a magnet, and it draws other sin. And soon the person who is emptied of self and filled with Christ is filled again with their own ways. And when revival comes, one is freshly emptied of self and filled with Christ. Christ in the midst of these people in a manifest way. Now, in the portion we read, we're going to focus merely on verse 15. I draw your attention to it now. Please read it again for yourself. For thus says the high and exalted one who lives forever, whose name is holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. Now, carefully notice this. God has two dwelling places. Only two. No exceptions. He dwells in the high and the lofty place, and he dwells in the heart and in the spirit of the broken and contrite. Now, one doesn't meet many broken and contrite people in American churches. And therefore, one doesn't meet many people in whom the high and lofty one dwells. Pride is the great sin that robs us of the joy of God and of the pleasure of his manifest presence. When one is proud in heart, they open the door of their life for sin. Pride is what we call a breeder sin. B-r-e-e-d-e-r. If you allow pride, then that breeds other sin in the life. So that all of the sexual sin to which the nation has devoted itself and which is ensnaring some of you, it has as its root pride. There are three great root sins. I hope to speak more of these in the course of the week. But unbelief, stubborn, and rebellion, and pride. But now, how does one deal with pride? The greatest single cause of a loss of the presence of God in the life of the individual in the church I've just declared is pride. How does one deal with pride? Now listen, friends. Pride is maintained by comparison. You can always find someone who looks worse than you, no matter how decrepit or awful you look. Many of you could rush right up here, stand next to this little miserable runt that stands before you, and feel very good about yourself. Intellectual people love to compare themselves with the ordinary beautiful women like to stand next to the plain or the homely. We maintain pride by comparison. And there's only one way to really deal with pride, and that is also comparison. But instead of comparing ourselves with one another, we need to learn to compare ourselves with God. Now this passage helps us. Notice what is said concerning God. God said, the high and exalted one. Now I would like all of the high and exalted people here this morning to stand. Well now you're being quite modest, but at home during the course of the last week you weren't that modest. On the job, in the school, we often allow pride to grip us, but friends, there is only one high and exalted one. And the higher God becomes in your understanding, the more profound the salvation of Jesus Christ will become. You see there's a link between what I think of God, what I think of myself, what I think of sin, and what I think of salvation. If you've got a low view of God, you'll have a high view of self. An erroneous view of sin, and a stupid view of salvation, and multitudes in the church are as unsaved as Christ himself, or as Satan himself. But they don't know it, because their view of God is so low that they're willing to suppose that they're saved even though they have no interest whatsoever in Christ or eternity. Well, let's take these matters as they're set forth. Thus saith the high and exalted one, that's not us, who inhabits eternity. Now look at me. Some guess that I'm 90. Well, it's not that bad. I'm only 77, but my word. I once had very dark brown hair, nearly black. In college, I was nicknamed the voice, because I had such a powerful voice. I could work 16 hours a day, preach 12 hours, and not even feel weariness. But I'm only a fraction of what I was. And every single person here should realize that we go uphill from birth until the year 21, and from then on, it's downward. And some of you have come down a long way. There's only one who inhabits eternity. At 77, I've already gone seven years beyond the divine God allotted. 70 years, I'm on borrowed time. Some of you are also, others of you will be shortly. There is something to be faced here. We cannot compare ourselves with the one who inhabits eternity. We are but tiny, tiny aspects of the whole. And where is there any room for pride in the person who acknowledges the high and the lofty one, and the one who inhabits eternity? But the passage also speaks about the name of this one. Thus saith the high and the lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy. Now, that's not your name. My wife over the years has called me many wonderful names, and occasionally some not quite so wonderful, and well-deserved, no doubt. But never in all the years has she introduced me to a friend of hers as the holy one. Nor is she about to. It's not that we despise holiness. What is more beautiful than the beauty of holiness? What is more desirable for any mere human being than to be as much like Christ as is possible? But we are not Christ, and we're not very much like him. His name is holy, and our name is sin. Now, God, as I've said, has a severely limited habitation. He dwells only in the high and lofty place, and in the heart and in the spirit of the broken and contrite. And his purpose in dwelling in the heart and in the spirit of the broken and contrite is clearly stated, to revive the spirit of the broken one, to revive the heart of the contrite. Now, that's what we need. Some careful thinkers are indicating to us that as things now stand, it is unlikely that our nation will survive as a democracy for more than ten years. That already in the course of this single calendar year, steps have been made to bring us under dictatorship. And the history of democracies says that the average age of a democracy is 200 years, and the movement is from bondage to freedom and back to bondage. And there's only one hope for our nation, and that's God. Now, some of us are so hard-hearted that we can only be momentarily stirred by reality. But I find that the thing that touches many of us most deeply is not something happening to us, or perhaps not even to our children, but the grandchildren and the great-grandchildren. And when I think of the grandchildren in my own family, and that some of them are approaching a probable age of marriage, and there will soon be great-grandchildren, and I think of them being raised under a dictator, having lost all their freedoms. I think even of some of the young people in the room right now, spending their years in prison because they stood for Christ. I don't want to let it happen. I don't want to go to the grave thinking I haven't done what I could. I want to know before God that every ounce of strength given to me, I have invested in calling the people of God to return to God with all of their heart, soul, strength, and mind. And I plead with you, God will never come near where pride exists. God has made it crystal clear. He holds the proud in heart at arm's length. And I ask you, have you any idea how long God's arm is? But humility, brokenness, contrition are like a magnet, and they draw God near. Is it too much to hope that before you leave this sanctuary this morning, you will bow in brokenness and contrition? All you have to do is to remind yourself of the text, thus saith the high and the lofty one, that's not me. Thus saith the one who inhabiteth eternity, that's not me. Thus saith the one who is holy, whose very name is holy, that's not me. But that's what I'm called to be. Be ye holy, says the Bible, even as I am holiness. Holiness without which, God says, no man shall see the Lord. And we long, and our focus this week is on seeing the Lord as he draws near. But the beginning point is brokenness and contrition. Nobody can do that for you. That's your responsibility. Will you meet your responsibility, or like a fool, will you just walk out and shrug it off? Would you bow your head? May I give you a moment to speak to God about the need of your own heart, to ask the Spirit of God to cleanse your heart, that God himself might manifest his presence to you and to us. Talk to God in these moments. Ask the Spirit of God what he would have you to do in your life the moment we sing and give you an opportunity to share publicly the decision that you've made. Oh, Father, but for the blood of Jesus, we would be unworthy to enter your presence. Thank you for that cleansing blood. Thank you for calling us to yourself. Thank you for inviting us into your very presence and preparing for us a place where we may spend eternity with you. Awaken us, Lord, to the sins of our hearts that separate us from you, that make you distant in our lives and in our hearts. Draw us afresh and anew into your presence with clean hearts, cleansed hands, renewed hunger for yourself. Revive us, O Lord. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. Hymn number 295, Revive Us, O Lord. Will you stand? Find your hymnal 295. We praise thee, O God, for the Son of thy love, for Jesus, who died and is now gone above. Hallelujah, thine the glory. Hallelujah, amen. Hallelujah, thine the glory. Revive us again. On the second. We praise thee, O God, for thy Spirit of light, who has shown us our Savior and scattered our night. Hallelujah, thine the glory. Hallelujah, amen. Hallelujah, thine the glory. Revive us again. On the third. All glory and praise to the Lord that was slain, who was born of all humans and has cleansed every stain. Hallelujah, thine the glory. Hallelujah, amen. Hallelujah, thine the glory. Revive us again. On the fourth. Revive us again. Fill each heart with thy love. May each soul be rekindled with fire from above. Hallelujah, thine the glory. Hallelujah, amen. Hallelujah, thine the glory. Revive us again. Will you be seated for just a moment? One of the things I'm learning about revival is my first responsibility in revival is for me. And that's your first responsibility. It's for you. And so each of us needs to examine our own hearts before God. And a good place to begin is to look for that sin of pride and to ask ourselves, is God drawing near to us? Or is he at arm's length? I've also learned this past week that when rain comes, not only do the garden vegetables grow, but the weeds grow too. And if you've looked around at some gardens, you probably see some with some weeds in them. Mine has a lot. And that's what our lives look like. There's some work to be done before the Spirit of God, the presence of God. You come. You come and hear the word of God. You pray in the quietness of your home. You invite others. It's God's desire to meet with us. It's Mr. Roberts' desire to preach the word of God to change hearts. What a privilege we have. He's written a book on repentance. I'm reading, and I think you would enjoy as well. If you'd like for us to order you a copy, you can order those by signing up on the table in the foyer. At the end of the week, we'll order copies of those. I know Clay's been reading it as well and some others. We've not set a schedule for Mr. Roberts' meals this week for his week of activities other than preaching. We want him to be available to hungry hearts. If you have a hunger for God and his presence, the spiritual need in your life, there'll be time for you. His breakfast, his lunches are open and available. You can speak directly with him to make those appointments. Will you ask God to accomplish his will in us this week? Will you stand for our closing prayer? 5.30 tonight for our meal in the gym and 6.15 in the auditorium. Lord, how great is the distance between the people of God today and your holy presence. Help us to feel that, Lord, to sense that, to see it in our own hearts. Create a fresh hunger for you, Lord, for a relationship with you that make the things of this world grow faintly dim in the light of his glory and grace. Prepare us to spend eternity with you by drawing near to you today. We ask in the name of Jesus who came to bring us to God. In his name we pray. Amen. God bless you. You're dismissed.