In this sermon, Ray Brubaker discusses the current state of the world and emphasizes the need for a revival. He acknowledges that these are perilous times, but also highlights the promise of God's Spirit being poured out in the last days. Brubaker quotes Reverend Edward LR Elson, who believes that while there is moral decline, there is also a great moral resurgence and spiritual reawakening happening. The sermon emphasizes the importance of genuine repentance, surrender to Jesus Christ, and humility before God as prerequisites for revival. Dr. William Culbertson adds that revival requires a price to be paid, including self-crucifixion and abandonment of personal desires. The sermon concludes with the reminder that revival can be expected when Christians confess their sins, make apologies, and adjust grievances in a manner pleasing to God.

Ray Brubaker's Classic Radio. This is Ray Brubaker's Classic Radio, news-related subjects in light of the Bible. And now, here's your commentator, Ray Brubaker. Thank you and greetings to our friends everywhere. There's no question but that these are indeed perilous times and that the only hope for the world is a sweeping revival. It is to be realized that the same scriptures that predict for the last days perilous times also promise the outpouring of God's Spirit. The Rev. Edward L. R. Elson of Washington's famed National Presbyterian Church declares, On the one hand, we are participants and spectators in a period of moral decline, and at the same time we are experiencing what appears to be the greatest moral resurgence and spiritual reawakening in the history of our land, observes Austin Phelps. If the secret connection of revivals with the destiny of nations could be disclosed, they would appear more significant than the decisive battles of the world. The history of America is one of revival. Writing of conditions prevailing among the thirteen colonies in the early part of the eighteenth century, one historian writes, Intemperance, profanity, licentiousness, and every form of vice prevailed as never before in their history. Similarly, Beardsley, in his History of American Revivals, notes, For a while the overthrow of Christianity seemed to be complete. Churches were declining, infidelity was rife, and was increasing alarmingly on every hand. But godly people everywhere determined to pray earnestly and fervently for a spiritual awakening. Says Beardsley, Christians entered into a solemn covenant to spend a definite portion of their time in prayer for the outpouring of the Spirit of God, for the revival, for the salvation of men. The result was the glorious revival of 1800. Writing of the influence of this spiritual awakening, Beardsley says, Infidelity became a vanishing force, while the religious character of the nation was assured for generations to come. Benjamin Franklin wrote in his journal, From being thoughtless and indifferent about religion, it seemed as if all the world were growing religious, so that one would not walk through Philadelphia without hearing psalms sung by different families in every street. The only hope for America and for the world at this time of moral and spiritual declension is a revival of such magnitude that righteousness will again exalt this nation, and sin will be a reproach to all peoples. Witnessing the awful plague of lawlessness, crime, immorality, when we seem to have lost our sense of moral balance, when we worship at the altar of materialism, when immodesty and indecency reign, when divorce and remarriage is common, we need to return once again to genuine repentance of sin, wholehearted surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. With our Lord's return hastening, many are convinced that revival must come, something must happen that will prepare the true church for the coming bridegroom. The call to revival is set forth for us in 2 Chronicles 7, 14. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Would you notice the call to revival is to the children of God, those who call themselves Christians? In a recent poll it was discovered that 94 percent of Americans above the age of 14 claim church affiliation. However, it is regeneration, and not church affiliation that is the most important thing. It's not what church we belong to, but whether we've been born again. It's not the sinner that needs to be revived. You can't revive a dead man. An ambulance may rush by, sirens wailing, to the home of someone who may have been overcome by gas, or to the beach where someone may have drowned. As long as there is life, there is hope. If dead, the person cannot be revived. And so, my friends, with revival, revival must come to the children of God. The call of God is to the believer who identifies himself with Christ. The Bible says, let everyone who nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. When Christians separate themselves from sin and live uncompromising lives for Jesus Christ, the result will be that sinners are made conscious of their wrongdoing, and many thus will come to Christ for salvation. Revival is not only for Christians, it is for individual Christians. Torrey once said that the way to have a revival is for each Christian to draw a chalk circle, step within that circle, and ask God to begin the revival inside that circle. Perhaps some of us are not conscious of our need of revival. Neither were the Laodiceans. No doubt the Laodicean church was a remarkable work of architecture. It was probably equipped with the latest and most modern facilities. But our Lord, as He looked upon this church, declared, Thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. Similarly today, many in the church are not conscious of need. As Vance Havner has said, the church is so subnormal, that if it got back to the New Testament normal, it would seem to be abnormal. When our church services are mere form without the presence of God, there's evidence of the need of revival. When we substitute program and politics for the dynamic power of God, when we rely upon mechanics and machinery instead of the Holy Ghost, that's evidence enough of need of revival. When Christ is not supreme, not Lord and Master of our lives, when we fail to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, when we refuse to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily and follow Him, when we tolerate even the pettiest of sins and allow worldliness and the cares of life to rob us of our prayer time and Bible study, we need to repent, to turn from selfish interests, and set ourselves to doing the will of God. When instead of fervent love for the brethren, we are given to criticism, fault finding, strife and division, there's the evidence of need of revival. Then he once declared a revival may be expected when Christians confess their sins one to another. When apologies are made for unkind, nasty words, grievances are adjusted in a manner pleasing to God, revival fires will start burning. The question really is, do we want revival? Are we willing to pay the price of revival in giving ourselves to prayer, in fastings perhaps, in self-discipline, in abandonment of personal desires that Christ may be first and foremost? Writes Dr. William Culbertson, the president of Moody Bible Institute, we want revival. At least we say we want revival, but there's a price to be paid. It is a price that is too much for the worldly Christian. It is a price that is too much for people who are content with such things as they have. Continues Dr. Culbertson, I think the price we have to pay is the bitter, excruciating pain of self-crucifixion. The price of revival involves utter humility before God, a bowing of ourselves, a prostrating of ourselves. That involves humiliation. Is that not in harmony with our scripture text which declares, if my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Notice these four requisites to revival. First of all, we're to humble ourselves. Isaiah reminds us that God sits in the heavens to revive the humble. Isaiah 57 verse 15, For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy. I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit. To revive the spirit of the humble, to revive the heart of the contrite ones. How quick we are to humiliate others, to pick out their faults, when the scripture says we need to humble ourselves. It's not my brother nor my sister, but it's me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer. Secondly, there must be prayer if there is to be revival. Dr. Culbertson has said, the church that was formed in a prayer meeting, how in the world is it going to continue without prayer meetings? Whereas the prayer meeting should be the best attended service, it is often the least attended. Perhaps that's why it's called the weekly prayer meeting. Thirdly, there must be a seeking after God. Some things we receive from God come by simply asking. For instance, for anyone desiring salvation, if truly repentant, all that is necessary is to ask the Lord Jesus to save and to forgive. However, revival is a work of the Spirit of God and comes to those who are truly earnestly desirous of the Holy Ghost and his ministry in their lives. The scripture presents three distinct phases of desire for the Spirit's outpouring. Jesus said, ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much the more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. Revival, my friends, results from seeking, seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Sayeth the Lord and ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Fourthly, there must be a turning from sin if there is to be a revival. Perhaps one of the more recent outstanding revivals is the Welsh revival, witnessed in the early part of this century, when whole towns were dominated by the Spirit of God. Evan Roberts, a foremost figure of that revival, declared the prophecy of Joel is to be fulfilled. There the Lord says, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh. If that is so, declared Roberts, all flesh must be prepared to receive. The past must be clear. Every sin must be confessed to God. Any wrong to man must be put right. Everything doubtful must be removed at once out of our lives. Obedience to the Spirit of God must be implicit and prompt. Not only must there be a forsaking of gross sins, but a laying aside of weights as well as besetting sins if we're to experience revival. Hypocrisy and pretense must go. False pride and false humility must be done away with. Lust and impurity must cease to operate in our lives. Self must needs be crucified and Christ reigns supreme. My friends, revival can be expected when we are willing to pay the price for it, when we are ready to part company with sin and God's will becomes our will. Oh, today as we humble ourselves and pray and seek the face of God, turning from all that is wrong, revival will come to us and to our land. God grant it. Thank you for listening to Ray Brubaker's Classic Radio. For a free audio of this message, visit raybrubaker.com on the internet. May God richly bless you is our prayer.