By Christine Darg

Jerusalem Channel

Romans 5:20 proclaims, “And where sin abounded, grace did more abound.”

Believers on social media are pointing out that right after the Grammys hit rock bottom with their tribute to Satan, God in his mercy started pouring out revival upon sin-sick believers who are exhausted by perversity at every turn.

Revival means bringing back to life again.

How refreshing, how wonderful, in the midst of so much sin in America that there is hope of real revival ! Psalm 85:6 comes to mind, “Won’t you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation!”

This is the mercy of  God–  in the midst of tremendous birth pains indicating the soon return of the Lord!

The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said that the worse sort of clever men are those who think they know more than the Bible. We have a plethora of such clever men in our generation, but He who sits in the heavens laughs and holds them in derision. He sends his Holy Spirit to visit humble hearts who are desperate for the Presence of God!

All lovers of God are encouraged by the revivals at Asbury University which has had a history of awakenings and revivals. In February 1970 there were 144 hours of unbroken meetings. The Jesus Movement had begun a year or two earlier, accelerated dramatically by Asbury teams of students who went across the country and in many places, spiritual awakening broke out. I recall a revival at Asbury in 2006. Every one so far has begun in the month of February (or occasionally March). Most have been short-lived, although the overall impact has often been of a lasting nature. It’s fitting that Asbury University was named for a great man of God aligned with the Wesleyan-Holiness movement.

The great American revivalist Charles Finney defined revival as “The return of the Church from her backslidings, and the conversion of sinners.”

An email from Global Watch sent out the following: “Revive” appears throughout scripture and is used in various contexts most all pointing to our relationship with God.  Psalm 119 has nine verses that reflect well the meaning of revive:

Ps 119:25, 107, 154 Revive me according to Your word

Ps 119:37. Revive me in Your way

Ps 119:40. Revive me in Your righteousness

Ps 119:88, 159 Revive me according to your lovingkindness

Ps 119:149. Revive me according to Your justice

Ps 119:156  Revive me according to Your judgments

I’m reminded of the hymn that characterised the Welsh revival, “Here Is Love, Vast as the Ocean.” However, I believe in our time of so much apostasy, any revival demonstrates not just God’s love but, “Here is mercy, vast as the ocean.”