Revival

We speak of a revival; we pray for it ; perhaps we long for it . But all this , and an hundredfold more in the same direction, will not bring it about. God's arm is not shortened: his ear is not heavy. Our iniquities separate between us and him. The way to invite his presence is to put away the evil of our doings ; for he cannot dwell with sin . And if anyone , conscious of his knowledge and jealous of orthodoxy , should say in opposition, it is God's presence , sovereignly vouchsafed , that makes the visited man put away his evil;  we answer , that is a glorious truth , but is not an argument against our injunction.  That is the upper end of a revealed truth which reaches from earth to heaven: it is too high for us :if you put forth your hand to touch it at the top , it will consume you. That high thing is for God to handle , and not man. The end that leans on earth and lies to your hand is -"turn you at my reproof." The only safe way  of moving the heaven-high extreme of the divine sovereignty for revival is, by throwing ourselves with our whole weight on this which is the visible , tangible , lower end of that incomprehensible mystery - this turning from our own evil in obedience to the command of God . The grand hindrance to a revival by the Spirit poured out is the general conformity of Christians to the fashion of the world. The short road to revival is to turn from the error of our ways . If there were more of doing which religion demands , there would be more of the getting which it promises.

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