I think we all should go to the mountains more often. We should stand alone and look on the peaks and the valleys.”
–Louis L’Amour (Under the Sweetwater Rim)
“The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.”
“The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.”
–Psalm 14:2 (NKJV)
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“True revival always returns God’s people to fresh and vivid emphasis on the holiness and righteousness of God, His judgment on sin, true repentance, and the overflowing effect of personal conversions to Christ.” (Max Anders) Psalm 85 is a cry for revival. Revival always starts with the individual, with the heart. Often we get sluggish in our life regarding our walk with God and we need the flame kindled anew–that is revival. Revival is when the warning in Revelation given to those who lost their first love find it again and live like it. Eugene Peterson wrote, “O God, when my faith gets overladen with dust, blow it clean with the wind of your Spirit. When my habits of obedience get stiff and rusty, anoint them with the oil of your Spirit. Restore the enthusiasm of my first love for you.”
1 — LORD, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.
2 — You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. Selah
3 — You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.
4 — Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger toward us to cease.
5 — Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
6 — Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?
7 — Show us Your mercy, LORD, and grant us Your salvation. (NKJV)
The people must have been experiencing some great difficulty. It seemed as if the anger of the Lord was upon them. But, remember, if it comes from the Lord it is to teach a lesson, to discipline, to help us grow, and above all to bring us closer to Him. Whether it be a national calamity or personal, God wants repentance and for us to draw close to Him. The Psalmist prays that God will restore. That indicates that there was once right relationship.
People are often unforgiving, but not so the Lord. He is ready to forgive when there is true repentance. When there is the heart’s desire for renewed and righted relationship. God is forgiving, why? Because of His mercy, or as some versions translate, His “unfailing love.” Through God’s mercy sins are forgiven. We need to pray honestly that God would work through our sluggishness and disregard for His Word and a personal relationship with Him and “grant us your salvation out of our present problems and spiritual apathy.” (Anders)
“Many mighty men are lost,
Daring not to stand,
Who for God had been a host
By joining Daniel’s band.
Dare to be a Daniel,
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm;
Dare to make it known.”
–Philip P. Bliss
————————————-
“True revival always returns God’s people to fresh and vivid emphasis on the holiness and righteousness of God, His judgment on sin, true repentance, and the overflowing effect of personal conversions to Christ.” (Max Anders) Psalm 85 is a cry for revival. Revival always starts with the individual, with the heart. Often we get sluggish in our life regarding our walk with God and we need the flame kindled anew–that is revival. Revival is when the warning in Revelation given to those who lost their first love find it again and live like it. Eugene Peterson wrote, “O God, when my faith gets overladen with dust, blow it clean with the wind of your Spirit. When my habits of obedience get stiff and rusty, anoint them with the oil of your Spirit. Restore the enthusiasm of my first love for you.”
1 — LORD, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.
2 — You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. Selah
3 — You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.
4 — Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger toward us to cease.
5 — Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
6 — Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?
7 — Show us Your mercy, LORD, and grant us Your salvation. (NKJV)
The people must have been experiencing some great difficulty. It seemed as if the anger of the Lord was upon them. But, remember, if it comes from the Lord it is to teach a lesson, to discipline, to help us grow, and above all to bring us closer to Him. Whether it be a national calamity or personal, God wants repentance and for us to draw close to Him. The Psalmist prays that God will restore. That indicates that there was once right relationship.
People are often unforgiving, but not so the Lord. He is ready to forgive when there is true repentance. When there is the heart’s desire for renewed and righted relationship. God is forgiving, why? Because of His mercy, or as some versions translate, His “unfailing love.” Through God’s mercy sins are forgiven. We need to pray honestly that God would work through our sluggishness and disregard for His Word and a personal relationship with Him and “grant us your salvation out of our present problems and spiritual apathy.” (Anders)
“Many mighty men are lost,
Daring not to stand,
Who for God had been a host
By joining Daniel’s band.
Dare to be a Daniel,
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm;
Dare to make it known.”
–Philip P. Bliss