“And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, ‘If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.'” 1 Samuel 7:3
October 22, 2025
Is the church in America in the midst of a revival? The assassination of Charley Kirk has from all observations unleashed a surge in church attendance (in some places), a renewed interest in the Bible (Bibles are selling), and increased boldness in witnessing to the gospel. At the same time, the church in America resembles a sick patient in many quarters. The level of urgent commitment to Christ is low. Sacrifice has been replaced with consumerism. Sin has been psychologized away into the never-never land of victimization. Bible exposition has been replaced by entertainment. Genuine revival is a coming back to life, an awakening to true Christianity. In the days of Samuel, the prophet in Israel, spiritual leadership was at low tide. It was a time of self-induced misery through the failure to deal with the sins of the culture that had crept into Israel’s life. Israel was “Canaanized” by the idolatry of the Philistines. In such times, as in our day, a spiritual famine existed. The absence of Bible teaching and the inability to even understand the nature of our problems have led to a reliance on methods rather than on the power of God. The richness of life that comes from close contact with God, when absent, leaves empty souls, depression, drugs, sexual immorality, anxiety, and a host of unbiblical behaviors and false teaching that leave us in a spiritual desert.
Four steps to recovery can be seen in 1 Samuel 7:1-6. Make this the opportune time to ask God to enable you to engage in Spirit-guided self-examination and a perceptive look at the churches we represent. Is revival taking place?
H
“Teach us, O Lord, in a fresh way what true godliness is.”