this morning I had intended to preach a sermon notice the emphasis on the word intended called crossing Jordan but as I thought about where we are in the history of this world and as they thought about the coming of Jesus and God's Spirit directed me to a different topic entitled first things first let's pray father in heaven as we open your word this morning I pray thee that your spirit would move among us we've talked about outreach we've talked about soul-winning we talked about evangelism we've talked about the finishing of your work in the world
but who are there's a work to be done in the church a work to be done in our hearts a work to be done deep within us and so made this worship hour lead us to a deeper heart conversion and a deeper knowledge of you we pray thee in Christ's name Amen the story is told of a woman who frantically called her insurance agent and she said sir I need to increase the insurance coverage on my house he said well madam come down to the office this week we can sign the appropriate documents and we'll
make it happen she said sir you don't understand I need to increase the insurance coverage now this is urgent he repeated madam there are some documents that need to be signed but can't I do it over the phone madam I'll come out to your house tomorrow sir you don't understand my house is on fire I need to increase the coverage now there are some things you can put off in life until tomorrow there are other things that have to be done today or else they have catastrophic consequences there are some things that matter little if
we put off in life and other things we put off until our eternal loss now preparation for the second coming of Christ is one of those things the second coming of Christ may be delayed but our preparation for the coming of Christ should never be delayed in Matthew chapter 24 Jesus gives us the signs of his coming in Matthew chapter 25 Jesus talks about preparation for his coming in Matthew chapter 24 we have the events in the world in Matthew chapter 25 we have the condition of the church in Matthew chapter 24 we have what
happens out there in Matthew chapter 25 we have what happens in here now you recall after Jesus talks about wars and rumors of wars about famines and pestilences and earthquakes after he talks about fires and floods and natural disasters after he discusses those more than 25 signs of his coming you come to the end of Matthew chapter 24 and Jesus says in Matthew chapter 24 and verse 42 and if you have your Bible I would encourage you to take it as we study the Word of God Matthew chapter 24 and we're looking there at verse
42 and Jesus there in Matthew 24 says watch therefore he's talked about the signs of his coming the signs in the social world the political world the economic world the religious world and Jesus says watch therefore verse 42 Matthew 24 for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming so Jesus encourages the church to watch in Matthew chapter 25 you have prepare the parable of the ten virgins the parable of the talents and the parable the sheep in the goats those parables expand how what it means to watch and be prepared for Christ's
coming whereas Matthew chapter 24 gives you those broad strokes of the signs in the world jesus says those things are going to happen out there but what is significant is preparation for my return and so Matthew chapter 25 sets forth the first parable that talks about preparation for the return of our Lord in Matthew's Gospel there are 21 parables 14 of those 21 are kingdom of God parables they are parables that specifically address the nature of the spiritual condition within the church now the reason Matthew chapter 25 is so significant is Matthew chapter 25 describes
the spiritual condition of the church awaiting the second coming of Christ we begin with Matthew chapter 25 and looking at verse 1 but before we look at that word by word and study this parable verse by verse I am directed to a statement in the writings of Ellen White in the review and Herald August 19 1890s she said this I am often referred to the parable of the ten virgins five of whom were wise and five foolish this parable has been and will be fulfilled to the very letter so heaven thinks that the parable of
the ten virgins is so important that it is so significant that it's so vital for the church today that God brought it to the endtime prophets mind again and again and again and again this is president truth for this hour this is a message for an endtime people this is not something at the fringes this is at the core at the heart a preparation for the coming of Jesus and I pray today that the Spirit of God would come down on this ASI audience I pray today that we would sense anew a message of present
truth for this hour to prepare an endtime people for the coming of Jesus this is no time for fooling around this is no time at dabbling with religiosity and spirituality God is calling us today to an endtime preparation Matthew chapter 25 we begin there in verse 1 then the kingdom of heaven now all Kingdom of Heaven parables refer to the church every time you see a kingdom of heaven parable Christ is addressing the church verse 1 Matthew 25 then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins why 10 why not seven perfection why
not 12 completeness why not for universal universality why not three ten ten was a significant number in Judaism 10 was the smallest number of Jewish men that could compose a synagogue and establish it so the number 10 is a church number the 10 tribes of Israel the church is spiritual Israel so it's another clue in the text that Jesus himself is speaking about the church then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins virgins in the Bible a woman represents the church a pure woman revelation 12 represents the true church the Bride of
Christ a harlot woman revelation 17 represents the fallen church so this parable is a parable that is addressed to the true church ten virgins virgins represent the church pure uncorrupt doctrine doctrine that is undefiled by the errors an apostasy and the full and the rituals in the ceremonies in the traditions of the enemy then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps what's the lamp represent in the Bible some 119 verse 105 thy word is a what lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path so here is
God's church at endtime with the Word of God in its head going out to light the way for the coming of the bridegroom here is God's church anxiously awaiting something last part of verse 1 they went out to meet the bridegroom so here is an Adventist Church they anticipate the coming of Christ they believe Jesus is coming the issue is not doctrinal heresy the issue is not defiled in corrupt doctrines this parable is relating to God's church at in time who light the way for the coming of the bridegroom and who had pure true uncorrupted
doctrines but the Bible says verse 2 now five of them were wise and five were foolish now notice something carefully please notice that the story does not contrast the righteous and unrighteous virgins it does not contrast the holy and the unholy virgins it does not contrast the good and the bad virgins it does not contrast the obedient and disobedient virgins it does not contrast the loyal and rebellious virgins it does not contrast the pure and the impure virgins it does not contrast the faithful and the unfaithful virgins the Bible calls them what everybody wise and
foolish well that leads us to another question if this is a parable of the church if this is talking about us and if the Bible talks about the wise and the foolish virgins what makes the wise wise what makes the foolish foolish were the wise wise because they were awake they were studying the signs of the times they would knew they knew that we're on the verge of eternity why were the wise wise why were the foolish foolish were the wise wise because they were wide awake and had their eyes open and the foolish were
foolish because they were sleeping the Bible goes on in Matthew chapter 25 and the Bible says in verse 5 but while the bridegroom was delayed they all slumbered and slept so the reality the parable the startling reality the parable is not that five virgins are sleeping it is that they all are sleeping living on the knife edge of eternity on the verge of the kingdom of God the true church is pictured as spiritually drowsy and asleep to the great opportunities to prepare the world for the coming of Jesus this is the message of the parable
it is not that five are sleeping it is that there is a spiritual drowsiness a spiritual stupor that has loved us all to sleep the secular materialistic godless culture around us affects us as well as the world God's people are a people with a message a people with a mission a people raised up powerfully to share the light of God's truth with mankind in this world of darkness Isaiah chapter 60 verse 1 to 3 is a prophecy of these last days reverse history take your Bible please God's church is called to light the world with
the truths of His Word to prepare a world for the coming of our Lord Isaiah chapter 60 verse 1 2 3 Jesus gives a message to his church a prophetic message at endtime arise shine for your light has come the glory of the Lord is risen upon you there will be a revival in God's church and in time the church will arise the church will shine the light of God's truth will radiate from God's people arise shine for the light has come but Gloria the Lord is risen upon you for behold darkness shall cover the
earth deep darkness the people but the Lord will arise over you and his glory will be seen upon you and Gentiles heathen pagan shall come to your light and Kings for the brightness of your rising lift up your eyes all around and see they'll gather together they'll come to you God is going to move through his church in the last days of Earth's history empowered by the Holy Spirit filled with the oil of His grace God's people will illuminate the world with his glory they will impact the world with his truth the gospel will be
preached to the ends of the earth the mission will be accomplished the task will be completed the work will be finished the way will be prepared for the bridegroom's return and Jesus will come there is no other reason for the existence of the seventh-day Adventist Church than to reveal the light of God's loving glory his loving character in word in deed to the world to prepare for the coming of the bridegroom but the foolish virgins failed to participate in the most exciting movement in the history of the world why they miss out on eternity why
they're all members of the true church they're all waiting for the coming of the bridegroom the foolish as well as the wise accept and believe the truths of Scripture these foolish virgins are not promoting some kind of doctrinal heresy they live morally upright lives they enjoy the fellowship of the wise virgins what is it about these foolish virgins who come to meetings dare I say it dare I not say it what is it about them they come to meetings like this they enjoy the fellowship they actually participate in witnessing at time they are doctrinally sound
in their thinking but yet heaven says that their foolish virgins the question becomes what makes a wise virgin wise and what makes a foolish virgin foolish and as I reflect on the parable and read it again and again and again I say God could I ever unknowingly unwittingly be a foolish virgin myself Matthew 25 verse 3 Matthew 25 verse 3 I want to look at the characteristics of the foolish virgins and then the characteristics of the wise virgins and contrast them and lead us into a deep heartfelt sense that Heaven's oil is flowing into our
hearts today and there is somebody came in here today a foolish virgin you can walk out a wise virgin somebody walked in today locked in Laodicean spiritual complacency God's gonna touch your heart today God's gonna work in this meeting today the Spirit is moving in this meeting today God's going to touch hearts today there can be miracles of God's grace that happened right here today in this place in this hour right now Matthew the 28th chapter 25th chapter what makes the foolish foolish and what makes the wise wise Matthew 25 verse 3 we look at
it those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them now that's a very interesting passage when you look at the ancient world often in ancient weddings the bride in her bridesmaids would be in a home and this parable is actually a slice of life out of Palestine Jesus was sitting there in the Mount of Olives and he saw a wedding like this taking place and he used it as an illustration of preparation for his return the bride groom would come to the bride's home unexpectedly at night and the word would go
out but cry would go out brought the hood the bridegroom comes and the bride's maids would light the way before the bride to the bridegroom's whom the wedding feast may last a week and if you didn't enter in when the feast started the door would be shut and you couldn't enter in now when you look at Matthew chapter 25 verse 3 it says those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them it does not say they didn't have oil in their lamps in the ancient world oil was placed in the lamp
but a flask of oil was taken along with the lamp so when the oil in the lamp ran out the flask of oil would be used to replenish the oil that ran out in the lamp now the fact that the foolish virgins had some oil is significant and you see that if you let your eyes drop down further in the Bible passage Matthew chapter 25 follow as I read verses 5 and onward but while the bridegroom was delayed they all slumbered and slept it at midnight a cry was heard behold the bridegroom is coming go
out to meet him then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps so the wise and the foolish verse 7 trimmed their lamps what does that mean they lit their lamps and the foolish said to the wise give us some of your oil for our lamps are going out so what does that indicate the foolish virgins had some oil but they did not have a sufficient supply of oil because the delay was so long that the small amount of oil that they had was not sufficient to take them on the journey from the bride's home
to the bride groom's home and their lamps were going out now they lacked this indispensable oil in the Bible what is oil a symbol of what's that a symbol of but wait you say it's a symbol of the Holy Spirit but what aren't there many symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Bible fire is a symbol of the Holy Spirit why didn't they have a candle of fire wind is a symbol of the Holy Spirit the water is a symbol of the Holy Spirit why does God take the symbolism of oil and use this as
the illustration of what the foolish virgins did not have here's why if you look throughout the Old Testament oil is associated with three things number one the sanctuary the when the sanctuary was inaugurated the priests were anointed with oil when the sanctuary was inaugurated the sacred vessels were anointed with oil oil represents consecration the setting apart oil represents total commitment to the kingdom of God the Holy Spirit impresses the heart in mind through the oil of God's grace that flows from the sanctuary to lead men and women to make an unreserved total absolute commitment to
the kingdom so oil is always consecration secondly throughout the Bible oil is always healing you remember in the New Testament the Good Samaritan found the bruised broken bloody traveler and he anointed that traveler with what oil oil symbolizes healing God will have an end time people whose minds and eyes and ears and hearts and inner beings are totally absolutely consecrated to him they seek first the kingdom of God they want Jesus they put Jesus first seek you first the kingdom of God that is the priority and passion of their lives and the oil of the
Spirit that leads them to this deepening consecration heals their hearts of anger resentment bitterness jealousy rivalry between ministries lust gossip so there is an endtime preparation of the Spirit that the Holy Spirit comes upon God's praying seeking church and men and women are set aside so they long for the kingdom of God they hunger for eternity and they are cleansed within or healed within through the Ministry of the Holy Spirit about the regarding those attitudes that keep the latter reign of God's power from falling what is the oil representative of first consecration second healing and
third illumination illumination oil provides the basis for the lands God will have an end time people consecrated to him healed within of inner attitudes that keep them for being the powerful witnesses that God wants to the world who hold the torch of truth high to light the way for the coming of the bridegroom God wants to have a group of people filled with his at consecrated to him healed a bitterness envy jealousy competition healed a pride arrogance self inflated importance a people who are not so interested in talking about what they do but talking about
what Jesus does a people who witness to his grace who are consumed with holding a lighted torch of truth to get ready for the coming of Jesus now there are three fatal mistakes of the false virgins of the foolish virgins here they are three fatal mistakes one they had some oil but not enough they thought the limited supply of oil they had was sufficient enough when the cry came behold the bridegroom comes they cried out our lamps are going out we do not have enough their supply of oil was not sufficient for the uninitiated delay
is it possible to assume that our superficial experience with God will get us through the great crisis ahead have we forgotten the words of the Prophet we will need an experience much broader or deeper than we possibly can imagine the foolish virgins were part of the superficial conservative class are you depending on an experience with Jesus that you once had is your spiritual lamp going out are you depending on an experience with God that is in the past tense and not the present does your heart still burn within you when you open God's Word is
the most exciting precious time of your day the time you open God's Word and spend more time with him how is your devotional life do you know Jesus and does Jesus live in your soul and move in your life do you still sense Jesus presence when you get on your knees to pray or has your prayer life become boring and ritualistic and something you hurry through as a ceremony do you still love to take those long walks alone listen to the singing of the birds see the magnificence of the flowers and say thank you Jesus
for nature and just let him transform your life you see the foolish virgins put their trust in the wrong place the foolish virgins trusted that their past experience that they once had would be sufficient to take them to the wedding feast the height of Christian folly is neglecting personal soul culture and believing that everything is all right because I believe the right thing and because I'm a witness for Jesus the foolish virgins were superficial and conservative but the foolish virgins lacked something deep inside Ellen White talks about this group in Christ object lessons page 411
she says the class represented by the foolish virgins are not hypocrites when I read the next sentence I spent significant time meditating on it applying it to my own life they have a regard for the truth the foolish virgins have a regard for truth they have advocated the truth so these are not fanatical heretics they have a regard for the truth they've advocated the truth the foolish virgins have advocated the truth they're involved in witnessing they are attracted to those who believe the truth so look at these three things that inspiration says about the foolish
virgins they've got a regard for the truth they advocate the truth they're attracted to those that believe the truth but they have not yielded themselves the Holy Spirit's working they have not fallen upon the rock Christ Jesus and permitted their old nature to be broken up here is the issue although they believe the truth and witness the old nature deep within their hearts is still dominant it says the Spirit works upon man's heart according to his desire and consent implanting in him a new nature but the class represented by the foolish virgins have been content
with the superficial work and I fall upon my knees and I say God help me not be content with a superficial work in my life they do not know God see this is the issue with the foolish virgins the oil of the Holy Spirit flowing from heaven sanctuary and the function of the Holy Spirit is to witness of Jesus so the Holy Spirit's function has been neglected in their life they have not been healed deep within they believe truth they accept truth they may witness for the truth but often they're prompted and motivated by the
old nature rather than the new nature and it says they do not know God they've not studied his character they've not held communion with him therefore they do not know how to trust how to look and live their service to God he generates into a form the foolish virgins are content with a stale superficial experience from the past although they acknowledge the truth the truth has not transformed their lives the old nature dominates their thoughts and actions on the outward appearance everything looks fine they have lamps in their hands what more do they need they
thought they were ready for the coming of the bridegroom but there is a difference brothers and sisters b-hat between having the Word of God in your hand to defend the truth and having the word in your heart to live the truth the foolish virgins were informed but not transformed they were instructed by the word but not changed through the word they were convicted of the truth but not changed by the truth here's the essential question has the truth which you believe the truth which you share with others has that radically impacted and transformed your life
so you're a different man a different woman in the parable the 10 virgins the 10 virgins do not understand fully what genuine conversion is all about the oil represents the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit that transforms our character and enables us to be more like Jesus now here is the incredible good news there is an abundant supply of heavens oil for you and for me there is no shortage of the power of the Holy Spirit to give us the victories that we longed for in our own personal lives nobody else's prayers though can substitute
for yours nobody else can study God's word for you nobody else can have an intimate relationship with God for you in the bridegroom's absence there's a tendency to slumber the greatest challenge that the seventh-day Adventist Church faces today is this we are a church that should not be here we have never been in it for the marathon we've always been in it for the Sprint but the church since 1844 has going on what's going on for a hundred and sixty five years 166 years and the longer the time goes on the more the spiritual drowsiness
and slumber increases and the beauty is this God is moving among his people today to bring a spiritual renewal and a spiritual revival through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that will bring to this people a mighty spiritual revival and usher in the coming of Jesus but that does lead us to a question that we should not neglect this morning and the question is implied in Matthew chapter 25 I want you to notice it please Matthew chapter 25 and you'll notice it there verse 5 but while the bridegroom was in what is the word in
verse 5 delayed they all slumbered and slept there is a delay in the coming of the bridegroom if the seventh-day Adventist Church answered one question it probably is the most vital question that the church could answer and it's this why is it that the second coming of Christ is delayed why didn't Jesus come in 1885 why didn't he come in 1850 why didn't he come in 90 and Ted 1930 the answer to that question is not a single one sentence answer if you carefully study scripture and the writings of Ellen White there are at least
three reasons why Jesus delays is coming let's briefly look at each of them first reason 1 why does Jesus delay is Coming reason 1 Christ waits in love suffering himself over the pain agony sorrow poverty sickness and death of our world waiting for the gospel to be preached with all power so all humanity will have an opportunity to be saved the evidence of that is found in Peter 2nd Peter chapter 3 verse 4 why does the Bible say in Matthew chapter 25 that we read that Jesus delays his coming he waits in love he longs
for all humanity to be saved he longs for all men and women everywhere to hear the gospel he does not want one person to be lost take your Bible please in turn to the book of Peter 2nd Peter chapter 3 we look there in the book of Peter and the Lord is very clear in 2nd Peter chapter 3 let your eyes drop down to verse 9 in 2nd Peter chapter 3 it's actually verse 9 the Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering toward us God is not slack
concerning his promise as he promised to come Willy come the Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but he's long-suffering toward us not willing that any should perish but all should come to repentance why hasn't Jesus come because he waits in love he waits longing that all men and women everywhere will accept his love he will not come until the gospel goes to the ends of the earth can the church hasten the coming of Jesus desire pages page 6 33 had the Church of Christ done her appointed work as the
water dame the whole world would be for this have been warned and the Lord Jesus would have come to earth in power and glory desire of Ages 633 continuing by giving the gospel to the world it is in our power to hasten our Lord's return I don't know how the language could be clearer God is looking for a people that are passionate about sharing his love with the world passionate about sharing the light of truth with his world a people that are consecrated by the oil of His grace who are healed in their hearts of
anger bitterness and jealousy who focus on one thing and that is getting a word ready for the coming of Jesus why doesn't Jesus come 1 the gospel has been preached the word reason to Christ waits for his church to reveal his incredible character of love to a waiting world in a watching universe you see the cross is the answer to the great controversy Jesus death I'm across answer Satan's charges and reveals that God is love God now longs for a community of grace his body his church to revealed that his way brings joy and happiness
in Satan's way of selfishness brings death what is God waiting for it not only to the be gospel to be preached out there but he's waiting for something to happen in his church the Bible says when the harvest is fully ripe in Revelation 14 talks about two harvests the harvest of golden grain and the harvest of Gouri grapes the harvest of golden grain is the character of Jesus that he longs to reveal through His Holy Spirit to transform our lives so we become the loving people there are lights in this world in a world of
hate and selfishness that is why Ellen White puts it so clearly in Christ object lessons page 69 Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of himself in his church when the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in his people then he will come to claim them as his own what is Jesus waiting for first the gospel to go to the world secondly the gospel to penetrate our hearts so deeply that we reveal his love to a waiting world in the watching universe but there is a third factor and it's this not only
will there be the proclamation of the gospel not only will there be the harvest of gold and grain there will be the harvest of Gouri grapes there will be a manifestation in this world of the wickedness and rebellion and selfishness of sin that brings devastation and destruction to the world although the church can hasten the coming of Jesus the church cannot delay the coming of Jesus indefinitely Christ waits not only for a full complete demonstration of his love to reveal to his people but also he must let wickedness evil see and run its course so
the whole universe will see the ultimate results of Satan's rebellion and be secure forever now listen to these powerful statements prophets and Kings 4:17 there is a limit beyond which the judgments of Jehovah can no longer be delayed there is a limit beyond which the judgments of Jehovah can no longer be delayed God keeps a fifth volume of the testimonies 524 God keeps a reckoning with the nations when the time fully comes that iniquity shall have reached the stated boundary of God's mercy his forbearance will cease when the accumulated figures and heavens record books shall
mark the summit transgression complete wrath will come there will be a convergence and I believe that convergence is taking place now there will be convergence of a praying people whose hearts are passionate about preaching the gospel to the world who are asking God to cleanse their hearts in unusual ways so that they can be everything that God wants them to be and as that same time that God is leading his church into a revival into a commitment to reaching the world with the gospel with people praying and hearts broken in people on their knees as
that is taking place Satan sees what's taking place in the church and he redoubled his efforts of wickedness in the world and transgression leaps reaches its limit and God says this is enough this is enough and the greatest danger that the foolish virgins face and that we face is putting off a decision to let God deal with our hearts as he wants to which is of enormous consequences what happened to the foolish virgins spiritual complacency paralyzed them they were locked in self-congratulation telling how great they were they were bathed in self-confidence they were satisfied with
what they had they never dreamed that they'd be unprepared for the coming of the bridegroom they failed to understand their lack some time ago I read a story about then of course it's a fictitious story about Satan and he had a council meeting a strategy meeting in heaven and in that strategy meeting he called the angels and he said now now tell me what is your strategy to deceive God's people one angel says one evil angel says my strategy is to tell them there is no God the devil says in this imaginary story don't be
so foolish the evidence of nature the Bible prophecy people know there is no God they know there's a God they'll never accept that there is no God second angel says well tell them that there is no truth the devil says look in science there's truth you may fool some people if that be I gotta fool all the people three angel says well tell them that there is no hurry tell them there is no hurry tell them that they've got plenty of time tell them that there is no urgency tell them to put off personal preparation
tell them to wait till a more convenient time to deal with their attitudes tell them tell them that they don't need now to be on their knees seeking God for broken hearts is God calling you to something deeper than you can imagine have you been putting off a deeper experience with God in your own life do you sense the spirit moving in your own personal heart to a deeper Bible study life a deeper prayer life the only way to get ready for the coming of Christ is to get ready today and stay ready is there
anything lurking in the shadows of your heart that you may not be aware of are you willing to say today Lord I want to surrender any habit any attitude it's a barrier between me and anybody else I want to send a surrender any habit in my life that's not in harmony with your will Lord I want you to do a work in me so I can hold the torch of truth high lord I long for the oil of your grace to flow into my heart in life I love that old song as something about these
old hymns written out of the context of experience number 260 hover over me Holy Spirit bathe my trembling heart in brow fill me with your hallowed presence column will come and fill me now fill me now fill me now Jesus come and fill me now fill me with thy hallowed presence come o come and fill me now I love the third verse I am weakness full of weakness at thy sacred feet I bow blessed divine Eternal Spirit fill with love and fill me now fill me now will fill me now Jesus come and fill me
now look to the screen just as we're seated let's sing that first verse together hover over me Holy Spirit does God want to do something in your life right now as your devotional life than we can stale has your prayer life become ritualistic and formal is there some habit in your life that would keep you from being ready for the coming of Jesus is there some attitude in you that's gonna keep your ministry from being as successful as God wants it to be because of that attitude let Jesus break that now look Jesus crush that
now let this let the let the Messiah crush the Serpent's head in your life now let Jesus right now do something in your life let's sing it together cover me over hover Army Holy Spirit you recently I have been studying the book of Acts and as I've read through acts and sensed the power of the Holy Spirit poured out on the disciples in the day of Pentecost it has radically transformed my own life as I studied these disciples coming together in small groups to pray as I observed in the text of Scripture there boldly confidently
proclaiming the Word of God as I sensed in the book of Acts that thousands were coming to Christ and being baptized that new churches were being planted the new continents were being reached for God I was so profoundly moved by that that I began to write and the result of that study of the book of Acts is a new book called revive us again every chapter is saturated with Bible and statements from the writings of Ellen White the pen of inspiration the first chapter in the book deals with prayer and revival it talks about how
to have a meaningful prayer life how Jesus wants to speak to your heart how he wants to have an intimate relationship with you the book goes on to discuss the urgency of revival the need for revival in our individual lives now the priority of revival we talk about the five wise virgins and the five foolish virgins and why the wise were wise and why the foolish were foolish in the urgent appeal that God gives us an end time to be sure that we're filled with the Holy Spirit one of the most powerful chapters in the
entire book is the promised revival the promise that God is going to pour out his spirit at endtime there's a chapter on revivals true and false counterfeit revivals how do you tell the difference between a true revival and a counterfeit revival what will counterfeit revivals look like and what will true revivals look like every chapter in the book has an application page where you can personally go into that application page pastors are using this book for prayer meetings and they're taking their members through it members have small groups in their home that are meeting studying
this book I would encourage you to use revive us again as a resource for your church for your personal life for your small group as you read it you will be incredibly blessed revive us again is a book that will lead you into a deeper experience with our Lord and prepare you for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at endtime you
