Revival! March 10-14, 2013

Two years ago, I participated in Southwestern's Revive This Nation program. I am doing it again this year.

I have changed in the last two years. Growing in knowledge, thanks to both seminary classes with great professors and my own personal study. But I have also been able to practice preaching thanks to the graciousness of the church I grew up in (Quitman United Methodist Church, LA) and the church family that sent me to seminary (First Baptist of Ruston, LA).

I pray that the Holy Spirit will work through me and work in the congregation as I am preaching.

The overall theme for me for this year's revival is "Living By Faith."  As I was studying and outlining my sermons, two verses jumped out at me, demanding my attention, and so I have made them my theme verses for the revival.



Romans 1:16-17 reads, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believers, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

This passage jumped out at me after I had selected my various passages, but it fits so well, I can only credit the Holy Spirit. Thus, my sermon series will arc through these two verses.

• "Good News to Live By" - 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, 58
• "From Death to Life" - Ephesians 2:1-10
• "Living By Faith" - Hebrews 11:1-2; 12:1-2
• "Walking in the Light" - 1 John 1:5-2:2
• "No Fence-Sitting Allowed" or, thanks to an illustration I came across today while researching, "Going Whole Hog" - Joshua 24:14-15.

Pray, then, that God would move in myself and in those who hear His word, to revive sleeping/disheartened hearts and to bring to life those whose hearts haven't yet begun to beat with the eternal life that is only possible through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who died upon a cross, bearing the penalty that all of us so richly deserve and who was raised from the dead to a new, never-before-seen life, to take away our sins and cast them as far as the east is from the west so that all who believe in Him would receive cleansing from unrighteousness, forgiveness for sin, and the blessing of an abundant eternal life spent in the very presence of God. May His name be praised in heaven and on earth, and may all who hear His word rejoice over His righteous loving acts. Amen!