By Thomas Spithaler

Calvary Chapel

Few of us would be so bold as to look around at our struggling nation and say, “Hey, things are good right now. We are blessed!” In a time of crisis on a national level, history shows that it is at these times that cause us to take pause, and consider things in our lives outside of the daily grind. It is at times like these that bring many people to examine what really is important in their lives. It is precisely times like these that bring many to re-examine their faith, and nations to revival.

The United States is not unique in its sufferings. Nations and peoples have struggled through worse than this over the years, including the US itself. But when people begin to experience real loss, jobs, retirement accounts, their homes and property, many are left with the sometimes unanswerable question of, “Why?” When the world, and our worldly ways cannot bring an answer, many are turned to their faith if not to bring an answer, simply to bring comfort and reassurance.

In the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah faced hard times. Israel lived under captivity, scattered throughout the nations. Nehemiah’s desire was not just to bring the nation f Israel back into prominence and rebuild the city of Jerusalem, it was to bring revival to the city and to the nation. Nehemiah’s heart is my heart; to bring revival to a nation that has turned its back on the God that has blessed them for so many years.

In a speech credited to numerous authors such as Billy Graham, Paul Harvey, Rev. Joe Wright and Bob Russell it was said,

“We know Your Word says, ‘Woe to those who call evil good’, but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have ridiculed the absolute truth of your Word, and called it Pluralism. We have worshipped other Gods and called it multiculturalism and excused it in the name of tolerance. We have not only endorsed but championed perversity and called it ‘alternative lifestyle’. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn children and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it ‘building self esteem’. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment…” and yet we wonder why we are no longer blessed.

Nehemiah knew this was true of his people, and it is true of ours. As Christians, I’m confident that many of us are praying for a spiritual revival. But as with Nehemiah, it has to start with ME. Nehemiah put his heart into action, and inspired a nation to do the same. The people who did return to Jerusalem looked at the work ahead of them and said, “We can’t do this. Things are too far gone”. But Nehemiah encouraged each man to lead his house, and repair what was broken right in front of their eyes! Nehemiah got them to take their focus off of how bad the big picture was, and to rebuild what was right in front of them. In doing so, the walls of Jerusalem, in spite of staunch opposition and attacks from many sides, was rebuilt in record time.

We must do the same. It is time we return our hearts to the absolute truth of God’s Word and stop attending churches just for a weekly ‘ear-tickling’. It is time to let Christianity define us, rather than us try to redefine Christianity. Revival starts first within ourselves, them with our families, than with our churches, and then in our communities. This is how revival comes.

It is great to pray for revival, but someone has to start it. Why shouldn’t that person be you?

tspithaler@ccbonneylake.com