Reflections from Asbury and a Call to Pray
Published February 22, 2023
I took a trip to Asbury earlier this week and have been reflecting on my time there ever since. People had come from all over the nation and world, and their hunger to worship was so encouraging. I will share my reflections at the end of this post, but I am asking you to begin to prepare your hearts for what God might have for us at Cowee.
Kenny Lamm, who is a Worship Consultant for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, shared an update this week that has stirred my heart with suggestions of personal preparation and devotion that I encourage you to consider:
Revival is breaking out in various places around the US, a movement that seemed to have been birthed at Asbury University this month and is spreading to many college campuses. Most recently, people that attended the afternoon session of the NC Baptist Disciple-Making Conference this past Monday experienced an amazing move of God as hundreds filled the altar and the aisles pouring their hearts out to God. I believe revival is coming to our churches if we prepare ourselves and our congregations and seek Him expectantly.
It is interesting to me that this is all coming on top of the Lenten season, which for centuries has been a time of personal preparation and devotion. Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, is on February 22, 2023, and ends on Thursday, April 6, 2023.
Would you consider the following:
- Fast. All great awakenings have come from intercession. During this season, as we lead up to Easter, fast (give up) some things that cloud your mind or fulfill your physical desires, such as a particular type of food or beverage, social media, or television. Give up some things that get in your way of focusing on or spending time with God. Instead of watching a television program or checking out your friends on a social media platform, spend time in a spiritual discipline, getting your heart set on God. Check out this excellent guide to fasting.
- Pray for spiritual awakening. Pray that God will awaken your heart. Pray that God will move mightily in your church and city. Pray that God will draw thousands of people to Himself. Pray that our churches will be ready to disciple those that come. Pray with expectancy. Here is an excellent example.
- Pray that God will reveal sin in your life. Spend time earnestly seeking God to reveal those sins in your life you may not be aware of. As you spend time in spiritual disciplines, He will reveal things about you that you may not even be aware are getting in the way of your relationship with Him. Utilize this resource that will walk you through 2 Chronicles 7:14.
- Repent of sin. There is sin in your life that you may already be aware of. Confess it and turn from it. God will help you. There are those sins that God will reveal to you in this journey that you were not aware of that you need to also deal with. Sin is a barrier to revival in our lives.
- Commit yourself to holiness and obedience. Turn from questionable habits and activities. Live clean and close to God. Return to your First Love.
- Worship. Spend time in personal worship of God. Read your Bible, pray, sing to Him, play an instrument and spend time in His presence. He delights in dwelling with you one on one.
- Spend time in the Word. Take time to immerse yourself in the Word of God. Memorize some passages. Here’s a great guide to Bible memory. Perhaps find a study guide that helps you focus on renewal and revival.
- Practice times of silence. The world is full of distractions and noise. It is difficult to clear our minds of clutter and just be present with God. Be strategic in carving out time to just sit and rest in His presence and hear from Him.
Some reflections on my time at Asbury.
1. There was joy and freedom in worship that was beautiful to see.
2. People were willing to drive for hours and wait in lines for hours. Lines that stretched and stretched all over the campus. They came to see Jesus. They didn’t care who was on stage. Jesus was center stage, and nothing else mattered.
3. This generation is desperate to experience a faith that is real and a people who are real. Confessing sin and repentance is a continued part of the services.
4. The power of a testimony is incredible. Hearing others sharing of God's greatness and His work in their life never gets old.
5. Hearing of revival stirs a desire for revival in those that hear.Something special is happening at Asbury and other college campuses in our nation. Is it revival? Time will tell, but God is doing something, and seeing the work of God has stirred a hunger in His people.
"The fame of revival stirs the flames of revival." Robby Gallaty
6. All that those gathered came to do was worship. That was the overwhelming sense of all those I encountered. They came to see Jesus.
7. What a difference it will make in our churches if we come hungry to see Jesus this Sunday.
There are some young guys missing in this pic. They were able to get into the main auditorium right away as part of Generation Z. This pic was taken in the line the “old guys” waited in. We were thankful that they were able to get in quickly and as we talked, we realized even if we were not able to get in (we ended up in an overflow auditorium) it was worth the drive for them to experience this special moment. As I reflected on that, I wonder what are we willing to do to see a generation encounter the presence of God, to be discipled, and to see a move of God in our midst.
We surely can’t manufacture a move of God, but we can be ready if God sees fit to move.
Revival cannot be organized, but we can set our sails to catch the wind from heaven when God chooses to blow upon His people once again. G. Campbell Morgan
Praying… For our town. For this nation. For the world. Join me if you will.
“Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your mercy, Lord, And grant us Your salvation.”
Psalms 85:6-7