從天上賜下的復興
我是否手潔心清？
經文
耶利米書十四17-22
17你要將這話對他們說：願我眼淚汪汪，晝夜不息，因為我百姓（原文是民的處女）受了裂口破壞的大傷。
18我若出往田間，就見有被刀殺的；我若進入城內，就見有因饑荒患病的；連先知帶祭司在國中往來，也是毫無知識（或譯：不知怎樣才好）。
19你全然棄掉猶大嗎？你心厭惡錫安嗎？為何擊打我們，以致無法醫治呢？我們指望平安，卻得不著好處；指望痊癒，不料，受了驚惶。
20耶和華啊，我們承認自己的罪惡，和我們列祖的罪孽，因我們得罪了你。
21求你為你名的緣故，不厭惡我們，不辱沒你榮耀的寶座。求你追念，不要背了與我們所立的約。
22外邦人虛無的神中有能降雨的嗎？天能自降甘霖嗎？耶和華─我們的神啊，能如此的不是你嗎？所以，我們仍要等候你，因為這一切都是你所造的。
信息分享
在過去幾天，我們已討論了「復興禱告」的四個特點：熱誠、持久、大膽和具有說服力；今天，我們會繼續思考「復興禱告」的第五個特點──悔罪。即使最漫不經心地閱讀舊約的人也會注意到，百姓的領袖來到神面前祈求復興時，經常都以承認他們和百姓的罪開始。「耶和華啊，我們承認自己的罪惡，和我們列祖的罪孽……求你追念，不要背了與我們所立的約」（20-21節）。
我看過一些對復興作出細心研究的報告，都是記載了人們在復興前來到神的面前，公開承認自己的罪。在1949年發生的赫布里底群島（Hebrides）大復興便是一個典型的例子。一群人在斯托諾韋（Stornaway）以北大約12哩的一個谷倉聚集一起禱告。其中一位年輕執事跪在稻草上，打開聖經，讀到詩篇二十四篇：「誰能登耶和華的山？誰能站在他的聖所？就是手潔心清、不向虛妄、起誓不懷詭詐的人。」（3-4）。
這位年青人把這段經文讀了兩次以後，說：「弟兄姊妹，如果我們與神沒有正確的關係，這樣一日復一日地等候只是自欺欺人。我必須問自己：我的心清嗎？我的手潔嗎？」。就在那一刻事情發生了。我們且讓記載赫布里底群島復興的坎貝爾（Duncan Campbell）來結束這個故事吧，他說：「神像旋風一樣進入那谷倉，那群人於是離開了平凡和自然的領域，進入了一種超自然境界。那就是復興。」
「在復興之前必先經歷認罪悔改的過程」
進深研究
林後七1-10；詩三十四18，五十一17
1. 敬虔的哀傷是甚麼？
2. 主喜歡親近甚麼樣的人？
祈禱
天父，我明白面對禱告的挑戰時，只有堅決和全然的委身才能夠得勝。主啊，我已經與您同行了很長的路程，求您幫助我還能走得更遠。奉耶穌的名祈求，阿們。
Heaven-Sent Revival
"Are my hands clean?"
Bible reading:
Jeremiah 14:17-22
17 "Speak this word to them: "'Let my eyes overflow with tears night and day without ceasing; for the Virgin Daughter, my people, has suffered a grievous wound, a crushing blow.
18 If I go into the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I go into the city, I see the ravages of famine. Both prophet and priest have gone to a land they know not.'"
19 Have you rejected Judah completely? Do you despise Zion? Why have you afflicted us so that we cannot be healed? We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror.
20 We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord, and the guilt of our ancestors; we have indeed sinned against you.
21 For the sake of your name do not despise us; do not dishonor your glorious throne. Remember your covenant with us and do not break it.
22 Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, Lord our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this.
Message
A fifth characteristic of "revival praying" is contrition. Even the most casual reader of the Old Testament cannot help but notice that when the leaders of the people approached God with the plea of revival they usually began by acknowledging their own sin and the sins of the people Jeremiah does this in the passage before us today: "We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness and the iniquity of our fathers...Remember, do not break Your covenant with us" (vv.20-21, NKJ).
Every carefully researched report of revival I have read contains the record of people coming before God prior to the revival and openly confessing their sins. The Hebrides revival which took place in 1949 is a classic illustration of this. A group of people gathered to pray in a barn about twelve miles north of Stornaway. Kneeling in the straw one of them, a young deacon, opened up his Bible and read from Psalm 24: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart..." (vv.3-4, AV).
After reading the passage twice the young man said: "Brethren, it is just so much humbug to be waiting thus night after night if we are not right with God. I must ask myself: Is my heart pure? Are my hands clean?" And at that moment something happened. Let Duncan Campbell, the man who wrote the account of the Hebrides revival, finish the story: "God swept into the barn, whereupon the group moved out of the realm of the common and the natural into the sphere of the supernatural. And that is revival."
"Acknowledgement of sin precedes revival"
Prayer
Father, I see that prayer holds challenges for me which only a full and determined commitment can meet. I have come a long way with You, Lord. Now help me go further. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Further study
2 Corinthians 7:1-10
Psalm 34:18; 51:17
1. What is godly Sorrow?
2. Who is the Lord close to?
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