从天上赐下的复兴
我是否手洁心清？
经文
耶利米书十四17-22
17你要将这话对他们说：愿我眼泪汪汪，昼夜不息，因为我百姓（原文是民的处女）受了裂口破坏的大伤。
18我若出往田间，就见有被刀杀的；我若进入城内，就见有因饥荒患病的；连先知带祭司在国中往来，也是毫无知识（或译：不知怎样才好）。
19你全然弃掉犹大吗？你心厌恶锡安吗？为何击打我们，以致无法医治呢？我们指望平安，却得不着好处；指望痊愈，不料，受了惊惶。
20耶和华啊，我们承认自己的罪恶，和我们列祖的罪孽，因我们得罪了你。
21求你为你名的缘故，不厌恶我们，不辱没你荣耀的宝座。求你追念，不要背了与我们所立的约。
22外邦人虚无的神中有能降雨的吗？天能自降甘霖吗？耶和华─我们的神啊，能如此的不是你吗？所以，我们仍要等候你，因为这一切都是你所造的。
信息分享
在过去几天，我们已讨论了「复兴祷告」的四个特点：热诚、持久、大胆和具有说服力；今天，我们会继续思考「复兴祷告」的第五个特点──悔罪。即使最漫不经心地阅读旧约的人也会注意到，百姓的领袖来到神面前祈求复兴时，经常都以承认他们和百姓的罪开始。「耶和华啊，我们承认自己的罪恶，和我们列祖的罪孽……求你追念，不要背了与我们所立的约」（20-21节）。
我看过一些对复兴作出细心研究的报告，都是记载了人们在复兴前来到神的面前，公开承认自己的罪。在1949年发生的赫布里底群岛（Hebrides）大复兴便是一个典型的例子。一群人在斯托诺韦（Stornaway）以北大约12哩的一个谷仓聚集一起祷告。其中一位年轻执事跪在稻草上，打开圣经，读到诗篇二十四篇：「谁能登耶和华的山？谁能站在他的圣所？就是手洁心清、不向虚妄、起誓不怀诡诈的人。」（3-4）。
这位年青人把这段经文读了两次以后，说：「弟兄姊妹，如果我们与神没有正确的关系，这样一日复一日地等候只是自欺欺人。我必须问自己：我的心清吗？我的手洁吗？」。就在那一刻事情发生了。我们且让记载赫布里底群岛复兴的坎贝尔（Duncan Campbell）来结束这个故事吧，他说：「神像旋风一样进入那谷仓，那群人于是离开了平凡和自然的领域，进入了一种超自然境界。那就是复兴。」
「在复兴之前必先经历认罪悔改的过程」
进深研究
林后七1-10；诗三十四18，五十一17
1. 敬虔的哀伤是甚么？
2. 主喜欢亲近甚么样的人？
祈祷
天父，我明白面对祷告的挑战时，只有坚决和全然的委身才能够得胜。主啊，我已经与您同行了很长的路程，求您帮助我还能走得更远。奉耶稣的名祈求，阿们。
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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