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Never look down on your fellow man. Only
God sits that high! --- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- The Revival Spirit The revival spirit is a tender, humble, heartbroken spirit. This is essential to the spirit of prayer. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise" (Ps 51:17). This is accompanied with feelings of deep self abasement. The prayer of Daniel previous to the return from the captivity, is a specimen of revival feeling (Dan. 9:1-19) A great portion of this prayer is the language of Christians on awakening from a long season of spiritual slumber. Whenever this melting spirit becomes apparent in a church, great and glorious is the work of the Lord that follows.This spirit is far removed from noise and confusion and vain confidence. The accents of humble, broken penitence will be heard in the pulpit, in the social meeting, and at the family affair. The secret places will witness the deep struggles of spirit where the humble souls wrestle with their God for spiritual blessings upon themselves and others. The unhumbled heart cannot approach near the mercy seat, "for the proud he knoweth afar off" (Ps. 138:6). God will not accept the sacrifices of the self-confident or of the vain-glorious, even though, like Baal's priests, they cry aloud from morning to evening. This is a most tender, melting spirit. It meets a response in kindred hearts, and an affectionate, loving spirit pervades the little band of praying souls. It administers warning, exhortation and entreaty to impenitent souls, in a tender, kind and gentle manner. Repulse and even abuse is met with meekness. It is opposed to hoarse, austere and bitter rebukes, which stir up the wrathful passions of men. Even opposition and violence are disarmed before it. Rebuke from such a spirit enters the soul like a sharp, two-edged sword. But this spirit cannot be acquired without deep struggles of soul, nor maintained without great watchfulness and care. It shuns the noisy scenes of carnal strife, and dwells not with the souls that harbor envy, ill will, bitterness, wrath or an unforgiving temper. O, that such a spirit pervaded the whole church militant! How soon would the banner of the cross be displayed over the ruins of Satan's empire! --London Revivalist |