Apathy Has Overtaken Us!

I can remember as a child in the church how we often heard about and attended regular revival services, whether at our own church or another down the road. As I have grown older, I find less and less talk about revival services. I find fewer and fewer churches promoting revival services. As an evangelist for many years, I find myself disheartened by that fact as those services tended to fend off the apathy that is so quick to settle upon congregations. Of course, I also understand from my years of pastoring that it can be very difficult to rouse the congregation to come out for special services as well. It’s that idea of “APATHY” that has always been a major issue within the congregations of the LORD.

We can travel back in time to the greatest kingdom that the Israelites ever had. Under King Solomon, the nation prospered and grew and was truly reaping the blessings of GOD. But, Solomon in his great wisdom understood it was only a matter of time before apathy struck. It would only take the people a short time to turn from the worship and praise of Almighty GOD who had raised them to this national notoriety to becoming apathetic toward GOD and His ways. It was this understanding that led Solomon to pray and seek GOD’s direction for the nation when apathy and its consequences occured.

Out of Solomon’s prayer and petition, GOD supplied the answer we continue to speak about and recite often concerning revival within our own nation: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray , and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). We quote this prayer often with our lips but mostly we fail to truly quote it from our hearts. We give it great lip-service but fail to give it heart-service.

National revival for America is not dependent upon who is sitting in Washington. Revival in America will only happen by GOD’s own people turning away from their wickedness including the open denouncement of our wicked ways within ourselves, our churches and our homes. It will take a personal humbling experience, true prayer and petitions of repentance evidenced by changed lives, attitudes and actions, and a sincere seeking oout of GOD’s face, His ways, His direction—no matter how serious the personal pain may be. Then, He says He will hear us and answer our prayer for a healing of our nation.

Revival in America seems far-fetched as we look at the spiritual condition within so many churches. Apathy is failing to speak up and stand out against the murder of unborn babies, the open, flagrant acts of sin in our very midst and a lack of repentance by most. Can it happen in today’s America? The question is, can it happen in America’s churches among America’s church people? If the church takes a stand according to the formula given to Solomon, GOD’s promise will fall upon us. If we continue down the path we have chosen for long, judgment is soon coming upon us.