YOU WANT REVIVAL? IT TAKES PRAYER
YOU WANT REVIVAL? IT TAKES PRAYER
Joel 2 verse 17 "Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?"
Indeed, where is our God? The God of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Paul, Peter, John and others is waiting for our prayers unto him. I don't know about you, but I know we need a revival in our land, a great turning unto the LORD God. He is waiting to show himself strong in behalf of those who love him. Prayer is the key to moving the hands of God, and the effectual fervant prayer of a righteous man availeth much. When is the last time you have gathered with others just to pray? Maybe your church is going through a dry spell, and you earnestly want the LORD to do a new work in your midst. Gather together to pray.
I remember my late Uncle Rev. Owen Rozier's church, Pleasant Hill, having a revival right after Uncle Owen went to be with Jesus (see story below). Although I was not a member there, I was invited to a men's prayer meeting before the revival was to begin. We turned the lights down low, and gathered around the altar to seek God's blessings upon the revival (out of over 70 men that attended that church, there were only 15 of us there praying). Let me tell you, the glory of the Lord fell down in that little Baptist church, as we all brokenly poured out our hearts to the Lord. To hear grown men weeping before the altar is a sound I will never forget!
The next week, the Lord added 15 souls to that church, and the members were greatly encouraged. What if ALL 70+ men had attended? Maybe the Lord would have added 70+. Prayer is the key!
Joel 2 verse 18 "Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people."
Gone Home...God Honors Faith And His Servants
This is a short version from story number five (out of 50) from my recently published book, My Walk with the Lord.
Psalm 116.15: "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints."
I had a dear uncle, the Rev. Owen Rozier, who came down with cancer. Although his body was weak, his faith in the Lord was strong. Just like the verse in Amazing Grace "Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come", Uncle Owen had his share of tribulations while preaching the word for over thirty years. He and my father, the late Rev. A.J. Rozier, were close in age and close as brothers. Daddy went home to be with the Lord in 1966, and here it was in 1987.
On July 17, 1987, about 7 PM, the Lord spoke to me and said, "I'm going to take Uncle Owen home tonight. Go on over to his house." As I was driving over there, the song "I Won't Have to Cross Jordan Alone" came on the radio. It played twice. As tears filled my eyes, the Lord gave confirmation of what He had told me.
When I arrived at Uncle owen's, I noticed several other cars were there. Other people started arriving. No one had called them to come. The Lord drew them so Uncle Owen could preach his last sermon. We all gathered around his bed; I read Psalm 23. Uncle Owen called on someone to pray, and then feebly preached his last sermon..the few words he spoke was precious.
As one of his daughters sang a beautiful song, one she hadn't sung in 20 years, Uncle Owen took his last breath and went home to be with Jesus.
What was amazing about this, is several days earlier, Uncle Owen told me that he desired to preach one more service. As I prayed for him that day, I asked God to honor his request. On his deathbed, Uncle Owen preached a sweet service. God honors the faith of his servants!
Rev 14.13: "And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me. Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."
Rev. Irvin Rozier, Captain (Ret) US Army aka walkin2e
About the Author
Author, preacher, retired military