Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
The third great awakening took place during the late 1850s into the beginning of the 1900s. It was during this era that the wave of revivals sweeping America began spreading throughout the world. The era saw the abolition of slavery, women’s right to vote, and the end of child labor in factories.
George Mueller began a movement of orphanages and Christian schools, and amazingly, was accused of raising the poor out of their ‘station in life’ as he educated over 120,000 children.
Elsewhere in Great Britian, William Booth’s Salvation Army outreach was birthed out of the third great awakening. His concern for rampant alcoholism led to the prohibition movement of the 1930s. Riding on a wagon through the streets, Booth called on alcoholics to stop drinking and come to faith in Jesus. His success led former drunks to coin the phrase, “I’m on the wagon”.
Meanwhile, in China, Hudson Taylor led an evangelical movement in the Far East, another arm of the “awakening”. And D.L. Moody, Charles Spurgeon, and R.A. Torrey were leading revivals throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
D.L. Moody rarely spoke of His Baptism in the Spirit which took place in New York just after his church was burned down in the great Chicago fire of 1871. It radically changed his ministry, earning him the moniker, “Crazy Moody.” Yet, his preaching brought thousands to faith, and Moody Bible Institute in Chicago has educated thousands more for ministry since its birth.
The third great awakening saw God radically empowering believers by His Spirit to usher in a harvest in their generation which continues to impact society today.
Will you allow the Spirit of God to radically transform your life? This day and hour, when it seems so dark — is our time to shine; to be the beacon of light to this world that so needs the transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]A woman once asked John Wesley what he would do if he knew that he would die at midnight the next day. "Why, Madam," he replied, "just as I intend to spend it now. I would preach this evening at Gloucester, and again at five tomorrow morning, after that I would ride to Tewkesbury, preach in the afternoon, and meet the societies in the evening. I would then go to Martin's house...talk and pray with the family as usual, retire myself to my room at 10 o'clock, commend myself to my Heavenly Father, lie down to rest, and wake up in glory."
Some time ago, two university students in Moorhead, Minnesota painted a mural on the wall outside their dorm room. It was of a school of fish all swimming in the same direction except for a single fish heading the opposite way. That one fish going the other direction was meant to be Jesus. Included in the mural were the words, "Go against the flow." Sadly, university officials argued that the mural might offend non-Christians, and told the students to paint over it.
It was a bright Sunday morning in 18th century London, but Robert Robinson’s mood was anything but sunny. All along the street there were people hurrying to church, but in the midst of the crowd Robinson was a lonely man. The sound of church bells reminded him of years past when his faith in God was strong and the church was an integral part of his life...
As Scotland was declaring its independence from England in the 1300's, the English were hunting for Robert Bruce of Scotland in an attempt to prevent his accession to the Scottish throne. In the search, the English put Bruce's own bloodhounds on his trail. As they grew closer to apprehending him, Robert the Bruce found a small river, and he said to his foster-brother who was with him, "Let us wade down this stream for a great way, instead of going straight across, and so these unhappy hounds will lose the scent; for if we were once clear of them, I should not be afraid of getting away from the pursuers."
In one sermon, D.L. Moody held up a glass and asked, "How can I get the air out of this glass?" One man shouted, "Suck it out with a pump!" Moody replied, "That would create a vacuum and shatter the glass." After numerous other suggestions Moody smiled, took out a pitcher of water, and filled the glass. "There," he said, "all the air is now removed."
In the Tenach (Old Testament), the Lord commanded Israel to count the Omer (the Barley Harvest) beginning the day after the sabbath during Passover, 50 days to the Biblical Festival of Shavuot (Pentecost). Today is the 4th day of the Omer and Shavuot is just a few weeks away...
I recently read a story about a rather pompous-looking deacon who was endeavoring to impress upon a class of boys the importance of living the Christian life. 'Why do you think people call me a Christian?' the man asked. After a moment's pause, one youngster said, 'Maybe it's because they don't know you.'