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The Wesleyan Revival saved England in the 1730s because it restored Biblical morality; without which no nation can exist very long.  Even as secular an historian as Lecky admitted the revival under the Wesleys’ leadership saved England from destruction.  We, in America, are desperate for the same kind of revival!  And God has done it in the past in some of our darkest hours—because He found His people repentant!

In the year 1800, God touched down in the frontier region known as Logan County, Kentucky (what is near present day Bowling Green).  It started with a circuit-riding Presbyterian preacher by the name of James McGready.  McGready was a powerful preacher who pastored three small churches in that region.  But his power was not first because of his preaching.  It was because he and his congregation had a covenant with God and each other to pray for revival in their sin-soaked community.  They agreed to pray every Saturday night and Sunday morning, and to fast and pray every third Saturday.  They were praying for God to revive them, His church, first of all; then to awaken the lost people around them—which outnumbered the Christians and did more harm than the Christians could do good!  God began to answer their prayers within a year of praying according to their covenant.

In the summer of 1799 two Methodist brothers by the name of McKee preached in the Cumberland Valleys of the region and large crowds attended their meetings and many people turned to Christ.  As for Logan County, in June that year a communion service at two of McGready’s churches saw hardened sinners weeping in the meetings. A year later, in June of 1800 the “dam” broke as God came into their midst in a powerful way.  McGready described it as an amazing scene:

“In a moment the floor was covered with the slain their screams for mercy pierced the heavens…profane swearers and Sabbath-breakers pricked to the heart and crying out, ‘What shall we do to be saved?’”

(From Sea to Shining Sea, Marshall-Manual, Revell, p.62)

This is the “new life” the Bible speaks of in Psalms 85:6 when it says,

“Wilt Thou not revive us again: That Thy people may rejoice in Thee?”

Trying to join God in His movement, they planned a meeting for July, so the farmers could get their crops “laid by.”  But to their complete astonishment, 10,000 people showed up!  How the word got to that many people in one month on the sparsely populated frontier is still a mystery known only to God.  But that God showed up is unquestionable!  Barton Stone, a Bourbon County Pastor who went there to see for himself, described what God did: He wrote,

“…very many fell down as men slain in battle, and continued for hours together in an apparently motion-less state, sometimes reviving for a few minutes and exhibiting symptoms of life by a deep groan or a piercing shriek, or by a prayer for mercy fervently uttered.  After lying there for hours they obtained deliverance…They would rise, shouting deliverance, and then would address the surrounding multitude truly eloquent and impressive.  With astonishment did I hear men, women, and children declaring the wonderful works of God and the glorious mysteries of the Gospel.”

(Great Revivals and the Great Republic – Candler, p. 160)

After this revival, one respected citizen, Dr. George Baxter, reported that, quote:

“…indeed I found Kentucky, to appearances, the most moral place I had ever seen.  A profane expression was hardly ever heard.”

Isn’t this what we need today?  Should we be praying and fasting for this?

Think about it; because if you don’t, someone else will do your thinking for you—
and for your children!  And you won’t like what that brings to you.  I’m Don Pinson, this has been Think About It.