A Review of Why Revival Tarries. by Leonard Ravenhill
A Review of Why Revival Tarries. By Leonard Ravenhill.
Fifty years ago Leonard Ravenhill wrote Why Revival Tarries. It is now a modern classic. It has sold over half a million copies, and is translated into numerous languages. It is still widely available today.
This book is a devotional classic because its author is one who was more concerned about the verdict of the Almighty than his own reputation; more interested in holiness than happiness; and more interested in the glory and honour of God than the praise and applause of men.
It is actually composed of various articles he had written earlier, but because it flows from a heart on fire for God, and a life dedicated to holiness and sanctification, the words contain fire and power. No one who is sick of the ordinary and is desirous only of God and his best will be untouched by this powerful book.
How can one adequately review a book such as this? Every page has memorable ideas and burning words. Perhaps the best way to present this book to others is simply to feature many of its valuable quotes.
Ravenhill argues that we do not have revival for the simple reason that we really don’t want revival. We are simply too contented, too smug, too self-satisfied, and too carnal. Our hearts are not broken and we do not earnestly long for a powerful move of God.
“Revival comes as a result of a cleansed section of the Church, bent and bowed in supplication and intercession,” says Ravenhill. “The price of revival,” he says, “is travail.” But where is the prayer, the brokenness, the seeking after God?
As he says elsewhere, “The only reason we don’t have revival is because we are willing to live without it!” That is our problem. We have become too comfortable, too lazy, too apathetic and too indifferent. In other words, we are neither hot nor cold, but, like the Laodicean church, are simply lukewarm, and we deserve to be spewed out of the Lord’s mouth.
Prayer is the key to revival, and Ravenhill speaks as much to our
Fifty years ago Leonard Ravenhill wrote Why Revival Tarries. It is now a modern classic. It has sold over half a million copies, and is translated into numerous languages. It is still widely available today.
This book is a devotional classic because its author is one who was more concerned about the verdict of the Almighty than his own reputation; more interested in holiness than happiness; and more interested in the glory and honour of God than the praise and applause of men.
It is actually composed of various articles he had written earlier, but because it flows from a heart on fire for God, and a life dedicated to holiness and sanctification, the words contain fire and power. No one who is sick of the ordinary and is desirous only of God and his best will be untouched by this powerful book.
How can one adequately review a book such as this? Every page has memorable ideas and burning words. Perhaps the best way to present this book to others is simply to feature many of its valuable quotes.
Ravenhill argues that we do not have revival for the simple reason that we really don’t want revival. We are simply too contented, too smug, too self-satisfied, and too carnal. Our hearts are not broken and we do not earnestly long for a powerful move of God.
“Revival comes as a result of a cleansed section of the Church, bent and bowed in supplication and intercession,” says Ravenhill. “The price of revival,” he says, “is travail.” But where is the prayer, the brokenness, the seeking after God?
As he says elsewhere, “The only reason we don’t have revival is because we are willing to live without it!” That is our problem. We have become too comfortable, too lazy, too apathetic and too indifferent. In other words, we are neither hot nor cold, but, like the Laodicean church, are simply lukewarm, and we deserve to be spewed out of the Lord’s mouth.
Prayer is the key to revival, and Ravenhill speaks as much to our