The Chalk Revival

In the Chalk Revival, it is only as God's Word penetrates the heart that the conviction of the Holy Spirit will bring brokenness, and the soil of our hearts will be watered with tears of repentance and tears of joy.

Someone has said, "If you want revival, go into your prayer closet; take a piece of chalk; draw a circle around yourself; and pray until revival comes to that circle, to the person in the circle, to you." After you draw that circle, there will be many choices and hindrances as you walk into everyday life. The first set of choices will be the path you walk on each day.

I want to pray for

1. A revitalization of my spiritual life and also of this church and our nation—2 Chron. 7:14-15; Is. 6:1-8; 57:15

A Spiritual Evaluation—Evaluating Ourselves and Our Churches by Jesus' Evaluation of the 7 Churches in Revelation

2. A repentance from sin—secret sins—sins that wrap around my feet and trip me up; along with confession of sin to others; restitution for sin; and the granting of forgiveness to others when appropriate—Heb. 12:1; James 5:16; Luke 15:21; 19:1-10

The Two Sides of Forgiveness—1 Timothy 2:1-4; Nehemiah 4-6; Judges 6; Is. 59:16

Private Repentance or Public Revelation—a study of Luke 12:1-12

A Case Study: The Water Gate Renewal—a look at the significant revival of Nehemiah's day (Point #4)

3. A restoration of my love for and study of the Word—Ps. 119:97-106; 2 Tim. 2:15

A Case Study: The Water Gate Renewal—a look at the significant revival of Nehemiah's day (Points #1, 3, 6)

4. A release of the Holy Spirit to give me empowerment for service and a compassion for lost people—Eph. 5:18-21; 1 Pet. 4:10-11; Matt. 9:36.

Developing a Heart for the Lost

An Evangelistic Interpretation—How to investigate the needs, problems, sins, and challenges of the area in which you live, and design an evangelistic strategy to bring its people the Good News.

5. A return to my first love, to love God and family more than ever before—Rev. 2:4; Mal. 4:5-6

The Central Curriculum of Life—How Parents Can Bring Personal Revival Home to Our Children (a study of Deut. 6)

6. A remembrance and thanksgiving for all He has done for me—Rom. 1:21; Eph. 5:4; Heb. 12:28

Stop and Give Thanks—a study of how a lack of thanksgiving can result in all kinds of trouble and sin in our lives

7. A reshaping of my praise and worship so I truly worship with my whole heart, body and life—Ps. 95:6; 100; Rom. 12:1; Eph. 5:18-21; Matt. 5:16; James 5:13

A Case Study: The Water Gate Renewal—a look at the significant revival of Nehemiah's day (Point #2)

Sing for Joy—A Celebration of Worship from Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3

The Praise Parade—Letting Revival Impact our Worship (from 1 Chronicles 13-16 and 2 Samuel 6)

Psalms & Worship Series

 

(Postscripts)

How does our personal experience end up touching the world? Is the renewal of our individual lives all there is to the Chalk Revival? Scripture has a wonderful example to demonstrate the other side of one person's spiritual renewal. As we study it, we will be reminded that what happens in our personal Chalk Revival potentially has implications in many other lives, and that spiritual influence is the usual outcome of renewal.

Let me begin by sharing a little of my personal journey from September 1996 to August 1997. This will give you a bit of the context for the beginning of the “Chalk Revival” and how the word Hineni influenced my desire for a personal renewal and revival.

Throughout history, Christian believers have had times of spiritual renewal and true awakening. We seem to have entered such a season in our nation and in our church. The climate is right in many settings.