Acts 8:18-20
And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Read all of Acts Chapter 8 here
I did not originally plan this particular devotional, but a couple of comments by regular commenters really caught my eye and should be addressed, I think. What we see above is just part of Acts Chapter 8, specifically dealing with a man call Simon. The Apostles had been traveling and preaching in the area and laying hands on people. Upon the laying on of hands these people would then receive the Holy Spirit; at least that was what Simon thought. Simon offered the disciples money to provide him with that same ability. It is from this passage we get the term :”simony,” or the buying and selling of ecclesiastical privileges
Point one was made by by blogging friend Melissa.
This reminds me of the scene in Acts 8 with Simon the Sorcerer. “Revival” has become a marketing ploy for churches rather than another name for the gift of the holy spirit, a spiritual “replenishment” if you will. That and “volunteer weekend”, I thought we served the Lord everyday? lol
The second comment was from my blogging friend Roughseasinthemed
What do you think to Elmer Gantry (Sinclar Lewis) regarding revivalism?
Both Gantry and Falconer were fake, yet, many people believed in them. Gantry was a salesman, just turned to selling religion. And using Falconer, selling revivalism.
Given the film was a triple Oscar winner (yeah, before our time), do you think it had any effect on people’s view of religion, and revivalism?
Is that what revival has become for us? Is it nothing but a marketing ploy to bring in crowds and bolster our numbers?
Does the non believing world see our efforts at revival like the ones in the Movie Elmer Gantry?
Wow, if those questions and those comments do not make you think, nothing will.
We talked about this earlier. Revival is not evangelism, or reaching out to the lost. It is not primarily an emotional event, to get us temporarily “fired up” for the Lord. It is not just an event, or some thing we do once a year out of a sense of duty. If revival is only those things, then we may be guilty of just what these commenters asked about.
What should it be then? Perhaps this will help? “a gift of the holy spirit, a spiritual ‘replenishment.'”
Coming up: Is Revival Biblical? Why do we need it?
Truth in Palmyra 
June 29, 2015 at 07:18
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
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June 29, 2015 at 07:23
Thanks, Wally. I think many church going feel this way about that word. I personally believe that comes from the Holy Spirit and that is a gift, not something that we’ve made happen. Maybe that’s where the confusion comes for some. There is nothing we can do to obtain our salvation other than to have faith. Even revival is free for the taking, if we allow God to do it in our hearts. Have a great day!
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June 29, 2015 at 07:27
Well said Kathy, thank you. Funny how studying and writing about something makes you take a look at it isn’t it? Some of these issues had frankly never occurred to me until I began studying the subject. I guess maybe that is God’s plan huh?
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June 29, 2015 at 07:28
I’m sure it is and His plans are always good!
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June 29, 2015 at 07:50
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me…
Restore onto me the joy of your salvation… and grant me a willing spirit.”
Confession + repentence = revival. We read about it over and over again in the Old Testament. Israel would be blessed; they would take their blessings for granted, get too cozy with the world around them and offend God; God would allow them to suffer the (unintended) consequences; Israel would be oppressed, miserable, cry out to God for help; a prophet would lead them in confession and repentance; God would bless their repentance (revive them) and then they’d get too cozy all over again…
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June 29, 2015 at 07:53
Kind of like us.
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June 29, 2015 at 08:16
I assume your two comments are one LOL, so I am on this one. Great points you make Julie…kind of like us is so true. I am loving this series so far, as the feedback has been awesome. It is becoming a self writing series due to the great comments.
One point that has been made is to question why in these times, we should even need revival. The reason a commenter raised that is because of the fact that the Holy Spirit has been given to the church, and is in us, on a permanent basis rather than a seemingly temporary basis as in the OT. I thought that point had some credence, that perhaps if we were doing right, the need for revival would not exist. Made me think. Thanks for coming by!
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June 30, 2015 at 11:18
We need individual revival because, though the Spirit lives in us, the pipes can get clogged with unconfessed sin, preventing Him from flowing from us onto a world that needs Him. Same is true for the church. Revival is not meant for the unsaved. When Jesus said, “I stand at the door and knock,” He was talking to a lukewarm CHURCH, yet evangelists so often use that verse to invite the unsaved.
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Seems to me a better invitation, because it was given to anyone who was tired of the nonsense, whatever nonsense it may be,
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June 30, 2015 at 11:25
Julie I am so glad you said that about the verse in Revelation. I have felt for the longest that it was a church door He was knocking at, and not the door to an unsaved sinner’s heart. Thank you!
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June 29, 2015 at 08:39
This is so where I am right now! The Holy Spirit is alive and well! We cannot buy it or rent it. It is not temporary, but we can pray! And we must… fervently! We can say, “O Come Holy Spirit, come!!! And He will do a new and unbelievable work in us. But is through prayer, real an unmanufactured, behind closed doors that we see this!
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June 29, 2015 at 08:43
Amen to that
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June 29, 2015 at 09:29
Thank you for addressing my comment in more detail. Appreciated. As someone who clearly knows little/nothing about the concept, I was puzzled by some of the comments so I took the easy route and turned to:
(wiki)
So, it seems ‘revival’ has a multiplicity of meanings, although, as someone who doesn’t believe, the word conjures up exactly the definition offered regarding meetings and conversions, whereas your commenters and your writing suggests it is much more spiritual and individual. To be more succinct, the answers to your questions are yes, from my POV.
I’ve learned something. Not that I understand it (or want to), but it’s interesting, so thanks again for taking the time.
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June 29, 2015 at 09:33
No problem thank you for raising the point!
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