When I was there in 2002, it really wasn’t a very impressive building. It was plainly painted, dimly lit and reminded me of the simple one room churches in the rural areas of the southeastern U.S. where I live. Yet, in this small chapel in 1904, God lit a revival fire that literally spread around the world.
I am speaking of the Moriah Chapel in Loughor, Wales. Apparently, in recent years, the chapel has been freshly painted and somewhat refurbished. However, when I was privileged to visit there twelve years ago I thought, “Isn’t it just like God to take a simple off-the-beaten-path kind of place and use it in a mighty way for His glory?” Like a stable in a village, or a burning bush in the wilderness, or perhaps even your church?
On the evening of October 31, 1904, a young man by the name of Evan Roberts led a youth prayer meeting in the chapel. Seventeen young people met with Roberts for a two hour prayer service. Night after night, more people began to join them and by November 6, the Welsh Revival of 1904-05 was well under way.
The revival services would often last into the early hours of the morning. Evans would ask the people to pray, “Father, send the Holy Spirit now, for Jesus Christ’s sake.” Throughout the years Evans repeatedly emphasized the following four points: 1) confess openly and fully any unconfessed sin; 2) put away from your life anything doubtful; 3) obey promptly anything the Holy Spirit tells you to say and do; 4) confess Christ openly.
Space in this post will not permit me to write of all the extraordinary things the Lord did in Wales and beyond. I STRONGLY encourage you to read either on the internet or in a book about this great revival of God. Every aspect of society and life in Wales was affected by this revival. In Wales alone, 100,000 people professed Christ as their Savior and Lord during the years of 1904-05.
Before our group left Moriah Chapel that day in 2002, an older gentleman who was a member of the church came inside to visit with us. As we sat down, he began to tell us stories of the Welsh Revival that he had been told by his parents and grandparents. He also told us of what he called the “ripple effect” of that great work of God. He talked about how many of the believers from Wales went to other countries to share the testimony of revival and that God would use it to light a fire in that nation. For years, the Welsh Revival had an impact felt in many nations. He said it was as if God had thrown in a stone at Moriah Chapel and the ripples of water spread out across the world.
Tears filled our eyes and our hearts were stirred for God to do it again. We knelt in that chapel and had a very special time of prayer. As we prayed, someone in our group cried out, “Oh, God, throw in another stone!” Will you pray and ask God to do that? Will you pray UNTIL God throws in another stone? He may want to throw that stone into your heart, your church, your town or village. People from nearly fifty different nations now visit this website; God may throw in the stone in your nation. Let us seek, not revival as an experience or a thing to bless us, but let us seek Him until He revives our hearts, our homes, and our land. The Lord is our only hope in this day and hour. May He revive your heart and may those holy ripple effects go out from your life.
In Christ,
Allen
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