Mtl Ministries Publications

So You Think You Are Baptised With the Holy Spirit?

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 13:53:46 +1030

We live in a day when the Christian Church is being challenged like never before. It is a day where contradictory views and beliefs are deceiving even the elect, if that were possible. With such tremendous opposition and blatant sin pervading the earth, many Christians are beginning to question their influence and wondering, “Is this all there is?” If the Universal Church has all of God that she is meant to walk in then all we can say is “our God must not be all-powerful and is unable to reach men with the Gospel.”

Taking Up Your Cross by Rob Cartledge

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:30:00 +1030

It is sad fact that many Christians, and even entire churches in the West, could best be described as lukewarm. They attend church on Sundays and worship and profess belief in God. Their ministers preach, they may or may not share communion and then they go home and rarely consider Jesus or His Holy Spirit again for the rest of the week. Many Christians today bicker over insignificant issues and divide and split or dissolve over matters of doctrine, leadership, or even money. Instead of being the ‘Persecuted Church’ they are the ‘Self Persecuted Church,’ and their members become disillusioned and leave. Many Western churches today are struggling even to raise enough money to keep their doors open. They focus on internal concerns and programs that aid believers rather than reaching out to affect the dying world that we live in. Often, this is a trick of the devil, who has managed to use these minor issues to distract the church from the urgency of its true mission of bringing unbelievers to a saving knowledge of Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Rob Cartledge quotes in his book Taking Up Your Cross, “Somehow satan has managed to distract a whole generation of Christians to become more obsessed with things like worship styles and music and performance and image and numbers and a whole range of things, when the whole purpose of the Church was that through the Church the wisdom and love of Christ should be [made] known to the world.” These distractions make us forget that there is important work to be done in the world. That work is getting unbelievers to come to Christ, and it will only happen if Christians truly take up their crosses and lay down their lives to the will of a Holy God.

Instead of focusing on affecting the world, the church, and many within it, have become ‘self-focused’ and not ‘service-focused.’ Many nonbelievers and even some believers wonder if their faith is relevant to the society that we live in today. The Book Taking Up Your Cross responds to that thought of relevance with a resounding “yes”. Yes it is!! Our faith is relevant today. Yes, God’s Holy Spirit can move in the hearts of unbelievers worldwide and the message of the Gospel can take the world by storm. However, that “yes” of God’s movement first requires a “yes” in the hearts of believers. Taking Up Your Cross will push you to that “yes” point, then show you how to turn that commitment into action that can engage the power of the Holy Spirit in you to change the world for Christ.

So many so-called Christians are not truly living for Christ, and their lives reflect that by being ordinary or even passive for Christ. They work, play, and spend time with their families, but their friends and neighbors probably do not even realize that they are Christians unless they see them leave for church on Sunday mornings. This is not a life lived for Christ, it is a life lived with Christ as an afterthought. A life that is truly lived solely for Christ will be extraordinary because as Christians, we serve an extraordinary God and He gave us an extraordinary Holy Spirit to empower us to live out an extraordinary life. The problem many Western Christians don’t even realize they have is that this extraordinary God demands our all, He demands everything that we are, and most of us are reluctant to give it. We have bought into the idea of a God who will accept our Sunday allegiance, but that just isn’t Christian reality according to Scriptures. If you have been feeling like God wants more than your Sundays but you aren’t sure what to do next, then Taking Up Your Cross was written just for you!

If you are fed up with Sunday-only Christianity and are ready to move to a deeper level of intimacy in your relationship with a Holy God, then Taking Up Your Cross is the book that will breathe new life into your faith. Now don’t get me wrong, this is not an easy book about easy faith. This is a book about self denial, sacrifice, suffering, persecution, and even martyrdom, all seldom taught and preached doctrines.

As Pastor Mark Jurisic says in the foreword,
“Before you proceed I need you to know something: this book is dangerous and has the potential to change you to the very core of your being and set you alight with the fervor that burns in the very heart of God. Curious? Read on.”

Taking Up Your Cross is a dangerous book because it bears a challenge on every page. The words of this book have the power to set the world on fire, much like the original words of Jesus did before he was crucified two thousand years ago. Many Christians are not prepared for that challenge, but for those who are, the rewards stored up in Heaven will surpass your wildest dreams. Taking Up Your Cross is a book for those who want more from their faith. It is a book for you, if you are willing to give up everything in order to take up your cross and follow Christ. If you want to learn what the great men and women of the early church knew and what Western churches have forgotten, then Taking Up Your Cross needs to be the next book that you purchase.

Western churches today have forgotten that the goal of Christianity is not comfort and conformity. It is not prosperity or worldly goods. The goal of Christianity is salvation and redemption. It is discipleship, service, and yes even suffering and martyrdom. These goals all represent possibilities, and they come with a high price that was paid by Jesus on the cross. Our redemption and salvation were bought with Christ’s blood when He was crucified. In many cases; Western Christians fail to understand the high price that Jesus paid when He was crucified. This is because the possibility of martyrdom and real physical persecution, are so far removed from their ordinary lives. We are able to practice our religion in relative comfort without worrying about being persecuted or harmed in any way. However, in many parts of the world this is not the case. To be a Christian, in many countries, means that they have renounced not only their sin but their very lives, for they are prepared, even at conversion, to die for their Saviour, for they all understand the consequences involved when converting to Christianity. And yet, Christianity flourishes best in places where martyrdom, persecution and suffering are at their most severe. In these places, new converts understand that their salvation was bought and paid for with the blood of Jesus on the cross and they would rather die than lose that salvation. Consequently they live with a devotion that most in the West only read about but never experience in themselves.
Thousands come to Christ each day in China where the persecution of Christians is most severe, whereas in the US people are fleeing the church in the thousands in pursuit of what their itching ears want to hear.
Taking Up Your Cross is a book that helps to explain why Christianity flourishes in places where there is persecution, martyrdom, and Christian suffering. The pressure of being a member of an actively persecuted church encourages new believers to commit to Jesus on the cross wholeheartedly or not at all. Taking Up Your Cross includes excerpts from Foxe’s New Book of Martyrs and details the lives of many who made the ultimate sacrifice for Christ in martyrdom. Reading these accounts will help you to understand what is missing from the lives of many Western Christians.

If you read God’s Heart Cry for Revival then you will recognize the dynamic and Holy Sprit-led writing style of Rob Cartledge. Where God’s Heart Cry for Revival aims to show Christians how they can incite a revival in their local communities, Taking Up Your Cross urges Christians to truly commit to living lives that are surrendered to the work of God and His Holy Spirit. This is a book that will convict you, and remind you of what your true calling is as a Christian. Where God’s Heart Cry for Revival is a book that is intended to turn you into a prayer warrior, Taking Up Your Cross aims to turn you into a Christian martyr warrior. A Christian martyr warrior is someone who is not afraid to give everything for the cause of Christ. In fact, a martyr warrior rejoices in Christian suffering and in persecution, because Jesus says that the rewards in Heaven will be great. If you want to become a martyr warrior for the glory of Christ, then Taking Up Your Cross will show you how.

While Western Christians practice their comfortable faith in their comfortable churches, Christians around the world are persecuted and even killed for their beliefs every day. However, the Bible teaches that in the last days ALL believers will be tested and tried. Unfortunately, this is a truth that is seldom taught in our churches even though it is a daily reality for Christ-followers living in hostile nations. The vast majority of churches do not discuss martyrdom, persecution, suffering or the last days, except in general terms. They neglect to talk about Christian martyrs, both well known and obscure. This does Christians a grave disservice that Rob Cartledge works to rectify. Taking Up Your Cross is a book that aims to show Christians exactly what the cost is when you choose to take up your cross and follow Christ. After all, the Bible tells us to count the costs before making the decision to follow. It is a choice that cannot be made lightly because the costs can be very high. If you want to be prepared for the martyrdom, persecution and Christian suffering that the Bible says are coming, then Taking Up Your Cross will help you to prepare your mind and spirit to withstand the evil days that are in store for the world.

Despite the fact that we are surrounded by unbelievers, many people hesitate to share their faith in Jesus. Taking Up Your Cross reminds readers of why sharing the Gospel, as Matthew 28:18-20 commands, is so important- it literally saves people from eternal damnation. If you have ever struggled with the commission in Matthew 28:18-20 to share the Gospel, Taking Up Your Cross will walk you through the why and how or sharing your faith effectively without turning people away.
Although many Christians struggle with the commission of Matthew 28:18-20, sharing the gospel is an essential part of our faith and it can be done successfully when we engage it with God’s Holy Spirit. For believers who struggle with sharing the Gospel, Taking Up Your Cross will strengthen and convict you with the importance of following the Commission.

Many popular preachers today teach that an easy life is a sign of God’s holy favour. They teach that if God loves you then He will make you wealthy and your life will be happy. Far too many Western Christians have swallowed this false teaching and have come to believe that their easy lives are signs of God’s Holy Spirit and favor. This is a dangerous teaching because it leads people to turn away from God when their lives become difficult. This teaching also flies in the face of the awakenings and Christian suffering that are happening in places that are hostile to the faith. God’s Holy Spirit is moving most strongly in places where Christianity is banned or persecuted.
Prosperity preaching also goes against specific teachings in the Bible that say that Christians will face persecution and martyrdom. Even Jesus himself said that we would be tortured, persecuted, and killed. However, most Western Christians have never experienced true Christian suffering, which is what makes them so susceptible to the falsehoods of the prosperity preachers. Taking Up Your Cross argues that the lack of Christian suffering and persecution in Western churches is a sign of their ineffectiveness. These popular preachers of prosperity forget that the Bible does not call Christians to live easy lives; it calls us to engage with the Holy Spirit and storm the gates of Heaven. If you are sick and tired of easy Christianity and are ready for real fire, then Taking Up Your Cross will show you how to practice a faith that can truly change the course of the future.
The difference between the prosperity gospel and the Cross of Christ is the distance between the truth and a lie, and the difference between living your life in comfort and changing the lives of others. If you are truly ready to take up your cross and lay down your life, then Taking Up Your Cross will show you how to do it.

The message of Taking Up Your Cross is a difficult one, and not a message that could be delivered by just anybody. Rob Cartledge does a masterful job of outlining the path to take up your cross and become an extreme follower of Jesus. Here is just one of the many testimonials about this inspiring book.
Maylean Debenham of Havannah House in Forbes, Australia says, “Taking Up Your Cross” is not a book for the faint hearted. Several times as I read this book I struggled to read on because I was challenged and convicted about many areas of my own life and also the direction the Church has been moving (or not moving)! How easy it is to be blinded to the reality of the cross of Jesus and all that is presented in that momentous demonstration of God’s love, forgiveness and power. There is so much treasure and challenge presented in this book that one reading is insufficient. This book contains much that as Christians we don’t want to hear – the denial of self, the walk of holiness, the willingness to suffer for Christ etc, but we, as the Church, need to hear all that this book contains.”
Obviously this book had a deep impact on Maylean, and it can change your life too. Taking Up Your Cross speaks to the large issues of the church today, and what needs to be done to fix them. It is important not to forget that we are living in the last days, and that trials and Christian suffering will increase rather than decrease. In fact, we should expect persecution and martyrdom to increase, since that will be a sign that satan sees us as a threat. The fact that there is not much Christian suffering in the Western church is a sign of its lack of effectiveness in being a real threat to satan. After all, if satan was really worried about the Western churches he would be persecuting it. Instead, the devil is content to allow believers to practice their Sunday faith and swallow the prosperity lies. Meanwhile, Christian suffering, persecution, and martyrdom are at an all time high in countries where God’s Spirit moves people to come to Christ in large numbers.

Taking Up Your Cross is a book that will change the way you see your faith. As Pastor Mark Jurisic says:
“If you like your comfortable, little world of Christendom and don’t like to be challenged and confronted with the solid truth of Scripture, then you might want to think again before you turn the next page. But, if you are dissatisfied with how things are and want more of God, then read on.”

In fact, Mark Jurisic, the pastor of CityWest Church in Victoria, Australia believed so much in the message contained in Taking Up Your Cross that he actually authored the final chapter. This final chapter is a trumpet call for all those who want to see God’s Holy Spirit move in their neighbourhoods and in their lives.

Many Christians act as though the world that we are living in today is all that there is. They may believe in Heaven and Hell, but they do not live as though they are real. Unfortunately for them, the Bible makes it clear that there will be a second coming. Jesus WILL come again, and it will be different than the last time. When Jesus comes for the second time, He will come not as a Man who was crucified but as a conquering God and King of the Earth. When this happens, all mankind will be called to judgment. This means that each individual will be called to stand before a holy God and account for his or her actions on earth. Of course, Taking Up Your Cross reminds us that God’s standards for how we spend our earthly time are different than the standards of the world. At the Judgment, God will not care if we earned lots of money and had fun, or lived in a big house or if we owned a successful business or even if we were the president of America. God’s will judge us according to our faith, our thoughts and deeds.
Pastor Mark Jurisic, when he first read Taking Up Your Cross said:
"'Taking Up Your Cross' is a timely wake-up call to the Church of today and one that if heeded will herald in the greatest move of God and defeat of darkness we have ever seen…yes, even within our lifetime! So get ready world, the call is going out and if we will get over ourselves and give the Holy Spirit room to prepare us, we are in for an unforgettable journey. Thanks Rob for your obedience to God and courage to write what we need to hear." 

If you have ever felt that the Western Church is out of touch with the reality of the Second Coming, then Taking Up Your Cross is a book that will reignite the flame of your faith. It is not a book that is easy on the flesh, but it will clarify for you why it is so important to be committed to Jesus with your entire heart, mind, body, and soul. Taking Up Your Cross does not avoid the difficult issues like many pastors today do. Instead, it contains hard talk about martyrdom, persecution, and why committed Christians need to be prepared to give their lives for their faith if necessary. Rob Cartledge tells the stories of several Christian martyrs in detail. He feels that in order for Christians to be able to withstand the coming persecution and martyrdom, they have to clearly understand what is going to happen. Towards that end, he quotes key stories from Fox’s New Book of Martyrs and the book Jesus Freaks.
Sonia from CLC Christain Bookworld in kippa-Ring wrote:

I have almost finished reading “Taking Up Your Cross” (I only started it today!). I just wanted to email you to say thank you and thank you again for being obedient to the Holy Spirit and writing the book for such a time as this. Your voice and other like-minded voices need to be heard especially here in Australia and other parts of the Western Church. I think your book is brilliant and I will do all I can to promote it and encourage all Christians to read it!!

This book is not an easy read, as it contains detailed accounts of Christians who were martyred for their faith. However, it is inspiring to see how people can withstand immense torture and pain through the power of God’s Holy Spirit in them. Reading the accounts of martyrdom in Taking Up Your Cross will motivate you to ask yourself the hard questions. Are you truly ready to give everything for Jesus? Even your life? If you can honestly answer yes, then you can know that you will have the power to withstand the supernatural evil that will come upon the earth. The Second Coming is close at hand, and the evil in the world is steadily increasing. We are in the end times, and the persecution and martyrdom of Christians is going to get steadily worse and closer to home. Many people describe these as “terrible days”, and in many cases they are right. Taking Up Your Cross will give you the tools to survive these “terrible days” and to stay strong for Jesus with the power of the Holy Spirit.

If you are committed to Jesus and determined to stay the course through the difficult times that are coming, then Taking Up Your Cross will show you how to have the greatest effect possible on the world today. This is a book that is so full of information that you simply will not be able to absorb it all in one sitting. Instead, you will find yourself referring back to this book over and over as you seek to truly take up your cross and follow Christ.
Although the main focus of this book is on Christian suffering, persecution, and martyrdom, Taking Up Your Cross tackles other weighty issues of the faith with equal clarity. Rob Cartledge includes a lengthy section in Taking Up Your Cross about intercessory prayer. This is a much debated and discussed topic in Christian circles, but Cartledge lays out the arguments clearly and concisely.

If you have ever struggled with the concept or the action of intercessory prayer, Taking Up Your Cross will help you to clarify what intercessory prayer is and why it is so important. You will find examples of Christians who travailed in prayer, and see what they gained for their efforts. This will encourage you in your own journey of intercessory prayer. Taking Up Your Cross emphasizes the importance of intercessory prayer by showing examples of historical Christians who committed to intercessory prayer. It also describes how to intercede for non-believers, and what you can expect God and his Holy Spirit to accomplish when you do.
To sum it up, if you want to take your faith in Christ to a new level of commitment and action, then Taking Up Your Cross will help you to get there. It will show you how to give your life over to Christ and turn your beliefs into action that will truly change the world. And don’t doubt that the stakes are high. They could not possibly be any higher. Consider this point Rob Cartledge makes that, “If the people of God don’t lay down everything of the world, repent and turn and live holy lives, and be prepared to die to see the name of Jesus glorified on this planet, then we will never see the full glory of God revealed in our nations.” Failure to see the full glory of a holy God revealed means that evil will prevail in places where God and His Holy Spirit might have won out. In order to tip the scales back towards God, it requires a recommitment of His people. Taking Up Your Cross is a call for that recommitment, and quite simply it will change your faith and your life.

To Read the Foreword of 'Taking Up Your Cross' by Mark Jurisic, Click Here

To Read a blog about 'Taking Up Your Cross' by Mark Jurisic, Pastor of CityWest Church in Melton,Victoria, Australia, Click Here

ON THE REAR OF THE BOOK
“If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24) Have you ever wondered what Jesus meant by taking up your cross? Have you ever wanted to know what is the actual power of the cross? In this book, the amazing reality of how Jesus calls us to live will take you deeper in your faith than you have ever been before. But be warned, these words will awaken within you a desire you would not have expected.

We are living in an age where comfort and security are highly valued. But have we been lulled into a false sense of security? Are we sitting targets for the enemy? If satan decides to persecute the Western Church, will we stand strong and not renounce the faith?

Jesus said in Matthew 24:9-10, “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other.” This end time warning stands out like a beacon, counselling us to prepare for this advent. We must become a new people with a new attitude to cope with this threat.   This book has been written so that those who would otherwise betray and hate each other and turn away from the faith, in this prophesied time of world and Church upheaval, would be reduced in number.

God’s Heart Cry for Revival by Rob Cartledge

Mon, 25 May 2009 12:21:29 +0930

Are you a pastor or member of a Christian church? Do you want to see a true movement of Jesus Christ in your community? Do you have a heart for seeing unsaved people come to know Jesus? Do you need a blueprint that will lead your congregation and your neighborhood to holiness, repentance, and worship? Are you ready to see true spiritual awakenings in your area?

If you answered yes to even one of these questions, then you need the amazing book God’s Heart Cry for Revival. This revolutionary and inspired book will tell you everything that you need to know about how to pray a Christian revival into reality and help your unsaved friends and neighbours come to repentance and know Jesus Christ. Are you a pastor or member of a Christian church? Do you want to see a true movement of Jesus Christ in your community? Do you have a heart for seeing unsaved people come to know Jesus? Do you need a blueprint that will lead your congregation and your neighborhood to holiness, repentance, and worship? Are you ready to see true spiritual awakenings in your area?
If you are a pastor, God’s Heart Cry for Revival will teach you how to recognise the awakening of a revival when you see one. You will learn proven methods that will cause a revival to break out in your congregation and in your community. Even better, once you have God’s Heart Cry for Revival in your hands, it will also tell you what to do when God answers your prayers and the spiritual awakening actually happens.

If you are a lay follower of Jesus Christ who wants to see more people come to know him, then God’s Heart Cry for Revival was written for you too!
Many Christians sincerely want to see a spiritual awakening in their community, but they have no idea how they can help to make the awakening happen. Consulting the leadership of the church may seem like a good idea, but it can be fraught with obstacles and challenges. Any follower of Jesus Christ who attends church regularly knows that pastors are extremely busy people. They minister to and lead an entire congregation. They need to balance finances, pray for their congregations, lead their people in worship, and deliver at least one well-researched message each week. Most pastors are also involved in other activities such as visiting sick members of the congregation, or volunteering in their local communities. In addition to all of this, a majority of pastors also have their own families to attend to. This means, that in most cases, the amount of individual attention that an average churchgoer can expect from their lead pastor is relatively small. This is not a reflection on how much the pastor cares about his or her congregation or how much he or she wants to serve Jesus Christ, it is simply a matter of math.
If you are a Christian who is interested in learning how to bring about revival in your community, “face time” with your pastor is something that is essential, but difficult to find. At the same time, many full time pastors have never seen a true Christian revival caused by the moving of God’s Spirit in their community. Many Christians, both pastors and lay people, want to see a spiritual awakening in their communities, but do not know how to make it happen, or what to do when it does. While you might be able to spend a few minutes or even an hour with your pastor discussing repentance and revival, purchasing God’s Heart Cry for Revival is like having the undivided attention of an experienced pastor any time that you need it.
God’s Heart Cry for Revival is a direct, personal instruction on what you, as a committed Christian, can do to make revival happen in your local community. Reading God’s Heart Cry for Revival will be like having the pastor of your church instructing you in exactly how to pray for and work towards revival. So few pastors have actually seen a revival that it can be difficult for them to recognise one, or to be able to describe what a true revival looks like. Rob Cartledge, author of God’s Heart Cry for Revival, has spent significant amounts of time researching revivals both past and present, this includes time spent reading firsthand accounts written by people who were involved in some of the most well-known historical revivals.

As an added benefit, you won’t have to worry about late night phone calls, or multiple e-mails, or working around your pastor’s busy schedule. When you read God’s Heart Cry for Revival, it will be as though an expert is sitting next to you showing you what you need to do to cause your friends come to know Jesus Christ.
Rob Cartledge, the author of God’s Heart Cry for Revival has worked hard to compile a book that stands on its own as the definitive guide to praying for revival in your local area. He combines a thorough analysis of different revivals throughout history with hands-on instructions for praying and working towards revival in your own community. You will not have to worry about taking up your pastor’s limited time with questions about Christian revival or how to make it happen because you will find all of the answers that you need in God’s Heart Cry for Revival. This book will be your guide to revivals past and present, and will help you to pray and work towards causing a revival in your own community.

In the end, it does not matter if you are a lead pastor or a lay Christian. All people who believe in Jesus Christ should have a heart for the unsaved. After all, the Great Commission tells us to go out and make disciples of all men. As Christians, we believe that those who do not repent and come to know Jesus Christ as their Saviour have a fate worse than death waiting for them. The Bible is very clear in saying that the only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ, and that all those who have not accepted this salvation are ultimately doomed to Hell. The first step to being committed to praying for revival is to have a burden on your heart for those who are not saved and their eventual fate. Once you fully understand what will happen to those who die without accepting Jesus Christ, you will be ready to commit to praying for revival. Once you have reached that point, God’s Heart Cry for Revival will be an essential tool in your arsenal.

Pastor Rosemary Paltridge of Living Springs Ministries writes,
“…you have certainly caught God's heart cry for the lost and the Church...I pray that as other church leaders read your book that they too will have their spiritual eyes opened to these truths which plainly express God's heart cry for revival and that they too will catch His heart and walk in obedience to His Word.”

Maylean Debenham of Havannah House in Forbes Australia writes,
Having been a Christian most of my life with a heart’s zeal to pray for revival, I was very challenged and encouraged to read what Rob Cartledge has shared in his book ‘God’s Heart Cry For Revival’ The Biblical principles of repentance and holiness are strongly presented in this book and every concept is presented with Scriptures. This book has challenged my perception of the Church, my prayer life and the journey we share together as Christians. I recommend this book to all who mean business with God.

To Read a REVIEW about 'God's Heart Cry for Revival' by Mark Jurisic, Pastor of CityWest Church in Melton,Victoria, Australia, click here

This book will revolutionise your understanding of Christian revival and worship. You will learn, and relearn, what revival is, what it looks like, and how to help the spiritual awakening happen in your community. If you desire to see an awakening, this book will show you how to get there. For those who want to see their friends and neighbours come to know Jesus Christ, having a heart to pray for the unsaved is an essential element in using this book to learn how to pray for revival.

Many people mistakenly believe that a revival is something that a community can “have” simply by gathering people and ministers in one area for worship and teaching. While these gatherings can be powerful, they are not spiritual awakenings or revivals by definition. Rob Cartledge’s book makes it clear that a revival is something that is directed by God alone. God’s Spirit of holiness can infiltrate an area without the help of a preacher. Once a revival begins and people come to know Jesus Christ, the revival will continue provided that the believers continue to pray and be led by the Spirit of God. However, when it comes to starting a revival, the prayers and repentance of the people of God are what can truly get things rolling. God’s Heart Cry for Revival will show you how your prayers can help to get a true revival burning that no one will be able to resist.

A true outbreak of Christian revival in a community is one of the most effective ways to have people come to know Jesus Christ as their Saviour in large numbers. But what exactly is a revival? According to Rob Cartledge, revival is when, “God has broken out of the four walls of the Church building, and is moving powerfully in the community and there are people seeking help from the guilt and condemnation they feel from their realisation of sin.” In other words, revival, brought about by the prayers of Christians, enables non-Christians to feel convicted of their sins and come to know Jesus Christ. God’s Heart Cry for Revival will show you how to literally pray a revival into being, and then tell you what you need to do once that revival happens in order to ensure that the maximum number of individuals come to know Jesus Christ.

The word repentance has become a word that is rarely heard in church nowadays, which may be part of the reason why it has been so long since we have seen true spiritual awakenings. Revival can be defined as the tangible presence and holiness of God overshadowing a place causing a mass conviction of sin and repentance. In God’s Heart Cry for Revival you will learn about the unbreakable connection between repentance and Christian revival. Repentance, which is man realising his sinful ways and turning from them, is God’s gift to man when it comes to an outbreak of revival. True repentance is part of what moves God to act and bring about revival.

Although repentance and humility is hard on the flesh, they are essential elements in causing a Christian revival to break out in your community. God’s Heart Cry for Revival reveals the intimate connection between revival and repentance in a way that makes it undeniable. Even if you think that your sins are relatively minor and there isn’t much to repent of, this is unlikely to be the case. Some of the most highly regarded Christians in recent history had a spiritual awakening regarding the degree of repentance that was required in their lives in order for revival to break forth. You will read breathtaking accounts of well-known Christians finding the need to repent of their sins before revival could break out in their local communities.
After revival breaks out, or as it is happening, you will see increasing amounts of repentance both from those who are saved and those who are not. Conviction of sin always accompanies a move of God’s Spirit. How could it not? The holiness of God is what reveals man’s imperfections and is how we recognise our need for Jesus. Repentance is essential to a full understanding of Jesus Christ. After all, if man did not sin he would not need grace. God’s Heart Cry for Revival reminds us that repentance needs to happen in order for people to truly change their lives after they come to the altar to receive God’s grace.
When it comes to Christian revival, it is difficult to know how to define it without actually having seen one. Since there have been precious few true revivals in the West in recent history, God’s Heart Cry for Revival contains firsthand testimonies of individuals who have been involved in some of the most famous revivals of the past. The author gives detailed accounts of great men and women of God literally praying night and day until revival broke out in their communities. While this kind of prayer may seem like a monumental task, the results that come when you see a true Christian revival take place make it all worthwhile. The large numbers of people who are convicted of their sins and seek to become Christians mean that revivals are highly effective ways to help people come to know Jesus and be saved.
It would be easy for many people to say that this stunning book is invaluable to those who want to see revival happen in their communities. However, what makes the difference is the words of those who have read and benefited from God’s Heart Cry for Revival. The pastors and ministers who have read this book all say the same thing. Robert Cartledge has created an indispensable resource for ministers who want to see worship and Christian revival in their communities.
Doctor Peter Hammond, the senior pastor of Frontline Fellowship in South Africa speaks for all readers when he says:
 “You have done us all a tremendous service with this most thorough analysis of Revival. This is a most desperately needed message for the church today. Thank you for providing an inspiring and practical handbook for all those who hunger for Revival."

Ian Malins of Omega Discipleship Ministries and Author of ‘Prepare the Way for Revival’ wrote:
“You have made a unique contribution to the message of revival and the great need we have in this country for a spiritual awakening. I trust that your book will be a challenge to many who read it.”
 Inspiring and practical are two words that are not often used together, but God’s Heart Cry for Revival is both inspiring and practical. In this book you will receive both the motivational words of those who have gone before you, and the hands-on tools that will enable you to experience a true spiritual awakening in your community and in your church. This combination of moving testimony and down to earth advice makes God’s Heart Cry for Revival an unmatchable resource for learning how to ignite the fire of a massive movement of God’s Spirit of holiness.

Sadly, many Christians, even lifelong followers of Jesus Christ, do not know how to pray or worship. They either recite prayers without thinking about what they say, or they “babble on as the Pagans do”. Their worship, which is a form of prayer, is similarly uninspired. This lack of effectiveness in prayer greatly hinders their efforts to bring about Christian revival, since any true spiritual awakening is birthed through much prayer, worship, and repentance. The Bible states that prayer is the weapon by which we will have victory, but many Christians today are doing battle with dull swords. If you truly wish to see an awakening in your community, then you desperately need the knowledge about prayer that is found in God’s Heart Cry for Revival.

Unfortunately, many Christians do not truly understand the power that their worship and prayers can have over the darkness that threatens to engulf our society. God’s Heart Cry for Revival redefines the role that prayer has in bringing about revival. Prayer is, quite simply, the way that men and women petition God to bring about revival in their communities. The Bible says that the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective. God’s Heart Cry for Revival re-emphasises this point, and will show you how to make your prayers for Christian revival specific and effective so that they will move God to act with an outpouring of His holiness. This incredible book will show you exactly how to pray to maximise the effects of your prayer in bringing about revival.

If you find yourself wondering exactly how you need to pray in order to bring about a revival, then God’s Heart Cry for Revival will give you the answers that you are seeking. You will find examples of how well-known Christians prayed for revivals to break out, and how you can pray similarly and receive the same results.
Many, many pastors today find themselves wondering why their churches are floundering. Churches today are seeing decreasing membership, and those members who do stay are often simply going through the motions of prayer and worship without any real heart involvement. Our pews and chairs are full of Christians who are not truly committed to Christ. Even worse, more and more people are turning to false new age religions that will lead them to ultimate destruction. Despite all of their preaching, many pastors feel as though they are helpless in their efforts to turn the tide back to Jesus Christ and true awakening. The truth is that true Christian revival starts with prayer, repentance, worship, and a movement of God’s Spirit, and continues from there. It can happen before a preacher utters a word, although it always starts with fervent prayer and repentance. If you are a pastor who feels as though he is losing his church and community, God’s Heart Cry for Revival will tell you how to get the people back and save the community you live amongst. For a pastor who feels as though he is losing his people, this book is exactly what is needed to help bring people back to God.
Just listen to this testimony from Pastor Mark Jurisic of CityWest Church,
“Rob Cartledge’s heart for revival in our great nation of Australia is unlike anything I have ever read or heard. It refreshed my soul to read of how revival will look and throughout the book (which I just finished today) I felt myself shouting “Amen! Yes Lord! O Lord, You’ve done it before, please do it again here!” My hope was revived and I was set ablaze with a burden and deep yearning to see God’s heart cry fulfilled within my church, community and nation.”
Lisa Maxwell commented:
I am reading the book at the moment and I find it hard to put down. I find that God is stirring up my spirit a lot, sometimes on my knees crying. Doors of opportunity are opening as well. Praise God for this book, it’s definitely a book to put into action!!
Even though God’s Heart Cry for Revival was written by an Australian, it is relevant for believers around the world. There is no community on Earth that would not be changed by worship and a massive movement of God’s Spirit of holiness. Think of Europe where sin and debauchery is in vogue. What would happen if we committed to praying for revival in Europe? Imagine millions of Europeans coming to know Christ. What about Africa? What about the United States? What would change if Christian revival swept through the United States? These may seem like fanciful notions, but they aren’t. Reading God’s Heart Cry for Revival will remind you that it is God who desires for revival to happen, and that God wants to see revival. He wants to see unsaved people around the world come to trust in Him. When our heart for the lost and our desire for revival are at their zenith, this is when God will allow His Spirit to break out. God’s Heart Cry for Revival will give you the road map for getting there.
Many people wonder how it is possible to distinguish a true Christian revival from an act of man. Although this is a sticky subject even among Christians, God’s Heart Cry for Revival tackles it head on. When you read this book, your questions about identifying authentic revivals will all be answered.

Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the ‘Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’ and President of the ‘Lutheran World Federation’ wrote:
I thank you for your investment of time and energy in sharing your book with me and I look forward to sharing your work with my staff. Your work is a reminder of God’s promise that the Spirit will sustain the Church.

Koorong Bookstores in Australia writes:
"Rob Cartledge issues a stirring call to Christians everywhere to turn from sinful habits, become humble toward God, and truly seek His face. This challenging book explores how God is mobilising His people for the great outpouring of His Spirit in our time!" 
God’s Heart Cry for Revival does not stay away from the controversial topics. Even though it can be difficult to talk about the different ways that God does and does not manifest Himself, especially during prayer and worship times, the author weaves through these issues with ample support from the Bible and other reputable Christians. If you have wondered whether different supposed manifestations of God in a church during worship were or were not authentic, then this book will help you to identify the differences.

Although it doesn’t seem possible, God’s Heart Cry for Revival goes far beyond talking about and praying for revivals. It also contains deep spiritual truths that will reveal new aspects of God’s Word to you. For many Christians, reading the Bible can be drudgery however when you sit down to read God’s Heart Cry for Revival, you will be amazed at the God-given spiritual truths that you find, including:

Rob Cartledge has spent extensive amounts of time researching and studying God’s Word, and he shares these revelations in God’s Heart Cry for Revival in a way that will make them come alive with new fire. Cartledge bravely speaks out against some powerful but false doctrines of our day, and counters them with the truth of what God says. He identifies several deceptions that even longtime followers of Jesus Christ believe, and describes the ways that many believers have been led astray and how they can come back to God’s holiness.

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the dark days that we are living in, then God’s Heart Cry for Revival will help to encourage your spirit. This eye-opening book reminds us that as Christians we have the most powerful weapons on our side, if we would only use them. God’s Heart Cry for Revival will give you the tools and knowledge necessary to make a significant change in your local church and community. You will be inspired and motivated by the testimonies of great Christians who saw revival. These heroic Christians may seem like they had something that we didn’t, but the truth is that they were sinful and fallen people just like we are. They were not necessarily better people, they just had a better understanding of what God wanted from them. This means that if they could pray, worship, and work for Christian revival, then you can too. God’s Heart Cry for Revival will give you the understanding that they had, and the knowledge that you need in order to see revival break out where you are.
As Christians, we are charged with the task of praying for our unsaved friends, neighbours, and family members. Many believers feel that this is a monumental and even insurmountable task. The job of praying for and working towards revival can feel even more overwhelming, especially since there have been so few revivals in our modern times. Often good people who strongly desire to see Christian revival in their churches and communities give up because they do not know how to pray. God’s Heart Cry for Revival is an essential resource for any Christian who is committed to seeing revival start in his or her community. Whether you are a pastor, or a lay person, a new Christian or a lifelong believer, God’s Heart Cry for Revival will inspire and guide you to praying and working towards a movement of God’s holiness that will cause unbelievers to repent and be saved. If you are committed to seeing God move in your community, then purchasing and learning from God’s Heart Cry for Revival is simply the best decision that you can make. This book will give you insight and direction that you never imagined, and will help to equip you to effectively fight the battle for God’s Kingdom.

John the Baptist was the Voice Crying out in the Wilderness, "Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him." (Mark 1:3) In these days there are many voices rising in the wilderness, but the loudest voice of all is the voice of God. God's Heart Cries Out for Revival and He is the Voice that is Crying out in the wilderness in these days. Do we hear the call? Listen carefully and He will make the call so clear to you that you will eventually hear nothing else.

ON THE REAR OF THE BOOK
Have you ever been led to pray for a revival of Jesus Christ in your community and city? Do you long to see “every knee bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord?” Yes, well this burden to pray for revival comes from the heart of the Father.

God and Jesus are in the Revival Business. God’s heart cries for revival and He is more than ready to pour out His Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28) but we, His people, have always been His problem. To move God we must change and live on His terms. God is now mobilising His people for the greatest advent in modern history, the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh, the great harvest of souls.

The question God is asking the Church in this most trying time in human history is, “Do you have what it takes to lay hold of My presence and once you have Me, to not let Me go until the return of My Son Jesus?” This question, the Body of Christ must answer with action, not just words. This book has been given to the Body of Christ to stir us to humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways (2 Chronicles 7:14), the only proven God given means to secure revival.