Revival is renewed interest after a period of indifference or decline. It is God, gladly at the center of my life, experienced and enjoyed. One of the first barriers to revival we must face is PRIDE. It is pride that says with attitude, "What have I done?"
In Hosea 7:10 says, "The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they do not return to the LORD their God, not seek him." It's not easy to admit that my heart is parched and dry. It's not easy to confess that what I set off in search of has not delivered what it promised. It's hard to swallow my pride and say that what I really needed is back where I left it, waiting for my return. There is an example of personal revival in scripture when a king overcame his pride.
Read 2 Kings 22:1-23:27 or 2 Chronicles 34-35 and read about the picture of personal revival from the life of Josiah. Then answer the following questions.
How did Josiah respond when He heard God's Word read for the first time?
How did God respond to Josiah's humility and repentance?
Ask God to reveal pride or any other sin that may be a barrier to personal revival.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Personal Revival
As I take you through the Down Pour book, I am sharing information about Revival. For me, Revival is something we did every year at church, like a mission conference. The pastor would bring in another preacher or evangelist and would lay guilt trip on you. They would preach against the latest fashion trend and how you are like the world. They would preach against the latest communication technology that is corrupting your mind and how you need to be in the Word. Then they would preach that you need to give your life to the Lord and sell out for the Lord and sell all your possessions. Is this Revival?
I have to be honest here, when our church decided we were going to do Down Pour and what I heard about the book, I said, “Great, another guilt trip study of how my life is not living for God.” I had reservation about going through the Down Pour study. But when I started reading the book, I realized this was a different approach to Revival. It starts out how our hearts are hard as the ground gets from a drought. And our relationship with God is in a drought and we need the soft rains to soften the ground of our hearts to allow the blessings of God to flow. And once our hearts are soften; God can pour down the rains of blessings in our lives.
Hosea 6:1-3 is A Call to Repentance. It is call for us to come back to God. A call to revive us again, and let God rains a down pour in our hearts.
Come, let us return to the LORD.
For He has torn [us],
and He will heal us;
He has wounded [us],
and He will bind up our wounds.
He will revive us after two days,
and on the third day He will raise us up
so we can live in His presence.
Let us strive to know the LORD.
His appearance is as sure as the dawn.
He will come to us like the rain,
like the spring showers that water the land.
Revival is about your personal relationship with God. Is your heart hard? Is there a drought in your life where you do not see the blessings of God? You need to get on your knees before God and repentance by saying, “I am sorry God.” Just stop and get away from your routine in life and get alone with God. God is waiting and He wants to rain a Down Pour upon your life.
I have to be honest here, when our church decided we were going to do Down Pour and what I heard about the book, I said, “Great, another guilt trip study of how my life is not living for God.” I had reservation about going through the Down Pour study. But when I started reading the book, I realized this was a different approach to Revival. It starts out how our hearts are hard as the ground gets from a drought. And our relationship with God is in a drought and we need the soft rains to soften the ground of our hearts to allow the blessings of God to flow. And once our hearts are soften; God can pour down the rains of blessings in our lives.
Hosea 6:1-3 is A Call to Repentance. It is call for us to come back to God. A call to revive us again, and let God rains a down pour in our hearts.
Come, let us return to the LORD.
For He has torn [us],
and He will heal us;
He has wounded [us],
and He will bind up our wounds.
He will revive us after two days,
and on the third day He will raise us up
so we can live in His presence.
Let us strive to know the LORD.
His appearance is as sure as the dawn.
He will come to us like the rain,
like the spring showers that water the land.
Revival is about your personal relationship with God. Is your heart hard? Is there a drought in your life where you do not see the blessings of God? You need to get on your knees before God and repentance by saying, “I am sorry God.” Just stop and get away from your routine in life and get alone with God. God is waiting and He wants to rain a Down Pour upon your life.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
What Do We Mean Revival?
What do you think of when you read the word Revival?
□ Tent meetings
□ Crazy things happening like people barking and jumping around
□ Masses of people getting saved
□ Television evangelists
□ Yearly revival week at church
When you say the word Revival today, people think of all the circus and religious nonsense that accompany flesh-induce spiritual fervor. Revival is not long lines of anxious sinners waiting for a turn at the microphone to reveal their most secret sinful something. Revival is not emotional feeling where people are caught up in the moment and fall down, act bizarrely, unbiblically, and out of control. That’s not Revival!
Revival means – “renewed interest after a period of indifference or decline.” God wants to wake us up, to refresh our faith – to fire us up again. Revival is getting back on the path, getting the goal in view again, and pursuing with new passion again. Revival is putting God back into center of life.
Let’s face it, we all get busy and we don’t intend to drift away from God. Sometimes, we think everything is okay and we can make it up back up by going church. Pride is main factor in getting in the way of our relationship with God. Being honest with ourselves is something we don’t like to do but if we are going to live for the Lord, then we need to be transparent.
Revival is being honest with yourself before God. Daily renewing your mind, Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” Daily denying yourself and putting Jesus first in all things we do. This allows the Holy Spirit to work within us and guide us daily.
Is revival an everyday event in your life? Think about the word Revival, it means to revive. Daily are you reviving yourself with the Word of God and bathing yourself in prayer and being honest before God?
□ Tent meetings
□ Crazy things happening like people barking and jumping around
□ Masses of people getting saved
□ Television evangelists
□ Yearly revival week at church
When you say the word Revival today, people think of all the circus and religious nonsense that accompany flesh-induce spiritual fervor. Revival is not long lines of anxious sinners waiting for a turn at the microphone to reveal their most secret sinful something. Revival is not emotional feeling where people are caught up in the moment and fall down, act bizarrely, unbiblically, and out of control. That’s not Revival!
Revival means – “renewed interest after a period of indifference or decline.” God wants to wake us up, to refresh our faith – to fire us up again. Revival is getting back on the path, getting the goal in view again, and pursuing with new passion again. Revival is putting God back into center of life.
Let’s face it, we all get busy and we don’t intend to drift away from God. Sometimes, we think everything is okay and we can make it up back up by going church. Pride is main factor in getting in the way of our relationship with God. Being honest with ourselves is something we don’t like to do but if we are going to live for the Lord, then we need to be transparent.
Revival is being honest with yourself before God. Daily renewing your mind, Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” Daily denying yourself and putting Jesus first in all things we do. This allows the Holy Spirit to work within us and guide us daily.
Is revival an everyday event in your life? Think about the word Revival, it means to revive. Daily are you reviving yourself with the Word of God and bathing yourself in prayer and being honest before God?
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Down Pour
Our church recently finished a 12 week series entitle, Down Pour written by James MacDonald. The book deals with revival within ourselves. taking look at ourselves with our relationship with God. The is book gets down to the core or as James MacDonald says, "seeing yourself as dirt." The book is centered upon this one passage of scripture found in the Old Testament. Hosea 6:1-3 says,
Come, let us return to the LORD.
For He has torn [us],
and He will heal us;
He has wounded [us],
and He will bind up our wounds.
He will revive us after two days,
and on the third day He will raise us up
so we can live in His presence.
Let us strive to know the LORD.
His appearance is as sure as the dawn.
He will come to us like the rain,
like the spring showers that water the land.
What does revival mean to you? Does revival have a place in today society or culture? Is revival viewed as being out dated or narrow minded? I am curious what your thoughts are on this subject of revival.
Come, let us return to the LORD.
For He has torn [us],
and He will heal us;
He has wounded [us],
and He will bind up our wounds.
He will revive us after two days,
and on the third day He will raise us up
so we can live in His presence.
Let us strive to know the LORD.
His appearance is as sure as the dawn.
He will come to us like the rain,
like the spring showers that water the land.
What does revival mean to you? Does revival have a place in today society or culture? Is revival viewed as being out dated or narrow minded? I am curious what your thoughts are on this subject of revival.
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