posted by Rosemary @ 9:36 AM
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
EXPERIENCING REVIVAL
What is revival? Is it just having a warm, fuzzy feeling after a series of exciting meetings at church or a sermon that really touches your heart? Revival is a lot more than that.
Look at David’s prayer in Psalm 85. He asks for revival in verse 5, and in verse 4 he implies that this means restoration. That verse indicates that God is angry about the sins which have come between us and Himself.
We may not have broken one of the Ten Commandments, but sins such as pride, selfishness, worry, fear, and criticism grieve Him just as much as murder. We need His mercy (v. 7), but how often do we ask Him for mercy? Too often we take the Lord for granted, believing He is so patient that He isn't disturbed about our "little" sins.
God knows we are not perfect, but He does want to see that our hearts are contrite and humble, really broken about our sin. How long has it been since we confessed the sin of worry or doubting God’s promises?
If we will admit where we have fallen short of God’s standard, He will gladly show us mercy. But first we need to HEAR what God says about our sin. Not just listen to a sermon, but really pay attention to what the Holy Spirit says to us personally.
When we really hear what God is saying to us, we find that He speaks PEACE. God isn’t interested in only convicting us of sin. He wants to give us peace of heart, assurance of His forgiveness, consciousness of His presence. See verse 8. That’s what revival brings. Revival is a new consciousness of God’s love and nearness, a closer relationship to Him.
I experienced this at Prairie Bible Institute, where God moved among the students in real revival. I will never forget the deep sense of brokenness that I felt before God and how clean I felt after getting right with Him. It was an emotional time when God touched my deepest feelings and brought me into full surrender to Himself.
Complete honesty before God is humbling, but it is wonderful to have a closer relationship with Him. I need revival again today, but sometimes it’s hard to see my sin and let my heart be broken about it.
How do mercy and truth meet together (v. 10)? We experience God’s mercy because we have accepted His truth about ourselves. The Lord gives what is good (v. 12).
When Christ’s righteousness finds expression in our daily lives, our footsteps will be guided into His ways. As we become more like Christ, God’s footsteps become our pathway. (See verse 13 in the New King James Version). We will be able to choose His footsteps day by day, and they will become our normal pathway. We will walk in revival.
Let’s make this our prayer to the Lord: "Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?" (Psalm 85:6) Revival and great joy will be a continuing experience if we stay humble and broken before the Lord.
Yes, revival brings joy, a sense of God’s glory in our hearts (v. 9).
Let’s ask God for this every day until we receive it and have the glorious, abundant life He promised us. We need revival in America, but first our focus should be on having personal revival. Then it will spread through our churches and out to the nation. It could transform America!
What is revival? Is it just having a warm, fuzzy feeling after a series of exciting meetings at church or a sermon that really touches your heart? Revival is a lot more than that.
Look at David’s prayer in Psalm 85. He asks for revival in verse 5, and in verse 4 he implies that this means restoration. That verse indicates that God is angry about the sins which have come between us and Himself.
We may not have broken one of the Ten Commandments, but sins such as pride, selfishness, worry, fear, and criticism grieve Him just as much as murder. We need His mercy (v. 7), but how often do we ask Him for mercy? Too often we take the Lord for granted, believing He is so patient that He isn't disturbed about our "little" sins.
God knows we are not perfect, but He does want to see that our hearts are contrite and humble, really broken about our sin. How long has it been since we confessed the sin of worry or doubting God’s promises?
If we will admit where we have fallen short of God’s standard, He will gladly show us mercy. But first we need to HEAR what God says about our sin. Not just listen to a sermon, but really pay attention to what the Holy Spirit says to us personally.
When we really hear what God is saying to us, we find that He speaks PEACE. God isn’t interested in only convicting us of sin. He wants to give us peace of heart, assurance of His forgiveness, consciousness of His presence. See verse 8. That’s what revival brings. Revival is a new consciousness of God’s love and nearness, a closer relationship to Him.
I experienced this at Prairie Bible Institute, where God moved among the students in real revival. I will never forget the deep sense of brokenness that I felt before God and how clean I felt after getting right with Him. It was an emotional time when God touched my deepest feelings and brought me into full surrender to Himself.
Complete honesty before God is humbling, but it is wonderful to have a closer relationship with Him. I need revival again today, but sometimes it’s hard to see my sin and let my heart be broken about it.
How do mercy and truth meet together (v. 10)? We experience God’s mercy because we have accepted His truth about ourselves. The Lord gives what is good (v. 12).
When Christ’s righteousness finds expression in our daily lives, our footsteps will be guided into His ways. As we become more like Christ, God’s footsteps become our pathway. (See verse 13 in the New King James Version). We will be able to choose His footsteps day by day, and they will become our normal pathway. We will walk in revival.
Let’s make this our prayer to the Lord: "Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?" (Psalm 85:6) Revival and great joy will be a continuing experience if we stay humble and broken before the Lord.
Yes, revival brings joy, a sense of God’s glory in our hearts (v. 9).
Let’s ask God for this every day until we receive it and have the glorious, abundant life He promised us. We need revival in America, but first our focus should be on having personal revival. Then it will spread through our churches and out to the nation. It could transform America!
posted by Rosemary @ 7:55 AM
