Are we as interested in Revival today as we were, “Back in the Day?” Does today’s church even understand what Revival means? There are many definitions of Revival. The very word “Revival” presupposes life. You can only revive what has already had life. Revival paints a picture of a life that has become sick, weak, or apathetic. The nearest analogy I can think of is a case where a man apparently drowns.

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(Revival is the moment for self-examination.
Without it, we are wasting our time with God!)

God is eager to manifest His reviving presence and power in every generation. But we have to take the steps to prepare for the release of His fullness in our midst.

The questions that follow are designed to reveal specific areas of spiritual need in our lives. These areas must be dealt with in preparation for personal and corporate revival.

STEPS OF ACTION

Pray the prayer of the psalmist: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23,24).

Be totally honest as you answer each question.

Agree with God about each need He reveals in your life. Confess each sin, with the willingness to make it right and forsake it.

Praise God for cleansing and forgiveness.

Renew your mind and rebuild your life through meditation and practical application of the Word of God.

Review these questions periodically to remain sensitive to your need for ongoing revival.

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While giving a sermon, missionary Hudson Taylor filled a glass with water and placed it on a table in front of him. As he was speaking, he pounded his fist hard enough to make the water splash onto the table. He then explained, “You will come up against much trouble. But when you do, remember, only what’s in you will spill out.”

That’s worth thinking about, folks! When you feel like you have been mistreated, misunderstood or overlooked how do you respond? With loving words, patience, kindness and a sweet Christian spirit? Or are you inclined to retaliate? You know, by expressing yourselves with angry words, or perhaps a bad attitude, or what about the old reliable –an uncooperative spirit? It’s so easy to get angry, take cheap shots, set out to prove your point at someone elses expense. The problem with reacting in any of these ways is that Christ expects better than that out of us.

In Ephesians 4:25-32, we see the contrast between what a person is before he is saved and what he is afterward. When we live under the control of the Holy Spirit, we will show it by the way we react to the jolting trials, temptations and tests of life. How we respond to trying, embarrassing, adverse situations that are suddenly thrust upon us in everyday life is a great test of our Christian maturity. It’s an indicator of how much we have grown in grace. It reveals what our heart is filled with too!

Yes, it’s possible for someone that’s not saved to suppress frustration and anger and to appear undisturbed to onlookers. But if our heart is full of the Savior’s love, we will respond to the jostling of an unexpected trial with genuine patience and kindness. Like a full glass of water, what’s inside of us will spill over on the outside. When trouble grows all around you, how you respond, how you react definitely reveals your true character.

Pastor Farmer
Adapted From ODB

Are you sometimes like the Kamikaze pilot who flew fifty missions? You make a commitment to start, but then don’t carry through? Have you found that making commitments is a whole lot easier than keeping them? Promises are easily made — to God, to family, to ourselves. In fact, we all could be better members of ‘Promisemakers’ -than ‘Promisekeepers.’

But there is a secret to carrying through on our promises: an accountability relationship. Accountability is getting someone to check up on us to make sure we keep the promises we make. Meeting once a week or once a month, a small group of men or women simply lists what they want the others to check up on next time. Then when they get back together again, each member reports. It is the secret to keeping the promises we make.

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