Revival is is Not Packaged, Manufactured, Sold or Taxed

Fishing season is coming up. My husband has already been dangling some bait. He is very particular about the bait.  The livelier it is, the bigger the chance for success to catch a hungry whopper! He is an expert at snagging a boatload of fish!

Genuine relational belief in God is very attractive.  I'm not talking about pre-fab believing, like doing all the right things that are expected. I'm talking about a human being that emanates all of the fruit of the spirit and genuinely cares for others and enjoys all things God.

Joseph, in the Genesis record was able to affect nations and influence a large number of people because he had connections to the true God. In the beginning of the record, his brothers didn't seem to like him. They regarded him as a  goody two-shoes. As the Joseph record evolves, it all changes, not overnight, but slowly over the course of many years they matured and coalesced and became the future of the first nation of believers.

Joseph had to have had great thankfulness for the faithfulness of God. During certain periods of his life, he may felt lonely but he was steadfast. The amazing thing about him was that at those times, despite some people not liking him, he got the attention and honor of some pretty key individuals. Joseph rose to the top in Egypt, not because of his ambition, but because of his regard for God.

When God becomes real in a person's thinking, a revival takes place. It is contagious and affects others, one way or another. The hope, peace, joy, expectation and genuine love is unmistakably from God and belongs to God. It cannot be bought, sold, invented or manipulated. God never controls us, we accept, protect and guard our hearts because we choose who we worship and follow. Choice is a valuable commodity. When we lose that choice howbeit ever so subtly or blatantly, we need to take note. Our choices are at the root of everything we do.

Have you ever been involved in a complex situation which seemed out of control with no answers on the horizon? Sometimes when I'm in those situations, I start questioning myself. From there it could go into guilt, sadness and hopelessness. When I start feeling guilty about something, it jars me awake and I then do what I'm supposed to do: ask God and honestly seek His resolution.

God's solutions to the events in Joseph's life attracted attention and glory for God. Joseph made many decisions. He chose to go to prison for refusing his master's wife' demands. He chose to explain the visions of the baker and the butler. He chose to help Pharaoh. He chose to do his best to provide for Egypt against the famine. He chose to help his family and provide for them as God worked with him. The bottom line is: Joseph chose to listen to God and that is what made him a success.

When Joseph explained Pharaoh's dreams, he started with God:

Genesis 41:25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do. 

28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.

32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

Pharaoh accepted what he said and put things in action:

38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? 39And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: 40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

 These actions changed the course of Egypt's history as well as brought about changes in Joseph's family that continues to effect us today. I would call that revival!