Revival

First there is a seed. These seeds are floating all over throughout our neighborhood. The seed is at the base and fine filaments are surrounding it.  The wind lifts the seed by these filaments and carries it wherever. 
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. John 3:8

These seeds fall everywhere, even on stony ground

Some fall by the wayside

Some fall among thorns and thistles and other stuff.

Some falls on good ground.  These seeds fell on the lawns and it looked like snow. I was reminded of:
 John 4:35! Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

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!

Revival !

There is much talk on Christian television and among churches about 'revival'. In our culture today 'revival' brings to mind a filled stadium with a charismatic preacher up in front bringing souls to the altar or home plate (or whatever!). The definition of the word 'revival' has changed through the years. It comes from the French word 'revivre' composed of 're'(again) and 'vivre' (to live).

Webster's Dictionary defines 'revival' as:
To return to life; to recover life or strength; to live anew; to become reanimated or reinvigorated.

The Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into again, and he revived. 1 Kings xvii. 22.

To raise from coma, languor, depression, or discouragement; to bring into action after a suspension.
To renew in the mind or memory; to bring to recollection; to recall attention to; to reawaken.
To restore or reduce to its natural or metallic state; as, to revive a metal after calcination.

In the Bible, the word 'revive' is used mostly in individual lives such as in the example in I Kings. In the gospels and the book of Acts there are several examples of large numbers of people paying attention to the things of God, but it starts with the Word becoming a reality to an individual that sparked the attention. Peter who had denied Christ at one time in his life, sat in the temple on Pentecost and received the gift of holy spirit. He then stood up with all boldness and shared what had happened to his own heart. In Paul's life, we can read about his awakening in Acts 9 where he sees the reality of Jesus Christ and what it means. Much of the rest of Acts shows the growth of Paul and his travels to share what God had done for him, culminating in his writing of the church epistles and more that affected many lives even until this day.

Those who hear the truth and believe, revive (isn't that what the popular term 'born again'(Link) means; to again live?) because of God's gift of holy spirit. The spirit of God energizes both the body and soul of a man or woman. It strengthens, comforts, encourages, enhances, provides wisdom and many other things too numerable to mention. That is what revival is all about.

I Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

I Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.