Ready for Revival

I am sure you have all heard - we are having a community revival!  The first time I came to revival at PVUMC I loved it.  I felt energized, encouraged and revived.  Each year I look forward to revival.  If you were here Sunday night and heard our guest speaker, Andy Lambert, you were blessed with laughter, joy and Jesus!  

What is a revival?  Psalm 85:6, "Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?"  The psalmist is asking God for revival.  Wouldn't that be nice?  If you are not a Christian, you can’t be revived because you must first be “vived” or made alive in Christ.  Ephesians 2: 5, "...made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved."  If you are a believer, revival starts with you, right where you are.  Revival means to be made alive or be restored.  John 3: 3, 7, "Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again...You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’"

Del Fehsenfeld Jr says, "Revival awakens in our hearts an increased awareness of the presence of God, a new love for God, a new hatred for sin, and a hunger for His Word."  If we want to seek revival, we must start with ourselves so revival can spread to those around us, our church, the community and to the lost.  Without repentance there can be no revival.  Psalm 51: 10, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."  This was a prayer of David when he repented of his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah.  He knew the renewing of his spirit and mind depended only on God.  Revival is falling in love with Jesus all over again.  

Let’s start by looking in our own hearts.  Do we need revival in our life?  Our personal revival will change our life and the life of our church.  Our church will spread out into the community and continue with the ripple effect which will reach the unchurched.  God is sending you a personal invitation.  You are His beloved and He wants you to come be in His presence!  May God’s Spirit fall on you powerfully!