Need Reviving?
“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink” John 7:37.“Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy, and eat” Isaiah 55: 1.“He is like a tree planted by streams of water” Psalm 1:3.
True confession! I crawled into the New Year with no ambition, vision, or enthusiasm. After a year of extensive travel, I just longed to stay home, be quiet, and have time to feed my need for God.
Revival is God’s Grace at Work
I know many people ask God for a special word or verse for the coming year. I haven’t done that before but a word for 2017 is reverberating in my mind. Like a parent or spouse who gently reminds you of something you need to do, the Holy Spirit pointed me to the verses above and gave me a word:
DRINK!
A doctor once told me that when you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. The same is true when you find yourself lacking spiritual, physical, emotional or mental energy.
It results from various causes, and there are various ways God has designed us to experience revival.Restoration, not recrimination, is God’s desire.
Dryness, distance, deadness aren’t necessarily a result of sin. It might be because of poor priorities, pressures, or neglect of what keeps us close to the Lord.
Restoration, not recrimination, is God’s desire. His grace—His undeserved loving kindness—always reaches out to forgive what needs forgiving, reveal healthier ways to live, and restore a living and vibrant relationship with Him.
The all-encompassing grace of God has been on my mind recently as I’ll be teaching on Ephesians 2:8-9 in a few days. Just think about this truth:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not of works, so that no one can boast.”God’s grace is:
It is beyond human logic.
A free, but costly, gift to those who accept it through faith.
A truth which changes everything that happens throughout your life.
A confident assurance that God is always for you.
A source of peace knowing your past is forgiven and forgotten.
A liberating awareness that you can never earn or lose His grace and goodness.
A powerful release from self-condemnation and an invitation to knowing you’re loved forever.
Embrace GRACE, my friend. No matter your reasons for needing revival, God’s Spirit wants to refresh and strengthen you for the days ahead.
Over the next few months, I’m looking forward to sharing with you many of the ways God revives our souls. And, in addition, I’ll share books, quotes, and links that I’ve found helpful, stimulating, and faith-deepening. I hope these topics excite you and that God blesses and revives your walk with Him in 2017.
DRINK!
In order to THRIVE, we need to drink, otherwise we’ll find ourselves dehydrated. Jesus impressed on me when I left teaching in BSF many years ago, “Feed my sheep.” It’s why I DRINK, and write and speak. I need input, just as we all do. So with each THRIVE, I’ll share one resource that helps me hear God.Here's one:
Streams in the Desert. A devotional by L.B. Cowman. Warning—this is old but it is solid gold. Want perspective, encouragement, and Scriptural depth? This is your book!
Leave a comment or suggestion below. I’d love to know how God’s grace has blessed your life!
Happy New Year,
Poppy