REVIVAL
When the Natural and Supernatural meet... and what happens is an
explosion of God's Power, Grace, and Love that is expressed by the
body of Christ in our calling out to God, His hearing, Jesus
interceding and the Holy Spirit Moving! Like Heaven meets earth
As a Cook I was thinking of this theme REVIVAL and what would a
Recipe for Revival would be. Now oddly Godly this is not a new
concept! I read quite a few “recipes” and let them digest in my
heart and mind. I can only thank God for the multitude of writers
inspired to do such a recipe and for all the little tidbits of each
that fill this...recipe...
As a musician who loves Bluegrass music as I was waiting on the Lord
what came to mind was a favorite song called Revival by the group
...New Grass Revival! What a coincidence ;). listen to this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk-jn9AMlCE
I really enjoy the lyrics and sentiment...as we all get older we
get more tired, as we are engaged battle with the darkness and
principalities in this world we tire...and as the songwriter states
to “I am going to take these feelings and put them in this
song...Right Now!” We all know Psalmists put their hearts on the
scrolls...for a relationship with God is not all ink and paper (or
papyrus) ...Its a new song of Revival.
Paul tells us of our physical “tents” that are wearing out,
or at the very least wearing thin! And in our Spirit Person we also
weaken occasionally experiencing battle fatigue and damage. We then
need Rest, Recovery, Rehab, in short we need Revival! If we have
been seeming half beaten to death we need to be brought back to life.
Many years ago the Lord put this into my vocabulary and since than I
have always said “ Before we can have Revival...we need to
have...”Vival” The RE in revival, resurgence, revitalization,
redo, revisit, remodel, reconstruct, remake, and revivification...
means “once again” Vival as in the root of vivification
animation, activity, quicken, and Revive! Bring back to life or
energize empower what is left there! That “Vival”is that new
life when we are born again. Revival also refers to the Act, the
meeting, Rally, and gathering where that experience can be magnified
and shared...often becoming a beacon to the light of Jesus Christ
shining in those of us in whom He lives.
As a Recipe has Ingredients, and method/instructions I humbly present
this.
REVIVAL, A Recipe
YEILD: For 2 or more gathered in His Name
INGREDIENTS: Please use Organic ( From the Creator), Free Range (
Made Free indeed by Jesus Christ), and pesticide/principality free
(Cleansed by the Holy Spirit).
Prep work: 2 Chron. 7:14 There is always prep to do in this verse
we find our basket of “ingredients” that need to be made
manifest before we can cook!
2
Chronicles 7:14 New Living Translation
Then
if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and
pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear
from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
It's
a great verse chock full of ingredients for us. The first thing I see
is deeply comforting to us. We are a needy people. We are a sinful
people in need of a savior! We sin; We fall short and sometimes...We
fail, but look at the personal note the verse starts out with. "And
my
people"!
What a comfort! We are God's people! He is our Father. He is our God.
David says in Psalm.
23, "the LORD is my shepherd."
What a comfort... We belong to God. He is our God.
1st
ingredient; A sense of Belonging
Reading
on we read “who are called by my name” Wow as persons in this
day and age in relationship with Jesus who has told us time and
again...”IN my name” We are IN His name...Not only called
Christians ( little Christs') ..."Who
are called by my name.” The concept of God's name is very important
in Scripture. It is filled with significance. It says we are called
by God's name. There is ownership there. There is security and safety
there. There is comfort there for us. There is another concept we
need to see. God is very jealous about the honor or dishonor of his
name. In the Bible there is a very real sense in which our lives
bring either honor or dishonor to our Living God and heavenly father.
What an incentive for us to live careful, consistent, holy lives in
order to bring honor to God's name...Our name...Amen? Doing all
things in My ( now our) name…
2nd ingredient; A sense of Identity
the
next phrase that jumps out is ”will Humble themselves”. One of
the conditions for revival is humility. Humility
is so important in our lives. Humility is also very elusive. If we
think we have it, we don't! Humility is related to meekness which
speaks of one's life being perfectly controlled by God's grace, and
that is power enough to attain such a lofty goal. Another facet of
humility is teachableness. The proud man thinks he knows it all. He
can't learn because he doesn't think he needs to. The humble person
is teachable. They realize their limitations. We must be willing to
be taught. God can use us because we are teachable. How do we do? Are
we teachable?
3rd ingredient; A sense of Humility
The
next word is “pray”...enough said... it is that special quality
time we spend when we exercise our faith muscles and are IN that
relationship in communion, communication, and yeah consumption...we
we consume the food and drink the Jesus is. We walk, talk, and
breathe each other in...Abiding and Being in Love…Actively being
believers...Pray for revival.
4th
ingredient; Praying
While
prepping grab some “seek my face” ha ha now you may say “ How
do we do that?” OK and this is just my personal take and insight
but I believe worth sharing...OK we all know it is a “Love”
thing...God is Love. Jesus, His expression of Love ...We are IN
Love, having fallen and in that relationship that is described as the
paradigm of the Bride and Groom. In that intimate relationship one
would kiss their spouse...Amen? All I can ask is “ Have you ever
kissed your spouse in the dark? At night? Invariably you reach out
to find where you are going to kiss in that same process reaching
out to the lover of your soul creator of your being...and even as
those who kiss their parents Yes seeking reaching thirsting panting
hungering,,,all words in the Bible expressing the passion of “seeking
his face”...Reach out...
5th
ingredient; Seeking
Next
up is the active phrase “turn
from their wicked ways” We have to keep turning not like a piece
of meat being grilled, or an egg in a pan, but in our souls sense
turn as in Repent...Turn around and head in the right
direction...leave the wrong behind and go with the righteousness
the right way...He will lead we follow. Revival is on the way!
6th
ingredient; Repenting
So take all your ingredients and mix them well carefully adding each
one after carefully examining them...folding them together like you
fold your hands in prayer...placing them carefully together...then
lift them up to the Lord for completion.
The Groovy thing about all this prep work is that once done Jesus
does all the work...in fact He has already done the
work...accomplished and finished the work His Father started at
Genesis 1:1 at the Cross! And we go on from there the great
CO-mission...and yes humans being that we are we do get tired...and
nothing wrong with that All things in the physical wear out fall
apart as our bodies do while waiting on the resurrection morning
when union with Father Son and Holy Spirit commutes into eternity we
can get a preview...Revival, not only a supernatural get together ,
but an earthly resurrection of purpose and power, providence and
empowerment, restoration and recovery, healing and rehabilitation but
also a glimpse of heaven on earth where the body is working together
and doing His Will. Born Again New Creations doing the Word of God
all those awesome miracles! Bring more New Creations into the
family...…A place like heaven where a New Song is sung!, a New dish
is prepared!...and the Wedding feast of the Lamb is where you want to
be …Rock and Roll! Jesus is the Rock and we Roll! As the Glory
Boys sing “ The Kingdom of God is a Party!” Yeah were going to
have a Revival ...OH Yeah! PLease oray for that for the Christian Culinary Academy and the students God brings to it...
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