God revives His repentant people by restoring them to a right relationship with Him.

Thank you for joining me as we continue to prepare our hearts for revival. We pray you will join us at the Just Give Me Jesus Revival, led by Anne Graham Lotz, Sept. 21-22, at the James Brown Arena in Augusta, Georgia. Please find us on Facebook, Just Give Me Jesus Augusta, Georgia, to keep up with the latest news. For more information you may go to Just Give Me Jesus Augusta.

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you – even Jesus.”

Acts 3:19,20

Was this last week difficult for you as you began to make changes needed to remove yourself from tempting situations? Repenting and turning from sin can be very difficult and painful. But God gives us the strength to make the changes necessary to change our hearts and attitudes so that we can live a transformed life.

This week we will study phase 6 of the seven phases of revival from Henry & Richard Blackaby’s book Fresh Encounter, Experiencing God’s Power for Spiritual Awakening.

·      Phase 1: God is on a mission to redeem a lost world.

·      Phase 2: God’s people tend to depart from Him, turning to substitutes for His presence, His purposes, and His ways.

·      Phase 3: God disciplines His people because of His love.

·      Phase 4: God’s people cry out to Him for help.

·      Phase 5: God calls His people to repent and return to Him or perish.

·      Phase 6: God revives His repentant people by restoring them to a right relationship with Him.

·      Phase 7: God exalts His Son, Jesus, among His people and draws unbelievers to saving faith in Him.

When we sin we hurt ourselves. We hurt those who love us. And, we hurt God. In the pain of our sin we may not believe God will ever forgive us or that we will ever have a close relationship with Him again, but in Hosea we are assured He will be with us.

“Let us acknowledge the LORD:

let us press on to acknowledge him.

As surely the sun rises,

he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains,

like the spring rains that water the earth.”

Hosea 6:3

We must trust God to do what He says He will do. When we trust Him, He will wipe out our sins and refresh us like the rain refreshes the earth.

Acts 3 tells us “repentance is God’s provision to bring us back into the abundant life he longs for us to enjoy (Acts 3:19).” He wants us to live a life of “…forgiveness, fellowship, and joy…”.

When we fully surrender to God we will have revival in our hearts. “When God’s people fully surrender, God will draw the world to Himself through His people.

Have you begun to experience a renewed freshness and revival in your heart?

Dear Lord, we thank you that like the sun rises each morning you are faithful to appear to us when we acknowledge you and seek you. Help us to open our hearts and trust you to wipe out our sins. May we feel Your Spirit freshen us like the rains freshen the earth.

In Your Name I Pray, Amen.