To say the word "revival" conjures up images of tents and sawdust trails, evangelists, fiery preaching, and soul-rending messages.

Our minds are quick to come up with the images of revival meetings, designed as an evangelistic tool to reach our unsaved friends and neighbors.  We pray that God will revive our nation to be a God-fearing nation as it once was.  But, do we really understand what revival costs? I suppose that we should start at the beginning.  Revive, according to Webster's means, "  to restore from a depressed, inactive, or unused state: bring back."  Look again with me at that definition; "to return to consciousness or life; to become active or flourishing again; to restore from a depressed, inactive, or unused state: bring back."  It seems to imply that there was a period of activity at one time. We do not see this word found in the Bible, but the idea is scattered throughout the Old Testament -- especially as you look at the nation Israel.  As you understand its days in the land of Palestine, you see a pattern of sin and revival repeatedly.  The people of Israel would serve their gods for a time, come under persecution from a surrounding nation, cry out to God, and He would deliver them so that they would do it all over again.  Do you get the idea? Let's look at it in a more contemporary setting.  Revival is a word that many of us are familiar with.  Sadly, we do not know what it really means.  For many of us, the image is like that in the first few sentences.  However, revival is more than that.  Revival has to do with the heart -- your heart and mine.  It is not something that we bring our friends and neighbors to so that they might be saved.  It is an adjustment of the heart. I have heard the prayer many times and have even prayed it myself.  We pray for revival, yet we do not understand its implications.  Are you truly prepared to seek revival in your own life?  To pray for revival is almost like praying for patience -- we pray that God will give us patience but are not prepared for His answer.  It is true that the Church needs revival -- desperately.  But are you willing to pay the price?  You see, revival means changing.  It requires a heart that is willing to be totally dedicated to Jesus Christ.  It is an action by the Divine Surgeon as He cuts away all the things that are siphoning away our spirituality.  It means giving up the one thing for which all of us care deeply.  It is not our houses, our cars, or any of our material possession -- although they are included.  It is not our friends or our loved ones -- although they are included as well.  No, revival means surrendering our greatest and most loved possession -- ourselves.  This is where revival begins.  When you surrender all that you are and ever will be, that is when God can begin His work in you.  If you hold back -- keep part of yourself for your own ideas and workings -- God can do only what you allow.  However, when you give God everything, He will do as He sees fit; and you will not be sorry one bit for giving your life over to God.  You see, God knows what He is doing -- we don't! Understand this, revival is a matter of the heart.  It is not a fiery evangelist pounding on the pulpit about the fire and brimstone of Hell as you and your friends and neighbors sit quaking in the audience.  It is not walking down an aisle following a terrifying sermon and making an emotional decision that will only last as long as it takes to get home and turn on the television.  Revival runs much deeper than that.  It runs far deeper.  It is a conscious choice that you make, a choice to return your heart back to the will of God and allows Him that freedom to use you for His will and plan.  It is a choice to go anywhere He asks.  The choice is yours and mine to make.  Will you let God work in you according to His plan and purpose.  Are you willing to lay your life on the altar of sacrifice?  It is not an easy decision to make -- I will tell you that.  I have heard it said that the problem with a living sacrifice is that it keeps getting off the altar.  The advantage is that the sacrifice can get back on the altar.  It is truly a difficult thing to remain on the altar of God, but it is a blessing without compare as you see God working in you to make you the man or woman that you need to be and through you to impact our brothers and sisters and those wandering about in the blind darkness of sin. Revival is definitely a need in the Church today.  Our churches are shaken and sore.  They are falling to pieces as well-meaning but misguided men and women seek to build the church with numbers rather than souls.  I ask you to search your heart and determine if you need the revival that Christ through His Spirit will bring.  I ask you to examine your heart and see if it is totally Christ's.  Revival will come, but it begins with you!