On this road to revival of our own hearts it is important to understand one thing.  Revival begins with a heart that is humbled before the Lord our Maker.  Revival is not merely the awakening of heart, soul, and mind to the moving of the Holy Spirit, it is coming in repentance to the Judge of all men and bowing before Him in humility and subjection.  Far to long we (the Church) have endured sin.  We have tolerated it.  We have coddled it.  We have embraced it.  Far to long we, as individuals in the church, have done the same.  

Sin is the enemy of God.  When we wallow in sin, we take sides with the Enemy of our souls.  When we actively engage in sin and refuse to humbly confess sin to God, we stand as little children shaking our defiant fists in the face of God and dare Him to do something about our sin. Too many of us dare God to deal with our sin.  It is only when we are brought low that we realize the seriousness with which God considers our sin.  Repentance is the answer.  Repentance is what draws our eyes to our only Hope.  God desires a broken hearted penitent.  He desires men and women who humble themselves before Him and confess sin and pride and fall upon His mercy and grace.  It is what occurs at salvation.  It is what we as Christians must do on a constant basis.

 

“For my hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being, declares the Lord.  But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.”  Isaiah 66:2

 

In the midst of Israel’s religious hypocrisy, God called out for a man or woman with whom to have real fellowship – a real, genuine person who understood that every need was met by God.

 

Sin is the great destroyer of relationship.  It comes between us and God and disfigures us.  It wearies us in the fight.  It breaks us down.  If we refuse to deal with our sin it wins us over and subverts us.  In Romans 1 we see the progression of the unrepentant heart that continually gives over to the sin.  In the end, sin wins.

 

It is imperative that you and I keep short record of sin.  It is of the utmost importance that you and I repent of sin.  Repentance is not merely the confession of sin, but the utter rejection of sin for the way of God.  It is moving in God’s direction and not our own.  It is listening to the still, small voice of the Father and bowing to His will.

 

In repentance there is the sweetness of forgiveness.  In repentance there is the restoration of relationship lost.  In repentance there is found the strong arms of our loving God who desires nothing more than to walk with His children.

 

It is time for the hearts of the people to turn back to their God.  It is time to repent.  There is no other way to get to where we must be – in fellowship with our God.

 Lord God,You are the Great Judge.  You see all the thoughts and intents of man.  You stand ready in holiness to deal with us as we are.  By Your grace and mercy bring us, as individuals and as a Church, to our knees in humility and brokenness before You.  Forgive our sins – our pride and our selfishness.  Cause us to know the true joy of a right relationship before You.  Do not let another day slip by with us walking in the Enemy’s shoes.  Forgive me, Lord.  I repent.