MARCH 25, 2010

THE RESULT

OF REVIVAL

Scripture Reading- Psalm 85:6

"Wilt thou not revive us again:

that thy people may rejoice in thee?"

Rejoicing is the result of revival. I'm not in favor of feel-good religion, but there's nothing wrong with feeling good! God wants His people to rejoice in Him. Our God is a supremely happy God. "In thy presence is fulness of joy" ( Ps. 16:11 ).

Dealing with sin is a dirty business. In Bible times, a silversmith put silver ore in a big pot and turned up the heat until the ore melted. Scum rose to the surface on the liquefied metal. With ladle in hand, the smith skimmed the scum off. If he failed to do so, impurities settled back into the fabric of the metal as it cooled.

Purifying silver required a process of heating the ore successive times. Each time, the heat became hotter than the time before, and a different type pf impurity surfaced. Seven times, the smith reheated the silver until the ore was so pure he could see the reflection of his face in the liquefied silver.

As we deal honestly with sin before God, He cleanses us; and we reflect His glory. It's good to be clean in God's sight. What a blessing to feel the blood applied, as the old hymn says! Intense pain comes with conviction, but intense joy is the outcome of God's reviving touch.

Throughout the Bible, Scriptures tell us and even command us to rejoice. The rejoicing that honors God is the type of joy that finds its source in God Himself. When we get our hearts clear with God and man, we can rejoice in Him.

God's grace is "greater than all our sin"! Look up! Clean up! Pack up! Soon we're going up! God's mercy is plentiful. His will is for His people to rejoice, and the byproduct of revival is rejoicing.

ACTION POINT: Which Bible verses can you quote about rejoicing? Look up several Scripture references on joy and rejoicing.

-Harold Vaughan-