The Week After...

...revival. What are we going to do with it? Some of us will put all of our notes together and package it up like a pretty scrapbook to be looked at from time to time, reminiscing about how good it was. Others will allow newer things to cover up those notes, eventually just tossing them out. Yet others may have aleady thrown them out, thinking it was good while it lasted but this is a new week. Can't stay there, gotta keep moving...

Before you decide (or, by default, fall into one of these categories), let's think again about Ryan's definition of revival.

Revival is...the extraordinary movement of the Spirit of God upon the hearts of His people that produces extraordinary results.
...a community saturated by God.
...Christ Himself seen, felt, heard, living, active, moving in and through His body on earth.

We experienced four days of 'revival' services but have we truly been revived? That is not a question that can be answered right away. You see, revival will result in changed lives and a changed church.

It will mean being obedient to the extraordinary movement of the Holy Spirit so that He can produce extraordinary results. Being willing to examine the deepest parts of ourselves and allowing God's holy light to shine on the darkness. Allowing Him to change us. Becoming that community of believers who are, indeed, saturated by God. It is not something that just happens during a few church services. It means that we are to allow Him to continue with the changes He started in each of us.

That will look a little different for each of us. I want to share a bit of my personal journey with you over the next few weeks and hope you will be encouraged to share yours as well through the comments section of each post.

There was so much good stuff to absorb. Y'all, I was just writing like crazy and still didn't get it all down. Every night I felt like I needed to go home and spend a couple of hours going over my notes and digesting all that God spoke to me through Ryan. Of course, that didn't (couldn't) happen. There were still things to get done to take care of the house, my hubby, and then ready for the next work day. It would be way too easy for me to leave my notes all stacked up with the CD copies thinking "Im going to..." and never go back to them. You know, life happens!

So here's what I am doing this week to make sure that doesn't happen. (This whole discipline thing takes some work, right?) I am taking one session at a time, going over my notes and their handouts, and then journeling about what stood out the most to me. Where did God shout the loudest? What did He reveal about me and to me that I need to confess, repent of, accept His forgiveness for and strength to overcome?

Day One, Session One - Brokeness. My concept of brokenness has always been related to tears, to falling down on knees with a heavy feeling of remorse. I am not an emotional gal. While others are tearing up or crying, most of the time I remain dry-eyed. I have often wondered if something is wrong with me. Do I just not have an ounce of compassion if I am rarely moved to tears? Then this definition of brokenness - it is not a feeling or a one time experience, but a choice-an act of my will. (This was one of those aha moments for me!) This concept of brokenness is liberating for me. Just because I don't feel broken (ie. hurting, crying) doesn't mean I'm not. I have a choice and that is to acknowledge God as Lord of my life. To admit to my sinfulness and bow to His authority in and over my life. To acknowledge my daily, hourly, moment by moment need for His help to live in obedience to Him. To change my automatic response to life and people from one arising from a proud heart to one arising from a broken heart. Broken my my realization that without Him I can never respond as He desires me to.

God had already been working on this pride thing in me. Showing me how the seed of insecurity has produced the fruit of pride, poisoning my behaviors and attitudes. Reminding me that I can't magically change simply because I see the bare naked truth of what/who I am. I need Him desperately. My heart's cry is God, I need You to change my heart. I need You to help me throw down pride and then humbly accept a mantle of brokenness so that You have free reign in my heart. Free reign to change me from a self-centered and prideful woman to a God-saturated woman who is a vessel You can use to draw others into Your kingdom.

I pray that He is doing a work in your hearts too. Please let Him. Then Christ Himself will be seen, felt, heard, living, active, and moving in and through His body of believers here at Hillcrest.

Hugs,
Molly