We have just
finished a series of Revival Meetings in our church. As I write this I do not know how our Revival
concluded or all that God did in our hearts, but I do know what Revival should
look like. If you follow the birth of
the church in the Book of Acts, and other instances of God reviving and refreshing His people you
will see several common denominators. One, revival always begins
with God’s people being broken over their sin.
Then there is abundant joy is His people when they realize and understand that God can and will
forgive their sin. The third thing they
experience is a oneness with each other.
They are in one accord as a family of believers. The last thing that marks true, heartfelt
revival is a boldness to go and declare His salvation to all those around them. The end result of all this is that Jesus is
honored and others come to know His grace and love.
Have we experienced true revival?
I hope so, I pray so. Life is too
short to waste on frivolous things.
There are too many lives being spent on things that have no eternal significance. I want to share a true story I read a few
years ago from the book ‘Crazy Love’ by Francis Chan. Francis is
the narrator of the story. Read his
words and let them sink in.
Brooke Bronkowski was a beautiful fourteen-year old girl who was in love
with Jesus. When she was in junior high,
she started a Bible study on her campus.
She spent her babysitting money on Bibles so she could give them out to
her unsaved friends. Youth pastors who
heard about this
brought her boxes of Bibles to give away.
Brooke wrote the following essay when she was
about twelve; it will give you an idea of the kind of girl she was.
I'll live my lift to the fullest. I'll be happy. I'll brighten up. 1 will
be more joyful than 1
have ever been. 1 will be kind to others. 1 will loosen up. 1 will tell others about Christ.
1 will go on adventures and change the world. 1 will be bold and not
change who 1 really am. 1 will have no troubles but instead help others with
their troubles.
You see, I'll be one of those people who live to be history makers at a
young age. Oh, I'll have moments, good and bad, but 1 will wipe away the bad
and only remember the good. In fact that's all 1 will remember, just good
moments, nothing in between, just living my life to the fullest. I'll be one of those people who go somewhere with a
mission, an awesome plan, a world-changing plan, and nothing will hold me back.
I'll set an example for others, 1 will pray for direction.
1 have my life before me. 1 will give others the joy 1 have and God will give me more
joy. 1 will do everything God tells me to do. 1 will follow the footsteps of
God. 1 will do my best!!!
During her freshman year in high school, Brooke was in a car accident while driving to the
movies. Her life on
earth ended when she was just fourteen, but her impact didn't. Nearly fifteen
hundred people attended Brooke's memorial service. People from her public high
school read poems she had written about her love for God. Everyone spoke of her
example and her joy.
I shared the gospel and invited those who wanted to know Jesus to come up
and give their lives to Him. There must have been at least two hundred students
on their knees at the front of the church praying for salvation. Ushers gave a
Bible to each of
them. They were Bibles that Brooke had kept in her garage, hoping to give out
to all of her unsaved friends. In one day, Brooke led more people to the Lord
than most ever will.
In her brief fourteen years on earth, Brooke was faithful to Christ. Her short life was not wasted. The words from
her essay seem prophetic: “You see, I'll be one of those people who live to be
history makers at a young age.”
That’s what a revived life looks like.
I pray we all have one.
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