Revival

One day she awoke from her brain fog and thought to herself...writer's block is ridiculous.  If God has given her an ability to write and she doesn't write, she is wasting a talent. 

So, nearly 3 years later...

I would like to discuss revival.

My husband and I live in a quaint apartment.  Cozy.  However, shortly after living here the furnace started acting up.  Sometimes the heat rises up to 90 degrees and other times it is icy cold.  This has been fine because of windows and an electric heater.  With this in mind, I'd like to share a story.

For a few days there was a cold stretch. North Pole in the winter gets frigid.  During that time I was housesitting, Randall was in Texas, so we weren't around.  But upon return, our one lush plant had dry froze to crinkled mass.  And then I looked and noticed that a couple stems were reaching out of death, struggling to life.  I took them and placed them in water.  Now they are growing once more emersed and groping for sun beams. I want you to think about this, that even at times the worker can become discouraged and lose faith under trial, and needs to be encouraged back to doing the good that God has prepared for them to do. We are supposed to be spreading the Word and as it says in  1 Corinthians 3:6-9, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.  He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.  For we are God's fellow workers.  You are God's field, God's building."  Let us be fruitful laborers, not among those who wither away. 

It is easy to become discouraged and lose faith.  Like that plant, under struggle withered and no longer was thriving.  It has been on my heart to encourage fellow brothers and sister's not to lose heart and give up.  I've noticed that many people no longer even come to worship God on Sunday morning.  And then I think, what am I doing to help them back?  If we are the body of Christ, why aren't we behaving as though we are part of Him?  A family is supposed to know one another.  Encourage and edify. 

"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.  Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.  Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.  But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.  For each will have to bear his own load.

One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches.  Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.  so then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."  Galatians 6:1-10 (ESV)

If we see a brother or sister falling under the struggles of this life and do nothing to help them, we are not truly loving.  Let us love God and love others.  Let us not lose sight of the goal of our faith and encourage one another to thrive under the strength of our LORD.