Revival starts with Revelation

Reading of the Day: Genesis 43-45

Genesis 45:5: Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

A revival is a new start and a new beginning, or a much-needed drastic improvement in a situation. No wonder that the church has adopted this word as the definition of people giving their lives to Christ! Also, when someone is revived, they are brought back to life & encouraged to keep up the good fight & not give up. In this passage today, Joseph & his brothers were revived as a family once again after years of regret and separation. Joseph's father was literally shocked & revived back to life in hearing the good news that his son was not only alive, but Joseph would also help them to live a better life without ever having to worry about the famine again. The family was starving and craving this loving family revival long before the famine took their physical nourishment away! But this amazing revival all started with a revelation! If Joseph held onto his anger to his brethren, sent them on their way & never told them the truth, they probably would not have made it through the entire famine. They would never have been able to be whole as a family again. So when Joseph revealed himself, it changed his family's world & they had an Old Testament revival! Genesis 45:27 states: "And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:" God worked through Joseph to give his family new hope & a fresh start, and God does the same for us! When we draw near to Jesus and open up, we allow for an experience where He can reveal Himself to us! When we gain a greater understanding of Who He is, how He loves us, and how He wants us to be saved, revival happens! We can't be revived without being close to the Life-Giver! Let's get to know Jesus better together! He leads us through repentance, the waters of baptism & the living water of His Spirit...and into a new life with Him!