A Christmas Revival

What would a Christmas revival look like? It would definitely be a gift from God. Only God can revive and bring back to life what has died. There would be an atmosphere of joy, joy for the world, Jesus Christ the Lord is here. Jesus and revival are inseparable. With the One you get the other. And peace. Peace is a presence, the presence of God, who is pleased to give revival. Praising and thanksgiving to God for the gift of revival would flavor everything.

Would all our problems go away? No, but there would be something greater than our problems, the hope and assurance that God is with us and that nothing is greater than Him. We would be able to see clearly the difference between what is temporary and what is eternal. We would know that God is working all things together, good and bad, in our lives for His glory, the eternal likeness of Jesus Christ in us! The glory of God from His own work in us would shine brighter and brighter.

Would everyone be in the revival? Probably not. When Jesus was born, many missed it, like Herod and the religious leaders. But not the wise men, the shepherds, Simeon, and Anna. They were never the same again. You know you have been in a revival when you are never the same again, which is why those of us who have been in one can’t rest until it comes again.

Some of us have dreamed lately of a Christmas revival. Dreams were part of the first one. Let’s pray for a Christmas revival. The word “Christmas” means “more of Christ,” and that’s revival!

David and Samson

You may not have connected David and Samson before. Samson was born in Zorah, which is about 5 miles west of Bethlehem, David’s hometown (Judges 13-16). David fought Goliath in the valley of Elah between Azekah and Socoh, which is about  five miles south of Zorah. Samson roamed this area, having several skirmishes with the Philistines and David fought the Philistine armies in this same area of Israel.

But David and Samson were very different. Samson was very strong and yet very weak. Before he was born the angel told his mother that he would be a Nazirite his whole life. This meant that he was not to drink any wine or strong drink, not cut his hair, nor go near anything dead (Numbers 6). But Samson was always hanging around Philistine parties (I’m sure they had stuff stronger than sparkling grape juice), he would eat honey out of the carcass of a lion, he killed people with dead donkey bones; but he did have long hair! His strength was a blessing from the Lord but was strictly physical. He was weak morally and spiritually.

David, on the other hand, was small and seemed weak, and yet was very strong. As a boy, he went up against Goliath and took on the whole army of the Philistines, with nothing but the Name of the LORD of hosts, which was enough. In his weakness he was strong in the LORD.  Samson, strong and yet weak; David, weak and yet strong.

I look at our nation and I see a Samson, strong and yet very weak. I look at the little nation of Israel and I see a David, small and yet very strong. Our nation started out small and weak and yet strong in the Lord, but has become strong in itself and weak in the Lord. We must not wait until the end, like Samson, to cry out to God.

Today is the day of salvation for our nation. We must repent of our moral and spiritual failures and depend upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s not trust in our blessings, let’s trust in the One who has graciously blessed us. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. God has blessed America. It is past time for America to bless God, again, like we started out; in our weakness our strength was in the Lord!