Malachi 3:2-3 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness.

I am reminded of something several people have pointed out, and that I discussed with someone in Tohoku recently, and that is that true revival almost always starts with repentance. We say we want the Lord to pour out His Spirit, but we aren’t willing to get rid of the junk that would get in His way! The Church in America is certainly in need of revival, and many are praying for it, but it will start with those who are willing to repent, personally and for the nation. Daniel comes to mind, who repented for the nation of Israel, but he lived a personally righteous life. Frankly, few do that today. We have allowed the gradual degradation of morality in society around us to erode our own standards, and we accept without thinking things that are in clear violation of the Bible. The major point of contact is screens: TV, computer, and movie. We might be offended, but we keep watching, and pretty soon we aren’t offended any more. The devil is definitely crafty, as he has demonstrated ever since the Garden of Eden. We need to wake up and repent! As Peter said, judgment begins in the house/family of God. (1 Peter 4:17) If we will be willing to repent personally, which includes a genuine change in lifestyle, then there is hope for the nation. If we are unwilling to change, then there is no hope, and God will use another vessel.

As I have been writing, I have realized that I am certainly not exempt. I too have swallowed filth without blinking, and my priorities have been less than pure. For me, it comes back to what the Lord has been saying to me so strongly for the past week, and that is to seek Him. When I fail to seek Him, other things crowd in, and soon my eyes are elsewhere than on Christ. (Hebrews 12:2) Repentance means change, and I must not stop with recognizing the problem and talking about it. That’s a good start, but it’s no more than a start! It is too easy to deceive myself, (James 1:22) and I must not let that happen. I do want the Lord to pour out His Spirit, and I want to be a cleansed vessel for that purpose, for His glory.

Father, thank You for what You are doing, in, around, and through me. The changes are so far small, but they point in a direction I, and I believe You, have desired for a long time. Help me take nothing for granted, but press into You with all that I am, delighting in Your grace, so that You will may indeed be done through me for the salvation of many, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!