40 Days of Revival: Lent Day 30: The Decision to make it PERSONAL - INVESTING TIME

Every year thousands of people from across the world gather to be inspired, encouraged and glean from our guests and team. There is something powerful about the people of God from across different denominations and countless nations gathering together for one purpose. 

Conference is about our collective here and now, and it is about the future. Taking the time to attend is a sacrifice but an investment. This is your opportunity to be present, to pray, to be empowered, to give and to praise. Across the communities, cities and nations of the earth there are still multitudes in the valleys of decision and despair - many in our own world. 

Hillsong Conference Nights are open to the public at no cost. We are praying and believing for many to come and meet Jesus. Who can you invite and bring along? Setting aside the time, finance and holiday to come to conference is a commitment and devotion to seeking God in this week.

40 Days of Revival: Lent Day 13: The Process of PURITY - COMMIT TO THE PROCESS

No study of revival is complete without a discussion of purity, for it features prominently in history's accounts. Unfortunately though, the word 'purity' is one that is accompanied by much 'baggage' including judgment and self-condemnation. It is therefore important to re-appropriate the word 'purity.'

'Purity'- the noun used to name something that has the characteristic of being pure - is obviously not a word that as sinners, we use to describe ourselves. As sinners saved by grace though, it is a good name for the character development in us that occurs when we accept Christ's work on the cross and submit to the Holy Spirit's work within us.

One of the most encouraging findings of studying revivals such as the Holiness Revival (go ahead and google it!) is that purity is clearly not due to human effort but rather the result of people falling in love with a Holy God and being genuinely changed in character.

That said, God's development of purity within us is a process, not an event. It is not generally characterised by lightning bolts and miraculous character change, although it can be and has been. Usually, God develops purity in us through the process of time.

And hence there is really only one thing for us to do, as we begin to consider 'purity' in the light of revival: commit to the process.

40 Days of Revival - Lent Day 1: The Art Of Being PRESENT - WIDE AWAKE

If we are honest, most of us will admit that we have experienced seasons when the moments, days and weeks seemed to slip away without us noticing. Perhaps we were absorbed by the busyness of everyday routines, or by a difficult season when mere survival was challenge enough. Regardless, we often look back on these seasons with a sense of regret and the feeling that moments were 'wasted.'

The book of Psalms (always a great place to start when facing the shortfalls of our humanity and refocusing on God) gives expression to this tendency in a prayer by Moses. He asks God to arrest his impulse to drift through the days, saying:

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Easy to learn, this verse has been the prayer of countless Christians wanting to awaken to each moment they have been graced with. Perhaps today, it can become your prayer, too.

As we begin this study of revival, let's resolve to be aware of what God is doing. From the outset, let us number the days, tune our ear heavenward and determine that this season will not slip away. That we might have our eyes wide open to see that the Lord is present and active.