40 Days of Revival: Lent Day 39: A Heart of PRAISE - PRAISE HIM IN HIS HOUSE

As the church gathers together, His House becomes a place where we can bring our hearts, voice, music and words to sing and give praises to our Heavenly Father. The strength of worship in community is the encouragement it brings to one another in our different seasons of life. 

Our freedom in worship allows others to feel free to worship, creating an atmosphere of sincerity where people can be real with God as they encounter Him through praise. It lifts those silenced by weariness and puts a new song in their mouths. There is an undeniable sense of JOY when the church gathers to worship - a joy not dependant on circumstance, rather a characteristic of being renewed by the Holy Spirit. 

Music enriches our worship. There are anthems sung around the world declaring the greatness of God. Some of these have begun as an expression of our House and have now become a resource that enriches local churches, leading people into the presence of God through praise. Take a look at the praise song beginning in 1 Chronicles 16:8. Read it aloud as you prepare your heart for tomorrow's services. Give Him praise for all He has planned to do.

40 Days of Revival: Lent Day 37: A Heart of PRAISE - GIVE THANKS

A heart overflowing with gratitude and thanks results in praise. When we pray and experience God moving and answered prayer, our natural response is praise in gratitude, which in turn creates an opportunity for further prayer to God and praise! Thanksgiving brings glory to God and makes Him known. Yet, even in difficult times, gratitude has power. 

Novelist, theologian and Christian apologist, C.S. Lewis said, 'We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is 'good,' because is it good, if 'bad' because it works in us patience, humility, and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.' The expression of gratitude and thanks to God magnifies His majesty and power. As we bring our attention to His sovereignty, whilst still remembering what He has done for us, our faith is stirred up and our hope for what is to come is increased. 

Give thanks daily - write down or tell someone two things you are thankful for at the end of each day. Perhaps make it a regular dinnertime activity. Be determined to develop a spirit of thankfulness and praise.

40 Days of Revival: Lent Day 36: A Heart of PRAISE - CELEBRATE HIS GRACE

In Old Testament times, there was only one entrance to the tabernacle - the place where one would go to meet with God. Once an Israelite entered the gate into the outer court with his sacrifice he was standing on 'holy ground.' Under the new covenant, Christ is the gate; the 'one way' by which we enter into God's presence. 

The Psalmist reminds us here that it is not the act of walking into a physical building or a gathering of the church that we enter into His presence; rather it is in recognising that Jesus is the only way by which we can come before God. A heart of praise sees the grace of Christ - that by His sacrifice alone we are once again in His presence - and it is in His presence that we are revived and renewed. 

In a place of 'ruins,' we most need the presence of God, yet it is in those very places that we often don't feel like we can come before Him. Remember that it is not by our own efforts that we can stand before Him, but by His grace alone. Instead of being consumed by a list of worries and needs, pause to remember Jesus Christ, and enter into His presence with boldness.

40 Days of Revival: Lent Day 34: A Heart of PRAISE - BE REFRESHED

In Acts 3 we learn that a time of refreshing is the immediate comfort we can expect when we repent and accept Christ as our Saviour. 

Where does this sense of refreshing come from? It comes from being in the presence of the Lord; from His Holy Spirit. Our sins are wiped out and we receive a refreshing from the Lord? This is an incredible and incomprehensible exchange for our sin. Does this mean we repent once and that sense of refreshing is always present? No. In our human nature, we want our actions to follow a genuine heart to change but we will fail. It is crucial for us to continually turn back to God, remember all that He has done for us, and hold onto the anchor of His hope. One way we can do this is to praise God regardless of how we feel emotionally, by bringing what the book of Hebrews calls a 'sacrifice of praise' (Hebrews 13:15). 

As revivalist Thomas Charles of Bala, wrote in 1791 'those who have struck the deepest note of penitence can reach the highest note of praise.' Take a moment to remember when you first met Jesus and the sense of 'refreshing' that came with finding joy in the Lord in the midst your circumstances, past failures and hurt.

40 Days of Revival: Lent Day 31: The Decision to make it PERSONAL - A HEART FOR HIS HOUSE

At Hillsong Church we are unashamedly passionate about the House of God. We are convinced that the Bible teaches that God uses the local church to both proclaim the good news of salvation through Jesus, and to establish His Kingdom, bringing righteousness and justice to the earth. Hence, one of the standout events in our church calendar each year is our 'Heart for the House' offering weekend, when we bring what we have prayerfully decided to give personally (in accordance with 2 Samuel 24:24) and give it together. 

At the beginning of the year our Senior Pastor Brian Houston explained to the church how God had been speaking to him from Ezra 9, encouraging us that he believed this year would be one of rebuilding, repairing, restoration and release for our church as individuals and corporately. If you have never been a part of our 'Heart for the House' offering before, then we would like to invite you to experience the joy of playing your part in building God's House. If you have, join with us in praying that God would have His way across our services again this weekend. 

To be involved in what we do as a church in helping making Jesus'Name known and practically meeting the needs of those in desperate situations, visit our website here http://hillsong.com/giving.

40 Days of Revival: Lent Day 14: The Process of PURITY - CONSECRATION

The Word says that if we seek the Lord, we will find Him.

This is no small promise! The all-powerful, all-knowing God of the universe would allow us to find Him simply because we choose to seek Him out. More astounding - His commitment to our free will is such that, though He desires greater intimacy with us, He leaves this decision in our hands.

As we seek God, we allow ourselves to be known by God, bringing each area of our lives in line with His will. This is the process of consecration. Though we will always face the temptation of impurity as a consequence of sin and our own flesh, by directing our effort to seeking God and consecrating our lives to Him, rather than striving through our own willpower, we gradually develop a resilient purity of character that is the result of true change.

The great revivalist, John Wesley, said, 'In using all means, seek God alone. In and through every outward thing, look only to the power of His Spirit and the merits of His son.'

Heart Check: Is 'Seek God' at the top of my priority list?

What specific parts of my life have I consecrated to Him?

How can I keep my focus on seeking Him rather than striving?

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.