Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

I would like to welcome our new readers to Fresh Manna from New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, Malayasia, Israel, England, and various cities in the United States. I am so blessed you’ve chosen to read Fresh Manna and pray it’s a blessing to you! Thank you for reading!

The word revival is often used in Christian preaching. Most people have never seen or experienced a real move of God – a revival. We see one in it’s making in Matthew 3:1-6. “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the Lord, make his paths straight…” They went out to him those from Jerusalem, and all Judea, and the entire region around about Jordan, and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.”

At this point in time, God was using John to awaken people to God. It was powerful move of God – not like anything that generation had ever seen before. People flooded out to see John – some out of curiosity and some compelled by a longing to draw closer to God. Either way, they ALL came. Read again: “They went out to him those from Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region around about Jordan, and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.” People came having no clue they’d be apprehended by the Spirit of God speaking through John. When their hearts were gripped, they repented, were baptized, and began to experience life from a new frame of heart and mind.

The religious leaders of the day also came. They lived in so much pride that they thought they knew everything and were insulted that anyone besides them could be used of God and have such a powerful influence on the people. They were jealous and they were religiously evil. John spoke to them: “But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance… “(Mat 3:7-8)

John spoke to them saying, “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance.” That simple statement alone is the key to whether the spirit of revival takes hold in an individual’s heart, in a city’s heart, or in a nation’s heart. God will always be moving in special ways in the earth but we won’t always be able to be in those places to experience God in those unique ways. We don’t need to be! He allows us to cry out to Him wherever we are. He allows us to draw closer to Him and pray for revival within our heart.

The literal Greek for the words bear fruit worthy of repentance means to show fruit equal of a complete reversal of your wrong behavior in attitude and action. When people say they are sorry to God and know they should change – drawing near to God is the first step and to repent before God is the second step. But, that is all lip service until a person has shown the fruit equal of a complete reversal of the wrong behavior in attitude and action. Only embracing God’s Word can bring the conviction of heart that creates the real desire to change. Only prayer can equip a believer with the inward strength to follow through and succeed at his needed change.

People say, “I’m sorry” every day but they repeat the wrong behaviors over and over. A personal revival of heart and true repentance – showing the fruit of real heart change is what distinguishes the Christian from the hypocrite. Change may not happen immediately but if you continue to be honest with God in your repentance and seek Him for His grace and strength, you will find the power for sincere change -even if it takes some time. God sees your heart and knows and is patient when you are sincere. When this happens, you will have taken another step in your life toward “bearing the fruit worthy of repentance.” And at each step and layer of growth, you’ll experience personal revival!

In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt

Published by Pastor Tim Burt
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