Being Renewed

Someday I would love to hear Lazarus tell me what happened the four days he spent in the grave. Did he go up to heaven and if he did was he disappointed to come back to earth? Or did he really feel like he was asleep, like it was all a dream? There are details I would love to know but I will leave it up to the scholars and my imagination. But what I do know is that we all have our own Lazarus story....

I, and many of you, have been there, feeling like all hope is gone. You are on your death bed and I am not talking physically, even though some of you have been there, I am talking spiritually. Jesus seems distant, like Lazarus must have felt when Jesus didn't come to heal him. We probably had the same question Lazarus had, "I thought Jesus loved me." The burdens and the doubts. You have more questions than answers. Your prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling and back to you. The Word seems to have lost its meaning and your circumstances seem to overpower your faith. As Casting Crowns says in one of their songs, your life becomes a slow fade. The desires for this world tempt you and you are like one without God.

Sometimes we are dead or dying (spiritually) because of our sins. Basically we are not following God's standard for how He would like us to live.

When we constantly go against what God desires for us it leads to decay and death, Galatians 6:8. When we are under control of our sinful nature we cannot, I repeat, CANNOT please God, Romans 8:8. A good prayer is the one I always quote, Psalm 139:24, point out anything that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Another reason you could be dead/dying spiritually is that you have fallen asleep. You're tired, worn out, you just can't seem to take another step. The battle has taken its toll and the wounds are just too big to mend. You feel like you are rotting in a grave and everyone has forgotten about you....

Your spiritual condition could be caused both from sin and weariness, but either way God wants to renew you!!! Webster's dictionary describes renew as to revive. We have hope, Colossians 2:13-15.

For those who are dead/dying because of sin God has made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all your sins!!!!! Not just the lust, greed and hatred, but the gossip, bad thoughts, the lying. Remember what happened at Calvary...your sins are nailed to that cross, that bad record...gone!!!! Remember Lazarus, we don't know this for fact, but knowing human nature when he got sick he may have gone to many doctors before he sent his sisters to Jesus. You need to turn to Jesus so He can renew your strength.

For those asleep, Jesus is telling you, like He told His disciples, it is time to wake up Lazarus for He is asleep. He is calling your name, He is weeping for you to wake up, for He misses you. You are God's masterpiece, Ephesians 2:8-10, you may feel forgotten by God like Lazarus and his family felt, but He has not abandoned you and He is going to finish the good work He started in you, Philippians 1:6.

Just like God did in the valley of the dry bones, He is breathing life back into you... That thumping you feel, it is your heart beating again. The power running through your veins, that is God. You should start to get feeling back because God is beginning to renew you!!!!

Be blessed,

Steve

Being Restored

For the last couple of months I have felt discouraged, trying to do things on my own, leaning on my own strength and wisdom (or lack thereof). Exhausted, drained and going through the motions. So I took a one month sabbatical to focus on being refreshed, redeemed, and restored. Am I fully there? No. But I have allowed the restoration and healing to take place in my life so I don't end up back in that dark lonely place.

Restoration: Webster's dictionary: To bring back to health and strength.

I want to share about a person in the Bible who went through the restoration process, hopefully we will see our story in here as well.

Matthew 26:31: Tonight all of you will desert me. I can imagine some of the looks on their faces. Thomas has that look on his face of confusion, like what are you talking about? Philip gives a silly look of disbelief. Matthew rolls his eyes and quietly tells Bartholomew, "I would never."

Jesus continues and quotes the prophet Zechariah and says, "God will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered." Peter chimes in boldly what everyone is privately thinking and the bunch stops. "Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you." Jesus replies, "I tell you the truth, Peter - this very night, before the rooster crows you will deny me three times." Peter responds, "Not even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!" Here is the clincher..."And all the other disciples vowed to do the same."

Haven't we all gotten cocky like Peter and the other disciples? After a prayer meeting, a conference, a concert, a church service, missions trip, camp, retreat, or anytime we get a touch from the Almighty, we get pumped, excited, the blood rushes through our veins, we start making bold statements like Peter and the rest of the disciples, "I will die for you" or we have said "I will not let You down again God!!!" And poor Jesus says the same thing He probably did to the disciples, "Just settle down there powerhouse, relax." Because look what happens in the next couple of verses during one of the most crucial points in history. The disciples are sleeping, while Jesus is praying His heart out. Not once, not twice, but three times He had to wake them up. Funny, only a couple of hours have passed, not days or months, since they made their declaration to Jesus, and they are already getting lazy. Unfortunately, we have all been there, done that and got the t-shirt.

In verses 69-75 we read how Peter did end up denying Jesus. We all have been in Peter's shoes. I don't know exactly what Peter was feeling or not feeling but I know what I feel like when I let God down. I don't know about you, but it is the worst feeling in the world. I actually lose all feeling, I become numb. My heart sinks, my shoulders slump, my eyes are locked looking to the ground, I don't know if I should cry, yell or stay silent. I can sense a dark cloud hovering over me, almost a depressing feeling. I am the kid in the candy store that got caught stealing and I don't have any excuses for why I did what I did. I just want to be alone, to just run away, even death looks pretty good. Speechless and numb...

But there are brighter days!!!!

We read in John 21:15-17 where Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him. It is like Jesus is reminding Peter of a very meaningful conversation they had back in Matthew 16...Jesus never forgot. Yeah Peter let Jesus down BIG time but Jesus still restores him and remembers His promise to Peter. It is like He is telling Peter, "Yeah you did let me down, heck you denied knowing me." But I can see Jesus looking into Peter's eyes and telling Him through John 21, "Man, you are FORGIVEN AND FREE!!!" WOW!!!

And guess what? He hasn't forgotten you either! None of you are far from His outstretched arms.

Right now He is removing the guilt, the shame and the dark cloud of crappiness that has been hovering over you. You are starting to see rays of hope and healing. That feeling, yeah, that is called hope. Remember that feeling of strength and health, it is coming back. I'll never forget when my dad spanked me it was the worst feeling, not just the physical pain but the emotional pain as well, letting my dad down. But what was awesome was the hug afterwards, it always let me know it was all going to be okay. Jesus, just like He did with Peter, is picking you up right now, restoring you in right standing with Him, embracing you and telling you that you are FREE and FORGIVEN!!! David says it best in Psalm 23:3, "He restores my soul..." So it is time to stand up straight and give God praise!!!!!

Be blessed,
Steve