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