TANK UP? FILL IT UP? SEASONS OF REFRESHING...
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I. LIFE HAS A WAY OF DAMPERING, GOING STALE, DULLING, COOLING,
FORGETTING, COMPROMISING...
I forgot to fill up...
There was car that belonged to a little lady broke down at the Smiths Grove exit,
exit 38. The car just quit running. We talked, I asked her could she be out of gas?
She said no honey, I have gas.
I asked, she had been from Nashville to Lexington, from Lexington to Louisville,
from Louisville to Lexington and from Lexington to Smiths Grove...
she should have plenty of gas.
The gas gauge showed empty.I walked up the exit, to the gas station, rented a gas can,
got gas and came and poured it into her tank. The car started immediately.
She thanked me and offered to pay, I said help someone else in need.
Then sent her on the way.
Before she pulled out, I told her, don't try to drive to Nashville on that two gallons,
stop in Bowling Green and fill up.
You have to FILL UP EVERY NOW AND THEN...
II. GOD KNOWS HOW DRAINING LIFE CAN BE...
FILL UP --- THEN SOON EMPTY...
REFRESH:
TO ENLIVEN, RENEW --- NEW LIFE.
TO GIVE FIGOR
TO REVIVE, TO STIMULATE
VIGOR:
To give physical, mental, or emotional, SPIRITUAL EXHAUSTION strength...
Healthy growth or power...
III. BURN OUT OR BURN UP IS PART OF LIFE...
PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, SPIRITUALLY EXHAUSTION IS A TATTLETAIL
OF WEAK DEVOTIONS AND POOR REST AND A LACK OF TRUST...
Isaiah 40:29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might
he increaseth strength.
[30] Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall
utterly fall:
[31] But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall
mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they
shall walk, and not faint.
IV. HOW DO DRAINS GET CLOGGED? LUKE WARM IS DANGEROUS...
There is a spirit of gradualness... LUKEWARM...
Lukewarm... indifferent, half=hearted
not enthusiastic, cool
Rev. 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will spue thee out of my mouth.
There was a great English Evangelist named HENRY MOREHOUSE.
Every he went REVIVAL FOLLOWED.
HE WAS IN LONDON AND HIS SERVICES SEEMINGLY TOUCHED NO ONE...
One day riding through town Morehouse saw a huge billboard that said:
COME HEAR HENRY MOREHOUSE THE GREATEST OF ALL BRITISH PREACHERS.
Henry said: NO WONDER THERE IS NO REVIVAL...
V. GOD CAN GRANT SEASONS OR TIMES OF REFRESHING...
TIMES WHEN WE ARE DESPERATE...
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,
when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
VI. GOD HAS SEASONS FOR THE WEARY... WORRIED AND TIRED...
Isaiah 28:12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the
weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
VII. GOD CAN RESTORE WHAT HAS BEEN TAKEN...
Psalm 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Joel 2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten,
the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army
which I sent among you.
VIII. NO ONE WINS BY ACCIDENT... PREPARATION AND PLANNING PRODUCES
LUCK...
IX. REFRESHING AND JOY AND REJOICING OR PRAISE ARE KISSING COUSINS...
Psalm 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for
ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he
might be glorified.
X. YOUR HEALTH CAN BE A TEST AREA... GOD KNOWS ABOUT PHYSICALLY TIRED
CAN MAKE PHYSICALLY OR SPIRITUALLY SICK...
Jeremiah 30:17 For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds,
saith the Lord; because they called thee an Outcast, saying,
This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
THERE ARE TIMES THAT MEDICINE WILL NOT HELP...
Jeremiah 30:13There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up:
thou hast no healing medicines.
XI. A SAD DAY OF LACK... WE CAN WISH AND HOPE BUT WE NEED THE GOD'S
PLAN...
Deut. 28:67 In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even
thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith
thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.
WE CAN GROW A RUN AWAY SPIRIT...
Psalm 55:6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away,
and be at rest.
XII. SURE PEOPLE CAN BE DRAINING...
BUT PEOPLE CAN BE REFRESHING... ARE YOU A REFRESHER?
1 Cor. 16:17 I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus:
for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.
[18] For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye
them that are such.
2 Cor. 7:13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly
the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.
2 Tim. 1:16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he
oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
XIII. WE MUST MENTOR AND TEACH THE ATTITUDE THAT WE WILL ENCOURAGE
OURSELF AND NOT DEPEND ON OTHERS...
1 Samuel 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning
him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and
for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
1 Samuel 30:8 And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop?
shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake
them, and without fail recover all.
1 Samuel 30:18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away:
and David rescued his two wives.
CONCLUSION:
OUR NATION AND THE CHURCH NEEDS A NEW BIRTH A RENEWING OF
THE MIND...
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable,
and perfect, will of God.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
ABILITY IS MEASURED BY WHAT PEOPLE FINISH NOT WHAT THEY START.
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