Reclaiming the Wastelands
2 Chronicles 7:14
November 13, 2005
Morning Service
Introduction
Just outside of Crooksville Ohio, there was a large plot of land for sale, close to 100 acres, 94 to be exact. (If memory serves me right). The price was an unbelievable $500 per acre and that made the whole land just under $50K. If fact, I think that you might be able to say that the land was a steal, for the right person.
There was one slight catch to the land. The whole thing was a barren waste, there was little of value left on the ground. The land had been part of a large strip mine operation and had never been reclaimed.
If someone bought the land, it would take them years and hundreds of thousands of dollars to make the land livable. A massive effort with a massive cost.
Our lives are a lot like that land outside of Crooksville; barren, desolate, desperate and stripped. We have a lot of the same qualities of that land.
Your joy and happiness has been stripped away
Your marriage is crumbling like the limestone cliffs
Your passion has eroded like the banks of the cut out hills
Your spiritual life is on a slide like the rock face
Your self worth has been mined out of you
I don’t know your problem or situation but I do know this: God looks at our lives and understands that we require a massive effort at a massive expense. This why He sent Jesus to us because He wanted us to understand the value we have in His eyes. This is why we so desperately need renewal.
What is renewal?
Renew means to make new or to restore, to begin again to resume, to regain or restore vigor, to replenish.
I’ve heard some people say that they are just fine and don’t need any spiritual renewal. Let me ask you a few questions: Are there still areas where you can grow? Then you need renewal. Are there areas of your life that you still struggle with? Then you need renewal. Can you remember a time when you were closer to God than you are right now? Then you need renewal. The fact is that we all have a need for periodic times of renewal and refreshing.
Five qualities to spiritual renewal
1. Renewal brings a transformation (Romans 12:2)
Being transformed by God is inevitably a major aspect of renewal. Paul said that when a person comes to Christ they are a new creation that the old has gone and the new has come. The key to living a transformed life is walking in the new life we have been given. Often, we are guilty of trying to drag areas of our old life with us. Whether it is attitudes or actions, we bring something with us.
The purpose of being changed by God is so we can know what His divine will is for our lives. It is for this reason, God gives us guidance and direction once we give our lives to Him.
2. Renewal brings encouragement (Psalm 51:10)
3. Renewal brings strength (Isaiah 40:31)
4. Renewal brings support (Psalm 103:1-5)
5. Renewal brings focus (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
Renewal is a life changing encounter with God. There can be no true renewal without experiencing God.
How do we experience renewal?
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Renewal begins with an eager and passionate seeking of God. This scripture takes place with King Solomon dedicating the temple and has asked for God to send down His presence. God speaks to Solomon and gives an ongoing instruction for His people. This verse is not about a one time experience with God but rather is about an ongoing relationship with God.
God lays out several conditions to Solomon about having this ongoing relationship. The first condition is one of humility. Of all the things that God could have begun with, why does He start with humility?
The word humble means to be in submission, to live in a state of continual surrender. When we humble ourselves, we are giving God control of our lives. To be humbled means to be brought low.
Over the past few months, I have been studying the great revivals and one of my favorites has to be the Welsh Revival of 1904. The revival was sparked by a young man named Evan Roberts, who had an incredible experience with God. His experience flowed from a simple prayer, “Bend me O Lord.”
Are you allowing God to bend you to His will or are you trying to bend Him to yours?
Humbling yourself opens your life to blessings and benefits
1. Humility opens our lives to God’s guidance
2. Humility allows us to know God’s grace
3. Humility gives us a gentleness
4. Humility gives us spiritual garments
5. Humility leads us to true greatness
6. Humility gives us eternal glory
The second condition that God gives to Solomon is that the people are to pray. I believe that this point is rather self explanatory. We are called to pray and spend time with God - it is that simple.
Jim Cymbala said this about the importance of prayer: “Pastors and churches have to get uncomfortable enough to say, ‘We are not New testament Christians if we don’t have a prayer life.’ This conviction makes us squirm a little, but how else will there be a breakthrough with God?” Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire p. 50
Prayer is your lifeline to God; the question is: are you using it?
The third condition that God gives Solomon is seek my face. Why does God give both prayer and seeking? These are the same thing right? Wrong! Prayer is about communication and seeking is about desire. The Hebrew word for seek means to deeply desire, to seek until found, to look to secure. This is not a passive attitude but is aggressive action. Literally, it is to pursue something until you have it.
One of the problems in the lives of Christians is that they stop seeking God. They still come to church. They show up for Sunday evening or Bible study but their passion is gone. They excitement of going to church has faded. The thrill of experiencing God has lessened. There is no expectation for God to move.
If I had to pin point the top ten spiritual issues in the church, this would be in the top three. God stops moving when we stop seeking. We don’t see the movement of God because we don’t want it bad enough. Churches and Christians stop growing when the price gets too high.
What happens when Christians stop seeking God?
The saddest thing about Christians not seeking God is the fact that we lose out on what He wants to do in our lives. The moment that you stop seeking is the moment you start losing.
1.) Loss of provision (Matthew 6:33)
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
When you make God the priority of your life, He sends His provision
2.) Loss of protection (Psalm 119:10-11)
10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
3.) Loss of presence (Isaiah 55:6)
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
4.) Loss of promise (Lamentations 3:25)
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
5.) Loss of purpose (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Conclusion
Twisted Gun Golf Course is one of the most beautiful and challenging courses in that specific region of West Virginia. It is set on 230 acres of rolling hills, lush grass and wetlands. On the top of a breath taking mountain in Mingo County with an amazing scenic view.
If you ever went to play the 18 holes of Twisted Gun, you might never know that just a few short years before the land was a barren waste. The mountain side on which the golf course rests was a strip mine project. The land was ripped away layer after layer to remove the coal and other valuable resources. Then the land was left barren and wasted.
Several companies, including Mingo Logan Mining, went together to reclaim the land. They invested over 30 million dollars to create Twisted Gun. Layers of rock and topsoil were brought in to fill the gaping holes created by the mining and finally large layers of grass were transplanted to finish the project. (Adapted from Coal Age article)
Twisted Gun is a lot like what Jesus wants to do in your life. He wants to step in and reclaim the wasted areas and make something beautiful.
What areas of your life need to be reclaimed this morning? What do you need to hand over to Jesus and let Him rebuild? What areas of your life in the rock of His salvation?
