“The Importance of Spiritual Renewal”
First Baptist Church of Tawas City Michigan
Rev. Bruce A. Shields
www.TawasBaptist.org
WELCOME
SCRIPTURE READING
Deuteronomy 30:11 – 20
”11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.
15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT
Introduction:
Why is Spiritual Renewal important in the life of an active Christian?
The word of God is clear, and calls us to a standard of living that is ONLY achievable through God’s Holy Spirit within us.
We are called by God to live Holy and pleasing lives as an example in a sinful generation, walking in the Spirit.
At times, we can become more a follower to our flesh than our spirit, thus losing our ability to properly represent God’s presence here on Earth.
It is at these times in our lives we are in desperate need of a Spiritual Renewal. A refreshing of our spirit brings us back to a place where God can do a work through us and His Holy Spirit in us in this corrupt world.
Christians are supposed to be different.
1. Salt & Light
* Salt preserves: used to prevent rot and decay from food, and in this same way we are to preserve the Word of God which is Spiritual food, for man does not live by bread alone… The Word of God is our Spiritual Food, our bread of life.
* Light Illuminates: keeps darkness away. (Literally chases darkness away)
Darkness is the absence of Light. Darkness can never take light away, but light ALWAYS takes darkness away.
2. Come out from among them (the world) and be separate (not one of them)!
* How many of us are separate in the MUSIC we listen to?
* How many of us are separate in the TELEVISION and MOVIES we watch?
* How about our CONVERSATIONS?
3. CHRISTIANS ARE THE KEY TO BRINGING RENEWAL TO OUR NATION!
[This country was founded on the promises of God found in these verses. But they also contain the keys to Renewal.]
I. Seek God (Love the Lord your God v. 15)
A. Choose Life v. 19b
1. John 14:6 - “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
2. We must be sure that we have chosen Life in Christ. (Salvation)
B. Choose the Word
1. Jeremiah 15:16 - "When your words came, I ate them and they were my joy and my hearts delight, for I bear your name , O Lord God Almighty"
2. The Word must be our Joy and Delight!
C. Choose to Search
1. Jeremiah 29:12-13 – “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
2. John 6:35 – “And Jesus said to them, `I am the bread of the life; he who is coming unto me may not hunger, and he who is believing in me may not thirst -- at any time;”
Now once we have FOUND God, we must take the next step...
So many people find the Lord, and then stop.
The scriptures warn us, “Many of my people die for lack of knowledge!”
They fail to feed their Spirit, the Spiritual food it needs!
Many people starve their Spirit, and then wonder why their flesh continues to win the battle in this world.
They are not walking in the Spirit; they are living in their flesh.
And they feed their flesh, while starving their Spirit until it shrivels up.
Paul warns us that are battles will come, and our flesh and Spirit will collide. The stronger will win, for you cannot serve 2 masters.
Who is your master? Your flesh or your Spirit?
II. Surrender to God
A. Walk in His ways. V. 15
1. Example of Rash actions 1 Samuel 13:13-14
"You acted foolishly," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command."
Like Saul, we too can miss out on God’s plans and blessings for us in our lives because of not following His commands.
We can follow His commands by following the Holy Spirit.
When we feed our Spirit with Spiritual Food, the Word of God, our Spirit will over power our flesh and we will WIN the spiritual battle which rages within our minds and hearts.
We too can be men and women seeking after God’s Own heart.
B. Surrender to His will
1. Jeremiah 18:1-3 At the Potter’s House. We are the clay, He is the potter.
2. Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”
[Finding God, surrendering to His will all culminate into obedience. For renewal in us, our church and country---- we MUST OBEY!
III. Submit to God (keep His commands v. 15)
A. God directs us.
1. Jeremiah 10:23 " I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his own steps” God’s will, not Mine!
2. Jeremiah 31:33 “I will put MY law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be MY people."
B. For our Good
1. Deuteronomy 6: 24-25 Obeying God brings life, prosperity and righteousness.
C. To remain in Him
1. John 15:10 “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remained in His love."
2. Jesus set the example and gave us the keys to joy.
* obey His commands
* John 15:11 "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete."
Obedience is the Key
CONCLUSION
Jeremiah 15:19 "Therefore, this is what the Lord says: If you repent, I will restore you, that you may serve me; if you utter worthy words not worthless words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them!"
WE MUST: REPENT, BE RESTORED, and SERVE GOD
When we do we will SPEAK FOR HIM and TURN OTHERS TO GOD NOT ALLOW THEM TO TURN US FROM GOD.
This week, let us renew our Spirits together as a Church.
