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Summary: We must keep our relationship with Jesus current. There is a tendency to plateau, grow stagnant then burnout. God's plan is for us to stay fresh and renewed.

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RECHARGE YOUR BATTERIES? RENEW: BETTER

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)

COMPLETE METAMORPHOSIS: Egg, larva, pupa and adult… The change is very visible to any eye.

IT IS POSSIBLE TO REFRESH YOUR COMPUTER. It is a process: You go to start, then settings, then update, then security, then recovery and RESET.

TERMS WE MUST CONSIDER:

*PLATEAUED: no energy to advance, no improvement, dragging, to stand still, little to no change, to reach a level of no growth, TO DECLINE, to stop increasing, no progress.

*STAGNANT: trapped, no release, inactive, no current, unpleasant smell, slimy, no activity.

*MOLDY: out dated, stale, DECAY DUE TO AGE, NOT FRESH.

*BURNED OUT: stress, worry, empty; mental, emotional, spiritual, physical collapse. Hopelessness, tired, drained, withdrawn, exhausted.

*RENEWAL: refocus, revive, repair, to recover, to change something to make new or to make better, to improve.

*REFRESH: to feel clean, to restore, new strength, new energy, invigorated, a new breath.

*REMODEL: restore to good repair, re-do, exterior, interior.

LEARN TO UPDATE AND KEEP JESUS CURRENT AND UP TO DATE… WE TEND TO BECOME OLD, STALE AND OBSOLETE…

IN OUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS… WE GROW TIRED AND WEAK…

Colossians 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Colossians 3:10 (MSG) Now you're dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete.

METAL BARS VS MENTAL BARS… WE TEND TO GET DEPRESSED AND STRUGGLE WITH THE SAME OLD SAME OLD ATTITUDES AND THINKING PATTERNS… HOW INSANE IS IT TO THINK YOU CAN DO THE SAME THINGS THE SAME WAY AND CHANGE? SPIRITUAL RENEWAL IN SOME FORM IS LISTED 66 TIMES IN THE BIBLE…

To renew is like escaping from a prison of the mind. We have made all the wrong choices because our attitudes are corrupted by our daily choices.

MARTHA SEEMS TRAPPED IN TOIL AND HAVE TO RELATIONSHIPS… DOUBLE, DOUBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE!

Luke 10:41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

3 times MARY IS FOUND AT JESUS FEET… 1. For service, 2. For comfort, 3. To learn. Mary kept her attitudes and thinking patterns refreshed and renewed.

THE TRAP OF SAMENESS…

Nature teaches a lesson: A COW GIVING MILK IS NOT TRUE… You have to milk the cow. A heifer will dry up and there will be no milk! THE HEIFER HAS TO COME FRESH TO KEEP GIVING MILK… There has to a visit with the FATHER COW. (BULL.)

WE must flee from the spirit of the sameness traps of habitual behavior. God help us grow the Spirit of renewal of our thoughts and attitudes. Our goal must is to be like Jesus.

Ephesians 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

THEIR HEARTS WERE LIKE WATER… THEY NEVER SPIRITUALLY REFRESHED AND RENEWED THEIR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOD… THERE WAS A GREAT VICTORY AT JERICHO… JERICHO KNEW FOR 40 YEARS JOSHUA WAS COMING. THEY PREPARED AND BUILT DOUBLE WALLS AND HAD A FIRST RATE DEFENSE… IT WAS AN IMPOSSIBLE VICTORY TO WIN… THEN WE COME TO THE LITTLE EASILY DEFEATED AI… WE NEED SPIRITUAL RENEWAL…

WE FACE A BATTLE THAT WILL CHALLENGE OUR FAITH TO STAY NEW, RENEW. There was no prayer or seeking of God’s leadership. 3,000 men traveled from Jericho to Ai a small town in Canaan, just east of Bethel. Ai was 13 miles from Jericho. 36 Israeli soldiers died… NO ONE REFRESHED THE COVENANT AND SIN WAS IN THE CAMP.

Joshua 7:5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.

IT IS EASIER TO START A FIRE THAN TO KEEP THE FIRE BURNING BRIGHT… WE MUST KEEP THE FLAME BLAZING… SPIRITUAL RENEWAL…

We may face a real struggle. Renewal comes when the church stands in unity of purpose and united in the Bible and prayer… Often we find renewal starts as one person then to small prayer circles… then they stir up the flames.

2 Timothy 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

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