Sermon Central
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The Breath Of God
Contributed by J. Yeargin on Nov 13, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: We, the saints of God, are reliant on our Heavenly Father for His righteousness and His life for us. If it were not for God, each of us would be lost in the Valley of Despair.
THE BREATH OF GOD
Let us remember that God is still on the throne. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father ever interceding on our behalf.
We, the saints of God, are reliant on our Heavenly Father for His righteousness and His life for us.
If it were not for God, each of us would be lost in the Valley of Despair.
I have even known some who in spite of having Christ as their Savior find themselves living in a Valley of Despair and Discouragement.
Each of us needs to know that God has breathed His New Life into us.
Text: Ezekiel 37:1 thru 10 (NIV)
I want each of us to see this vision that Ezekiel saw. For Ezekiel, it was a vision of salvation for the Nation of Israel. But for you and I, it is a modern day vision for us to be filled with Life giving power of the Spirit of God.
For a moment let’s look at it for what it meant to the Nation of Israel.
Israel had been living in exile far away from their homeland. They were far away from where God would have had them to be. They were merely existing in Babylonian captivity.
Being this far away from God was taking it’s toll. Away from God always takes it toll on God’s people.
Physically and spiritually God’s people were being destroyed by –
• Not being in God’s presence
• Not living for Him.
What a dreadful place this must have been. Ezekiel had a vision of the spiritual condition of God’s people.
The fact is anyone living without God is like being in a desolate desert.
Can you imagine trying to survive in a desert like the Mojave, Sahara, or Death Valley (itself)?
But don’t miss the whole picture that God is giving to Ezekiel. This vision isn’t just about a Desert of Desolation.
It is also about how the BREATH OF GOD can come to you and breathe New Life into you. This is the result of the Awesome Power of the Holy Spirit.
This vision is for every person who has ever taken a breath from the air God has created. It is so we all will know how much we need God.
God is life. Without God there is no life. We know this to be true by the prophecies and promises of the Bible.
Here are a few of those -
“Whoever finds Me, finds Life.”
Jesus said in John 11:25
“I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live.”
And He also said in John 14:6
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
Jesus is the Giver of Life!
With all of this heat in the last few days, you may feel a little dry.
Like the Valley of Dry Bones.
The spring rains are now gone, and the summer heat is drying us up.
This morning, you may be the same way in your spirit. Like Dry Bones…
How did the dry bones (in our text) get there? That is, how does anyone (saint of God or sinner) find themselves in a Valley of Dry Bones?
• Some come deliberately with rebellion in their hearts.
• Others come as a result of bad decisions. Maybe they were misled by well meaning friends…
• Some come because of their circumstances (so they say) were out of their hands…
Regardless, notice that the text doesn’t tell us of any survivors. This Valley of Dry Bones can happen to anyone who is without God.
At one time we all were lost.
“For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God…”
Thank God today if He has saved you.
Without the Lord, there will not be any survivors. We are reliant upon God’s righteousness and His Life to save us.
Without Christ, we will become those dry bones we have read about.
You may think you are a pretty good person and everything is okay for you with or without God saving you.
Everywhere you look on television, or in the movies, everyone seems to be going to heaven. Whether they are right with God, or not.
Being saved by the precious blood of Christ doesn’t seem to matter to some folks anymore.
The world’s gospel is you are okay. Just as long as you are peace loving and you don’t hate anybody.
When it comes to the story of Christ dieing for our sins, the world seems to be saying, “Oh-h-h whatever…???”
Listen to what Isaiah 64:6 tells us,
“we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags,….our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
