Renewed, Rekindle, Set Ablaze

Progress is all about the willingness to mature; it’s learning to change as the Spirit instructs.  If we long to mature in Christ, we must be willing to change.  It’s allowing the Spirit to speak into the secret places of our lives, the parts we don’t want to expose or allow.  We wonder what can be preventing our growth or why does God’s voice seems so silent or faint?  Even though walking backwards is a motion, it doesn’t mean it’s a proper way to walk.  If anything, it’s a sign we need to evaluate what happened or where are we going?

If our spirit isn’t at peace within; we need to allow the Spirit to search deep within.  I want to challenge your life with some questions my pastor recently asked the congregation, “Do we mourn spiritually over the lost places in our lives?”  “Do we mourn how we have lost our hunger for God?” “Does the memories of our passion burn brighter now or in days of old?”  It’s not wrong to evaluate our hearts before God; it has to be searched completely.  So, what is your life is stagnant at the moment?  It’s time to come to flowing river of God!  It’s time to be RENEWED, REKINDLED, AND SET ABLAZE!  As this New Year began, I was determined to get renewed in my Spirit.  Yet, as I prayed for this the Spirit of God gave me those three words as a point of direction for this time.  Also, God gave me two precious promises found in His word to keep me secure in the days ahead. 

“As Christian’s our spirits can do either two things: allow the Spirit of God to flow as a mighty river or we just become a lake to consume the water.  Life may be dwelling within but it’s not transforming our surroundings.” Gretchen Bracero

A stagnant spirit can only be changed by being made new; we have to become new wineskins.  We can’t receive the refreshing from God in the same state; we have to be changed.  Only new wine will be filled in new wineskins or it will cause it to burst.  It will burst the wineskin and spoil the wine, so both can’t be preserved. (Matthew 9:16-17)  In other words, God wants to pour a blessing into our Spirit, one that will be preserved.  It’s out of desperation we thirst; the question is what are doing to quench it? 

Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: "This is what the LORD says: "'I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown. ~ Jeremiah 2:2

REMEMBER who has your devotion; has your heart!  RETURN to the devotion of our salvation, so love will be found.  REUNITE your commitment to follow Christ wherever He leads.

 It’s only after our heart’s renewed, we can be revived!  When true revival is experienced, we are revived to follow WHOLE HEARTEDLY what God requires or asks.  When we are revived, love awakens our soul to pursue only the audience of one.  We don’t make excuses for our sinful behaviors or worry about the opinions of others when our hearts are rekindled.  We have tasted the love of our beloved!  We don’t chase or desire other lovers, we desire only our lover’s kiss.  We will seek intensely through the night until our lover is found, our soul can’t rest until we are reunited!  It’s only through seeking with all our heart and soul, we find Him! 

Deuteronomy 4:29 ~ But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Once our hearts are renewed, love is rekindled, our lives become ablaze!  As a match ignites a candle, so our lives will be in the world.  His word consumes our being we can’t stop proclaiming it, meditating on it, or singing hymns or spiritual songs!  It’s what our lives are all about-allowing God to consume us!  At this moment, this challenge may seem difficult but it’s not impossible.  It’s about being mournful of what was and choosing to return home!  Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted."  God's not desiring to destroy you, He longs to comfort you with His love.  His love awaits you!  He longs to celebrate your return but you have to run!  It's not a place you have never been, it's home.  Out of discontent and rebellion the son left home, a journey of self-destruction.  Mournful of loss and hunger the son ran home, he remembered who loved him.

I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land.  I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised. ~ Genesis 28:15

God hasn’t stopped desiring your fellowship, He is waiting for you!  Regardless of length of your last visit, it’s only one step home.  Even if you squandered your entire inheritance to be found in pig slob!  Or if your heart feels stagnant, it's not impossible to rekindle.  It's just coming back to loves first kiss.