"Renewal"

There is an old saying, "If religion was a thing money could buy, the rich would live and the poor would die!" I can't remember where I heard that from or I would give credit where credit is due. Aren't we glad things aren't like that. God and our walk with Him is not based on our buying power but our learning by walking with Him, resting assured in His word even in our disappointments and hurts.

People sometimes are just tired. They are worn out emotional, which makes them worn out physically which is all tied to our being worn out spiritually. Too many can't tie their spiritual well being to their physical/emotional well being together. When our spiritually well being, our faith, heart and soul become burdened and hurt, our physical well being senses it all.

Recently while holding a spiritual meeting for several days and nights, our focus was God and His word. Each day people came and many had a difficult day with work. But something was happening within that caused their exhausting day to end with great joy and uplifting. People didn't want to see the lessons, the fellowship and gleanings from God end. Why were people, who were daily strained by everyday life finding themselves with energy at the end? There was a renewal taking place inside. A renewal that comes from God, taken into the heart, affecting the soul which translated itself into their physical beings. Paul taught the same: "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day." (II Cor. 4:16) We need to recognize that our physical well being is directly tied to our spiritual well being. Our outer, our physical can decay but something on the inside is happening that brings about a renewal.

You see, being tied of life makes you tied "in" life. Emotionally drained comes from the fact that we are spiritually drained. If we would renew our spiritual, our inner person day by day, we would find a newness, a rejuvenation that would affect our whole being.

When are we going to believe in God and His word? Listen to how His word can and should affect us: "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judgment the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Heb. 4:12) Carefully pay attention that each aspect of our lives are touched by God and His word that renews us: (1) "soul and spirit" which is spiritual. (2) "joints and marrow" which is physical. (3) "thoughts and intentions of the heart" which is mental. All three aspects of our lives are addressed.

I want to encourage us, get back to God's word. Too many "skip out" on spiritual renewal and just sit stuck in the same place in their lives and attitudes. Start looking carefully at the Christ that showed us God and the sense of reality and life will start making its way back into our being and there we will find a renewal day by day that will bring us in the reality of God's presence no matter what comes.