Spiritual Dry Spells

Sometimes we feel closer to God than others times. So I am writing down some points that are needed by every believer including (especially) myself to deal with the “dry seasons” that are inevitable in our spiritual walk...

We often do a good job of short-circuiting or walk with God without the help of others. We do this very well, and although some are better at it than others, I would say we all have a propensity towards this. Although there are many scenarios, this one is quite common for me and I suspect others too.

It can be sin that separates us, but whatever causes the “dry spell” does not necessarily have to be inherently sinful in itself. It just needs to be something you can condemn yourself about – like not reading your Bible, missing church, road rage,  or virtually anything that we can beat ourselves up over.

 Sin keeps us from God in this way. Even though I know that scripturally there is no condemnation since I am in Christ (Romans 8:1). I still beat myself up from time to time (I am getting better though) over little things. You see sin does not keep God from us (John 3:16) – it keeps us from God.

He knows all about sin. He has been rescuing us from it since that fateful time in The Garden (Genesis 3:6). Sin is no surprise to Him and is nothing He can’t deal with.  As always, it’s us with the issue of dealing with sin. The good news is He loves us anyway.

 Like right now I am tempted to castigate myself for not being a faster typist – after all, if I were a faster typist, I would get more blogging done and spend more time with my wife.

 That’s not to say that we shouldn’t improve ourselves, of course we should. We should be improving at every turn. Let me try to explain the differences between improvement and condemnation:

·         Improvement says – “how can I get better at doing _______?” – My service to (God, family, people, employees, etc.) I will improve….and then DO IT!

·         Condemnation says - “I can’t do ______, I never could, so I guess me and everyone else will just have to live with it” – now I’m going to let everyone down, and I call myself a Christian!

 Notice here the focus on self. In Jesus’ work on the cross, His focus was (is) on was on YOU and ME!

I would like to suggest some ways to overcome the spiritual “dry spells” when they come and in time avoid them completely or at least they will be a lot less frequent. You see, we are spiritual beings, made in God’s image. Praise comes naturally to man. That’s the way He planned it before Genesis 3.

The spiritual dry spell is the result of the rebellion of our imperfect flesh against our perfect spirit (spirit made perfect by Jesus’ sacrifice and our acceptance of it) – (Genesis 3, James 4:4, Matt 10:28, Romans 10:9, John 3:16).

The problem is, when man fell (Genesis 3), man no longer always praised the right thing. That’s why sometimes we need to get back on track, for our own good - God doesn’t need us to praise Him, we need to praise God.

Although it’s true that we don’t need to do anything to be saved (Ephesians 2:8-9), my God given common sense tells me that I do need to take action to get back on track – to praise Him. The Word tells me that He draws close to me as I draw close to Him (James 4: 8). I also know that it is easier to keep doing something than to start doing it.

I have three sons. All of them are wrestlers. I asked one of them how to get out of a cradle (a dangerous to be in pinning combination). He replied “don’t get there in the first place”.

My suggestion is to give the God Of The Universe, His Son and His Spirit the place in your life and heart they deserve.

Do it daily, and on purpose.  

As always, take whatever I say and make sure it lines up with scripture. I think I’m correct but it’s up to each one of us to test the spirits as the Word says (1 John 4:1). Whether it’s your pastor, a book you’re reading, a commentary or someone’s blog.

These are some of the things I do daily to stay close:

·         Read the Word daily – you must know about someone before you can love them. I got to know my wife before I loved her. Now I make it a point to increase that knowledge base and I love her more and more every day.

·         Pray  - In good times and bad – The Word says to give thanks in all things  1 Thessalonians 5:18  (not for all things)

·         Meditate on the Word daily – This (the Word) will change your life! About 20 years ago my Pastor challenged his congregation to do this for 30 days. Every morning, before doing anything else, pick out a Bible verse. It can be any verse, one of your favorites from way back, one on your heart, one from a devotional – it really doesn’t matter. Find it in the Bible and write it down. Then 3-5 times per day, take that piece of paper out of your pocket. Write down a synonym for each word in the real verse – think about what you have written compared to scripture. The idea IS NOT to re-write scripture, it is to compare your thoughts to the way God says the same thing and think about it. This should take 10-15 min. per day.   

·         Go to church – Find  not only a Bible believing church but a Bible teaching church. Find out everything you can about God, Christ, The Holy Spirit, the customs of the times in that (His) part of the world etc. Renew your mind to the Word of God (Rom. 12:1&2) Being around other believers is essential to your spiritual growth. Only then can you help others BECAUSE of your faith.

When we start renewing our mind to God’s Word, we will start to think like Him more and more. We begin to view situations in our lives differently. The Word tells us to be like Him (1 John 3:2). In context that is in the future, but the more we think like Him the more we will be like Him in the present.

Until that day comes and we will be fully as He is, our flesh will war with our spirits. We will certainly experience spiritual dry spells from time to time. Rest assured that God has not only provided a way out but has provided a way to make those dry times fewer and further between.

Romans 12:1-2 Renew Your Mind

Rom 12:1-2  21^st Century  KJV

 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

 2 And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God

Beseech – Call near , invite, ask, call you to, intreat, call for, pray, beg, implore urgently

            Rom 15:30,

                       

·        Paul invites us to think about, by begging (he must think what he is saying is important) us in an urgent manner and tells us to listen to his message.

Therefore – so, hence, then

Bretheren –

 1) a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother

2) having the same national ancestor, belonging to the same people, or countryman

3) any fellow or man

4) a fellow believer, united to another by the bond of affection

5) an associate in employment or office

6) brethren in Christ

a) his brothers by blood

b) all men  - don’t forget “God would that all men be saved”   1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

c) apostles

d) Christians, as those who are exalted to the same heavenly place

Mercies  –  God’s mercy / save sinners by re-establishing His Kingdom. Gal 2:8-9

1.	compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence: Have mercy on the poor sinner.

2.	the disposition to be compassionate or forbearing: an adversary wholly without mercy.

3.	the discretionary power of a judge to pardon someone or to mitigate punishment, esp. to send to prison rather than invoke the death penalty.

4.	an act of kindness, compassion, or favor: She has performed countless small mercies for her friends and neighbors.

5.	something that gives evidence of divine favor; blessing: It was just a mercy we had our seat belts on when it happened.

6.	at the mercy of, entirely in the power of; subject to: They were at the mercy of their captors.   Also, at one's mercy.

Present -  

1.	to furnish or endow with a gift or the like, esp. by formal act
3.	afford or furnish
11.	to represent, impersonate, or act,
16.	a thing presented as a gift
4.	to hand over or submit

Lets take a look at an old testament sacrifice: - it will become clear that a sacrifice is a gift. 

Lev 16:7

And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

              The idea here is to make a gift of something, to give something, a gift is always free – or at    least it is supposed to be. In this case a sacrifice to the Living God, a gift from a man,What do we call gifts (Christmas, birthday presents – spelled the same way). Remember God’s free Gift in salvation (undeserved) He – presented or gave  to us?

·       We can never out give God, in the old test. He put in place a series of animal sacrifice because. He had not sent His Son yet to be a perm. Sac for us. Think of that he sent His Son not only to re-establish His Kingdom here on earth but through His Son, a permanent sacrifice or gift was given to each on of us.

your body -  a temple -  1 Cor. 6:19 – A temple is where sacs were made

a living sacrifice – your reasonable service  - acceptable to God

Rom 15:16                  Gal 2:20 – after what He has done for us it’s the least we can do for Him.

                                                We are Crucified with Him – if we are joint heirs with Him Rom 8:17

Like any father all God wants for us is the best for us (His Children)

1.   He thru Paul, tells us to give ourselves over to Him and His way of thinking, His service (by working for Him, in our church, by helping and building each other up, etc. what ever He wants you to do specifically) He speaks to us most of time thru His Word, Pray – listen/spend time being quiet specifically to listen to God. 

2.   He tells us not to be like the unbelieving world but transform or change your thinking to the way He thinks. (He says that the least we can do) – when we do that (the more we think like Him. Or our thoughts line up with His, then it’s easier to discern His voice)

3.   We learn what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God the more we meditate on His Word. It’s a circle of Gods Love toward us: The more we meditate on His Word the more He reveals to us and the more He reveals to us. The more we meditate on His Word. The more we learn about Him the more we will want to learn - for who can resist then The God of the universe?

(read)  Isaiah 28: 9&10 “line upon line, precept upon precept”

Bitterness Stings

Text – Heb. 12:15 -  NKJV

looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled

This verse says much to us: also NIV translation

NIV      

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

A)    Dissecting this verse –

1)    Comparing these two translations the gist seems clear cut.

            Don’s version

·         Make sure no one, I mean no one, misses out on what God, the Master Of The Universe has to give each one of us as a free gift, (Eph. 2:8-9) and so that nothing we do or say causes others to have a bad attitude and a ruined perspective.

B)    We cause bitterness in others most often by things we say – offend = GR – aproskopos – void of offense not to stumble.

1)     bitterness or being offended come in only two ways

a)     what someone says or doesn’t say.

b)     What someone does or doesn’t do

           

James 3:5-8 – (read)

5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.  (fire useful in check…unchecked = great disaster)

            Leaven / yeast  (1 Corinthians 5:6)

 7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

·         These verses tell us what we already know, that things we say can and do sometimes cause others hurt (intentional or not).

C)   Be careful what we speak

(1)          Why does hell make what we say a stumbling block?

To destroy others

1.     Luke 17:1 

Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe [unto him],    through whom they come!

·         Jesus tells His disciples (us) that we will be offended by what people say

·         Offense = Greek “scandalous”  = “trip and fall”

·         The way this sentence or verse constructed  “offenses will come” can be translated “ let it go”

·         He is saying “get a grip on yourself – you can deal with it” – “let it go!” – simple not easy

D)    We know or can guess, when Jesus tells us we have a problem He is also going to tell us how to deal with it.

With an illustration  and teaching. Luke : 1-6 (read)

1.     In these verses or teaching Jesus teaches on 3 things

a)     sin

b)     faith

c)     forgiviness – They were saying increase our faith so we can forgive

A)    In this study only the forgiveness aspect of the teaching will be dealt with

All are very important

1.     Luke 17:6 seen only (by many) as a teaching on faith.

2.     also an illustration of removing the bitterness or offenses that will come.

3.     In this teaching He has already mentioned forgiveness and sin.

B)    He uses sycamine tree as an example in vs. 6.

a)     He uses this example for reason – sycamine tree, like bitterness or offense, has very deep roots, grows in very dry, arid climates – just like bitterness

b)     Wood very hard and tough – just like bitterness. (preferred wood for making caskets)

c)     Only pollinated when it’s fruit stung by a wasp. (specific to that region) – being offended stings!

Jesus tells us, in this teaching, that offense, causing bitterness stings, but they can be removed by forgiveness – HE TELLS US TO LET IT GO!

He tells us we can forgive by faith – for our own sake