As we talk about being refreshed in 2018, one of the practices we can “refresh” in our daily lives is how we approach our daily walk with God. What do you want to do different this year as you grow your faith? Recorded 1/14/18.
Refresh Sermon Notes
Refresh: to give new energy or strength to something & invigorate. In doing so, we don’t throw things out but change them for the better. This month, we are focusing on this in the three areas of knowing God, loving each other & sharing the Good News. The difference is in how we do things.
This past week you did as I requested & sent some selfies of when you were out & about sharing with others. (3 or 4 photos shown on screen)
The Shepherd refreshes your soul
Where does our refreshing come from? Sheep tend to put themselves in harm’s way. They tend to not know the best places to travel.
Have you ever acted like sheep because of a decision you made? I always say that boys have a “stupid gene.” They do grow out of it, though! Have you ever made a wrong turn while driving? In life we do the same by taking the wrong direction. We have to learn the hard way.
The Shepherd provides protection & keeps watch over his sheep because they need it. Jesus does this for us. (Pic of sheep in a pen with a shepherd sitting at the gate.) Jesus wants to do this for us.
Psalm 23 says because of the Shepherd’s care the sheep will lack nothing, be led to quiet waters, have nothing to fear & have guidance.
lack nothing = “I love you” not fear = “I will be with you”
quiet waters = “be at peace” guidance = “I will refresh you”
We will not be lacking in anything. We will get all we need for our eternal soul. A parent gives to its children or withholds something from them because he loves them. We may not get what we ask for from God. I know I have asked for many things over the years that I did not receive but I have completely forgotten what they were and haven’t suffered for not getting what I asked for! I love the song by Garth Brooks “Unanswered Prayers.” We probably did not need those things, anyway!
Psalm 23:4 Valley of death. God does not want us to be stressed out. Would you want a stressful day or one of peace? We will have trials daily both big and small and for various lengths of time. When I go through trials, I need not fear because of the Shepherd. Do we know God that way? I know who my Shepherd is and He will help me through any rough patch.
Psalm 23:3 He guides and refreshes our soul if we get to know Him.
Verse 6 A Christian dwells in God’s house & one day we will see & be in it eternally.
It was good for me to read Psm. 23 & feel it. Why do sheep fall into a pit? Because of the stuff they & we get into!
We want to keep: A heart to know God’s word
(pic on screen of sign saying “I want to know you!) Psalm 19:7 “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.” Several in the congregation have made a commitment to re-read the Bible through this year.
Proverbs 2:1-5 Look at the action words in this passage: accept, apply, call out, etc. Doing these things will refresh your soul if you do them. Mark Carlock told me this morning how he has been applying his heart lately & making some changes in his life.
2 Corinthians 10:5 encourages us to take captive the thoughts in our head (maybe these thoughts are from Satan) which are lies about God not caring about us. I can know they are not true because we know that God loves us. We need to apply ourselves to be on God’s page.
God’s Word:
- read it
- study it
- meditate on it
- memorize it
- talk about it with others
- rely on it
- believe it
- pray about it
- choose it
Acts 3:19 Do something different
Refreshing is a change that we deal with. Sin hurts our souls. We need to fight it and repent it. (pic on screen of 4 arrows: first 2 are pointing right, third one is pointing up & last one is pointing right) This is not the church of the “perfect Christian!” but of the “re-born Christian!”
There are lots of things we can do differently. We can be refreshed through change. Focus on a word and research it in your quiet time, set up a specific time to be with God, create a notebook of your studies, study with another person, etc.
Dee has some ideas she wants to share with you:
The LEGO focus last year was very helpful in refreshing me. I felt it was a great year although my Dad’s health issues got to me. I was tired & emotional at times. “Simplify” is my word for 2018. Last year’s was “grateful” and it didn’t work for me! I know my heart and mind is too busy as was my walk with God. God’s strength, compassion & grace got me through. I will focus on these words.
While I do this, I will use the things I do (doodling my ideas on a page in my notebook, reading 2-3 verses a day, etc.) to let it be and let God make it work. I will do this every month. I will start living the Word and do what it says.
Nick: “Dee has ‘doodle time’!”
We need to remember: the Shepherd refreshes our soul
We should keep in our heart to know God’s Word
Different: make a change to refresh
Martin Luther King, Jr. quote:
If you can’t fly, then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward!
Move forward with God this year no matter what happened last year.
