GETTING OVER THE OLD--- ACCEPTING THE NEW? A NEW HEART, NEW MIND ---
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I. CAN WE EXCUSE SPIRITUAL NEGLECT, CAN WE JUSTIFY OUR NEGLECT OF DUTY?
JEREMIAH KNEW MANY OF MAN'S REAL PROBLEMS ARE ISSUES OF THE HEART...
THE PROBLEM OF THE HEART IS THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM...
A. People seem to develop this great TENDANCY TO DENY, IGNORE, OR EXCUSE their SINFUL
BEHAVIOR...
***DENY: To declare untrue, nonexistent, to refuse
***INGNORE: Refuse to take notice or accept; intentional disregard, cold shoulder
***EXCUSE: Attempt to lessen the blame, attach to blame to another, reason to justify
B. IN THIS GREAT DENIAL PROBLEM THERE EVEN GROWS A TENDANCY OR HABIT OF BLAMING
OTHER PEOPLE, OUR PREDECESSORS AND EVEN GOD FOR THE SIN TRAP WHERE WE HAVE FALLEN.
Luke 14:18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece
of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
TALK ABOUT THE POWER OF AGREEMENT --- THE ATTITUDE OF OFFERING EXCUSES IS
CONTAGEOUS? --- LIKELY TO TRANSMIT TO ANOTHER...
QUESTION --- WHAT IF ONE NEVER OFFERED EXCUSE? THINK THE OTHERS WOULD HAVE BEEN
SO QUICK TO MAKE AN EXCUSE?
1. BOUGHT LAND? MATERIALISM:
MATERIALISM: Tendency to prefer material possessions and spiritual comfort to SPIRITUAL VALUES...
To justify self: HE HAS ALREADY SEEN THE LAND OR HE IS A FOOL...
2. BOUGHT SOME OXEN: TRANSPORTATION/ BUSINESS
Misplaced priorities, value system twisted.
3. I AM GETTING MARRIED? RELATIONSHIP...
All this is a matter of PRIORITIES and SCHEDULING...
C. First we must accept our INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR SIN...
Then for a sustained MOVE OF GOD IN REVIVAL we must grow a COLLECTIVE or CORPORATE
RESPONSIBILITY...
D. COVENANT: agreement, contract, AGREEMENT BETWEEN GOD AND HIS PEOPLE.
JEREMIAH SAW A NEW MOVE OF GOD... A NEW COVENANT
Jeremiah 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel,
and with the house of Judah:
[32] Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring
them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
[33] But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will
put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
[34] And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord:
for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord; for I will forgive their
iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
F. JEREMIAH WAS CLEARLY SEEING AHEAD INTO WHAT WE CALL THE CHURCH AGE...
THIS IS A MESSIANIC PROPHECY FOR US TODAY!
WE CAN BE GOD'S PEOPLE WITH A NEW HEART.... HE WILL BE OUR GOD, WE WILL BE HIS PEOPLE.
II. TOO MANY OF US ARE ALLOWING YESTERDAY TO DEFINE TODAY...
WE HAVE FAILED? WE HAVE MISABLE MISTAKES?
WE HAVE ALLOW OUR EMOTIONS TO HELP US STAY IN A TRAP OF DOOM...
Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away
the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
[27] And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments,
and do them.
[28] And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
[29] I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no
famine upon you.
[30] And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach
of famine among the heathen.
A. WE KNOW THERE ARE MORE THAN ONE STEP TO COME INTO THE COMPLETE RENEWAL GOD
HAS PLANNED FOR US AND OUR FAMILY.
B. Many times God selects one individual to start the work in the whole family...
GIDEON
DEBORAH
STEPHEN
JAILER
C. We must submit our HUMAN WILL and ATTITUDES, our BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS and our THOUGHT
PATTERNS and laid them on the INNER ALTAR.
PLIABLE ... vs hard heart, stubborn
TEACHABLE ... vs know it all, rebellious
III. WHILE WALKING IN A LOW PLACE THE MAN OF GOD HEARS A NEW MESSAGE.
THE SWEET SPIRIT OF GOD WANTS TO BRING US OUT, AND GIVE US A FRESH, NEW VISION
OF HOPE, HOPE AGAINST HOPE... DO WE HEAR A MESSAGE OF HOPE IN A HOPELESS
SITUATION...
A. God's man knows the real condition of God's people, they are ravaged by sin and the terrible
consequences that sin has brought down a backslidden people.
GLOOM, DESPAIR, AGONY ON END, DEEP DARK DEPRESSION, EXCESSIVE ...
EITHER WE HAVE AN HOPELESS END? OR AN ENDLESS HOPE?
The same situation that may KILL one person may STRETCH another person to a GREATER FAITH.
B. THE DIFFERENCE MIGHT BE IF WE ARE TRYING IN THE ARM OF THE FLESH, OR COMING INTO
THE PRESENCE OF A HOLY GOD... KNOW THE HAND OF THE LORD?
Ezekiel 37:1 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me
down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,
C. THE VISION COMES IN A VALLEY, A LOW PLACE, NOT ON THE MOUNTAIN...
IV. WE HAVE MORE THAN A PROBLEM OF JUST BONES, HARD--- LIFELESSNESS---
REMAINS AFTER DEATH--- VERY MANY? VERY DRY?
Ezekiel 37:2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open
valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
A. We know from the Bible that God can use BONES:
1. Jaw-bone --- weapon in Samson's hand... he slew 1,000
2. Samson --- gets sweet water out of the bone in a dry time
3. God used a bone from Adam to make Eve...
4. Bone pieces were used by the Roman's to torture... 40 stripes less one, Jesus, Paul
B. Did you know God has a plan and a place for every bone, joint, muscle, blood vessel?
C. GOD HAS A PLAN THAT BRINGS LIFE, THE PLAN IS DIGESTION...
THAT WITHOUT BECOMES ASSIMILATED TO THAT WITHIN IN...
WE MUST HEAR THE WORD, TAKE IN THE WORD, AND APPLY IT...
V. THERE IS NOT DEBATE OR ANALYSIS OF DETAILED EXAMINATIONS TO
DETERMINE WHY THE BONES BECAME BONES, THE ATTENTION IS FOCUSED TO
HEARING THE WORD... THERE IS MORE THAN HEARING...
ONE MUST BY FAITH SPEAK THE WORD...
A. SEEMS THE PREACHER CAN NOT HONESTLY SPEAK ABOUT THE RENEWAL,
THE PREACHER DEFERS THE ANSWER TO GOD...
Ezekiel 37:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord
God, thou knowest.
B. At some point we all must COME TO ADDRESS THE REAL ISSUE:
CAN THESE BONES LIVE? DO WE HAVE HOPE EVEN AFTER THE HOPE OF LIFE IS GONE?
C. CAN GOD REVIVE THIS SITUATION? YES? OR NO?
VI. GOD NEEDS SOMEONE TO HEAR --- THEN TO SPEAK AGAINST ALL VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE
DOUBTS WITHIN AND WITHOUT...
A. SOME CAN NEVER HEAR BECAUSE THEY KEEP THEIR MOUTH OPEN...
PAY ATTENTION, FOCUS
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Ezekiel 37:4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones,
hear the word of the Lord.
B. THE THREE SMALLEST BONES IN THE BODY?
1. HAMMER
2. ANVIL
3. STIRRUP
C. WILL YOU PROCLAIM HOPE WHERE THERE IS NO HOPE?
VII. HOPE IS NOT IN WHAT I CAN DO? HOPE IS NOT IN WHAT YOU CAN DO?
HOPE IS NOT IN WHAT WE CAN DO?
WILL YOU GIVE CREDIT TO GOD'S WORD? Will we rebel?
Romans 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations;
according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
VIII. THE WIND OF GOD'S SPIRIT IS COMING AGAIN...
AS IN THE CREATION OF MAN: THERE IS NO LIFE UNTIL GOD BREATHS LIFE INTO THE BEING...
HEAR THE NOISE BY FAITH?
Life comes in four stages:
1. Sinews: tough fibrous tissue that holds muscle to bone.
2. Flesh: muscles
3. Skin:outer layer or covering of the body
4. Breath: spirit, vitality, air into and out of the lungs
Ezekiel 37:6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin,
and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
[7] So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking,
and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
IX. THE FOUR WINDS REPRESENT THE OMNIPRESENCE OF A MIGHTY GOD...
OUR GOD IS OMNIPOTENT
Ezekiel 37:9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind,
Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they
may live.
A. WE SHALL KNOW THAT GOD IS GOD...
WE SHALL KNOW GOD BROUGHT US UP...
Ezekiel 37:11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they
say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
[12] Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open
your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
[13] And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought
you up out of your graves, [14] And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in
your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.
B. WE MUST REALIZE GOD'S SPIRIT IS WITHIN US...
Psalm 68:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm or Song of David.
Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.
LET GOD... GIVE GOD PERMISSION... AWARD THE CONTRACT... PERMIT
CONCLUSION: WHAT LESSON DO YOU RECEIVE FROM THE VALLEY OF MANY --- DRY
BONES? ARE YOU AN AGENT OF HOPE IN A AGE OF HOPELESSNESS?
Are we going allow the past to dictate to the future?
Will we allow are failures to drive our dreams ahead?
Will you accept the NEW HEART and the NEW SPIRIT?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
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