Sermon Tone Analysis

We are in week 6 of our exploring prayers that lead to personal revival!!!

I hope by this point that you are seeing God begin to bring life into your spirit.

I need a REVITALIZATION in my spirit man - the realization of our need for Christ in a greater way in our lives

I need to REPENT of secret sin, recompense where possible, and forgive others of sin committed against me.

I need a RESTORATION of my love for God’s Word.

I need a RELEASE of your Holy Spirit and power in my life.

I need to RETURN to my first my love - Jesus, and love my family.

This week 6 :

I need a REMEMBRANCE and thanksgiving for all Christ has done for me!!!!

Here is this awesome story of Israel having the waters part to cross into the PROMISES OF GOD on dry land.

It was a moment in life that God showed up and did a miraculous thing -showing His power and making a way!!!

The command came forth to build a memorial of stones (you wonder where we get the idea of making memorial stones these days - monuments) - so whenever any who passed for generations to come they would REMEMBER THE MIGHTY THINGS GOD HAD DONE FOR THEM.

1. Remembrance of What God has Done

A few years back we were at a theatrical production of the Book of Ruth --- it is not in Scripture, but they had them crossing the Jordan by the Memorial stones and Naomi telling Ruth this is where our ancestors crossed on dry land when God brought us to this place of promise!

Though that scene was not real, it depicted what would have taken place in the life of the Hebrews when they passed that place.

WHy should it be any different for the people of God today?

When we TESTIFY of all the LORD has done for us - we recall HIS Greatness and mighty acts.

Interesting is on the DAY OF PENTECOST - the other languages spoken were declaring God’s mighty acts in the various language of the peoples present.

There is something powerful that happens when we recall God’s mighty power and His work in our lives!!!!

We need to be a people who remember.

We need to remember what God has done for us...

There is no better way to see revival start in our heart than to remind ourselves of when spiritual life began there!

As important as having vision for the future is, remembering God’s work in the past is just as vital - AND BIBLICAL!

Every Christian in this room can remember:

When Jesus saved you

When Jesus healed you

When Jesus provided for you

When Jesus Filled you

When Jesus Answered you

And if He did it before - HE CAN DO IT AGAIN

The memorial stones build that day in this story from Joshua - were taken from the middle of the river

Why -it was the point of greatest depth, greatest obstacle

THE DEEPEST WATERS THAT GOD BROUGHT THEM THROUGH!!!!

Do you have a place of memorial in your life - a place that God called you, filled you, spoke into your life, provided for you...

I can recall the far right corner of the altar in my home church that God worked in my heart after youth services when we would go and spend time in prayer...

I can recall a Sunday School room on the side of the Fellowship Hall where I was filled with the Holy Spirit when I was 12....

I can recall a sanctuary in Newport, OR where in a desperate moment I looked out the windows at the sun trying to break through a heavy cloud cover, and God was reminding me behind every cloud the sun is still shining --- and it will break forth again...

I see the side of a platform (altar) in a church in Louisiana while fasting and praying that God gave me the Word I needed to make one of the bravest changes of my life - one that eventually led me here.

I don’t have to see the exact places, although when I do, it reminds me clearly of His work in my life… but I can also remember and see the picture in my head and I am reminded of all God has done

DO YOU NEED TO BE REVIVED IN YOUR SPIRIT...

REMEMBER THE SPIRITUAL MARKERS in your life that altered the course of your life!!!

AND REMEMBER the TESTIMONIES of GENERATIONS PAST and how GOD MOVED!

2. Respond with Thanksgiving

The response to all God has done is one of THANKSGIVING!

TO have a HEART of GRATITUDE!!! and APPRECIATION for what the Lord has done!!!!

An unthankful heart results in godlessness!

Here Romans tells us that as mankind failed to thank God for His provision in the world, they become more godless and turn toward false gods and creations denying the CREATOR who is worthy of their admiration.

Look at our society today --- credit is given to evolution, turning to pagan religions, and trying to be in touch with mother earth.... anything to avoid being thankful to a loving God who created all things!

The less we appreciate God, the more crude and crass our land has become and the more ungodly

For the Christian - thankfulness produces greater godliness...

A Thankful heart will worship God and serve out of holy fear (respect) and awe - wonder for what He has done.

Think of that — so many Christians today look down on those Christians who are always proclaiming their thanks to God for what He has done - like they are super spirituals when in reality they are simply REVIVED!

Calls us to thanksgiving in ALL THINGS!!!

3. Thanksgiving Receives Hope

Psalm 107 brings us to a reality that our thankfulness restores hope in our lives...

Hope for mercy, redemption and being called to the Lord is found in the first 7 verses...

During this act of remembrance of what God has done and thankfulness — we are reminded of mercy, redemption and God making a way

The Lord can satisfy our soul, free us from bondage and forgives rebellion --- a GOD THAT RESTORES - what hope is in that --- WHAT NEW LIFE AWAITS when we remember!!!

In the depth of destruction, even physical destruction - the Lord hears our cries and heals us taking us back from death’s door!

HOPE!!!

He has power over the weather and the elements of nature - to protect and preserve life --- and to pull us out of the storm

In the same way in the storm of life - there is hope for His preservation and protection!

He is the Lord our provider, bringing the harvest, increasing livestock and meeting needs by his loving kindness.

HOPE for the provision of the Lord in our lives!!!

Psalm 107 closes with --- they will see our history of the faithful love of the Lord,

each segment opens with giving Him praise and thanksgiving and remembering...

In other words - our thanksgiving releases HOPE for the future!

Be thankful because you can count on Jesus to Help ---

OUR VBS THEME ---

JESUS RESCUES, when your lonely, when you struggle, when you worry, when you do wrong, and when your powerless:

JESUS RESCUES!

CONCLUSION

Our spirit man is revived with hope when we begin to pray:

Lord, I need a REMEMBRANCE of all you have done and will THANK YOU for your goodness, bring life to me and hope that you will DO IT AGAIN!!!