Recycle for Renewal

Thank everyone for their generous giving of gifts to the children who live at the Volunteers of America facility. We gave over 400 toys and games.

1So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord. They brought it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord.

2The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time—twenty years in all. Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord.

Ruth and i would also like to thank you for your generous giving to our family specifically. The wonderful words and card and financial gifts are appreciated to degrees that i could never express verbally. It warmed our hearts.

3So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Next week starting at 10 sharp, i’ll give you what God gave me in prayer to focus on for our church wide vision for next year.

Afterward, I’ll began the month long series entitled, “G.R.I.T.” These messages are designed to give you fuel for accomplishing some of your large and small goals for next year!

4So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.

5Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.”

6When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader of Israel at Mizpah.

7When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.

8They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.”

9Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.

10While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites.

11The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.

12Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

Illustration: Show trash. Explain how these things have been used up. They look as though they are useless. I’ve found out that at the end of the year, ever year, I hear people say, “What’s the difference between the way I feel in this year and next year?”

13So the Philistines were subdued and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines.

14The towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

Illustration: Show trash. Explain how these things have been used up. They look as though they are useless. I’ve found out that at the end of the year, ever year, I hear people say, “What’s the difference between the way I feel in this year and next year?”

They feel used up, drained, and even at times useless! They don’t see anything changing in the future.

One person said, “I feel like trash. I’m all used up. I’m fighting the same old battles. It seems like i can’t win.

But today I want to encourage you, you may feel like trash! But, even trash can be recycled for renewal. In the right conditions and with the right care, this trash can be recycled, made new again.

PP-Today’s New Years Message is:

“Recycle for Renewal”

PP- Recycle means to pass through a series of changes for a renewed purpose. To live again. To return to an original condition!

2019 can be a renewal year for you, if you go through the recycling!

Shows us that we can be recycled for explained that God’s people desired to go back to their original design, purpose, and place in God.

Let’s do some reading

In explains that God’s people needed to go back to their original design.

1 Samuel 7:1–14 (NIV)

2The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time—twenty years in all. Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord.

3So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

1) So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord. They brought it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord.

The Backdrop to this section of scripture illuminates why Israel needed to journey through a recycling. There are lessons we can glean from to help us on our spiritual renewal.

2)The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time—twenty years in all. Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord.

Turned back means to repent, go back to original purpose, recycle for renewal and restoration.

3) So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

explains how they got into a worn out place in the first place.

PP- (NIV)

22 Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

Because of the degradation of the society, God allowed their nemesis, the Philistines to encroach and attack them.

1 Samuel chapter 4, verse 3 and 17 sums up the punishment from God and the fall of the nation.

PP- (NIV)

When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”

PP- (NIV)

The man who brought the news replied, “Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”

PP- Life Point: God is not a talisman, Jennie, nor rabbit’s foot. You can’t pull Him out to perform magic when you’ve not allowed Him to be a part of your everyday life.

(NIV)

1 Samuel 7:1–14 (NIV)

1) So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord. They brought it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord.

It translates

2) The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time—twenty years in all. Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord.

“Turned back” means to recycle, the word we use is REPENT!

There are certain areas in all of our lives that need to be recycled, turned back to the LORD for proper use. There is no sense in allowing the enemy to make trash out of that area!

PP- Some areas of our lives are messy, trashy, and it needs attention FAST! No one likes to admit this! But 1 John 1:9 gives us comfort!

PP- (NIV)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Confession is a part of the recycling process!

3) So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Samuel gives a poignant statement which reflects the desire of the people to go through the process of recycling and starting anew.

d serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

“If you are returning to the LORD...” If you want to be “recycled for renewal”, the recycling starts with...

PP-The first imperative command in this chapter. Then rid yourselves of..” sûr - this word is translated “forsake, reject” in other translations. This is genuine repentance. Engaging in activity that is not of God, tends to wear you down over time!

PP-The second command is “commit yourselves”

“Then rid yourselves of..” sûr - this word is translated “forsake, reject” in other places.

PP-The second command is “commit yourselves”

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) 3922 I. כּוּן

kûn

Commit- kûn - make firm, and fashion.

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) 4222 לֵבָב

lē·ḇāḇ

Yourselves - lē·ḇāḇ - the heart

Exclusively single minded, whole hearted commitment. The Lord and the Lord alone must hold their hearts.

PP-The third imperative command is

PP-The third imperative command is “Serve” - ʿā·ḇǎḏ- worship. To serve, minister, work in ministry, i.e. give energy and devotion to God including ceremonies, services.give God His proper place and yield unto him appropriate value. How high is He valued in your life? Where is He on the priority ladder?

“Serve” - ʿā·ḇǎḏ- worship. To serve, minister, work in ministry, i.e. give energy and devotion to God including ceremonies, services. Give God His proper place and yield unto him appropriate value. How high is He valued in your life? Where is He on the priority ladder?

PP- Recycling Process

Rid

Commit yourself

Serve

4) So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.

Balls and Ashtoreth were idol gods who they started to worship. An idol is anything that God loses to! It you’d rather wash the car than go to worship, God lost, the car is an idol. If you’d rather watch YouTube for an hour, rather than read your Bible for 15 minutes, God lost! The expulsion of Baal and Ashtoreth worship was crucial to cleansing.

Before the Israelites entered the land God told them to not attach themselves to the Canaanite gods.

The Phoenicians saw Baal as an all encompassing god. He was the god of storms. His voice was the thunder. The cult of Baal involved the offering of many animal sacrifices. Baal’s priests would officiate on behalf of the persons presenting sacrificial animals to the god.

Baal was seen as a powerful all encompesing god. He was the god of storms. His voice was the thunder. One of his His mistress was Ashtoreth. Baal and Astoreth were seen as Gods of fertility and f who both

To the Israelites, Baal resembled their God but, Baal offered insatiable perks.

Some of the northern kingdom rulers even “made their sons pass through fire”—offering their own sons as sacrifices to Baal.

Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology Baal

The cult of Baal involved the offering of many animal sacrifices. Priests would officiate on behalf of the persons presenting sacrificial animals to the god. Some of the northern kingdom rulers even “made their sons pass through fire”—offering their own sons as sacrifices to Baal. “Holy prostitutes”—both male and female—were available to worshipers, encouraging the fertility of both land and people.

According to the Canaanite worshippers, Baal’s wife was Ashtoreth. Baal and Ashtoreth were seen as Gods of fertility and freedom of sexuality.

Priests would officiate on behalf of the persons presenting sacrificial animals to the god. Some of the northern kingdom rulers even “made their sons pass through fire”—offering their own sons as sacrifices to Baal. “Holy prostitutes”—both male and female—were available to worshipers, encouraging the fertility of both land and people.

“Holy prostitutes”—both male and female—were available to worshipers. The sons of Eli had adopted the pagan worship of having temple prostitutes. The concept was that you were encouraging fertility of both land and people.

What we have today is this same philosophy, do what you what as it relates to sexuality. Be free! God told His followers not to adopt their ways because it is exciting, and pleasing in the beginning, but it leads to more serious problems!

This idea of freedom leads to entrapment and addicted to debauchery!

A lot of activities people engage in today that runs contrary to biblical principles are aligned with ancient worshipping of false gods.

The question that should resonate is, “Why are people so allured and addicted to this lifestyle? The Bible tells us what’s responsible for it! Because they were not just worshipping idols, these idols were the veneer for demons.

PP- (AMP)

7 So they shall no more offer their sacrifices to goatlike gods or demons or field spirits after which they have played the harlot. This shall be a statute forever to them throughout their generations.

Finley, H. E. (1996). Gods and Goddesses, Pagan. In Evangelical dictionary of biblical theology (electronic ed., p. 302). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

PP- (AMP)

PP- 17 They sacrificed to demons, not to God—to gods whom they knew not, to new gods lately come up, whom your fathers never knew or feared.

PP- (AMP)

15 And he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the [idols of demon] he-goats, and calves he had made.

PP- (AMP)

37 Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons

5) Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.”

The fourth imperative command is “Assemble”.

6) When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader of Israel at Mizpah.

7)When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.

8) They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.”

9) Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.

It took no time at all for this new situation to be put to the test. Very quickly the people of Israel found themselves in precisely the position they had been in some twenty years earlier at Ebenezer. They faced the hostility of their old enemy again. The outcome this time, however, would be very different.

Preaching the Word: 1 Samuel—Looking for a Leader Israel and the Philistines (vv. 7–9)

It took no time at all for this new situation to be put to the test. Very quickly the people of Israel found themselves in precisely the position they had been in some twenty years earlier at Ebenezer. They faced the hostility of their old enemy again. The outcome this time, however, would be very different.

Preaching the Word: 1 Samuel—Looking for a Leader The Lord’s Answer (v. 9c)

This is an extraordinary moment. In the story that 1 Samuel tells, this is the first time that the Lord has acted positively toward Israel or an Israelite since chapter 1, verse 19 when he heard and answered Hannah’s prayer and Samuel was born!29 Now, after all these years, he heard and answered Samuel’s prayer, and Israel was delivered.

10) While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites.

The attach was taking place at the exact time of the offering of the sacrifice!

*Note - If you throw away your idols, God will throw your enemies into a panic so intense that they will be confused.

11) The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.

12) Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

The prophet Samuel, took a rock and named it “Ebenezer”. Samuel was referencing the place where the Ark of the Covenant was taken from them in battle! Ebenezer the city was mentioned in as the place where the enemy took the Ark of the Covenant.

Samuel wanted them to know that even though the enemy took the Ark from them 20 years ago, they were now undergoing a renewal! Because they went through the recycling process!

1. Get rid of some things!

1And Samuel’s word came to all Israel. Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek.

And Samuel’s word came to all Israel. Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek.

2. Commit to God!

3. Decide to Serve him!

But now Samuel is signifying a reversal of fortunes! A turn around!

13) So the Philistines were subdued and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines.

14) The towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

I want to encourage you to take time this week and start the process of spiritual renewal. It is a necessary activity that will enhance your life in 2019.