How To Renew Your Heart

A PARAMEDIC was asked on a local Dallas TV talk-show program: “What was your most unusual and challenging 911 call?” “Well Recently,” the paramedic began, we got a call from that big white CHURCH on 11th and Walnut. A frantic usher was very concerned that during their WORSHIP service an elderly man PASSED out in a pew and appeared to be dead. The usher could find no PULSE and there was no noticeable BREATHING.” “What was so unusual and demanding about this particular call?” the interviewer asked. “Well,” the paramedic said, “we carried out four guys before we found the one who was thought to be dead.”

Sometimes many of us seem dead in the church! And there’s the need to renew the heart!

Psalm 100 gives us some good advice on how to renew our hearts…read…

Psalm 100 NASB95

A Psalm for Thanksgiving. Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.

Here I see 4 things this Psalm instructs us to do…4 things I believe that can help to renew (revitalize) your heart when you do them. The 1st one…

1. Worship the Lord. (vs. 1-2, 4)

- We’re told here 3 components of worship in this psalm:

(1) Shout joyfully to the Lord

(2) Come before the Lord with joyful singing.

(3) Enter His House with thanksgiving and praise.

- These 3 components of worship will renew (revitalize) your heart when you do them.

- The word shout comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to raise a shout, give a blast” – it carries the idea of shouting words of joyful approval to the Lord! Lift up your voice in praise!

- He speaks of joyful singing = realize today = God prefers to have happy people singing to Him! Have you ever noticed the expression on people’s faces around you during the worship service? Sometimes you wonder why they are here! God wants us to get excited about being in His House…gathering to worship Him! And when you sing…God wants you to sing with joy on your face and in your heart – not looking like you just sucked on a sour lemon!

- And he speaks of coming into the Lord’s House with thanksgiving and praise. Why? Because this is a central place we gather to worship the Lord. When we come to church…and enter the Lord’s House…we should come in with thanksgiving and praise in our hearts and on our lips!

- When you came into the House of the Lord this morning = how did you come in? With thanksgiving and praise? OR thinking about what you saw on TV last night or where you’re going to eat after church?

- There is something about worship…true worship that renews your heart (spirit)!

TS – The next thing…

2. Serve the Lord. (vs. 2)

- We’re told to serve the Lord = and to serve Him with gladness!

- God desires for you to serve Him = yes! And He desires for you to serve Him gladly = not begrudgingly…not like it’s a drudgery…not because you’re forced!

- Friend…there’s nothing greater than serving the Lord= seeking to honor Him and carryout His will…seeking to do His will…seeking to be His servant!

- Sadly many people today only serve because of guilt…or they just feel obligated or they are basically forced to serve…arm is twisted until they finally say ok!

- Understand: God wants you to serve Him…but He wants you to do so because you desire to serve Him…and to do it gladly, joyfully!

TS – The next thing…

3. Acknowledge the Lord. (vs. 3, 5)

- Understand that God is Lord! He is Lord of all and Lord over all!

- Realize this and submit to His Lordship!

- Lordship is something that is lacking in the lives of so many who call themselves Christians today! Oh we want salvation…God’s blessings on us and our families…a home in Heaven…but Lordship.

- Realize that He is the One Who has made you…created you…made you all that you are…you are His…you’ve been bought with a price…you are the sheep of His pasture!

- And understand that He is the One working in you and your life!

- Philippians 1:6 says:

Philippians 1:6 NASB95

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

- And affirm God’s great nature: 1) His goodness 2) His love 3) His faithfulness

TS – And finally the 4ththing…

4. Bless the Lord. (vs. 4)

- The word for bless used here means to kneel – the idea is to show honor and homage to the Lord – to show your adoration of Him.

- You see, He is Lord and above all and over all!

- And you must humbly bow before Him and show in your worship that He is God and lift up your adoration to Him!

Conclusion

In a Peanuts comic strip, there was a conversation between Lucy and Charlie Brown. Lucy said that life is like a deck chair. Some place it so they can see where they are going; some place it so they can see where they have been; and some place it so they can see where they are at present. Charlie Brown’s reply: "I can’t even get mine unfolded."

Sometimes life can become very difficult…very draining…very discouraging…sometimes you can just get down and out…like poor old Charlie Brown…and there’s the need for some revitalization…some renewal.

Could you use some this morning? I would say most of us could! Put Psalm 100 into practice today and this week and see what it does for you!