Spiritual Restoration and Renewal

Psalm 51:9-19

David viewed his sins as being so hideous that he asked God to hide His face; “Hide Thy face from my sins,”(vs 9), he earnestly pled.  He felt deeply ashamed for God to behold such disgraceful and rebellious behavior. He had ignored God; he had violated God’s law. Instead of attempting to further cover it up or pretending it did not happen, David appealed to God. Yes, in fantastic boldness David turned to the grace and mercy of the Lord asking that his iniquities be blotted out. Can this be done? Can it be there is a real solution to gross sinful indulgences...profound moral failures?

Isaiah the Prophet conveys the tender heart of Almighty God saying, “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” (Isaiah 43:25) God, motivated by who He is, moves to forgive and forget our sins when we turn to Him! He is willing to blot out our transgressions refusing to bring them to mind again! There is hope for the discouraged, depressed, guilt-ridden soul! Furthermore God invites us to His throne of grace to secure grace and mercy as we need them. Note what Hebrews 4:16, says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” That is correct! Though we have greatly offended the Lord with our sinfulness, He insists on being the key to our help, healing, forgiveness and restoration.

David knew this and He provides an illustration of God’s marvelous grace and willingness to restore and renew his fallen people. David secured Wall-to-Wall Forgiveness because he fully sought Forgiveness from the God who restores and revives. Consider now how all of this unfolds.

I.   DAVID'S WALL-TO-WALL RENEWAL, Psalm 51:10-12.

David was interested in far more than having his sins forgiven, he asked God to use His creative powers to make him a brand new creation with a new, fresh clean heart.  He obviously did not want to continue in this pattern of sin any more.

A.  GOD’S WORK OF RENEWING IS THOROUGH AND COMPLETE.

David’s life was in ruins and shambles; he could now clearly see the damage the old nature can cause. But, please do not fail to note where our true help comes from! 

   1.  God Can Still Create Purity Deep Within Us.  Vs. 10

“Create in me” is the same word used in Genesis 1:1, meaning to make something from nothing. The request was for a heart that would be suitable to the purging and “clean heart” washing he had asked God to perform. David longed for a fresh start with the Lord and cried out to God to do the supernatural on his behalf. There are many religions in the world, but only the Lord God can create in us clean hearts. Hearts that are free of gross contamination and hearts that love God supremely!

   2.  God Can Change Our Attitudes About Sin.

 “Renew a right spirit” had to do with a steadfast heart toward God.  He asked that God perform a radical work in his soul–he did not want to keep sinning in the future. He was aware that he had become indifferent in his attitudes toward sin so he needed total renovation. He did not want to fall back into the same sins! We all desperately need this ministry of God in each of our lives. Because we are compassed about with so much sin, we can become desensitized and careless in our choices. We can begin to tolerate little sins and before we know it we are excusing larger transgressions. If we are not careful we can begin to justify a warp and twisted lifestyle plagued with sinfulness. Beloved, periodically we need God to change our attitudes about sin through His Word, sound preaching, and by His Spirit.  

B.  THE PURITY OF LIFE AND TESTIMONY HAD BEEN LOST.

David's witness for the Lord among his family, Israel, and the nations had become nil. The need was for a steadfast spirit so he would not be tossed aside as worthless.

You may recall how Paul prayed that his ministry would never be considered a throw away item (1 Cor. 9:27). In 1 Corinthians 9:27, he says, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” When we disqualify ourselves we limit our usefulness for the Lord.  

C.  THE SALVATION OF DAVID WAS NOT LOST.

Psalm 51:11, Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

    1.  This Was Not a Cry for Salvation or Even the Fear of  Losing Salvation.

David had been anointed by God, and His Spirit had been with him in a mighty way (1 Sam. 16:12, 13). God had made a covenant with the house of David.

    2.  David Was Fearful That God Would Think Him Unworthy and Put Him Aside. We can rejoice with David that He who promised is faithful. 

    3.  David Remembered When Saul Was Rejected as King.

Thirdly, David witnessed firsthand what King Saul went through when God removed His Spirit and Presence from the Life of Saul and gave him instead an evil spirit. (1 Sam. 16:14-23)

D.  DAVID REPRESENTS FALLEN CHRISTIANS IN DEEP DEPRESSION.

Sins and past failures can dig a mighty deep hole and sap us of all hope!

    1.  He Lost His Joy.

“Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation” is the cry of this weary saint of God. The Christian life that has little joy is a poor testimony to the grace of God.

    2.  He Prayed For Steadfast Power.

It was David's desire never to be guilty again. Thus he prays, “Uphold me with thy free spirit” (Vs 12). His heart longs for a complete cleansing that purges, washes away and blots out every taint of sin in his life.

He wanted to be preserved from falling into this practice again by the power of God’s freeing Spirit!

David secured Wall-to-Wall Forgiveness because he Desire Real Spiritual Renewal; he did not merely want to use God to remove his guilt feelings! He wants to be right with God, right deep within, and renewed that He could steadfastly live for the Lord’s honor.

II. DAVID'S WALL-TO-WALL DEDICATION, Psalm  51:13-17.

Psalm 51:13, Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

David wants his talk and his walk to be a matched set. The mixture of guilt and shame had formed a strong adhesive that had kept David silent far too long. The blood of Uriah had left a great weight of regret on David. Guilt can be confining and restrictive. Like a python it can squeeze the very life out of its prey! In contrast, David yearns to be totally free. So he asks the Lord to deliver him from the guilty stain of Uriah's blood, and all the others who had been so adversely affected by his sin. As a result of his renewal he turns his attention to dedicated ministry to others and service to God.

A.  DEDICATION TO WINNING SOULS.

Psalm 51:13, Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

    1.  David's Witness Had Become Both Inappropriate and Inactive.

    2.  Dedication to Winning and Teaching Transgressors Should Be a Priority in the Life of Every Child of God.

We do not want to be guilty of the blood of anyone (Ezek. 3:18; Acts 20:26, 27). Note the following quotes from the Prophet Ezekiel and the Apostle Paul:

Ezekiel 3:18, When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

Acts 20:26-27, Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. ²⁷For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

B.  DEDICATION TO BROKENNESS OVER SIN AND PURITY OF LIFE

Psalm 51:16-17, For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. ¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Verses 16 and 17 are one hundred percent applicable for today. David knew what God required. The Law of Moses appointed no sacrifices for these sins. Those guilty of adultery and murder were to be put to death (Lev. 20:10; Num. 35:16). The cities of refuge were not to hide those guilty of premeditated killings. David's only plea was to the mercy and grace of God. David's confession, plea for forgiveness, cleansing and dedication were right on track with God's will.

The same must be true of us today. Micah 6:6-8, is still the standard for God's children.

Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? ⁷Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? ⁸He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:6-8)

III.   DAVID'S WALL-TO-WALL INTERCESSION, Psalm  51:18, 19.

Herein lays more proof of David's sincerity and humbleness. He looks beyond himself to the needs of others. David in these closing verses is once again the prophet who looks to Israel’s glorious future when they shall turn to God and He will fully bless them. This will be a time when David and Israel may offer acceptable sacrifice unto the Lord.

IV. LET US MAKE A WALL-TO-WALL APPLICATION.

What happens when a child of God commits a sin or lives for a period in sin?

A.  FIRST AND FOREMOST, HE OR SHE DOES NOT LOSE HIS/HER SALVATION.

Jesus promised never to leave us comfortless (John 14:18). He promises to never send us away or leave us behind like orphaned children. As Believers, once we are children of God, we should never fear being deprived of our spiritual parent. Our Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, are eternally committed to a saving relationship with us. When we sin, God treats us erring believers as children in need of His correction (Heb. 12:5-10).

B.  THE JOY OF GOD'S SALVATION MAY BE LOST THOUGH, PSALM 51:12. A less than joyous service is a testimony that something is not right between us and the Lord. God is not the one who changed or needs changing, we are. So if ministry and service has become drudgery and church attendance is a burden to us, it is time to take some personal inventory. We have allowed some sinful thought, deed, value, or habit to come between ourselves and the Lord Jesus.

C.  SIN WILL HINDER EVERY ASPECT OF OUR CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.

If the joy of our salvation has waned away, we will find little joy in prayer, Bible study, worship, giving or witnessing. Sin is a massive hindrance to service and ministry. Remember God is plenteous in mercy and is ready to forgive and pardon the very moment we pray and ask forgiveness (1 John 1:7-10). This does not excuse the effects and consequences of sin. We will reap what we have sown (Gal. 6:7, 8). If we continue to sow to the spiritual and godliness we will eventually begin to reap the good as well. Do not become discouraged with the consequences of sinful decisions, stay focused on the Lord Jesus and draw on His faithful supply of grace.

CONCLUSION:

Beloved, you too can know the blessings of forgiveness (Psalm 32:1-11).  The way of blessing is through confession, forgiveness, and sweet restoration. It is progressing from the sorrows of gross failures, deep soul-stirring convictions, and on to experiencing the joy of our Lord’s gracious salvation again! Not by being saved again, but by being fully restored to fellowship with God. There is cleansing and mercy available to each of us when we return to the Lord. Yes, we will have ups and downs in our spiritual journeys, but Psalm 51 and 32 give us reasons to hope in the gracious and merciful nature of our Heavenly Father!

I am of the opinion that the message of forgiveness and restoration need to be herald with brilliant clarity and deep conviction. Those who have been restored can perhaps tell it better than any other. While it is far better to prevent and avoid extended periods out of fellowship with our Lord, God can still use a life broken by the harshness of sinfulness to serve as admonition to others. Yes, the restored Believer can effectively minister to other believers who have strayed.

Yes, Beloved, the Lord can remove the incredible weight of guilt. You can know forgiveness and restoration deep within, just as King David was aware of his forgiveness. Give yourself permission to pause and appreciate this truth. Permit it to affix itself to your very innermost being. There is real forgiveness with the Lord! It will do us well to remember the words of 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  

Prepare Your Heart II

1 Samuel 7:1-6      

Is there any hope for those who have wandered far way from God? They were once so committed to the Lord, but now.... God forgives and restores His people to fellowship with Himself even after extended periods in deep dark sin.

Are you often frustrated about your inability to make life work?  How would you rate your heart’s devotion to God? Burning hot with passion?  Is it as cold as Antarctica? 

Many Christians’ relationship with God is like a lazy man’s work ethic—half-hearted. They try to manage their relationship with God instead of living with God at the center of their lives. The heart of their problem is their heart is divided with too many priorities, devotions, desires, and demands. This leaves them with a crowded life unprepared to receive all that God wills for them through fellowship with Him. The result is they are overtaxed, guilt ridden, frustrated, anxious, and empty because God seems so far away. Toleration for a certain level of sin has become normal and they have no intentions of addressing their issues.

Unfortunately many fail to realize that there is another possibility. Their future could be much brighter than their murky past. Like the prodigal son, they can come back home to the Father! When we wander far away from God, He graciously awaits our return. He will restore, renew, and revive us again!

Prepare your heart for the God who restores the wayward and revives the back-slider to renewed fellowship with Himself. But, how can we prepare ourselves to come back to Him?

    I.      By Strenuously Avoiding any Attempts to Manage God (7:1-3).

   II.   By Unreservedly Embracing Intimacy with God (7:3-6).

And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. 2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. 3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. 4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only. 5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD. 6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh. (1 Sam. 7:1-6, KJV)

The question has been asked, “Can God forgive and restore people who have turned their backs on Him? Is He willing to forgive those who ran off into gross and deep sin?” The answer is absolutely yes! Like the Prodigal Son we can come back home (Luke 15:11-24)! What must we do? Prepare your hearts unto the Lord!

Israel repented of idolatry and devoted herself to serve God exclusively (v. 3-6). Real intimacy is born in a relationship of commitment and trust. It can never exist in a mere association or semi-acquaintance with a near stranger.  In Christianity intimacy is closeness and likeness to God. How can we prepare our hearts for this?

Through Contrition: Return to the Lord thru self-examination, confession, repentance, and obedience (1 Sam. 7:3, 6).

Take a good look at Samuel’s counsel to the nation, “If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only….” Again in verse six the Scriptures record, “And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD.” Finally, in this hour of grave danger and fear, Israel wisely chooses to get right with the Lord God.

With heavy hearts she confesses her sins against the Lord in genuine contrition and sincerity (v. 6). According to Wiersbe, “Samuel poured out water before the Lord as a symbol of the nation’s repentance, their hearts poured out in sorrow for their sins…” in Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament. Likewise, we all must agree with God about our sinful failures to honor and glorify Him (See 1Jn. 1:9). This is how prodigals come home to God!

Yes, such confession and brokenness over sin must characterize our return to the Lord and rejection of sin. I say this because we typically confess our sins so casually and insincerely. However, contrition is brokenness over sinfulness against a good and holy God!  It is not feeling bad just because we got caught, or have messed up our lives, or have ruined our favorable opportunities. It is actually feeling affliction in the soul because our conscious toward sins against God rendered us so wounded that we cry out to God for forgiveness and mercy. There is desperation, urgency, and qualified hurt in the heart for having offended God so egregiously and violently.

The Prophet Isaiah precisely communicates the mind and disposition of God when we humble our broken lives before Him seeking forgiveness and restoration saying, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isaiah 57:15). What hope and promise in that wonderful passage! Again in Isaiah 66:2, the great prophet says, “For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” Even though we may have wandered far away from our heavenly Father into dark forms of sin, God says, when we humble ourselves in confession and contrition that He will pay attention and meet our incredible need for forgiveness and restoration.

Beloved, do not allow pride and arrogance to prevent you from humbling yourself before the Lord God. Choose to be more like the contrite Publican the Lord Jesus referred to and never approach God like the proud Pharisee (Luke 18:11-14). God consistently resists and refuses the person who is too proud to honestly acknowledge their wrongs against Him to Him.

It was John Nelson who told the account of the “Revival At Fort Wayne”. At Fort Wayne Bible College, Fort Wayne, Indiana, when the chapel speaker canceled at the last minute, President Wesley Gerig called for student testimonies. They lasted till 5:00 that afternoon. Some students waited in line two hours to confess cheating, hatefulness, indulging in worldly practices, and criticism of campus food. One student confirmed: “I’ve been here three years, and it’s about time I got straightened out.”

Asked why young people are getting “straightened out” now, Fort Wayne’s Grant Hoatson replied, “They’re tired of sham.” Many churches, he added, offer them “little to cling to in a world falling apart spiritually when they are looking for something.”

At Fort Wayne, students are accepted on the basis of their profession of faith, administration officials noted.

Beloved, if we are to truly prepare our hearts unto the Lord God, we too must approach God in utter contrition and confession of sins.

Through Aspiration: Desire and pursue a genuine heart for fellowship with the Lord (1 Sam. 7:3).

Not only through contrition, but now we note preparation through the right kind of aspirations. Not only must we deal honestly with the sin, but God desires to cultivate in each of us a heart for Himself alone. You see, in verse three, Samuel says, “prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only….” Think about this, what or who is better for us than God? When God demands exclusive rights to our hearts, He is prescribing the absolute very best for us all! In this light, there are four points of valuable counsel we must take note of and adopt as our own personal aspirations.

First, pursue a heart with a singular focus—God. In Matthew 5:8, the Lord Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Certainly Christ advocated having a heart that is concentrated on God…a heart that is unequivocally loyal to God. We are extraordinarily blessed when this is true of us! Furthermore, the Psalmist says in Psalm 42:1-2, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. [2] My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” Obviously the Psalmist views God as the most fantastic satisfaction and for Him there is no substitute (See also Rev. 3:20). He wants and yearns for the true and living God refusing cheap substitutes of this world. Honestly, Beloved, we live with too many competing priorities and we categorically need a simplified focus—note God’s priority. Consider the counsel of Christ Jesus in Matthew 6:33, where He says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” What is MOST important to you? Make the Lord Jesus your preeminent and singular focus.

Secondly, pursue a heart with the Savior’s focus—Christ’s comfortable home. In Ephesians 3:17, Paul says, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love”. We should aspire for Christ to be comfortable and at home in our inner most being. You see, believers are strengthened that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith. That He might dwelling is our hearts like He owns the place! The point is not that he lives there, but that He feeling at home there! He is a permanent Resident in every saved person, but Paul was praying that Christ might have full access to every room and closet; that He might not be grieved by sinful words, thoughts, motives, and deeds; that He might enjoy unbroken fellowship with the Believer. The Christian’s heart thus becomes the home of Christ, the place where He loves to be—like the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Bethany. The heart, of course, means the center of the spiritual life; it controls every aspect of our behavior. In effect, the apostle prays that the lordship of Christ might extend to the books we read, the work we do, the food we eat, the money we spend, the words we speak—in short, the minutest details of our lives. Why? That Christ may be at home in His home!

I believe it was MacDonald who said, “We enter into the enjoyment of His indwelling through faith. This involves constant dependence on Him, constant surrender to Him, and constant recognition of His “at home-ness.” It is through faith that we “practice His presence,” as Brother Lawrence quaintly put it” (Believer's Bible Commentary).

Thirdly, pursue a heart with a sanitized focus—cleansing fellowship. In First John 1:7, the aged apostles says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Beloved, keeping company with Christ has a life cleansing impact. It is true, we will become like those we hang around with. If we intentionally ‘hang around’ with the Lord Jesus it will purge our lives of filth, sin, immoral, irreverent, and carnal motives and aspirations. In the light of His fellowship we will always see our sinfulness clearly, but we will constantly experience the joy of forgiveness and cleansing! Keep walking with the Lord Jesus; desire to be with Him that you may become like Him. Beloved, if we have a heart with a singular, simplified, Savor-friendly, and sanitized focus then we have all the requisite aspirations of a prepared heart!

Through Dedication: Remove all idols from your heart to serve God exclusively (1 Sam. 7:3, 4).

Thus far we have seen the need to prepare our hearts through contrition and aspiration. Now we come to the idea of dedication. We have rejected sin, craved godly desires and goals, and now we are faced with the need to devote ourselves to the Lord and His plan. If we have wandered away from the Lord into sin, then it is time to return to the Lord through complete rededication. Consider what 1 Samuel 7:3, says, “If ye do return unto the LORD with all your heart, then put away the strange gods….” God desires a total commitment to Himself as we decisively forsake all forms of idolatry. What will require of us to obey this principle? Well, quite frankly we must cast out our other ‘Lovers!’ Many times love of traditions, love of pride, love of power, love of money, love of prestige, love of recognition, and love of property comes before the Lord. We cling too ferociously to material things as if they actually define meaning and purpose in life. Remember, we have been warned to “Love not the World” (1Jn. 2:15-17; Col. 2:6-12).

While we are discarding idolatrous implements, do not forget to cast out your other idols! False concepts of God must be forsaken because they hinder our full devotion to the True and Living Lord. Our God is not a Narcissistic Egotist, Divine Santa Claus, Cosmic Killjoy, Passive Grandfather, the Man Upstairs, nor a Divine Tyrant. This is not the God our Bible presents (Ex. 20:3-4; 34:4-9, 14)! The worship of God must be according to spirit and truth. There is no tolerance for gross mischaracterizations of Him. We are called upon to repent of and reject the gods of our imaginations and turn to The God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Positive compliance with this requirement solicits devoting ourselves to the True and Living God alone (1Sam. 7:3, 4)! Look at what Moses said in Deuteronomy 6:5, “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Simply stated God made all of us and He requires entire devotion. It is He who redeemed us comprehensively and this solicits a complete dedication to Him. It is as if God is speaking through the wise Solomon saying “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways” (Proverbs 23:26). God desires each of our hearts; again this is the absolute best for us. The Lord Jesus, God the Son, required unparalleled devotion and commitment from His disciples. In Matthew 10:37-38, Christ stipulated, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸ And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” That is correct; the Lord Jesus requires the most complete devotion of His genuine followers. This has always been the case with God. See other biblical examples of entire and comprehensive devotions (Josh. 24:14, 15; Ps. 31:5; Isa. 6:8). This is legitimately a spiritual standard for true believers.

This reminds me of an account I read by Walter B. Knight years ago entitled, “Take All The Keys, Lord.” Dr. F. B. Meyer came to a crucial, transitional time in his ministry. He sat dejectedly in his study. “My ministry is unfruitful, and I lack spiritual power,” he said to himself.

Suddenly Christ seemed to stand beside him. “Let me have the keys to your life,” Christ said. The experience was so realistic that he reached into his pocket and took out a bunch of keys! “Are all the keys here?” “Yes, Lord, all except the key to one small room in my life.” Christ said: “If you cannot trust me in all rooms of your life, I cannot accept any of the keys.”

Dr. Meyer was so overwhelmed with the feeling that Christ was moving out of his life because he was excluding Him from one interest in his life that he cried out, “Come back, Lord, and take the keys to all the rooms of my life!”

Through Submission: Submit to the authority of God’s Word, His judgments, and the leadership He has placed in your life (1 Sam. 7:6). The last portion of verse six says “And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh” (1Sam. 7:6). Herein lays this principle of submission. It is rebellion that leads us into sin, but submission to God’s authority in our lives is partly how we come home.

Consider how the nation of Israel gathers in Mizpeh for rededication and to submit themselves to God afresh (v. 5, 6). Samuel judges Israel here attempting to help them correct and straighten out the mess they had made of their lives. His work is corrective and formative! The people are listening to Samuel and following his guidance humbly. Submission is essential to having a heart prepared for the Lord.

Following Christ as Lord requires full submission to Him and His Word. Each of us must recognize His authority in our lives. Christ is Lord of all. Superficial, convenient, enthusiastic, and shallow commitment will never do for a life of real discipleship (Luke 14:25-35). Following Christ means submitting ourselves to God-given authorities in our lives as well. This refers to parents, husbands, proper leaders, godly pastors, and properly elected officials. Christians should follow the leadership of our faithful Pastors as he follows Christ Jesus the Lord. Notice the clarity Hebrews 13:7, 8, brings to this statement saying “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. [8] Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Again the writer of Hebrews says in chapter 13:17, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” It is true not everyone who calls himself ‘pastor’ deserves to be followed because they do not point people to Christ. There are; however, godly men who labor in the Word and sound doctrine, they are solid Gospel preachers, men who are faithful and fervent in prayer, they love the Lord deeply and truly, and they serve God’s churches in the power of God. Such men should be submitted to as they follow Christ; the pretenders should be forsaken as counterfeits who condemn men’s souls to hell. Flee from them…it does not matter how popular they are…they are extremely dangerous wolves.

Preferring The Nickel

A little girl approached her father and said, “Father, I want a nickel.” The father drew out his wallet and offered her a neat five-dollar bill. But the little girl, not knowing what it was, would not take it. “I don’t want that,” she said, “I want a nickel.” Are there times when we deal with our Heavenly Father as this little girl dealt with her earthly father? Do we sometimes ask for some small favor and refuse his offer of a blessing a hundred times more valuable? (Tan: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations)

Through Supplication: Restore prayer as a spiritual discipline to connect with God both individually and corporately (1 Sam. 7:5, 6). Samuel summoned the nation of Israel to Mizpeh for a prayer meeting! This solid prophet of the Lord must always be associated with prayer; see 12:23. He was born in answer to his mother’s prayers (chap. 1); he prayed for his nation and defeated the enemy (7:13); he prayed when Israel defied the Lord and asked for a king (8:6); and he prayed for King Saul (15:11) even after God had rejected him. (Wiersbe: Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament)

Perhaps prayerlessness or a weak and inconsistent prayer life is a problem (1Sam. 7:5). Maybe you struggle with irregular prayer habits, no real prayer time. Perhaps prayer is not a passionate experience; it has become a dull and routine. Regardless, you can make communion with God a normal part of your day. Connect with Him early on and stay in contact throughout each day. Build an intimate life with God through prayer; cultivate a heart that is always prepared for Him.

Conclusion:

There is no limit to what God could do through our lives if we would simply give ourselves to Him without reservations. Yes, we must immediately stop trying to manage God, and invite Him to live with us most intimately. Let each of us prepare our hearts for the Lord through contrition, aspiration, dedication, submission, and supplication. Go ahead and start today…now is the perfect time. Prepare your heart...prepare your heart for the Lord Jesus. 

 Stomping On The Violin

It was advertised in one of the large cities of the USA that a great violinist would play on a violin worth $1,000. The theater was packed. Many were curious and wanted to hear such an expensive instrument being played. The violinist went on stage and played very beautifully.

Suddenly, he threw the violin on the floor and then began to stomp on it, crushing it to pieces, then walked off the stage. The people were shocked. But then the manager came on stage and said that the violinist did not really use the $1,000 violin but a $20 one. He would now play on the $1,000 one. And so he did. But few people could tell the difference. He simply wanted to show that it was the violinist rather than the violin that makes the music.

In the Master’s hands, even a $20 fiddle would make good music. (Tan: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations)

Whatever you assess the value of your life to be, it is time to place it in the hands of the Master. He can do far more with it than you or I can. Why not trust Him with you? Give Him all of you….

So, how can we prepare our hearts for the Lord? According to First Samuel 7:1-6, it is by:

·        By Strenuously Avoiding any Attempts to Manage God (1Sam. 7:1-3).

·        By Unreservedly Embracing Intimacy with God (1 Sam. 7:3-6).

Is there any hope for those who have wandered far way from God? They were once so committed to the Lord, but now.... God is the great Restorer and Reviver! Even after extended periods in deep dark sin, He remains our only hope and help for restoration and revival. He is merciful and gracious and full of loving-kindness...why not return to Him? He is able to revitalize our fellowship and life with Him even after long periods of deadness, unfruitfulness, and barrenness--after all of those wasted years. When we return to Him... humble ourselves to confess our sins, repent deep within, and re-dedicate ourselves to Him, He will forgive and receive us unto Himself. He will graciously receive us, even after we have wallowed in the grossest forms of sins.

Will God restore fallen and half-hearted believers who have been trying to "manage" Him instead of embracing a life with Him at the controls? The answer is absolutely, yes! 

 It is time to give God your life! It is time for Him to have control of you: all of you. Revival is possible when we prepare our hearts for the Lord Jesus' rule.