“Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins. Then wonderful times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord….” (Acts 3:19, 20)

Our success in communicating the good news of Jesus Christ to others is often in proportion to our enthusiasm as God's ambassadors. All of us need the two-fold cleansing and spiritual refreshment spoken of in the above verse. The Old Testament prophet Hosea once exclaimed “Oh that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know Him! Then He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.” Hosea 6:3

The “times of refreshment” I speak of equal “times of cooling” as we escape to shade in the heat of the day “times of humidity” which soften, moistures, saturates and revised soul. God's reviving influence is often likened to rain (Isaiah 34:3; 35:1; 61:11) Ezekiel 34:26

Cleanings and spiritual refreshment go hand in hand. “The times of refreshment” come noticeably “from the presence of the Lord,” these “agreeable pauses” in life result in fruitfulness just as surely as the rains soaked earth responds with newness of life. Refreshment, restitution and fruitfulness follow our acknowledged need of them.

Are you weary? Are you dry? Are you Jaded or barren? If so, congratulations, you qualify for refreshment. Hagai the prophet speaking in the time of spiritual barrenness for Gods people, records; “So the Lord sparked the enthusiasms of Zerubbaebel… governor of Judah…. and the whole remnant of God's people. They came and began their work on the house of Lord Almighty their God.” Hagai 1:14

As we approach the summer months we are also approaching a new season of fruitfulness in our corporate church life. Scan the lengths, heights and breadths of your wilderness for that will be the future geography of your garden. Our theme as a church for the rest of the year will be one of fruitfulness resting upon a foundation of cleansing and spiritual refreshment.

In Mark chapter two Jesus heals actually “revives” a man with a withered hand. This specific healing underscores Jesus' willingness to revive, restore and resurrect portions of our lives that have become crippled and useless. In the story something happened to the man that rendered his once healthy hand useless, he was a one-handed man in a two-handed world. He had to get by in life with only half the strength necessary. But Jesus saw his need and restored him to full fruitfulness and industry. A “time of refreshment” came to that man through Christ that day in the synagogue. What parts of you were once alive and now seem dead, dry or barren?

Acknowledge the barren, turn to Jesus and He will revive all the parts of your soul for His glory.

Love,

Craig