Keeping Fresh
To stay spiritually fresh, we must avoid getting into a rut and maintain a sense of urgency and sincerity in our prayers.
The preacher delves into the concept of 'hupomnesis,' which means to actively remind or be passively reminded of something, often prompted by another. This act of remembering is crucial in the Christian faith, as it stirs believers to action and keeps them stable in their walk with God. The Holy Spirit plays a vital role in bringing to remembrance God's Word, as seen in John 14:26. The sermon emphasizes the importance of continually stirring up one's mind with the truths of Scripture, as exemplified in 2 Timothy 1:5 and 2 Peter 3:1.
Text
To stay free from religious ennui we should be careful not to get into a rut, not even a good rut. Our Lord warned against vain repetition. There is repetition that is not vain, but oft-repeated prayers become vain when they have lost their urgency. We should examine our prayers every now and again to discover how much sincerity and spontaneity they possess. We should insist on keeping them simple, candid, fresh and, original. And above all we should never seek to induce holy emotions. When we feel dry it is wise either to ignore it or to tell God about it without any sense of guilt.
If we are dry because of some wrong on our part the Spirit through the Word will show us the fault.
In short, we can keep from going stale by getting proper rest, by practicing complete candor in prayer, by introducing variety into our lives, by heeding God?s call to move onward and by exercising quiet faith always.
Sermon Outline
- Avoiding Religious Ennui
- Maintaining Freshness in Prayer
- Responding to Dryness in Spirituality
- Don't seek to induce holy emotions
- Heed God's call to move onward
Key Quotes
“Our Lord warned against vain repetition.” — A.W. Tozer
“When we feel dry it is wise either to ignore it or to tell God about it without any sense of guilt.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Make sure to examine your prayers regularly to ensure they are sincere and spontaneous.
- Avoid seeking to induce holy emotions, and instead focus on having a quiet faith.
- Be willing to move forward in faith, even when you feel dry or stagnant.