The Threshold of Refreshing

Acts 3:19, 20 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.

Through grace we acknowledge that sin has been wiped out, the sin of yesterday, today and tomorrow. To be refreshed is to be revived; to be replenished; or renewed by stimulation.  While sin is wiped away, we often retain beliefs and perspectives that are not grounded in grace. This leads to seasons of frustration lacking the progress ordained by the Lord.  There are also seasons of seemingly endless challenges of ministry. This causes us to grow weary at heart. 

Too often we want God to swoop in and sovereignly refresh us, when our own soul has erected a wall between us and refreshing.  But, praise God, every wall has a way around it or a way through it to get to the other side! There is a doorway through that wall that leads to refreshing.  A season is coming when YOU are replenished, revived, and stimulated to passionately continue the work of the ministry….whatever that may be. I believe many of you stand at this wall seeking that small doorway, the narrow threshold beyond which lies a season of refreshing. 

Repent from wrong perspectives and push through the challenges. You will pass through the threshold into a season of refreshing at a pivot point…the point of ‘turning to God’; the point of worshipping Him. Turn from the circumstances of life to the author of life. Change from self focus to Kingdom focus.  Now your mindset and perspectives begin to align with God’s. You pass through the threshold freed from toxic self-absorption and flowing in refreshing! We praise God for His encouragement before refreshing and thank Him for reviving us after refreshing!!!

Hope, the Anchor of the Soul

Heb. 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. 

Hope is a powerful emotional and intellectual asset that under-girds our daily outlook on life. To Hope is to look forward with confident expectation toward fulfillment of a desire, dream, or promise. Hope is a key component of faith according to Heb. 11:1, Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  As hope wanes so does faith! As hope wanes we begin to feel insecure, wavering, and tentative in our soul.  We don’t feel anchored, firmly established in that to which God has called us, in the vision He has given us, or in the direction He is leading us.  

We can hope for many things, but those things grounded in the Truth of His Word and the impartation of His Spirit must continue to be an anchor for OUR soul. As leaders in business, government and ministry we all go through seasons of waning hope in some aspect of our lives. At times our soul reflects the essence of Prov. 13:12a, Hope deferred makes a heart sick.  We may be weary of hoping and tired of doing good when outward evidence is contrary.  But the Lord encourages us to stay hopeful!

Be encouraged you saints of God! God is faithful!  His Word is True! His promises are ‘yes’ in Christ! Be encouraged as Joshua was encouraged before crossing the Jordan. Be encouraged as Paul and Silas were encouraged in the jail cell.  Be encouraged as the 120 prayed hoping for the promised Holy Spirit; encouraged by the promise of their Savior who said ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised’. (Acts 1:4) All continued to hope when outward signs appeared hopeless.

Suddenly it all changed! Hope is fulfilled suddenly!  Promises are fulfilled suddenly! Joshua crossed the Jordan and took the Promised Land. Paul and Silas walked through the open doors of the jail cell into freedom.  The 120 experienced the wind and fire of the Holy Spirit. Hell could not hold back fulfillment of the promises! Praise the Lord!  Hope was transformed into reality…suddenly!  Suddenly people experienced Prov. 13:12b ‘a longing fulfilled is a tree of life’. Praise His Name!  Keep on hoping my friends! Keep on praying my friends! Keep on worshiping mighty men and women of God!  You stand on the threshold of fulfillment! You stand before an open door of the promise! Do not lose hope…stay strong, anchored in that which He has spoken by His Word and imparted by His Spirit!