Rising from Ashes: Embracing Transformation and Hope

 

Summary

Rising from the ashes is a journey of transformation and renewal, a theme that resonates deeply with our spiritual walk. After a much-needed sabbatical, I return with a message of hope and encouragement, emphasizing the importance of resting in God rather than from God. Just as Jesus retreated to the mountain to recharge, we too must find our spiritual sanctuary to reconnect and rejuvenate. This time away allows us to return with renewed faith and expectancy, ready to rise from the ashes of our past struggles and step into a new season of divine purpose.

The concept of rising from the ashes challenges our perception of what seems irredeemable. While ashes may appear as remnants of destruction, God sees potential and beauty. He transforms our brokenness into something magnificent, reminding us that His ways are higher than ours. This transformation is not without suffering, but it is through these trials that we grow and mature. Suffering, whether divinely ordered or a result of our own actions, is a tool God uses to refine us and bring about His greater glory.

Romans 8 serves as a powerful reminder of our identity as children of God, joint heirs with Christ, and the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Spirit intercedes for us in our weakness, helping us to pray and groan in ways that words cannot express. This groaning is a sign of our longing for the redemption of our bodies and the full realization of our adoption as God's children. It is a process of sanctification, where we are being saved and prepared for the glory that awaits us.

As we navigate the challenges of life, we must keep our eyes on the eternal rather than the temporal. Our hope is not in the immediate relief of our struggles but in the future glory that God will reveal. This hope fuels our eagerness and enthusiasm as we wait for the fulfillment of God's promises. In the meantime, we are called to live in faith, trusting that God is working all things for our good and His glory.

Key Takeaways:

- Resting in God: Taking time to rest in God, rather than from Him, is essential for spiritual renewal. Just as Jesus retreated to the mountain, we must find our sanctuary to recharge and reconnect with God, allowing us to return with renewed faith and expectancy. [00:22]

- Transformation from Ashes: God sees potential in what seems irredeemable. He transforms our brokenness into beauty, reminding us that His ways are higher than ours. This transformation often involves suffering, which God uses to refine us and bring about His greater glory. [03:03]

- Role of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit intercedes for us in our weakness, helping us to pray and groan in ways that words cannot express. This groaning signifies our longing for redemption and the full realization of our adoption as God's children. [35:23]

- Eternal Perspective: Our hope is not in immediate relief but in the future glory that God will reveal. Keeping our eyes on the eternal rather than the temporal fuels our eagerness and enthusiasm as we wait for the fulfillment of God's promises. [09:45]

- Living in Faith: We are called to live in faith, trusting that God is working all things for our good and His glory. This involves surrendering to His process of sanctification, where we are being saved and prepared for the glory that awaits us. [16:00]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction and Sabbatical Reflection
- [00:38] - Resting in God
- [01:25] - Faith and Expectancy
- [02:09] - Rising from the Ashes
- [03:03] - God's Perspective on Ashes
- [04:09] - Romans 8: Suffering and Glory
- [05:09] - Divinely Ordered Suffering
- [07:21] - Responding to Suffering
- [09:45] - Hope in Future Glory
- [14:20] - Salvation and Sanctification
- [16:00] - Process of Being Saved
- [18:38] - Encountering God's Holiness
- [26:12] - Eagerly Awaiting Redemption
- [35:23] - Groaning for Redemption
- [49:33] - Conclusion and Call to Rise

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Rising from the Ashes

Bible Reading:
1. Romans 8:18-27
2. Isaiah 61:3 - "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."

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Observation Questions:

1. In Romans 8:18, Paul speaks about the sufferings of the present time. How does he compare these sufferings to the future glory that will be revealed? [09:45]

2. The sermon mentions Jesus retreating to the mountain to recharge. What does this signify about the importance of finding a spiritual sanctuary? [00:38]

3. How does the sermon describe the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, especially in times of weakness? [42:12]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the nature of suffering and its purpose in our spiritual journey? [05:09]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of "rising from the ashes" challenge our perception of what seems irredeemable in our lives? [02:09]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that suffering can lead to spiritual growth and maturity? [06:07]

3. How does the sermon describe the process of sanctification and the role of the Holy Spirit in this process? [16:00]

4. What does it mean to have an eternal perspective, and how can this perspective influence our daily lives? [09:45]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt like you were "in the ashes." How did you see God working to bring beauty from that situation? [02:09]

2. The sermon emphasizes resting in God rather than from Him. What practical steps can you take to create a spiritual sanctuary in your life? [00:38]

3. How can you become more aware of the Holy Spirit's intercession in your life, especially during times of weakness? [42:12]

4. Consider a current struggle or suffering in your life. How might God be using this situation to refine you and bring about His greater glory? [06:07]

5. What are some ways you can shift your focus from the temporal to the eternal in your daily life? How might this change your perspective on current challenges? [09:45]

6. Identify one area in your life where you need to trust that God is working all things for your good and His glory. How can you actively surrender this area to Him? [16:00]

7. Think of a person or situation that tests your patience. What is a short prayer you can say before the next time you interact with that person or face that situation? [20:29]

Devotional

Day 1: Finding Sanctuary in God
Resting in God is not merely about taking a break from the busyness of life; it is about intentionally seeking His presence to recharge and renew our spirits. Just as Jesus retreated to the mountain to pray and find solitude, we too must find our spiritual sanctuary where we can reconnect with God. This time of rest is essential for spiritual renewal, allowing us to return with renewed faith and expectancy, ready to face the challenges ahead. By resting in God, we acknowledge our dependence on Him and open ourselves to His transformative power. [00:22]

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29, ESV)

Reflection: Where is your spiritual sanctuary, and how can you intentionally create space to rest in God's presence this week?


Day 2: Beauty from Ashes
The concept of rising from the ashes challenges our perception of what seems irredeemable. While ashes may appear as remnants of destruction, God sees potential and beauty. He transforms our brokenness into something magnificent, reminding us that His ways are higher than ours. This transformation is not without suffering, but it is through these trials that we grow and mature. Suffering, whether divinely ordered or a result of our own actions, is a tool God uses to refine us and bring about His greater glory. [03:03]

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." (Ecclesiastes 3:11, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life that feels like ashes, and how can you invite God to transform it into something beautiful?


Day 3: The Spirit's Intercession
Romans 8 serves as a powerful reminder of our identity as children of God, joint heirs with Christ, and the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Spirit intercedes for us in our weakness, helping us to pray and groan in ways that words cannot express. This groaning is a sign of our longing for the redemption of our bodies and the full realization of our adoption as God's children. It is a process of sanctification, where we are being saved and prepared for the glory that awaits us. [35:23]

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." (Romans 8:26, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you feel weak, and how can you rely on the Holy Spirit to intercede for you today?


Day 4: Hope in Future Glory
As we navigate the challenges of life, we must keep our eyes on the eternal rather than the temporal. Our hope is not in the immediate relief of our struggles but in the future glory that God will reveal. This hope fuels our eagerness and enthusiasm as we wait for the fulfillment of God's promises. In the meantime, we are called to live in faith, trusting that God is working all things for our good and His glory. [09:45]

"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:17-18, ESV)

Reflection: How can you shift your focus from temporary struggles to the eternal hope that God promises?


Day 5: Living in Faith
We are called to live in faith, trusting that God is working all things for our good and His glory. This involves surrendering to His process of sanctification, where we are being saved and prepared for the glory that awaits us. Living in faith means embracing the journey of transformation, even when it involves suffering and trials. It is a daily commitment to trust in God's promises and to walk in obedience to His will. [16:00]

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to exercise more faith, and how can you take a step of obedience today?

Quotes


I was talking to some somebody here this morning about what it means to have a sabbatical doesn't mean we rest from God, we rest in God and sometimes we need to get away and maybe have kind of a timeout type of thing where pastors can get away and just rest in God we can recharge we connect spiritually we connect on an emotional level we have that time with each other but we also have that time with God. [00:30:72]

When God sees the ashes though you it seems like you're at the end of yourself and God can't do nothing with those ashes God will take those ashes and make something beautiful out of it let me tell you that we're rising from the ashes church and we're stepping into a new season with some of the things that God has called us to do. [00:183:00]

There's two kinds of suffering, Church there's two kinds of suffering, that's right there's two kinds of suffering there's suffering that's divinely ordered that means God's allowing something to come into your life okay that's divinely ordered that's Divine Providence that's outside of your understanding this thing's been allowed to come in amen so it can do something in you and through you okay so it's not in vain. [00:307:08]

The Lord says just be still in that which is coming because that suffering that's been allowed to come into your life is producing something in you for God's greater glory there's some maturity happening and some expanding happening that needs to take place and that's Godly Divine and has been allowed to come into your life amen. [00:367:03]

Yet what we suffer now Romans 8:18 is nothing everybody say nothing, nothing compared to the glory he will revealed to us later I don't want the later I want it now don't you want a little taste of the glory ain't that what he said, yeah no nobody seen nacho Libra I guess that one went over the head. [00:578:92]

When you're saved you're being saved there's a progress of sanctification that means God is working something in you whether it's through a trial suffering, Temptation Lo whatever the case may be there's a something dying inside of you and something coming alive in you as you're being saved God's doing a wonderful work in you because the good work he has begun he shall bring it to completion on the day when Jesus Christ returns. [00:958:27]

The closer you get to God the more you encounter his Holiness for some of you sister no no one knows what I'm talking about Teresa some of you know what I'm talking about here some others but others listen to me though the more and more you encounter the leaving off yourself the more you come encounter yourself that part of you that's broken and fallen and something happens in that moment you start to rely on God even more. [01:066:52]

For we know that all creation has been groaning everybody say groaning groaning as in the Pains of childbirth right up to the present time Hallelujah that means we can see in nature the groanings that are taking place in the earth because of the fall of Man because of the curse that God has put on the earth. [01:779:20]

And we Believers Hallelujah everybody say belever Believers Believers and we Believers the body of Christ the church also what grown he's saying as creation is groaning so are we do you see the creation groaning we are groaning with creation hallelujah what does that look like church what is the groan what is that inward groan even though we have the Holy Spirit. [01:062:159]

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness infirmities for example we don't know what God wants us to pray for sometimes but the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words me and Pastor facing some extreme things some very difficult things and she'll explain a little more at the end when she comes up and gives some announcements and things. [01:578:16]

There's sometimes when something hits you that that's so you can't even explain it it's just it interrupts your whole course of life and and there's so many things that happen in that moment whether it be loss is a big one, amen financial difficulty whatever happens sudden car wreck or whatever the case may be church God will step in and help us in those places of weakness. [01:604:52]

The father who knows all Hearts knows what the spirit is saying come on and give a hallelujah hallelujah praise God I love that and the father who's our father God in heaven knows all the hearts not your mental heady whatever you feel needs to be from here out I love how it says heart God knows the heart God knows the heart that's right amen. [01:973:359]

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Transcript
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