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Title: What Are You Doing? Here

The last two weeks in review,

What happens when we become;

1. Weariness – 2. Checking out – 3. Un-teachable

Scripture verse: I Kings 19:9, “What are you doing, here”.

My observation from counseling, praying for people, altar calls where people share experiences, I find there are many people hiding in places of obscurity for various reasons:

It is a place where we can be removed and hide.

God does response in those moment seem to be immediate, I wonder if he does that because he does not want us to abide in those places for very long, why because we develop bad habits and we also begin to make accommodations for remaining there.

Elijah in a cave

Jonah in a boat

Adam in the garden

Israelites in Judges 6:2 hid in dens and caves.

Gideon hid in a winepress

David hid in the cave Addulam

People hide in Church

When we fail there is a series of emotions that we experience.We find in Adam, when he sinned or failed

Adam tells us something in his response, he says in Genesis 3:10

I heard your voice, I was afraid, because I was naked and I hid myself.

God is on the Search

  • He searched for Adam and Eve in the garden,
  • He searched for Jonah and found him sleeping in a ship at sea.
  • He searched for King Saul and found him in the plains of Gilgal.
  • He searched for David and found him trembling on the throne.

When Godcalls for you, it’s not that he doesn’t know where you are geographically.He calls because he is asking do you know where you are.

What happens to us?

Are you in touch with where you are? When God called Adam in the garden he wasn’t trying to find Adam. He knew where Adam was, God wanted Adam to admit where he was.

He wanted him to fully recognize who he was and what he had done. One of the most important questions you can ask yourself is this, Where am I in life. You may not like the answer but at least you’ll know where you are and that is where progress begins.

Adam’s answer; I heard, I was afraid, I was naked, and I hid.

  • Why do we hide because
  • We don’t believe we can be restored,
  • We hide because we believe God can’t use us,
  • We hide because we don’t know what to do,
  • We hide because if people really knew who I was they wouldn’t like me, so we hide.

Along with our hiding: We have these things that reinforce how we feel!

There are four things that will keep you stuck:

1. Resentment:

2. Regret:

3. Self-Pity:

4. An unteachable spirit.

John Maxwell says, “The problems of people’s past impact them in one of two ways, they experience either a breakdown or a breakthrough.”

Proverbs 1:7

7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

There is a distinction between the teachable and the un-teachable.

The teachable accept correction and desire to learn and be taught.

Thus, they become spiritually mature.

However the un-teachable reject correction and instruction.

What happens is that we become unteachable

When we became yesterday person we operate with our own reasoning.

Yesterday.

RECOGNIZING THE UNTEACHABLE

Jesus said He was lowly in heart,

  • The unteachable are high on their selves.
  • They then voice their discontent against their supposed adversary to others to justify why they didn't follow up on their responsibility.
  • The unteachable among them will see division run rampant among their immature.
  • Now the unteachable becomes, in their mind again "the victim". They see the leadership as mean, cruel, and unloving, and in their opinion the rest of the people don't like them either.

Spiritual cleansing:

How often do you bathe or shower.

Is it important?

How important is your Spirit.

How often does it get cleansed?

How important is it?

Scripture verses that reveals the need for Spiritual Cleansing.

Psalms 51:10Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me

2 Corinthians 7:1New International Version

Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

Examples of Spiritual Cleansing

Washing of the Word

John 13:10-11

10Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

The imagery of God's Word also includes the idea of cleansing power. It is likened to water because water cleanses, as Psalm 119:9 shows: "How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word."

Jesus adds in John 15:3, "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you."

Paul says in Ephesians 5:26, ". . . that He might sanctify and cleanse [the church] with the washing of water by the word."

How to Spring Clean Your Spirit

1) Cleanse Your Heart - Get Spiritually Healthy:

Hebrews 10:22

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.(NIV)

2) Clean Out Your Mouth - Deep Clean Inside and Out:

Lets the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in they sight. Psalms 19:14

3) Renew Your Mind - Take Out the Garbage:

Romans 12:2

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.(NIV)

4) Repent from Hidden Sin - Clean Out Your Spiritual Closets:

Psalm 32:3-5

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"—and you forgave the guilt of my sin.(NIV)

5) Release Unforgiveness and Bitterness - Get Rid of Old Baggage:

Any sin will weigh you down, but long kept unforgiveness and bitterness is like old baggage in the attic you just can't seem to part with. You are so familiar with it, you don't even realize how it is hindering your life.

Ephesians 4:31-32

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.(NIV)