Pastor Jeremy kicks off our new series, “Awaken,” with an important reminder– God wants a very real and personal relationship with each one of us. God doesn’t merely want to help us behave better in 2025; He wants to bring a fresh work of His spirit into our hearts and revival into our souls!
Notes 📓✏️:
It Starts in Me – Pastor Jeremy DeWeerdt
21% – Save More Money
19% – Eat Healthier
17% – Exercise More
15% – Lose Weight
14% – Spend More Time with Family/Friends
9% – Quit Smoking
9% – Reduce Spending
43% – Made a resolution to not make a resolution!
In 2025, God wants to give you more than just superficial behavior modification.
God wants to bring revival.
God has built into His creation chances to be new.
Isaiah 43:19 (NCV): “Look at the new thing I am going to do. It is already happening. Don’t you see it? I will make a road in the desert and rivers in the dry land.”
He desires spiritual revival in our hearts more than we do.
“Awaken”
The Great Awakening (1730s-1740s)
The Second Great Awakening (1795-1835)
The Azusa Street Revival (1906-1915)
What is revival?
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT): “Then if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”
Humble – “I’m going to stop trying to run my life without God.”
Pray – “I’m going to talk to God and depend on Him.”
Seek – “I’m going to put forth effort to build a relationship with God.”
Turn – “I’m going to try to live the way God wants to me to live.”
Revival begins in me.
People were religious but lacked passion and zeal.
Trust science and philosophy and reject faith in a God.
People were putting their trust in material wealth rather than in God.
Unity
Hunger for God
Repentance
Holiness
Everyone has sinned.
We need forgiveness and grace from God.
A relationship with God is personal.
God generously gives us a new life in Christ.
Romans 3:23-24 (Msg): “Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners… and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity He put us in right standing with Himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where He always wanted us to be. And He did it by means of Jesus Christ.”
1 John 1:9 (NLT): “But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”
Romans 10:9-10 (NLT): “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”
Isaiah 43:1a-3 (MSG): “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am GOD, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior.”
Humility – “I’m going to stop trying to run my life without God.”
Prayer – “I’m going to talk to God and depend on Him.”
Seeking – “I’m going to put forth effort to build a relationship with God.”
Turning – “I’m going to try to live the way God wants to me to live.
1. I will take responsibility for my own spiritual hunger. (Self-stirrer)
2. I will show up to each service with a posture of excitement, passion, and leaning in.
3. I will continually pray and believe for “greater things” in 2025.
4. I will attend church often.
5. I will seek personal altar moments
6. I will worship regardless
7. I will be a bringer and champion a “bring” culture.
8. I will encourage myself to keep going, regardless of what I feel.
Discussion Questions 📝❓:
- What does it mean to say “revival begins in me?”
- How did the Second Great Awakening influence societal changes, such as the anti-slavery movement?
- According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, what does it mean to be a “new Person” in Christ?
- Why is cooperation with the Holy Spirit a crucial part of our sanctification process?