A Fresh Experience of God
E.A. Johnston emphasizes the necessity of seeking a fresh, daily encounter with God to sustain spiritual vitality and avoid spiritual decline.
In this devotional sermon, E.A. Johnston shares a personal testimony highlighting the vital importance of daily seeking God to maintain spiritual strength. Drawing from the example of the Israelites and the manna, Johnston warns against relying on past spiritual highs and encourages believers to cultivate fresh encounters with God each day. This message challenges Christians to prioritize their quiet time and avoid spiritual stagnation.
Full Transcript
A brown book if you need it. Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face. Things of earth will grow stronger.
Let's just sing that together. Amen. Let me say this, if more Christians sat at his feet, less Christians would fall on their face.
We should sit every day at his feet in the quiet time. It's something we should do every day. Let me give you an example.
I came off a week of spiritual highs. Every day I felt like I was on top of Mount Sinai in the presence of God. I felt like I was in that cliff to the rock with God walking by me and allowing me to see his backside.
You know those experiences, those spiritual highs, but what comes after the spiritual high, right? You can't stay on top of the mountain forever, right? Well, at the end of the week I was very fatigued. 16-17 hour days, very fatigued. I normally get up at 4.45 in the morning to have my quiet time and that Friday morning I was rushed.
I rushed my quiet time. I rushed to my office at work and I was in the flesh all day. I fell, I fell in my walk.
I fell in my walk, I'll say that. Well, as I was driving home, I was praying and I said, Lord, why did that happen? Why did I fail so miserably today after being in your presence so strongly throughout the week? How did that happen, Lord? And it was as if he spoke to me. You know how he speaks to you in a quiet place in your heart and no one else speaks to you in a quiet place here.
He spoke to me and he said so clearly, he said, you cannot face today, let alone this hour, on yesterday's experience of me. You must seek and meet me every day. Then a text came to me in the Old Testament so vividly, I thought about the Israelites and the manna and how God ordered them not to store up the manna, because what happened when they stored up the manna? It got worms in it, didn't it? And that voice came to me again and that voice told me, unless you seek me afresh every day, your Christian walk will have worms in it, worms in it.
And that's a problem with a lot of preaching today, it's got worms in it.
Sermon Outline
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I. The Importance of Daily Quiet Time
- Christians should sit daily at Jesus' feet
- Quiet time sustains spiritual strength
- Neglecting quiet time leads to spiritual failure
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II. The Reality of Spiritual Highs and Lows
- Spiritual highs are temporary experiences
- Fatigue and rushing can cause spiritual falls
- One cannot rely on past experiences alone
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III. The Necessity of Fresh Encounters with God
- God calls for a fresh seeking every day
- Old manna analogy illustrates daily dependence
- Spiritual life must be renewed continually
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IV. The Danger of Spiritual Stagnation
- Stored up spiritual experiences can decay
- Preaching and faith can become 'wormy' without renewal
- Continuous seeking prevents spiritual decline
Key Quotes
“You cannot face today, let alone this hour, on yesterday's experience of me.” — E.A. Johnston
“Unless you seek me afresh every day, your Christian walk will have worms in it.” — E.A. Johnston
“If more Christians sat at his feet, less Christians would fall on their face.” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Commit to spending intentional quiet time with God every day without rushing.
- Recognize that past spiritual experiences cannot sustain you; seek God anew daily.
- Avoid spiritual complacency by regularly renewing your faith through prayer and Scripture.