Sunday, January 5, 2025

Sunday Message: Renew!

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(Isaiah 43:18-19)

 

18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

19 Behold, I will do a new thing;... 

 

We praise GOD for bringing us to this New Year, 2025! 

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Church Family and Friends, according to Lamentations 3:22-23, God’s mercy is new every morning. Enjoy each New Day filled with New Mercies! 

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In this passage of scripture, a strong exhortation is made to forget the former things, the Lord says, “See, I am doing a new thing! Do you not perceive it?” 

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Basically, we are to receive God’s forgiveness and look forward to the new things the Lord will do in our lives. 

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God wants to do a new thing in our lives. He wants us to rise up to our full potential in Him. 

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As Believers, it’s imperative that we learn to put the past behind us. Since we all have a past and done some things not so good, we need to ask God for forgiveness, learn from our past mistakes, and make amends. 

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God wants to heal everything that hurts us, but first we have to surrender to His will.

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Of course, the past causes us to appreciate the present and look forward to the future. 

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However, don’t get caught in a rut and allow the past to dictate or dominate any negativity in life’s activities and experiences.

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As we entertain our Sunday Thought, “Renew!, simply means “to give fresh life or strength” – a form of revival – “to regenerate, to revitalize, to reinvigorate, to restore.”

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Actually, we must get our focus off the past and fasten our focus upon the power of the Lord. The writer of Hebrews tells us to: “…fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:2). 

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As Believers, the Lord has called us to do mighty things. 

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Yes, some of us have difficulty releasing the past and looking ahead with hope. 

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Paul writes in Philippians 3:13-14, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”.

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Paul encourages us to press onward with confidence. Paul did this, it was his secret and it worked.

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God does not want us to go through life looking in the rear -view mirror. 

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We have to keep moving forward. It is only in moving forward that we ever accomplish what God has called us to. 

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As we commit to fulfilling Our Vision: “Christian Believers advancing the ministry of outreach and evangelism for soul-winning and kingdom growth”, we cannot become stagnate, nor can we go backwards.

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In conclusion, all of the Bible celebrates in God’s hopefulness. “The LORD will create a new thing on the earth. . .I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” (Jeremiah 31:22a,25) 

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“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old is gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) 

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And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” (Revelation 21:5)

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“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. (John 3:16 KJV)

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“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. (Psalm 51:10-12 KJV)

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Church Family and Friends, as we start this new year together, let’s do as Isaiah 55:6 says, “ Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:”

 

Happy New Year! 

 

Be Blessed, 

Pastor Jeff