OLD...NEW

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Ephesians 4:21-24 (V)

If you have heard Jesus and have been taught by Him according to the truth that is in Him, then you know to take off your former way of life, your crumpled old self—to take a fresh breath and to let God renew your attitude and spirit. Then you are ready to put on your new self, modeled after the very likeness of God: truthful, righteous, and holy.

The enemy does his best each and every day to convince us that our relationship with Jesus is weak and ineffective.  He does his best to layer on guilt, shame, uncertainty and accusation to keep us trapped in the sins and the decisions of the past.  He tries time and time again to blind us to who we are and what we have as children of GOD as followers of Christ.  He tries to keep us stuck in our "crumpled old selves".

Don’t let him do that to you today.

Listen to Paul.

Today is the day to breathe in the promise of your new life in Christ!

Today is the day to take Jesus at HIS word, to embrace HIS truth and renew your attitude, your mind and spirit in accordance with HIS! 

Romans 12:2

...be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think...

Today is as good a day as any to put on this NEW self, embrace what new thing GOD has planned for you and step boldly into the day and your purpose!

Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV)

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing…

Day after day I work with folks whose broken past continues to try and dictate their future.  Yet GOD is doing a new thing.  The OLD is just that, OLD.  GOD has something wonderful in store for today if we will just look for it and embrace it!

2 Corinthians 5:17

..anyone united with the Messiah…is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons!

Last night I handed a “one year clean” Bible to someone who just one year ago fell over in a NA meeting so high from heroin she couldn’t control herself and was rushed to the ER.

OLD LIFE GONE! NEW LIFE BURGEONING!

Then there was the young woman sharing from the keyboard a love song of hope to the hurting that was birthed from a lengthy battle with depression and hopelessness.

OLD LIFE GONE! NEW LIFE BURGEONING!

Then there was the old salty vet with a long history of anger issues and alcoholism rushing up the stairs to the stage to request that I be in the tank with him Sunday as he will be baptized.

OLD LIFE GONE! NEW LIFE BURGEONING!

My friends, Jesus is in the RESTORATION and NEWNESS business.  And while there is no way for me to know the circumstances or the challenges facing you today, I can say for certain that JESUS is waiting and ready to intervene and take what may seem like one more “same old same old” day and do something new!

Won’t you do as these friends did and let HIM?

Ezekiel 36:26 (LB)

And I will give you a new heart—I will give you new and right desires—and put a new spirit within you.

Today is as good a day as any!

 

I love you all!

Be blessed today!

Freedom Church

 

Pastor GDelaney