How to make a fresh START
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Today we celebrate the start of church for 2010.
The good news of the gospel is that God is into fresh starts.
Isa 43:16 This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, Isa 43:17 who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together,and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick: Isa 43:18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. Isa 43:19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
We need to understand that God is far more interested in our future than He is in our past. This morning I want to share with you, “How To Make a Fresh Start”. I want to share with you a formula for starting over. S.T.A.R.T.
S – Stop making excuses.
If I want a fresh start in life, I have to stop making excuses for my failures. I’ve got to stop blaming other people. I’ve got to stop seeing myself as the victim of my circumstances.
Pr 28:13 He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Proverbs 28:13 “A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if he confess and forsakes them he gets another chance.”
T - Take an Inventory of your life.
As you take inventory of your life in starting over, you need to ask yourself three questions.
What have I learned? What have you learned from past experiences? If you don’t set down and think it through, you’ll end up repeating the same mistake over and over again because you didn’t learn from it the first time. You don’t live there but you need to learn from previous mistakes. Those who don’t learn are doomed to repeat them.
What are my assets? What have I got going for me? Have I got my health? Have I got my freedom? Am I still mentally sound? Have I got some friends? Have I got the Lord? Have I got a church family? What do I have that I can get a fresh start with?
Who can help me? When we need a fresh start, we need somebody by our side – a friend, an accountability partner, a support person, or a support group. Find someone that can help you.
A - Act in faith
This is the third step in getting a fresh start. Act in faith. You have to launch out into new territory. The Bible says that the key to changing anything is faith. If you want to change your circumstance, it takes faith. If you want to change your personality, it takes faith. If you want to change anything in your life, you have to have some faith.
Jesus says this in Matthew 9. “ According to your faith it will be done to you.” That is a very simple statement but it’s very powerful. “According to your faith it will be done to you.” That means we tend to get out of life what we expect. “According to your faith it will be done to you."
What are you expecting in life? Are things going to be better or worse? Are they going to be the same? If you act in faith then you will do something positive to ensure that you don’t repeat the same mistakes over.
R – Refocus your thoughts on God’s plans
You need to refocus your thoughts if you want to change my life.
Proverbs 4:23 "Be careful how you think. Your life is shaped by your thoughts."
PR 23:7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is… Amp
What you meditate on and the way you think, determines the way you feel. And the way you feel determines the way you act. If you want to change your actions, just change the way you think and it will inevitably change the way you act.
Romans 12:2 “ Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. ”
T – Trust God
Trust God to help us succeed. Depend on Him. We don’t need depend on ourselves. We’ve already proven that we can’t do it on our own.
We can’t change who we are, only God can do that. I am not speaking about the outward man but the inner man. The real person is the hidden person of the heart. Success in the Christian life is not trying harder, but living smarter.
Zechariah 4:6 “ You will not succeed by your own strength or power but by My Spirit, says the Lord. ”
Church is back this Sunday
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Looking forward to seeing you back in church this Sunday at 9.30am. If you are on holidays and looking for a great church to visit, you'll find a warm welcome at Peninsula. Need directions or looking for a lift? Phone 0402 007 258
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