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Who do you thank? Gratitude in all things comes through a renewed heart and mind. Being thankful is found in the Bible multiple times. As Believers, as followers of Christ, we are called to give thanks to God for everything— in all things, for all things, during all things. Thankfulness is to produce rejoicing in our lives to glorify God. Saying “thank you” to God hardly seems enough in light of all He has done for us. And yet, when we do, He gladly receives our praise.
Our prayers need to be seasoned with the word of God. When we pray using the Scriptures we talk to God in His language, using His way of speaking. With it, brings power. When we pray through the Bible, we are bringing God’s word directly into our prayers and His power into our praying.
How many of you want God to do something new in your life? *Raise your hand* Scripture reminds us that it takes faith, a small amount, a mustard size faith for the new to come, to change, but we must be willing to change. Making a fresh start begins by allowing God to do His will and way in and through us to make all things new. When we hold onto what we’ve always done, where we’ve always gone it doesn’t take faith. In fact we then are stuck in a rut. Let this Fresh Start Sunday become truly a fresh start walking with God, talking with God and allowing His to do some amazing new things through our faith in what He can and will do.
I am sure most of us think we are good citizens— good people doing good things. That we live right and treat others right. Yet, is that the same thing as living an upright life, a life that is in line with God’s word? Scripture reminds us to pursue righteousness. Righteousness is a long word that means to live rightly as God asks us to live. When a woman is healed after 16 years of being hunched over, her immediate action was to praise God! Our lives, how we live them ought to praise God through every aspect of them.
So much of what we do is empty without the love of Jesus fueling our actions. Throughout his life on earth, Jesus consistently showed compassion to others. That’s because Jesus is real and He invites us to follow his pattern of consistency in ways we live out our love for the people God puts in our paths. Jesus’ example invites us to make love and service part of our everyday life.
If you were asked to make a choice and you could either choose life or death, you probably would adamantly say, “I choose life.” Good choice! Now, what if having that life meant putting your all into a relationship where that person would protect you, provide for you, love you, and even die for you? Are you all in for life? God has arranged it all, everything so that you may have life and it is through His Son, Jesus Christ. Life comes through Him, by putting your all into a relationship with Him.
God’s love for us is not based on conditions. His love never changes. May we be reminded that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). That is how God demonstrated His love, His unfailing love for each one of us— for you. You may be thinking that God could never love you because of what you have done. God’s love is not based on what you have done but is based on what Jesus did on the cross. One thing in this life you can be guaranteed of is that God’s love is unfailing.
When we consider recent events in our world, we realize that everyone is looking for peace. What has you nervous today? What has you frustrated, anxious, or afraid? Whatever it may be, you need to discover that the only source for real peace that meets your need is Jesus Christ. The world tries to give you peace by changing your circumstance. If your neighbors are frustrating_ move. If your spouse is hard to live with — divorce. If someone has something you want— take with force. If don’t like your job— quit. Too much stress— escape. Jesus does not try to change your circumstances, He offers a change of heart instead. Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, there’s a dream God has given you or maybe a dream that has been rekindled by last week’s Sermon and Study. Now what? Our next step is to focus on the one main thing in life that will keep us moving forward to obtain it. It sounds simple! Yet, in reality, it rarely comes easily. The push and pull of everyday life make take away some of the excitement we once had. But that’s why we must learn to Remain Focused. Fix our eyes on Jesus and the promise God has given to get us through.
Moving forward is sometimes a bit difficult especially when you’re not sure where to go. That’s when we need to dream God-sized dreams, to “Seize Tomorrow, Today!” As a follower of Jesus, you are called to look ahead and move forward in power, passion, and purpose. The good thing is, God always knows where you are going, and He has promised to never abandon you on your journey.
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