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It’s essential that our prayers be controlled by the word of God. When our prayer life is soaked in the word of God not only are our prayers renewed and fresh, our mind is renewed as well. And when our minds are renewed by the word of God our lives are renewed by the Spirit of God.
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.
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.
In biblical days, an armor-bearer was one who actually carried the shield and armor of his leader as he went into battle, often acting as his personal assistant. The term itself originally meant to figuratively or literally lift up, support, or simply help. The basic attitude of a Modern Day Armor-Bearer is one of servanthood. We are called to lift each other up, to support one another, to encourage, equip, and strengthen each other for the fight of faith. Therefore, it's no surprise the general functions of an armor-bearer: attend to, minister to, care for, help, be of use, assist, benefit, promote, support, make easy for, nourish and encourage are found in the formal definition of "serve”. We all need an armor-bearer as we walk the Christian walk.
As we have journeyed these last weeks through discovering our dream and keeping focused on the things God has planned for us to do, you may have found that your role has changed, your desires have changed, and your assignments from God have changed. They have moved from your desires to what God desires for you. But there is one thing God fully desires is that we all finish well. Getting to the last lap of a race is not the same thing as completing it! The Bible has a lot to say about perseverance in order to cross the finish line.
Belief in the power of positive thinking is not the same thing as an inner wisdom and unwavering confidence in Christ. It doesn’t come from believing in ourselves. True optimism, true belief is in getting our minds right on the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. It comes from biblical convictions about the nature of God and knowing that He loves us and has an exciting plan tailored for just us. Getting our mind right is part of being able to recognize that God is working in and through us to accomplish His purpose.
God has a purpose for you— and this purpose is unique to you and unlike anyone else’s. Once you understand the uniqueness of you, it will put you well on the way to pursuing the purpose for which you were created. The Apostle Paul encourages the early church to press on toward the goal of the upward call. Are you chasing after your God-given dream? Let us pursue everything God has for each one of us
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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WORSHIP GATHERINGS:
Sundays at 9:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. 835 Riverside Avenue Torrington, CT 06790 See our regathering info here PHONE (860) 482-4705 OFFICE EMAIL secretary@firstcong.com GENERAL CHURCH EMAIL fcongrchurch@optonline.net |