Sermon Central
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God Loves New!
Contributed by Charlie Roberts on Jan 3, 2018 (message contributor)
Summary: Its not our circumstances that need to change, but our mindset, our way of thinking. Because when our mindset and thinking, comes over and around to Gods way of thinking...our circumstances will begin to change effortlessly
God Loves "New"
We’ll here we are again, 365 days since the last time we were looking forward to making resolutions!
A lot has changed on the stage of the world... never a dull moment!
Our own country and the world continues to change on a daily basis, right before our very eyes. There are lots of new things happening all around us, and the world for that matter!
But really, the more things change, the more they stay the same, by that I mean people often want everything else to change around them except themselves.
You know like their job, their pay, their spouse, their car, their house, and the list goes on and on.
It seems like every year Jan 1, the list of change for most people is long. But by this time of year, for most the list has vanished and few are thinking about making any changes in their own life.
Illus. By Ed Vasiek
A pastor thought God gave Him an idea, and he presented it in the monthly board meeting. After giving his most impassioned plea and really “selling” the idea to the board, they voted and voted down the pastors proposed changes 12-1. They looked at the pastor and said, “Well pastor, it’s 12 votes to 1. Looks like you’ve been out voted. Looks like time is up for the evening, so will you please close in prayer.”
The pastor, not wanting to give up yet on what he felt God was leading him to do then lead in prayer. As he prayed, he lifted his hands up to heaven and prayed, “Loooorrrdddd - I know my brothers here do not have the same vision you have given me. Please help them to see that this is not MY vision, but YOOOOUUUUURRRR vision!”
At that exact moment, a lightning bolt with a loud clap of thunder burst in through the window in the meeting room, striking the table, splitting it in two and knocking all the board members to the floor. As the dust cleared, the pastor looked at the ranking board member and said - so, what do you think about my idea now?
The man stood up, dusted himself off, sighed and said, “Well, I guess that makes it,
12 votes to 2.
Nobody likes to go through the hassle, the battle, the storm, the fire, whatever name fits your situation of change! And of course, everyone would prefer to be miraculously delivered to the victors circle, that awaits on the other side of status quo.
That’s why we like to be proactive, always on the offense, always thinking that God needs our help to achieve the new in our lives, that He has for us!
But that’s not what God wants us to do, He wants us to completely depend on Him and rest in His Amazing ability.
1st Peter 5:7 NKJ.
7. casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Now some might say, if God really cared, He would just take care of everything and we wouldn’t have to worry about anything.
He could do that, absolutely, God could do that and not even blink an eye!
Do you have enough faith to trust Him to do that, in your life?
You should, that’s the great thing about Gods faith and grace He gives us, its sufficient for every need we have. Truth be told, God already takes fantastic care of us...and when we think things are starting to get just a little bit edgy in life, it's because we're standing in His way of delivering, His will and plans for our lives.
Matthew 6:25-27 NKJ
25. “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26. Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27. Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
Worrying equals reliance on our self effort, having faith and trusting God equals reliance on Gods ability!
The MSG. says it this way;
“My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.”
1st Peter 5 Vs. 6 says; before you cast all your cares on Him, to
6. be humbled, then, under the powerful hand of God, that you He may exalt in good time,
In the instant technological world we live in, everyone always wants everything now,
And it’s the same way, with what God has in store for them. While that may be exciting to think about, fact is; there is no way anyone could began to handle everything that God has in store for them.
