Something New

It seems that we all like something new. Its what make the retail world sing an dance, when we go shopping for new clothes, new cars, a new home, new stuff, etc.

What about a NEW YOU? Now that’s something worth looking into.

Please understand me at this point because I am not talking so much about a new outside, even though in many regards a new look, a new appearance can improve you a bunch; but I am clearly addressing this week a new you and a new us from the “Inside Out.”

One very important Bible story talks about “How Things Are Made New.” Revelation 21:1-6 the last book in the Bible says this about newness.

^“1I saw Heaven and earth new-created. Gone the first Heaven, gone the first earth, gone the sea. ²I saw Holy Jerusalem, new-created, descending resplendent out of Heaven, as ready for God as a bride for her husband. ^3-5I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: "Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They're his people, he's their God. He'll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good—tears gone, crying gone, pain gone—all the first order of things gone." The Enthroned continued, "Look! I'm making everything new. Write it all down—each word dependable and accurate." ^6-8Then he said, "It's happened. I'm A to Z. I'm the Beginning, I'm the Conclusion. From Water-of-Life Well, I give freely to the thirsty. Conquerors inherit all this. I'll be God to them; they'll be sons and daughters to me.” (from The Message)

The key component of our being made new this week is God’s personal involvement with us all along the way and in the process. While this specific scripture relates to a future dreamed about event in a literal sense, this making things new idea is not just some far off future unfolding, it is a process that begins today with us from the inside out.

Too much of the time we think that if our circumstances outside of us and around us are made new and change then we will be all right forever. But our spiritual compass always points us inward to making ourselves new first on the inside and then radiating to the outside.

The greatest power at work in the universe to make things new is God and God’s first name is love. So, when you love yourself the way God’s loves you and forgive yourself the way God forgives you, all the time and in every way then you are made new.

MAKING YOURSELF NEW - Will Smith Wisdom (10min)

Blessings,

Rev. Bill

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I Dare You

Have you ever played the game of DARE? A friend dares you to do something challenging and will not let up with their dare until you do it OR give them a "Double Dare"; something for them to do which is even harder than your dare.

Well, today I DARE YOU to believe. Folks can easily push aside and forget about trusting in God and living with faith when they do not even give it a try first. So, I dare you to believe this week; to really trust the Creator's love, the one who is the infinite source of all that is right, good and lovely. To Believe is to trust with your mind the idea proposed. To have faith is to put your behavior into your believing.

The belief I share with you today is that kind of believing that can be seen in your actions. It begins in your head but ends up in your feet; your actions.

How do we trust God, whom we have never seen and how do we believe? Let me offer you three suggestions:

1. Pray


2. Pursue


3. Ponder

FIRST PRAY: Like any satisfying relationship we have we have to spend time with that friend to get to know them better. Praying is our way of spending time with God, by talking with God about anything and everything. Also, good and helpful prayer means listening to God too.

SECOND PURSUE: By pursue I mean demonstrating to God that you want to get closer to God this week. Go after God because the sacred writings tell us that the Source of life is seeking us too. Remember a good relationship is a two way road. Spend time this week thinking about God, looking for signs of God and finding God.

THIRD PONDER: By ponder I mean really thinking about and even asking God. One thing that I believe our Creator really likes are questions. If we ask no questions how will we find any answers? So ponder and ask questions, even question God.

• I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. (Psalm 34:4,5)


• God loves each of us as if there were only one of us. ~St. Augustine

Can you just imagine what your FAITH can do this week?

Blessings to you this week,

Rev. Bill

WHAT IF?

Have you ever wondered, "What If?" What if I had been speeding, like I was a few miles back, when I passed that police car a few seconds ago? What if I had actually said to my neighbor what was going through my mind a moment ago? What if I had been on that plane, train, subway, car, bus that just crashed? What if?

What if the sun stopped shining or the earth stopped rotating and brining in the dawn?

Much of the time we do the "what if thing" in the context of negative or bad outcomes.

Consider two interesting Bible stories this week.

• Acts 9:1-20- Saul's encounter with the "Light" of God on the road to Damascus-"What if Saul had not listened to Jesus? What if Ananias had not listened and gone to Saul's' aid. What if Saul,now called Paul the great defender of the faith,had not decided to follow Jesus? What if he'd kept killng Christians?


• John 21:1-19- Peter's post resurrection encounter with Jesus while fishing on the Lake Galilee- "What if Peter had not accepted the 'three time' words of forgiveness and encouragement Christ gave him? What if Thomas had not decided to believe and follow too?"
  

Kind of makes you wonder doesn't it? WHAT IF for you and for me?

To make a switch to the "what if positive side of our lives", I challenge you to consider and answer this week;

• What if I choose to follow God's word to the best of my ability this week?


• What if I believe and behave like the spiritual truths and principals are true?


• What if I love and forgive the way that God loves and forgives me?

WHAT IF-We always remember that living is not so much about us as individuals; not W.I.I.F.M. (what's in it for me); but more about US. - together, we, teamwork, unity, the church family as the Creator intended it to be?

What if we believed, behaved, thought, felt, and did things with the best intentions and the highest ideals?

What If?

Blessings to you today,

Rev. Bill

It's A Good Thing You Doubt

You may never hear a preacher or pastor tell you that it is a good thing, a VERY good thing to doubt. Well, I just did. Hang on, because having doubts can ultimately lead to some pretty high level certainty, if you have what I call "Positive & Healthy Doubts."

A known French philosopher said it this way about doubt: "Doubt is the rational part of a person's thought involved in weighing evidence, without which the faith would have no real substance." You might say that positive and healthy doubt can hep you grow and become spiritually stronger than without your doubt.

This preacher's idea may help you affirm your doubt: "Doubts, questions, uncertainties, skepticism face every honest enquirer after truth. The capacity to doubt is one of God's greatest gifts to us. Without doubt there would be no discovery, no progress; we would all simply accept what we're told, and live comfortably with the status quo.

If Thomas (read John 20:19-31) had not openly doubted, we may never have the proof of Jesus showing himself to this honest doubter and ultimately to us. Notice in these verses that while God really does bless strong faith, God never punishes or looks poorly upon the doubter. Thomas doubted and God blessed him. Now that's really Good News for Thomas and for us.

Pray this prayer this week: Lord Jesus Christ, if I doubt, at least help me to be an honest doubter, seeking truth rather than merely trying to be clever. Amen.

Have a blessed week in your doubts.

Rev. Bill