Good Morning, Meetpastordan Readers… Happy belated New Year to each and every one of you! Isn’t it wonderful to have a new beginning? January 1, 2020 represents the beginning of a new era, and just the thought of being able to start over with a clean slate is an inspiration for all. For many, it’s about making a New Year’s resolution to visit the gym regularly; for others it’s about changing eating, drinking, gambling, or shopping habits. In our mind we can see a new person – a thinner, more healthy person, who has faced some serious demons and won the battle. But unfortunately, the statistics to support this mindset aren’t encouraging. Depending on where you look, by January 14th, the drop off rate is anywhere from 20%-31%; by January 21st, 32%-56%; and by January 28th, 57%-86%. So, what’s the problem? Everyone wants a second, sixth, or possibly even a twelfth chance at a new life, but the truth is…IT’S REALLY HARD!
From a worldly perspective, there is a plethora of self-help books and methods to enhance our ability to become the person we want to be. We hear about breathing exercises, yoga, focus groups, the power of positive thinking, and we’re even encouraged to tap into the universal consciousness (whatever that is) to help us reach our full potential. But from the beginning of time, mankind has wrestled with the inability to rise above “self”, because human nature is drawn to things that gives pleasure, things that exalts, or things that titillate the emotions…whether they be good for us or not. I would like to propose that, contrary to worldly thinking, becoming aware of our own insufficiency is the first step in the process of becoming the people we were created to be. (More on that later.)
In my previous life, which I like to refer to as my BS period (before sobriety, or it could also be, before salvation), I was always searching for “that something” to flip my switch. I became a workaholic. I turned to achievements and accomplishments, to alcohol and drugs, to women, cars, and to more and more material things. Truth be told, they all worked for a while, but eventually I had to keep going back to get that elusive “fix” again and again. Unfortunately, that “thing” I was looking for was always just beyond my reach, so I tried harder, more often, and was willing to do whatever I had to do to get what I wanted. That mindset and behavior set up my downfall in April of 2000.
Thankfully, my BS period is behind me, and today my identity is in Christ. While the previous New Year’s resolutions that were tackled by my “old self” were defined by frustration and defeat, my resolution this year is the same as it has been for the past few years: “Holy Spirit, help me to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven, and help me to get out of the way so You can work through me.” My self-help book today is not a book filled with worldly perspective, but a Book filled with God’s perspective. In this Book I have found everything I need for becoming the Masterpiece referenced in Ephesians 2:10. When I’m immersed in that zone, I have the confidence, joy, peace and serenity that I always wanted, but here-to-fore had been looking in all the wrong places.
Good news is found in Romans 12 2-3: “Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by changing the way you think. Then you will know how good, pleasing and perfect God’s will really is for your life.” The topic for my AA meeting this morning was “A New Beginning”, and the testimonies regarding each of our transformations was nothing short of staggering. And virtually everyone credited God and His loving kindness for their successful journey. I love that because it brings to life the truth found in Jeremiah 29:13: “If you seek Me, you will find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” No doubt, God meets each one of His broken creations when we call on His name. That is the humility that is referenced in James 4:10: “When we come humbly before the Lord and admit our dependence on Him, He will lift us up and give us honor.”
Now that we have another opportunity for a new beginning, “a clean slate” so to speak, what is going to be different this time? Remember, the statistics listed above don’t give a lot of credence to our “will-power!” People have tried hypnosis, meditation, yoga and plugging into the “universal power” (or “universal consciousness”, whatever that is??), but the inherent problem with opening ourselves up to “spiritual” influence is…we never know who or what might be our host. I am a true believer in the spiritual realm, but it is vitally important to understand how to plug into the right source. Now that I’ve gotten your attention, let’s talk about Man’s short-coming when it comes to commitment and will-power before we venture into the spiritual realm.
When a baby comes out of the mother’s womb, it experiences a strange new environment: bright lights, cooler temperature, people wearing masks, and being touched for the first time. So, what does the baby do? It cries! It wants to be held, it wants to feel safe, maybe it wants to be fed. It doesn’t take much time before the baby understands that if it wants something, all it has to do is cry. As the baby continues to grow and mature, it decides what things it likes, and what things it dislikes. So naturally, it wants more of what it likes, and if possible, it wants it when it wants it, and in many cases, is willing to take drastic measures to get its “fix”. This is referred to as exalting “self”, and this has proven to be the dilemma of Mankind, as well as the downfall Mankind. Biblically speaking, this is also the definition of Sin: living to exalt self rather than God.
If you are living “in Sin”, you make choices, or perhaps you scheme, to get what you want rather than concerning yourself with God’s will. Those self-centered thoughts and resultant actions are called “sins.” If you are living separated from God, you are unaware of His truth, His promises, and His love. Therefore, you are vulnerable to the insidious shenanigans of the dark domain, and whether you know it or not, you are under the power of satan and his minions. His whole purpose is to keep you separated from God, and he is a master at his craft. Truth be told, he IS the puppeteer of your life! In fact, he is also the god of this natural world. To break free from his talons, you have to make a personal choice to pursue another source of strength.
When we were “of this world”, virtually all of us eventually discovered that we were utterly helpless to rise above self-indulgence. (Ref. Romans 5:6) Consequently, we became the sum-total of the choices we made while living separated from God, and that, in most cases, was certainly not a pretty picture. For some, the answer to this dilemma was found in a state of brokenness, a time when we came face to face with our own insufficiency with no place else to turn. Perhaps in this state of anguish we cried out, “God help me!” For others, the answer came in the form of an epiphany. It was that light-bulb moment when the answer flashed right before our very eyes and we became willing to change.
Two paragraphs above I introduced you to the domain of darkness, satan’s realm. Unbeknownst to most of us, we already had been responding to spiritual influences. Now let me introduce you to the domain of light. This is the other source of strength I referenced in the last sentence two paragraphs above. Whether you are in a state of brokenness or you’ve just experienced an epiphany, you are on the cusp of experiencing a new spiritual beginning.
When you are ready, God WILL respond to your plea. He has a plan in place for your salvation that was designed before the creation of the world and Man. (Ref. Ephesians 1:4) When you make the choice to accept His Gift of Grace, Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you inherit a spiritual trifecta. Not only are your sins forgiven, but you inherit eternal life (this seals your eternal destiny). To empower you to rise above this world, you also inherit the indwelling Holy Spirit which enables you become the person God created you to be…right here, right now! What an incredible gift of love!
So, let’s take a moment and examine the title, “A New Beginning”. Everyone dreams of a second chance…maybe even a third or a fourth chance. Since we are on the threshold of a new beginning, it is up to us to write the first chapter, and no doubt we want it to be filled with worthy and profound life-changes and accomplishments. But as the statistics clearly show us, more people fail at that endeavor than succeed. Therefore, I would like to encourage you to first seek a spiritual new beginning because of its all-encompassing nature. Not only do you inherit eternal life, but you can now plug into a power source (the Holy Spirit) that will enable you to do things that here-to-fore might have seemed impossible. It’s all about your motivation. If you seek first the Kingdom of God with the intent of bringing honor and glory to Him, He will give you the desires of your heart. Those are not my words; Those are His words and His promise to you! If you’re willing, the door is open to a new beginning. There is no downside to this choice…..
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May God Bless You,
Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)
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