Tag: Restoration

Fresh Starts

  “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” — Lamentations 3:22–23 NKJV

The Lord has provided a lot of “fresh start” moments in creation. Out of Winter comes the fresh start of Spring. As the earth revolves once more around the sun, we get the fresh start of a new year. We get a fresh start each morning as the sun rises…. The same is true in sports, or purchasing a new item….

As we prepare our walk through The Story, His Story, I want us to look at this as an opportunity for a fresh start: 

  1. A fresh start in re-reading the Word as if it is the first time
  2.  A fresh start in encountering the Living Word, the Lord Jesus, remember the first time we meet and began to faithfully follow Him
  3. A fresh start with each other by offering not only forgiveness but grace to walk together in the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace.

And the list of Fresh Starts can go on. Perhaps you can make your own “New Year’s” list of “Fresh Starts”. Why are Fresh Starts important? Because they offer us hope. This taste of hope reminds us that this is not the only life, but eternal life stretches out of time & space into Eternity. And this hope is the “Fresh Start” that gets us up each morning and gets us going. It keeps us going through the day, because we know that there is a marvelous, beautiful, unending Life after this one.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” — 2 Corinthians 3:17–18 (NIV84)

Shalom In Hope,

Pastor Mike

“How’s the Pausing Coming?”

As we enter the Holiday Seasons, we all the more to need prepare our hearts. Hearing from many of you, I know the Lord has been offering us many opportunities to Pause, Reflect and Collect. But, if you’re like me, I look for something to fill the void, and the Pause Button doesn’t stay on for long….

And for many, “Reflecting” is very challenging, too. It brings up all the hard times, our short comings and our failures…. But, maybe, just maybe, we can start reflecting on all the blessings the Lord has given us? Enough with the negative focus and self-talk, right? It is time we see all the blessings the Lord has so lavished on us, and engage in some healthy “positive self-talk!” Besides: “Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes” (Mt. 6:25 NIV84).

Join me in pressing the Pause Button, taking time to Reflect, so we can “Collect” all the blessings the Lord has so graciously bestowed on us. Then, from a heart filled with thankfulness and humility, we can be His Light during this Holiday Season.  

Are you up for it? 

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Col 2:6–7 NIV84).

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life. (Phil. 2:14–16 NIV84).

In Thankfulness,

Pastor Mike

“The Next Meeting”

Date: 04-02-15

The Big Idea: I have found that when forgiveness and reconciliation are genuine, the next time I see that person, “they” are warm and receptive.

My Thoughts: Lifestyle worshiper, have you found that it is the next meeting the seals the deal? You know you’ve had this very emotional moment of reconciliation and forgiveness. It appears that you’ve finally restored a deeply wounded and fractured relationship, but once the emotion passes, do you wonder, “Was this for real?”

I have found that it is in that next meeting the reality is confirmed and the “deal is sealed.” Perhaps this is how Peter felt when he went for another walk with Jesus—this time on the beach and not on the water. …

After I have had an emotional moment of forgiveness and reconciliation, I have found that when it is genuine, the next time I see that person, “they” are warm and receptive. Sadly, there have been those times where apparently it was purely an emotional experience, and they still need some time to work it through. Yes, “they” looked away when I saw them….

But with Peter, Jesus not only did not look away, He initiated the next meeting. And in this next meeting, His Love and forgiveness were abundantly manifested…. Jesus knew Peter wasn’t quite ready to walk in His forgive. When Peter answered Jesus’ questions, he was more than blunt about his love for Jesus. Peter knew that at this time in his life his love  was a deeply devoted and highly committed loyalty, but he was understating what he had overstated at the Last Supper where he said: “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death” (Luke 22:33). This wasn’t quite true—then….

Peter grew into that depth of Love—agape Love. And Jesus gave him the space—and time—to do so—starting with that next meeting.

Have you found freedom of forgiveness in that next meeting? I know I have. Your thoughts?

Main Text: — John 21:15— 15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love (agapas) me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love (philō) you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” [NIV84]

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. — 1 Thessalonians 1:3 (NIV84)

  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.   —Ephesians 3:17b-19 (NIV84)

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.   — Romans 8:37-39 (NIV84)

 Heavenly Father, I receive the forgiveness You offer me in Your Son, my Lord Jesus Christ. As I grow in my understanding of Your Love for me, make me a channel of this forgiveness to others. In Your Son’s Name, Amen. 

Pastor Mike