Well, It’s another Sunday morning. “To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV)
Well, we made it to the first of the new year! I pray you all had a safe holiday and you are feeling great this morning. This is where some people that are hungover would say, I will never do that again, or I quit that forever. There are some that over ate, or over spent, or over indulged in something, and now they are part of the never going to do that again group. There are also those that are saying I did everything good this year, I have nothing to worry about, but is that true? Did you walk that path without one stumble or trip? In Psalm 73:2 (ESV), King David tells us this: “But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped.”
Let me assure you this much, I slip, trip, or stumble everyday, it is how we recover that makes our walk great. I can honestly say, I have never woken up with a Christ- induced headache, nor have I had to have my stomach pumped because I read too much of the Bible. I have never been arrested because I spent time with fellow Christians praising the name of our great LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. I have never woken up in the front seat of a car with a flashlight in my eyes from loving my LORD. These are a few things I promise that haven’t happened since I have accepted Christ as my LORD and Savior.
It is a new year, time to make those changes we have put off. Time to make good on those great unkept resolutions that we tell ourselves and others each year. You know the ones, “I am going to lose weight”, “I am going to stop drinking”, “I am going to work harder”, I am going to do this or I’m going to do that, we say these resolutions with great intentions each year, but they are gone by the wayside shortly after the new wears off.
They are gone with the first big meal or the first “just one beer won’t hurt.” Time to be a “doer” not a “sayer”. As it says in Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV) “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
Let’s do a new thing! Let’s make a new way leading away from the old sinful paths we were walking and walk a truer path. Yes, we will stumble and trip and slip, but we will recover, and through Christ Jesus we will continue to prosper. Through God’s grace we will recognize our weaknesses and start correcting them.
See, the biggest problem for all of us is that Satan is sitting on our shoulder telling us all kinds of lies. He is telling us things like you can’t do it so why even try, or you enjoy the sin too much don’t give it up. He works at leading us far from the narrow gate and away from the love our Lord and Savior has for us, but we can change that if we want.
So, you say that you haven’t ever accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior? Now is the time. I am here to tell you can do it, and it will make a huge difference in your life when you truly try to walk the path Christ would like you to walk. If you are reading this and want to receive Christ as your Savior just say and mean this prayer, then contact a Christian friend or a pastor, or me, one of them will help you from here. See, once you say and mean this, you are going to have a lot of questions. Don’t let Satan be the one to answer those questions.
“Dear Lord Jesus,
I know I am a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe you died for my sins and rose from the dead. I trust and follow you as my Lord and Savior. Guide my life and help me to do your will.
In Jesus holy name I pray,
Amen.”
So, There you go, off to a great start for the new year. If this is your first time saying the ‘sinners prayer,’ contact a Christian or a Pastor and ask what is next. Don’t be ashamed, we all have been exactly where you are now and will be glad to help from there. I will tell you this, it isn’t an easy path, but it is so rewarding when you give your heart to the LORD. I would like you to remember this always, God truly loves each and every one of you and so do I.
