I always love spring because it’s a time here in Minnesota when all the snow melts, the replenishing rain comes, the grass starts to become green, and new flowers begin to blossom. It’s a time when the short, cold, and sometimes dreary days of winter begin to go away, and the world seems to come alive again after four or five long months of near hibernation :) The animals become more active, the sun heats up the day, and the beauty of the earth becomes amazing!
The other day when the last of the snow (or at least what I hope was the last!) was on the ground, I noticed how dirty it was from the bits of grass, dirt, and gravel that would get stirred up and mixed with it every time the driveway was shoveled. I was trying to make a fluffy, white snowman with my little niece but some dirt kept showing up on Frosty as we gathered snow and packed it on. When the sun came out, though, the following day it did not take long for all that dirty snow to melt away into the ground to make way for new vegetation to soon follow. I love spring because all the new things that come to life remind me of hope and new beginnings. I think it’s fitting that in the spring we celebrate Easter and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ because hope and new beginnings are exactly what Jesus Christ can do for each and every one of us.
As 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
I think we all sometimes experience seasons in our lives when we feel like that dirty snow that appeared on our Frosty the Snowman that day—that dirty snow that somehow shows up underneath all the white fluffy snow on the top. In our lives, even though we don’t necessarily want it to, sometimes “dirt” threatens to creep in. The “dirt” I’m referring to is the things we allow to creep back into our lives or the things that we are constantly clinging to that are stealing our joy, tarnishing our relationship with God, and keeping us from moving forward in life. There may be seasons of our lives when we may not be focused on what God wants for our lives, and perhaps we have made some mistakes in the past that we are not proud of. It is easy when we have made mistakes to keep clinging to them and letting them prevent us from going forward for Christ. What we need to realize is that God can give us a new beginning!
I believe there are three important steps to finding our journey to a new beginning in life—a new beginning in Christ.
The other day when the last of the snow (or at least what I hope was the last!) was on the ground, I noticed how dirty it was from the bits of grass, dirt, and gravel that would get stirred up and mixed with it every time the driveway was shoveled. I was trying to make a fluffy, white snowman with my little niece but some dirt kept showing up on Frosty as we gathered snow and packed it on. When the sun came out, though, the following day it did not take long for all that dirty snow to melt away into the ground to make way for new vegetation to soon follow. I love spring because all the new things that come to life remind me of hope and new beginnings. I think it’s fitting that in the spring we celebrate Easter and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ because hope and new beginnings are exactly what Jesus Christ can do for each and every one of us.
As 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
I think we all sometimes experience seasons in our lives when we feel like that dirty snow that appeared on our Frosty the Snowman that day—that dirty snow that somehow shows up underneath all the white fluffy snow on the top. In our lives, even though we don’t necessarily want it to, sometimes “dirt” threatens to creep in. The “dirt” I’m referring to is the things we allow to creep back into our lives or the things that we are constantly clinging to that are stealing our joy, tarnishing our relationship with God, and keeping us from moving forward in life. There may be seasons of our lives when we may not be focused on what God wants for our lives, and perhaps we have made some mistakes in the past that we are not proud of. It is easy when we have made mistakes to keep clinging to them and letting them prevent us from going forward for Christ. What we need to realize is that God can give us a new beginning!
I believe there are three important steps to finding our journey to a new beginning in life—a new beginning in Christ.
1. Accept the Free Gift
Receiving gifts is exciting and especially when they are free! If someone reached out to offer you a gift absolutely free, wouldn’t you accept it? The first step, and THE most important step, toward hope and a new beginning in Christ is to reach out and accept God’s free gift of salvation. We can’t experience the hope found in Jesus Christ if He is not living within us. I think sometimes people don’t accept God’s gift of salvation because they think there is more to it than there actually is. Perhaps they think they need to earn it by doing good things and being near perfect in their lives. Sometimes I think people feel they are not good enough, or on the opposite end of the spectrum, sometimes people believe that everyone automatically gets the gift of going to Heaven. If someone has taught you any of these things in the past, and that is what has kept you from reaching out to accept God’s gift, please let me share the truth with you today.
The Bible first teaches us that we are all sinners, and none of us deserve God’s gift of salvation. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
The good news is that God in His mercy and grace and great love He has for us, sent His only son to die on the cross to pay for our sins so that we can have a home in Heaven someday when we die. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
The Bible teaches us that salvation is not by any good works that we can do, but only by our faith in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
All we have to do to receive God’s free gift of salvation is to call upon His name. Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
If you haven’t yet accepted that free gift, there is no better time than today! And if you don’t know how to accept it, I’d be happy to share with you in a personal message through my blog :)
Receiving gifts is exciting and especially when they are free! If someone reached out to offer you a gift absolutely free, wouldn’t you accept it? The first step, and THE most important step, toward hope and a new beginning in Christ is to reach out and accept God’s free gift of salvation. We can’t experience the hope found in Jesus Christ if He is not living within us. I think sometimes people don’t accept God’s gift of salvation because they think there is more to it than there actually is. Perhaps they think they need to earn it by doing good things and being near perfect in their lives. Sometimes I think people feel they are not good enough, or on the opposite end of the spectrum, sometimes people believe that everyone automatically gets the gift of going to Heaven. If someone has taught you any of these things in the past, and that is what has kept you from reaching out to accept God’s gift, please let me share the truth with you today.
The Bible first teaches us that we are all sinners, and none of us deserve God’s gift of salvation. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
The good news is that God in His mercy and grace and great love He has for us, sent His only son to die on the cross to pay for our sins so that we can have a home in Heaven someday when we die. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
The Bible teaches us that salvation is not by any good works that we can do, but only by our faith in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
All we have to do to receive God’s free gift of salvation is to call upon His name. Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
If you haven’t yet accepted that free gift, there is no better time than today! And if you don’t know how to accept it, I’d be happy to share with you in a personal message through my blog :)
2. Let God Give You a Clean Slate
The second step toward a new beginning is letting God wash away the dirt in our lives by giving over to Him our past mistakes and failures.
I like to think about an analogy here. I think about the chalk boards that students would have to take turns cleaning in elementary school. At the end of the day, one of us would always have to go to the board, take a clean eraser or towel, and wipe the board clean so that it would be ready for a brand new day. This is exactly what God does for us. If we ask Him, He wipes away the “dirt,” cleanses us, and gives us a new beginning.
Sometimes life can be difficult when we have people in our lives that want to keep a tally of all our mistakes. Sometimes, no matter how much we ask forgiveness, people will remain bitter and hold a grudge for something we did wrong. I am so thankful that there is ONE who does not keep a list of grudges against us. If we simply confess our sins to Him and humbly ask forgiveness, God will wash our hearts cleans.
Psalm 103:11-12 says, “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”
As far as the east is from the west? That’s pretty far that He has taken our sins away!
The second step toward a new beginning is letting God wash away the dirt in our lives by giving over to Him our past mistakes and failures.
I like to think about an analogy here. I think about the chalk boards that students would have to take turns cleaning in elementary school. At the end of the day, one of us would always have to go to the board, take a clean eraser or towel, and wipe the board clean so that it would be ready for a brand new day. This is exactly what God does for us. If we ask Him, He wipes away the “dirt,” cleanses us, and gives us a new beginning.
Sometimes life can be difficult when we have people in our lives that want to keep a tally of all our mistakes. Sometimes, no matter how much we ask forgiveness, people will remain bitter and hold a grudge for something we did wrong. I am so thankful that there is ONE who does not keep a list of grudges against us. If we simply confess our sins to Him and humbly ask forgiveness, God will wash our hearts cleans.
Psalm 103:11-12 says, “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”
As far as the east is from the west? That’s pretty far that He has taken our sins away!
3. No Turning Back!
If we want Jesus Christ to give us a new beginning in our lives, we need to determine in our hearts not to look back. We will never move forward and accomplish anything for Christ if we keep dwelling on past mistakes. The devil will do anything he can to keep us there in a pit always focusing on what we did wrong because he knows we are useless for Christ in that pit. Instead of letting him push us down into the pit, we need to climb out and trample him to the bottom of that pit. Not only that but we need to bury him in that pit and stop allowing him to creep into our lives. Don’t let the devil torment you by reminding you of the past. God’s Word says that we do not need to live in bondage to past mistakes, but we need to allow God to make us free!
Galatians 5:1 says, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
With Christ’s strength we can push forward to His plan for us!
This Sunday as many of you will take the time to attend church and celebrate Easter to remember the resurrection of Christ, let go of whatever from your past that may be bothering you and holding you back. Instead, determine to let the hope of Jesus Christ give you a new beginning. Before Jesus Christ rose from the dead, He first suffered great pain, humilliation, and suffering on the cross. Jesus’ suffering and death followed by His resurrection can serve as a reminder that even though there may be seasons of life that are painful and difficult, there is still hope in Jesus Christ!
1 Peter 1:3 serves as that great reminder for us: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Determine today that you will live life with that hope that only Jesus Christ can give!
Photo Sources:
Beautiful Spring Scenery
http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/spring/images/27866367/title/beautiful-spring-wallpaper
Clean Slate
http://francis-moran.com/marketing-strategy/pr-marketing-and-the-clean-slate-of-a-new-year/
Free Gift
http://lawyerasad.blogspot.com/2010/12/free-ebook-on-successful-remarkable.html
Three Crosses
http://www.lornecremona.com/easter-is-here/
If we want Jesus Christ to give us a new beginning in our lives, we need to determine in our hearts not to look back. We will never move forward and accomplish anything for Christ if we keep dwelling on past mistakes. The devil will do anything he can to keep us there in a pit always focusing on what we did wrong because he knows we are useless for Christ in that pit. Instead of letting him push us down into the pit, we need to climb out and trample him to the bottom of that pit. Not only that but we need to bury him in that pit and stop allowing him to creep into our lives. Don’t let the devil torment you by reminding you of the past. God’s Word says that we do not need to live in bondage to past mistakes, but we need to allow God to make us free!
Galatians 5:1 says, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
With Christ’s strength we can push forward to His plan for us!
This Sunday as many of you will take the time to attend church and celebrate Easter to remember the resurrection of Christ, let go of whatever from your past that may be bothering you and holding you back. Instead, determine to let the hope of Jesus Christ give you a new beginning. Before Jesus Christ rose from the dead, He first suffered great pain, humilliation, and suffering on the cross. Jesus’ suffering and death followed by His resurrection can serve as a reminder that even though there may be seasons of life that are painful and difficult, there is still hope in Jesus Christ!
1 Peter 1:3 serves as that great reminder for us: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Determine today that you will live life with that hope that only Jesus Christ can give!
Photo Sources:
Beautiful Spring Scenery
http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/spring/images/27866367/title/beautiful-spring-wallpaper
Clean Slate
http://francis-moran.com/marketing-strategy/pr-marketing-and-the-clean-slate-of-a-new-year/
Free Gift
http://lawyerasad.blogspot.com/2010/12/free-ebook-on-successful-remarkable.html
Three Crosses
http://www.lornecremona.com/easter-is-here/