New Beginnings

"Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:18-19 NKJV It is a New Year--a time of new beginnings, a fresh start. As we walk the road of life, we all hit a few potholes & speedbumps along the way. It may be family & relational issues. It may be financial issues. It may be moral decisions we are faced with. Whatever we encounter is meant to shape us, not to define us. Lord knows, I've suffered my own share of setbacks & failures--truth is, there is very little this world has to offer that has not somehow touched my life through the years. Satan would have us think these things will make us ineffective for the Kingdom & use them to squelch the plans GOD has for our lives. None of us are perfect, we are all born with an inherent sin nature from our natural earthly father, Adam. Paul tells us in Romans 3:23, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Does that mean GOD can't use us? No, it means if we are willing to accept the responsibility for our choices & actions--GOD can use those very things to help us reach out to others facing similar situations. Sometimes the choices of others force bad circumstances on us, but that too, can be used by GOD for good in time to come. Admittedly, it is hard to see GOD in it while we are in the heat of the battle--but in time and looking back in retrospect, we can see how GOD delivered us from much & has and will continue to use it for our good and the good of others as well as for His glory. I feel like I speak & write of this subject often--I suppose because it is I struggle to understand it myself because of the problems I've faced, the poor choices I've made, and the impact that others' decisions & actions have had on me personally. Satan beats me up a lot of days, tells me my past makes me useless in GOD's work, plants seeds of doubt--especially through this credentialing process I've been going through for ministry. However, I'm determined to stay positive & to mine out the nuggets of GOD's Word that pertain to such things. It makes me look not only at the strengths of Biblical characters, but also to study their weaknesses. I find that I see a lot of myself in them & it gives me hope. Hope is what I need. Hope is what we all need. The only true source of hope is in Jesus and an intimate & personal relationship with Him. Each of us needs to turn our attention on cultivating our relationship with GOD, on studying His Word more, on spending more time in prayer--for ourselves, but mostly intercession for others. So many are lost, so may are bound for a devil's Hell--a place not intended for human souls. America needs a true revival & for it to begin, it has to begin within the walls of our homes & churches. So many Christians have become comfortable & complacent that their focus is inward rather than outward. If Jesus is our Lord & Savior, we are to follow His example. As I read the pages of the Bible, I see nowhere that He was concerned for His own needs--but concerned for the lost & dying around Him. We need to grasp that vision and go forth into the world seeking to bring the Gospel to all who will hear. I am speaking to myself as much as anyone else. I know I have many shortcomings & I ask GOD's forgiveness for them and to empower me and embolden me to be His Ambassador. I pray GOD will use me in spite of myself and strengthen others to join me in the battle. The battle is the Lord's, but we have to stand with Him. Are you willing? Time is short, we must act now! Blessings for a healthy, happy & prosperous New Year! Tony