"Fresh" - the "new new"
- What God wants us to take away about 'freshness'
Firstly, the definition of freshness 'having it's original qualities unimpaired, not stale, not sour, not decayed, not worn on rumbled. Being true and having integrity. Not faded or dull. Free from taint and impurity.
Recently kindled - fresh relationship or friendship. - exploratory or creative. Being original raw, or experimental
New is about the external
Fresh is internal
New is something new
Fresh is the opportunity to see what is within..
Something new could be something simple like a chair.
Something fresh can be a revelation.
Hebrews 11.3 - by faith we understand the world was put into place by God. So that the things that are seen, are not made of things that are visible'
"Look at the things that are not seen' (corinthians missed ref)
God wants us to be fresh on the inside. Look at things differently.
3 things
repent
replace
and relax
Repent - Penetos - to have sorrow -
when we allow sin, smallness, selfishness, pride - we must repent of these things.
Don't be jaded (bored worn down by continual indulgance, and experience in the wrong things)
Galations 6.9 Do not grow weary while doing good things. Do not faint
Allow your heart to come back to God continually -
Psalm 92 13-14 - those that are planted in the house of the Lord, you will flourish and be fresh and flourishing
Being green and fresh is the opposite of jadedness
over time disappointment is represented with colors of blue and yellow, infection.. they're colors of disappointment that cause your green freshness to become jade :)
Dare to believe that God will do it...
REPLACE - a fesh health heart needs constant revision of disicpline
somebody who puts the practises of God ahead of their own comfort.
'hypertrophic cardio myopathy' - the thickening of the heart
- the life flow of God to us is JEsus and His fresh life of faith coming to us. If our hearts get hard Gods ability gets stunted through that
Ezekiel - 36.26
I will give you a new heart and I will put anew spirit within you.
If life is seeming harder than usual, get into your bible and journalling
RELAXING - (wow I struggle with this one)
Striving and physical activity does not bring us the things of God. It creates friction.
Sometimes things we think are pulling us down, are God pulling us into a new season.. situations that force us to use our faith. God loves us too much to leave us alone. God can supernaturally open doors, and supernaturally close doors. Nothing happens by accident, God is supernaturally guiding our steps. When we lose a friend and they walk out of our life, or when a loved one dies, if a friend does you wrong you can either embrace the change and God will use it to take you higher or you can become jaded and settle for mediocrity. All change is not bad. God would not allow it if He didn't have a purpose for it.
Things may be looking good and then go sour.. we can become jaded.. but just stay open and know God is in control. God will use it to push your destiny.
Some people are afraid to end relationships that are holding them back, God will turn the boat over and force you to move forward because he believes there is so much more for you. (I have certainly felt myself 'set free' from a few relationships over the last few years- relationships where the other person was crushing me from the inside)
Relax in Gods presence
- I feel this sermon is kind of linked to Hayden Nelsons 'necessary endings' - - what I got out of Haydens sermon was this... Sometimes God closes the door on a job or employment situation - because if that door didn't close you couldn't walk into the job you were destined for..
Sometimes a door closes on a relationship you're in because you're with the wrong person.. you can't find Mr Right, if you're with Mr Right Now, or Mr Wrong.. (one and the same) - God brings endings into our life, because we need those endings to start our new beginnings.
We need doors closed and dealt with so that we can
a) heal
b) walk into new relationships baggage free
c) find the vocation we are destined to do.. our career or ministry or both
You can't find the one you will marry... while you are hanging onto somebody who is wrong for you.
You can't find your perfect career while you're hanging onto something comfortable and 'safe'
You can't step out in ministry while you're holding onto past hurts or in a church you don't 'belong' in
You can't have spaces in life for the new freinds you are praying for, while you are holding onto ones that make you unhappy
Sometimes somebody in life is holding us back.. and sometimes.. they leave.. A parent dies.. -
All of these endings can be things that can make us jaded.. Like Job 1.21 - we have to praise God when we are losing things from our life.. 'necessary endings' - because when we praise God in our adversary, He is happy.. When we are glad in Him. He is glad.
