Having a Fresh spirit - Sermon - Michael Battersby

"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.

I want to be your last.. but I don't know who you are..

I found this amazing video on youtube today. It was just sitting there... In front of me.. waiting for me to hit 'play'.. I watched it and was amazed at how it described so many of the types of relationships I have experienced.. and that people experience throughout their lives.. Sometimes we love somebody we've never met.. Sometimes we fall in love with our best friends.. Sometimes we love somebody from afar.. Unrequited, Unrecognized, Sometimes we have our heart shattered by somebody we end up in a relationship with.. and sometimes when we're in a relationship... we become overcome with insecurity and jealousy wanting to be the most important person to the one we are with BUT what if they don't love us as much as they once loved "that guy/girl"... - I randomly found this video that sums up all of that and more.. Fantastic cinematography and an amazing 8 minute short film.. RECOMMEND! This is so beautiful to me because it really captures everything. The peer you thought you loved in school but he didn't know your name.. The guy friend you had feelings for but when he was single.. you weren't.. I love the term "Nostalgic Love" The right guy/girl at the wrong time.. and the relationships that are for but a season.. Even if just a weekend.. This embodies everything it's so amazing.. I love the cinematography also.

Love to hide the pain..

Love.. the one thing we can't command.. we can't acquire into our life.. Today is 3 years since my mother died.. I feel a massive void and needed to see somebody tonight.. Needed just one of my friends to give me the time of day. My bible study leader ended up visiting and praying with me.. THe loss of my mother is another thing that rmeinds me that i'm single.. as I have no family now. I'm praying every day that God will bring the right man.. the elusive 'one' into my life.. I don't want to wait much longer..... I just want that person who sparks love and cuddles...

Love, Lovesongs, and the feelings in between.

Watching The Office season 5 and Pam heard from her dad that Jim told him how he feels about Pam. How much he loves her. How he feels when she walks in a room. How he's constantly 100% sure that she's the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. I never want to be with somebody that doesn't feel that strongly about me.. I know that's the way love is supposed to be. I realize The Office is a tv show, however the writers are very real.. and the writers are writing based on their own understanding of how they believe love is supposed to be.. and how they know the viewer believes love is supposed to be. It makes me think that I know exactly what I want but wonder if it will actually occur for me. I want to believe so much taht it will.. but I don't know if it's something God puts togehter, or if it's just random, I don't know what it is! It's been 8 dry months with no interest in meeting anyone.

Classical - Some of my favourites that I wanted to share..

As a child I loved classical music. This came from a combination of ballets that I would watch on the ABC, and some of the original Tom and Jerry shorts from the 1940s that often incorporated classical music into them. This Hungarian piece featured in the Tom and Jerry short "Cat Concerto"
Probably better than Yohanns Waltz would be this one.. :) I especially love the music around the 7.5 minute mark..

  

Salvaging Home Movies from DVD to Mpeg

I recently accidentally deleted all of my home movies from my computer!

I was pretty devestated but thankfully had them backed up as watchable DVDs. I wanted to get them back onto my PC and I found this free program that made it easy and quick to rip DVDs to MPEGS.

http://www.winxdvd.com/?ins=dr5.5.8

My Favourite Things

Favourite Films


I tend to really like individual actors and be drawn towards all their films.. rather than random selections although there are some randoms


Males - John Krasinski, Christian Slater, Steve Carrell, Jim Carey, Josh Harnett, Andrew Mcarthey, Anthony Michael Hall, Steve Martin, Dan Ackroyd, Jared Leto, James Marsden, Josh Jackson, Eric Mabius, Kevin Bacon

Females - Mandy Moore, Kate Hudson, Drew Barrymore, Claire Danes, Sandra Bullock, Sigourney Weaver, Christina Ricci, Katherine Heigal, Cameron Diaz, Mariss Tomei


Licenced to Wed ,Pearl Harbour
How to Lose a guy in 10 days,
Trading Places ,How to Deal
Saved, American Dreamz
American Psycho, Heathers
16 Candles, Ferris Buellers Day Off
Dirty Dancing, Step Up
Shall We Dance, Stricly Ballroom
A Walk to Remember, Pumpkin
Bride Wars, Gossip
Resident Evil 1,2,3
Friday the 13th 1,2,3
Aliens / Alien, Uncle Buck
Home Alone 1 & 2
Planes Trains and Automobiles
Untamed Heart, Pump up the Volume
The Chumbscrubber, Weekend at Bernies
Pay it Forward, 7 Pounds
Interview with the Vampire
Raising Helen, Devil Wears Prada
Maid in Manhattan, The Running Man
Never Been Kissed
The Wedding Singer,Donny Darko



As a kid I loved Arnold Schwarzenegger until he started going in comedy films then I felt he lost some credibility as an action man.
c)Favourite Card Games - Cheat & SkipBo - Uno/Canasta / 7 Card stud Poker
d)Favourite Sports - Baseball, Basketball, Golf, Tennis
e)Favourite Music - Hmm most stuff except death metal.. thousands of musicians to list
f)Favourite Brands - Mooks, Ladakh, Seduce, Doc Martens, Converse Chucks!
g)Favourite TV Shows - Seinfeld, The Office(US version) Desperate Housewives
The Brady Bunch, South Park, Fawlty Towers, Happy Days, King of the Hill
h)Favourite Stones - Onyx, Amber, Turquoise
i)Favourite Places - Grand Canyon, Cable Beach, Grousse Mountain
(and the graffiti wall in Fremantle)
j)Likes - I love Graffiti.. it makes me happy... I find beauty in some really rundown hoodlem type areas, i love nature too
k)Favourite Smell - freshly mowed grass
l)Alone or Together - I like to be with somebody most of the time. Sometimes I like just meditating on my own, usually when I'm out walking or excersizing I'm on the phone to a friend and I love having visitors. I work at home so I spend more time alone than I'd like
m)What makes you feel loved? - Well in christian circles there is actually a book called 'the 5 love languages' and it talks about how you might feel loved when you're touched, but your partner might not, your partner might feel more loved when you wash their dishes.. and it'ss about understanding how to make the other person feel loved. pretty good book
Out of the 5 they say most people have a primary and secondary however I scored equally high on 'words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch'
(the other 2 are acts of service and gifts)
all 5 apply to all people but most people have a more dominant. the tests online and its pretty good google it!
n) What are you listening to on your iPod right now?
well does my iPhone count? I don't have an iPod lol
well I have hundreds of songs on there but the last week or so I have mostly been listening to
'Next Contestant - Nickelback'
'Starlite Singers - g6'