Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
The Truth Of The Matter is - Episode 186: Should We Let Go Of The Past To Only Embracing What The Lord Has For Us In The New Year?
34 Plays29 days ago
Bible study reflection solo or with friends is an inspirational segment for Johnathan as a result of getting together for bible study with friends Erik and Jennifer and still having more to say. Thus far, the segment has been about unpacking different passages of scripture read in bible study and still feeling the need to explore things more deeply. Another wrinkle that has been added to this segment is to address real life situations through a biblical lens. This week I had the opportunity to be a guest on a podcast called ‘Come to JESUS’ and one of the questions that was posed was should we let go of the past to only embrace what the Lord has for us In the New year? After that conversation I felt inspired to dig even deeper and so I decided to go back to the drawing broad and see what else the Word of God had to say!
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Inspiration
00:00:00
Speaker
This is the Truth of the Matters podcast. Welcome back to another edition of Bible Study Reflection, solo or with friends. This is episode 186. Of course, I'm your host, Jonathan, and for those who are unfamiliar with this segment, let me give you a quick background story to it. It was inspired by a Bible study that I had with two of my friends, and we did this once.
00:00:28
Speaker
a week. Basically, we would choose a book and a Bible to unpack together, choose two or three chapters, read them individually, and see what we could unpack by ourselves. Then we would come together, fellowship with one another, and learn about what we believe God had revealed to
00:00:57
Speaker
your miss. Now what I concluded from these talks is that I will still be I decided to create this segment called Bible Study
00:01:44
Speaker
Now you can also reach out to me on my Facebook group called I'm A Believer.
Purpose of Bible Study Discussions
00:01:49
Speaker
Again, it's called I'm A Believer and you can reach out to me through email, speed it
00:02:15
Speaker
I come
00:02:55
Speaker
But I thought it was important that I put this particular
00:03:13
Speaker
produce put out there and I couldn't help but realize there was an appearance that I did last
00:03:33
Speaker
Unpacked and the question is should we? Let go of the past to only embrace The new year and of course this segment isn't just about discussing passages that was shared or talked about in Bible studies that I've had, whether it's with the seniors or with friends of mine. This segment is also used to unpack questions that can be addressed through scripture. And so I want to take the time out today to do that because I think it's important that we should do that. Not just that reason. I also want to take the time out as well to also speak
00:04:33
Speaker
some confidence into people today and whatever of a capacity that you're listening to me today. I understand the importance that having a platform and an opportunity to share God's word to people is needed. Obviously, there's so many different platforms that exist in the podcast spaces and also in YouTube.
00:04:58
Speaker
so I don't take this opportunity for granted.
Announcements and Philosophical Insights
00:05:01
Speaker
So before I go to address that particular question, I also wanna highlight and put this out there that as of this year, I am also providing t-shirts for those who are interested.
00:05:17
Speaker
So if you are interested, the email that I put out there, s-p-e-e-d-e-d-a-3 at gmo.com. If you would like a truth for the matter is podcast shirt, please email me at that. And also choose two Bible verses that stand out to you.
00:05:37
Speaker
as well. So I'll be in contact with you. It'll be appreciated. And I just want to bless you. So please reach out. So before we dive into this question, I want to pray. Father God in Jesus name, I thank you for another day, another opportunity of life, communication, relationship, most importantly, the ability to fellowship with you, whatever capacity that comes up. I thank you, Lord, because I know that your alpha and omega beginning in the end, the creator of all things and anything that I asked if it's according to your will. I know
00:06:17
Speaker
that you have the ability to do. Lord, as we open up your word today, as we desire to pursue you by getting to know you in this walk that we have, I pray that our eyes are open, our ears are open, our understanding is open to being adjusted. Our perspective is waiting in the works so that we have a better opportunity to be students of yours, but most importantly, have a better opportunity of elaborating and sharing your word with someone who's listening. I thank you for all these opportunities because in fellowshiping with you and fellowshiping with others, we only have the opportunity to grow. And with opportunity of growth, I don't see why.
00:07:05
Speaker
there would be a desire to miss that. So Lord, using me as your, using me as an instrument for your righteousness, using me as a tool to help impact lives who potentially press play on this podcast.
00:07:22
Speaker
For I thank you for who you are. I actually ask you to forgive me of all sins that I've committed, whether the intentionally, pray for all the listeners. They pray. Amen and Amen. Okay. So.
00:07:52
Speaker
I think when we look at what has transpired thus far, we're all in 2025. And being in a new year, there are some who are leaning into New Year's resolutions. And as you know, here on the Truth of the Matters podcast, we don't believe in New Year's resolutions. We believe in themes and goals.
00:08:16
Speaker
And that particular passage of evidence, at least for us, it's about making vows. And I'm talking about Proverbs chapter 20 verse 25 about it's rashly to dedicate one's vows. So only later we consider it. And so the proper approach I think that we need to have is the theme of the a year, right? To be mentally and emotionally available.
00:08:41
Speaker
Right? And so what tends to happen is as you step into a new year, you're conflicted. That confliction is because you're trying to embrace something new.
00:08:52
Speaker
But then you're also realizing that whatever experience or situation or circumstance that you were in the previous year, you're hoping to do better, right? You're waiting to see what the Lord has in store for you. But then you're you're trying to decide or decipher what value does the past have. And one thing I want to bring up that I think is important and is a quote that's pretty much summarizes the important, the importance of the past. And that quote is those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Again, it's those who do not learn from the history, right are doomed to repeat it. And maybe it's a powerful quote, because it's true.
00:09:41
Speaker
There's so many things that we can learn from the past. And if we're not keying in on things that ah that, you know, take place in the past, then how can you expect to do better? So with that being said, of course, here on the Truth of the Matters podcast, we love scripture because scripture puts things in proper context, perspective, and pretty much we believe that God has spoken through scripture to give us perspective about how we should go about The way we live our
Scriptural Encouragement and Endurance
00:10:13
Speaker
life. So the first passage of scripture that I want to bring up this Romans chapter 15 Verse 4 and this is what it says for everything that was written in the past Was written to teach us so that through the endurance taught in the scriptures and encouragement they provide We might have hope
00:10:32
Speaker
very direct passage everything that was written was written to teach us now another thing that is said a lot and i think that i should mention here is that the bible was not written for us but it was definitely written to us again the bible was not written for us but it was definitely written to us and the reason why i can say that is because there's pretty much throughout scripture
00:11:08
Speaker
Old Testament striving to either serve the Lord genuinely or move away from the Lord. And we see this quite often because what we have is we have people who are
00:11:31
Speaker
more or less convinced of different beliefs, different views, traditions, perspectives that did not align with God. and And as a result of that, you had a behavior that was mimicked and consistently practiced that led people straight and put them in predicaments that caused chaos not just on themselves but on others and that pretty much impacted the whole culture and this verse here Romans 15 4 talks about how the reason why all this was written down
00:12:20
Speaker
is so that we could be advised that if we were to move in a direction like that, the faith will be the same. Our faith would be the same if we deviate and did not learn from what scripture has told us, right? Another part about this verse is that it speaks about endurance. And endurance takes time, just like when you work out, right?
00:12:46
Speaker
you work out to build endurance. So if you run, you run to build endurance. Endurance is not something that you get overnight. Endurance is something that helps you overall, especially when you look at your purpose.
00:13:02
Speaker
Right? And if there's anything that I know of, with certainty, is that when we desire to do something right individually, what's going to keep us moving forward is something that's going to bring about encouragement and that's going to provide hope. Right? And if I have a desire to get in shape, if I have a desire to be more healthy, I understand that the process of changing in my eating habits I understand that the process of working out is not going to happen in a short amount of time. It's going to take a while. And so in the scriptures, we are taught endurance and that endurance brings about encouragement and that encouragement brings about the hope that we should have. And so just like in anything, if you come to work every single day on whether whatever that might be,
00:14:01
Speaker
the belief is that you're going to get better at it, right? I don't think the saying that if you work 10,000 hours at something, it's something you should sneeze at something you should ignore something that you should completely pay no attention to. No, I think it's extremely important that in that process of embracing endurance,
00:14:26
Speaker
will you become better? And I mean, think about it, right? Test it out, right? If you want to be a distance runner, right? If you want to be better in shape, understand that it's a battle each and every day that you should have towards it. And so this is one of the reasons from an overall perspective why embracing things that were done in the past should be encouraging for you to have hope in the future, right, or in the present tense. Another passage of scripture that I think is worth mentioning is the book of Acts chapter 14 verses 16 through 17, and it reads, in the past, so as you can see, both these verses from the jump are talking about past events.
God's Kindness and Provision
00:15:18
Speaker
In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Verse 17. Yet he has not let himself without testimony. He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons. He provided you with plenty of food and fills your heart with joy. I reread it again. In the past,
00:15:41
Speaker
This is Acts 14 verses 16 through 17. In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony. He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons. He provides you with plenty of food and fills your heart with joy. So as you should know,
00:16:06
Speaker
what poor is referencing? He's referencing the tower of battle. In the tower of battle, there was a belief that you could build your way up to heaven, right, into the third dimension they were trying to get into. And so God confused the languages and separated them. And so in the past, right, historically, also biblic hit biblical history points out that God did let all the nations go their own way, which is why we have so many different political systems, religious systems, right? But in doing that, he never let himself without testimony, which means one of the things that was stated by Moses
00:16:53
Speaker
is that, and especially Paul re-illerases in Romans chapter one, is that he says that there are there are those who have decided to worship the creation rather than the creator. Right? They have made gods out of the sea, right? The forest.
00:17:19
Speaker
Right? Nature itself has become full of different gods and goddesses that humanity has come up with. And it has evolved over time, where there's a God of a lot of different things. Right? Images that look like animals.
00:17:43
Speaker
people have decided to make those gods. And so what we can attest to based on Genesis chapter eight, believe is verses 22 to 27, is that not only will God not flood the earth no more, but instead he provided something consistent, the four seasons, right?
00:18:09
Speaker
And in those four seasons of providing, people are allowed to grow food. People are allowed to set their calendars, right? And this is what God had provided for structure. And so in doing that, this is why God, this is the testimony that God has provided.
00:18:29
Speaker
for us to have. And this is the amazing part about God, right? Is that in spite of our inability to acknowledge Him for who He is, and this is for people that don't, they overlook His goodness, His kindness, His generosity, His love, and instead they jump right to the point where they interpreted it that God doesn't care for them. Now,
00:18:54
Speaker
The passage that I'm speaking about is Genesis chapter eight, and it goes on to say verse 21 through 22, so there's nothing beyond that. It says, the Lord smelled a pleasing aroma and said in his heart, never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of human heart is evil from childhood. That's a whole nother conversation, right? We know this also in Ezekiel,
00:19:23
Speaker
he says the heart is deceitfully wicked above all else so this is pretty much in support of what's being stated here in verse 21 but as i finish verse 21 it says never again will i would destroy all living creations as i have done never again will i destroy all living creatures as i have done excuse me verse 22 as long as the earth endures see time and harvest cold and heat summer and winter day and night will never cease so you can expect those things see time and harvest time cold and heat summer and winter day and night will never cease and when we go back to acts 14 16 through 17 specifically verse 17 and yet he has not left himself without testimony he has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven
00:20:11
Speaker
crops in their seasons. He provided you with plenty of food and fills your heart with joy." So, these things happened in the past. This was a past event that transpired and the Lord has provided a way.
00:20:29
Speaker
so that even the nations that don't place their faith in Him, even the nations that don't know Him, they are still being blessed and they're still reaping from His goodness and His kindness that He shows to us. Because if there's no rain, then there's no possibility for things to grow, if right? If there's no crops in their proper seasons, then we don't have the information and knowledge to grow certain things during certain seasons. We don't have the wisdom, right, to decide which crops have a better chance of surviving during seasons. And then also with this, you can't harvest, right?
00:21:14
Speaker
You can't harvest at the proper times if you don't know which fruits are fruits, fruits and vegetables are able to thrive, right? So there is no seed time in harvest time. If you don't have a good grip and understanding of summer and winter, right? You won't know or spring, right?
00:21:38
Speaker
Summer, winter, spring and fall. Okay. On that note, next passage of scripture. Now these scriptures are obviously looking at the bigger picture. These scriptures are not necessarily addressing the much more personal thing, personal interactions. And I'm going to get to that in a second. I'm just telling you about what the past has provided and how through what's been provided in the past.
Lessons from the Israelites: Self-Control and Contentment
00:22:00
Speaker
we're able to have understanding perspective to help the decisions that we're making in the present. And this is just dealing with a history viewpoint. Let's look at first Corinthians chapter 10, verses one through 11.
00:22:22
Speaker
The next passage of scripture is 1 Corinthians chapter 10, 1 through 11 and it reads, I want to read this in the Amplified version by the way. For I do not want you to be unaware believers that our fathers were all under the cloud in which God's presence went before them, and they all passed miraculously and safely through the Red Sea.
00:22:41
Speaker
And all of them were baptized into Moses, into the safekeeping, and a leader in the cloud and in the sea. And all of them ate the same spiritual food, and all of them drank the same spiritual drink. For they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them, and a rock was Christ." Interesting.
00:22:59
Speaker
Verse 5, Nevertheless, God was not well pleased with most of them, for they were scattered along the ground in the wilderness because of their lack of self-control led to disobedience which led to death. Verse 6, Now these things, the warnings and abominations, took place as examples for us so that we would not crave evil things as they did.
00:23:23
Speaker
verse seven Do not be worshippers of handmade gods as some of them were. Just as it is written in scripture, the people sat down to eat and drink after sacrificing to the golden craft at Horvit and stood up to play endosian in morale activities. versus We must not end indulge in, nor tolerate sexual immorality as some of them did, and the 23,000 suddenly fell dead in a single day. We must not tempt the Lord, that is, test his patience, question his purpose, or export his goodness.
00:24:02
Speaker
as some of them did and they were killed by serpents and do not murmur and unwarranted discontent as some of them did and we destroyed by the destroyer verse 11 now these things happen to them as examples and warnings to us they were written for our instruction to abolish and equip us upon whom the ends of the age have come so very self-explanatory types, highlighting quite a few things.
00:24:35
Speaker
One of them being, verse six, now these things, the warnings, abominations took place as examples for us so that we would not crave evil things as they did. So what's the purpose of the past being expressed here? Then when you crave evil things, right, you lack self control. And then that disobedience creeps in. And as James says, when sin is full bloom, it leads to death.
00:25:05
Speaker
right So understand, God's desire for us not to live, sinful has everything to do with what it can lead to. And if we don't pay attention to the fact that sin has a way of not only driving us away from the Lord, but it has a way of us being super selfish, and in that selfishness, it creates a me attitude all about me nothing about anyone else right and God wants us to stay away from that passes the scripture states that I want to bring up here is James chapter 1 and
00:25:52
Speaker
right? And I want to look at the verse it says, after desires have conceived, it gives birth to sin and sin when this full grown gets birth to death. Obviously, the verse is teaching us that sin can lead to death, and that people can choose to give into the temptations. Okay. And what are we learning from a historical perspective here is that when people did,
00:26:20
Speaker
Not only did they become disobedient, but they lacked self-control. Another thing in verse 6 just talks about, right? Not only is an example, but it shows that when we crave evil things as they did, the result is the same, destruction. Now, obviously, as I was mentioning earlier, in regards to Acts 14 through 16 to 17,
00:26:48
Speaker
Right. About in the past, he's let all nations go their own way. And he has not left himself without testimony. When we look back here in first Corinthians chapter 10. Right. And we look specifically at verse seven. It says, do not be worshipers of handmade gods. And some of them were. Right.
00:27:10
Speaker
And what does the passage say that people sat down to eat and drink after sacrifice into the golden calf. So this is what happens when you let people go their own way. They create gods for themselves. They start to lean into other practices that are practice among the other nations and they embrace it. Right.
00:27:36
Speaker
These are the things that transpired. Now I want to talk about something else. Verse 10. And do not murmur an unwarranted discontent as some of them did and were destroyed by the destroyer. Why is it so interesting? Because it's there's a passage.
00:27:59
Speaker
and Philippians chapter four. And this goes on to tell you like these are the connections that scripture has the potential to make, right? If we go to Philippians chapter four, right? And it shows you the mindset that Paul was trying to get people to do.
00:28:23
Speaker
All right, beautiful Philippians.
00:28:32
Speaker
A lot of people like to quote Philippians 4.13, but what they tend to ignore is the previous statements that come out before it. So if you're looking at, again, first Corinthians chapter 10, it says, do not murmur an unwarranted discontent as some of them did, right? And they were destroyed by the destroyer unwarranted discontent has to do with not appreciating
00:29:01
Speaker
the things you do have and when you don't appreciate the things you do have you complain about the things you don't have you reject God's goodness even in the bad times right we know that he's good all the time and even though we can't decipher what makes God good in the moments of our suffering we're ignoring the fact that one he punishes those he loves another thing is he's shaping and fashioning your character and developing you and putting you in a place to where you can be an over overcomer we're ignoring the fact that God's purpose is behind
00:29:40
Speaker
some of the things we go through is to set us up to be successful and so we look at you know hardships difficulties we look at challenges as ways of God not being there for us when in fact all that means is that either God allowed it or he sent it And if he sent it or allowed it, that means it's supposed to serve a bigger purpose of the development of your character so that you can persevere, right? So the passage of scripture that I'm pointing at in Philippians 4, I want to start at verse 10, I rejoice greatly in the Lord that
00:30:23
Speaker
At last, you renewed your concerns from me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need. I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secrets of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty.
00:30:53
Speaker
or in want. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." So the murmuring portion has a lot to do with the people of Israel complaining about the mamma, right? Complaining about God feeding them, complaining about them having to eat the same thing over and over again. I mean go back to Exodus and read the story. The complaints that happened when he had Snakes bite them and he holds me had to use the same snake to obviously lead them and and rescue them out of that So many things transpired in that text that speaks to the discontentment, right? When we look at verse 3 and then all of them ate the same spiritual food and all don't drink the same spiritual drink for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them and a rock was Christ and Right? So there's so much that we can unpack here, but I just want to give you a generality aspect of why the past is so important. Because in reading this, it can educate us and direct us that we should be grateful and thankful for every little thing. Never overlooking the things that have transpired in the past so that we can learn from their mistakes and have a different outlook for us in the present and future endeavors, right?
00:32:10
Speaker
So next passage of scripture, so I want to shift from looking at the past From an overall perspective and I want to point to personal examples, so let's go to Genesis chapter 41 52 52 Before the years of famine came two sons Who were born to Joseph?
00:32:35
Speaker
by Estella's daughter of Potiphar, priest of all. Joseph named his firstborn Messiah and said it's because God has made me forget all my troubles and all my father's household. The second son he named Ephraim and said it's because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering. So what we get here,
00:32:58
Speaker
is we get the significance of two names. And both of these names point to how God has provided a way out of his suffering and now his successes. So embracing two different experiences points to one being in the past and one
Joseph's Journey and the Significance of Names
00:33:21
Speaker
being in the present. So what I want you to do moving forward in understanding about embracing what the Lord has for you in the new year is appreciating how there's a bridge that's built how what transpired in the past might be what allows you or propels you in the present so as you can see one name speaks to how God has made him forget all the troubles that he had in his father's house where his brother is in slavery
00:33:51
Speaker
That's what one name symbolizes. And what we know, at least in the New Testament, is that Jesus gives new names for new destinies for the disciples, for what he has missions for them to complete. right where there was so who became poor right Whether it was Whether it was Simon who became Peter.
00:34:11
Speaker
right we see the name change we also see it in the old testament as well but the point is is that the mission or the journey that god saw foresaw what they would eventually be stepping into there was a name change And what we see here is that the names historically in general are supposed to represent something for future aspirations or learning experiences that they once had. And the new name speaks about god you know how God has made him fruitful in the land of and the land of his suffering.
00:34:52
Speaker
And that speaks to where he currently is. It's that he became second in charge. And if you look through the journey in Genesis of Joseph, he came from being sold into slavery to then being in jail and then having the wisdom and knowledge to change that. And it all took time. Didn't happen right away. Took time. And then what that allowed him to do is to utilize that gift. And now he's second in charge of all of Egypt.
00:35:20
Speaker
right So this is where a passage like Proverbs 13, 12 says, hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life. right And I love the verse because it tells you how, when we hang on to something, we hope to happen. It does make us sick.
00:35:40
Speaker
right I can think of examples such as, you know, look at tax season. Tax season is on the way. There are people that are hoping for their refunds. So in the beginning, that hope that they have is they know that they're going to eventually get it. But the timing of when they're going to get it is what makes them sick.
00:36:01
Speaker
Right. Is it coming today? Is it coming tomorrow? Is it coming next week? Right. And in a lot of cases, people wait on it. And guess what? Once they get it, then they are fulfilled and that allows them to go and pursue whatever it is that they want to do with that money. So that's an interesting example that I just pulled out. OK. Another passage of scripture that I love.
00:36:30
Speaker
Gospel Luke chapter 22 verses 31 to 32 listen carefully to this Simon Peter we just talked about the name change Listen Satan has the demanded permission to sift you all of you like grain But I have prayed especially for you Peter that your faith and confidence in me may not fail And you, once you have turned back again to me, strengthen and support your brothers in the faith. Why do I love this passage? Because something happens to him in the past. He utilizes the lessons, the
00:37:10
Speaker
ups and downs and challenges, the obstacles. And what Jesus is telling him is that he desires that he wants him to use that to help strengthen and support his brothers once he's come out of it. Right. And it's amazing because we get that in Luke four and Matthew four with Jesus, that when Jesus was tempted in the desert, he utilized scripture to combat it back with Satan.
00:37:36
Speaker
And what that taught us is that in harshest and difficulties, right? Rather than sit there, go on the offensive and remind yourself of scripture, right? Whether it was due to Ramadi 8.3 that he utilized to debunk the idea that we live not on, right? When he told him to turn those stones into bread, he says that we don't live on food alone, but from every word that comes from the Bible for the Lord, right?
00:38:05
Speaker
He re-emphasized the value of the Word of God. And he placed that value as something that needed to be reinstated, not just to his own mentality, his own psyche, but also to the devil. That you may know scripture, but I know how to apply it. And so,
00:38:30
Speaker
I love this passage is because it speaks to how God's desire, Jesus in particular, to pray. And I understand how the narrative is that well, prayer doesn't change things. Right? No, it does. and And we know based upon James, the prayer of ah of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Right? We know that prayer.
00:38:57
Speaker
is coming to the Lord on behalf of someone else in the hopes that the wisdom or the choices that a person makes is brought back to their remembrance so that they can act accordingly, right? And we know that anything that we ask, if it's according to God's will and it's within his character, we know that we have it. That's the confidence that we also have when we do pray. And so in this scenario here in Luke, Luke 22 verses 31 to 32, it's about learning
00:39:32
Speaker
on the live experience and taking what you learn and then helping to implement and employ someone else who may run into a similar situation like yourself. And that's what we need to learn from scripture.
00:39:48
Speaker
Okay, next passage of scripture 2nd Peter chapter 1 verses 5 to 7 says for this very reason make every effort to add to your faith goodness and to goodness knowledge and to knowledge self-control and to self-control perseverance and to perseverance godliness and to guidance mutual affection to mutual affection love why is this so important it's so important because
00:40:20
Speaker
is required for us to continue to have faith, right?
Spiritual Growth and Intercession
00:40:24
Speaker
We know faith is the substance of things, hopeful to evidence of things not seen. We also have to understand that faith is not just something that's a blind thing, but it's a reason trust and it's a during and process and it's an inherent for knowledge, right? That's the practical definition that I've provided in the past.
00:40:42
Speaker
where it allows us to understand that there are reasons for you to have faith. There are examples in the Bible that we just talked about and emphasized it what was mentioned at the top with Romans 15.4, right? That if we're going to have endurance and encouragement that gives us the hope, then we have to continue to add to our faith The scenarios and testimonies that have existed before us to then give us the confidence to trust in God, especially in the hard times and the difficult times. Right? We have to know His goodness.
00:41:18
Speaker
We have to know of the knowledge that's been provided. We have to understand the importance of having self-control to go on being in a place where we experience perseverance, right? We have to understand what the right godliness is. We have to understand the importance of mutual affection and how mutual affection is love. And it has to do with the least crisis love for us. And in that love for us, you understand the sacrifice that was made on behalf of us.
00:41:47
Speaker
right that he didn't just come to destroy the devil's work but he came so that we may know him who is true and we are being in him who is true by being in his son Jesus Christ right and that passes as his first John chapter 5 verses 20 right verses 19 through 20 so these are the things we have to add so moving forward right if we're going to embrace the new year. We shouldn't let go of the past, or we shouldn't embrace the past to help us remain intact as we step into the desires that we believe the Lord has with us in the new year. Now I want to add something additional, and I think this is as important as well.
00:42:36
Speaker
What I want to state is I i want to talk about what I've realized that I think a lot of us don't pay close attention to. And that's Philippines chapter two, verse four, right? Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit rather than humility, value others above yourselves, not looking for your own interests, but each of you to you, the interests of others. Why do I like this so much? Because the thing for the year, right? Be emotionally and mentally available.
00:43:06
Speaker
When people are speaking and sharing what they're dealing with in their personal life, and as a believer, if you're actively listening, you hear what's going on. You understand the difficulties that they're having, right? I mentioned this last week. Is that be mindful?
00:43:30
Speaker
of the fact that prayer does change things, right? Romans 8, 25 says, but if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it patiently. And so when people are expressing difficulties,
00:43:48
Speaker
you as a believer have the power to go to the Lord on their behalf to help them on whatever capacity that you can. whether that's praying confidence, whether that's praying for them to hold on tight, for them to continue to have hope in the Lord, right? There's so many different things we can pray about for other people. Understand the power that you have and the influence that you have, okay? Now,
00:44:18
Speaker
two additional passages that I wanna bring up. First Corinthians chapter six, verses seven to 11. The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wrong? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you you do not know the wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God.
00:44:50
Speaker
Do not be deceived, neither the sexual immorality, nor our doctors, nor adulterers, nor men who have sex with men, nor thieves, nor greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanders, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by the Spirit of our God. Specifically, I love this passage because if you look at verse 11, and that is what some of you were,
00:45:20
Speaker
but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by the spirit of our God. Before we get to verse 11, verses seven, actually verses nine,
00:45:36
Speaker
dual 10, speak about the condition of what some of us used to be. And guess what? Those things were past endeavors, practices, ways of living,
00:45:51
Speaker
And so if you recognize that that's some of the ways we used to live, but we no longer live those ways anymore, we understand the importance that we all have a past. And therefore, as we step into what the Lord has for us in the future, or in the present, be mindful that when you encounter other people who are struggling, don't kick them down. Don't belittle them.
00:46:15
Speaker
Don't try to force them to change at a pace that you did. Give them time, right? Be patient with them because they deserve it. They need it. And so we have to have patience with them just as much as the Lord have patience with us. This is hard. This is difficult. And if we don't recognize that, I think we're beating up our own in ways.
00:46:45
Speaker
that it's not going to better them as a matter of fact someone will run away as a result of realizing that the judgment tend to come from their own people more
New Year Reflections and God's Plan
00:46:53
Speaker
than anything else so be mindful of that be cautious of that okay last passage of scripture philippines 4 verses 4 to 8 and this should help us again we're stepping into what the lord has for us in the mindset that we ought to have and step into what the Lord has was. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again. Rejoice. Let your gentleness be evident to it all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your request to God.
00:47:36
Speaker
And the peace of God will will transcend or understand it and will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. Amen. Verse eight. Finally, brothers and sisters, as a matter of fact, let's just go back and look at these verses here. Right. Do not be anxious about anything. But in every situation situation by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, and present your request to God. Right. Something that I mentioned earlier.
00:48:05
Speaker
And the peace of God will transcend all understanding and will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. So the peace of God will come over you. When you pray to God and you put all your concerns and issues out before Him.
00:48:22
Speaker
and knowing who God is and knowing that he's a comforter and knowing that he's a provider and knowing that he's a God who is full of first and second and third and fourth and fifth chances. You're supposed to be a level of peace that's supposed to come over you because you know that you have provided to the Lord the issues that you're dealing with in hopes that not only does he hear you, we know that he hears us that he will provide a way for you to cope and to deal with it and to address it, right? We know that with Jesus, we know that his burning was light, right? We know that his burden was light and therefore there was a reason why he says to place it on his shoulders. For his joke is easy and his burden is light.
00:49:05
Speaker
Okay, verse 8. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praise the way you think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me, put it into practice and the God of peace will be with you.
00:49:27
Speaker
So as we step into this new year, okay, embracing what the Lord has for us, I think that particular passage lays out the foundation of how we should be thinking, right? Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything it's excellent or praise the way we think about such things. And it's all about what we think, right?
00:49:55
Speaker
And if we think and meditate on what is true, what is noble, what is excellent, what is praiseworthy, right? Whatever those things that and that have to do with our understanding and relationship with God. If we think about those things the way we should, then I think without question moving into the new year, we'll be prepared to accept whatever the Lord has for us.
00:50:19
Speaker
And it's all about preparation and understanding that God's timing is the best timing. But more importantly, understand that the past is only set up in a way so that you can see how you've come such a long way. With God guiding you and directing you and shaping it and fashioning you to who you are and the person you are today. And that's not easy for God to do, to put the pieces back together, to build confidence that we have in Him.
00:50:51
Speaker
and to believe that in Him all things are possible. Right, Philippians 4.13, I can do all things to Christ who strengthens me. This takes a while, but I say get on a journey, be prepared, be ready, and be mindful of the fact that You can achieve it with Christ as an assisting you, the Holy Spirit assisting you. And with that being said, a pray a prayer closes out. Heavenly Father, Lord in Jesus name, where will we be without your word? Truly, where will we be without your word? We know that your word is foundational. We know that your word provides us direction, comfort, understanding, clarity.
00:51:35
Speaker
instruction. And so Lord, as we depart from one another, but never your presence as we step into what isn't sore us to speak, I pray that our eyes don't depart from the word. I pray that we think twice before we make any decision that doesn't strengthen our relationship with you. I pray that we're mindful of the fact that temptations are going to come. As a matter of fact, hardships are going to come.
00:52:00
Speaker
But we need to be mindful and ready of the fact that through our past experiences and walks with you, through the past experiences and walk with the disciples and many others in the scriptures, I pray that it gives us the endurance, that it gives us encouragement, that it provides us hope. I pray that we understand that you have not left us without testimony of yourself or the testimony of others to help strengthen and encourage us and provide us hope. I pray that we learn from these past experiences and that we're thoughtful in our decision making and I pray that these things come in a timely matter so that we can respond appropriately. And Lord I say these things in Jesus name we pray. Amen and amen. I can't wait to talk to you all next time. God bless and be safe.