Saturday, June 28, 2025

A NEW BEGINNING

 

A NEW BEGINNING

Brandie Muncaster-  "Before the beginning, darkness filled the silent, lonely space. Looking out into the vast chasm of nothingness, void of purpose and companionship, God the Creator imagined, considered, and dreamed of all the possibilities of what He could make.

Then He chose, plotted, and planned. He made something out of nothing, creating the universe with His words. He said, 'Let there be,' and it was. Light burst forth. Stars hung in the sky. Planets circled the earth. Land formed into mountains, hills, and plains. Water poured into seas, rivers, and lakes. Plants grew. Clouds made shapes, snow, and rain. The wind whispered and wailed. The sun shone brightly during the day, and the moon at night.

Animals came alive. Humans too. Nature stood marked with the Maker’s fingerprints of purpose on every square inch of the world. Then the Creator gazed at what He had made and loved what He saw. It was beautiful.

All of creation is a product of God’s powerful words. He created all things according to His greatness, goodness, and wisdom to display His awesome wonder perfectly. Each time He speaks, what He commands is manifested.

Not only did God’s words have the power to create the universe at the beginning of time, they also have the power to transform and redirect our lives when we need a new beginning. Amid our darkness, emptiness, and isolation, He can revive, encourage, and direct us onto a path that breathes new life and purpose into our weary souls. 

Do you need a new beginning of God’s grace, love, and empowerment? The same God who made you and everything in the universe is looking down from heaven today and observing your life. Ask Him to speak something new into you, then partner with Him and watch His powerful words manifest the goodness and beauty He desires for your fresh start."  


Let's pray-

     Father, before the beginning of creation, we believe that You looked at the darkness, and feeling the chasm of nothingness and void of purpose, You imagined, considered and dreamed of all the possibilities of what You could make.
     Then You chose, plotted and planned on making something out of nothing, creating the universe with Your words. Your saying, "Let there be," brought light bursting forth. The stars appeared in the sky. Planets circled the earth, and land formed into mountains, hills and plains. Water was poured into the seas, rivers and lakes. Plants grew. Clouds made shapes for rain and snow. The wind whispered and wailed, and the sun shone brightly during the day and the moon at night.
     The animals came alive as well as humans. Nature stood marked with Your fingerprints of purpose on every square inch of the world. You gazed at what You had made and loved what You saw, as it was beautiful!
     All of creation was the product of Your powerful words. You created all things according to Your greatness, goodness and wisdom, to display Your awesome wonder perfectly. Each time You spoke, what You commanded was manifested!
     You still have the power to transform and redirect our lives when we need a new beginning. Amid our darkness, emptiness and isolation You can revive, encourage and direct us onto a path that breathes new life and purpose into our weary souls.
     As You're looking down from heaven today and are observing our lives, please speak words that manifest the goodness and beauty You desire for our fresh start.
 In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen  


#93 Testimony- Basil

  "One day Basil came to meet me. I saw in his eyes something I had never seen before. He looked like someone who carried a secret that he could no longer bear. I felt that his eyes were revealing that secret, even before his tongue could do so.
   He started pacing back and forth, talking like someone who was thinking aloud and not talking to me in particular. It was a unique speech!
  "After a long time of studious search and sleepless nights, looking for a moment of safety and a father's heart to welcome back the prodigal son, I have to tell you that the road of searching is not rosy. On the contrary, many times I felt myself drowning in a flood of questions with no answers.
   Sometimes I was about to abandon my objectivity and just embrace any religion, like a drowning man grasping at anything, but I could not deny that the power of the Almighty surrounded me. When I hit rock bottom, totally frustrated, I could feel a new hope infiltrating my soul, giving me new strength to lift me up and guide my steps on the way.
   Every morning, I renewed my commitment to seek the goal and to persevere until I discovered the truth, to find out the God who would reconcile me with heaven, with myself, and with other people  all other people, friends and enemies alike.
   I was looking for a God who could change my heart, even create a new heart in me—a heart that knows how to praise Him, to have mercy, to forgive, to care, to shine, and to change the world for the better!
   Would you believe it, my friend? I've found that wonderful, great God! He is my Savior, my God, my crown, my strenth, my Lord, my cause, and my struggleJesus Christ!"
 

1496-1500 One-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted- 
 
1496- 2 Chron. 34:2a "And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD."
1497- Pro. 13:6a "Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way."
1498- Ps. 119:62 "At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of 
          thy righteous judgments."
1499- Pro. 19:17 "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that 
          which he hath given will He pay him again."
1500- Is. 12:1a "And on that day thou shalt say, O LORD,  will praise thee."


 #93  Hymn- Nearer, My God, ToThee  
The information about this song,  is taken from the book by Robert J. MorganTHEN SINGS MY SOUL   (pp. 14,15)
 
   Sarah Flower Adams, the author of Nearer, My God, to Thee, was born in Harlow, England, in the winter of 1805. Her father was a newspaper editor and a man of prominence. In 1837 she played "Lady MacBeth" in the Richmond Theater in London to rave reviews.
   Her frail health hampered her career, however, and she found herself focusing more on her literary gifts. It's said that she wrote quickly, as if under compulson: and seldom did editors find anything to change in her work. Among her compositons were hymns of praise to the Lord. Sarah's sister, Eliza, a gifted musician, often wrote the music for her hymns. The two were very close. 
   Her pastor was compiling a church hymn book and he wanted to include some of their hymns. He further mentioned that he was frustrated at his inability to find a hymn to go along with the upcoming Sunday's message, which was from the story of Jacob and Bethel in Genesis 28:20-22.
  Sarah offered to write a hymn based on those verses. For the rest of the week she poured over the passage, visualizing Jacob's sleeping with a stone for his pillow as he dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven. The following Sunday, her church sang Sarah's hymn, "Nearer, My God, to Thee."


 Some encouraging words-

Some things we've done are so deeply regretted, but because they drew us closer to God, and because He has fogiven us, we know first hand how gracious He is!
(see Luke 7:47)


Church Notes: 

    A lot of what God whats to do in our lives will depend on our willingness to submit totally to His leading. He wants to build in us hearing ears and boldness to teach others of His Kingdom living, how we're to stand and to set our minds on heavenly ways to handle things. We're to set our minds on thngs above. 

   The question is, "How do we talk?" What we set our minds on, and not saying the "can't" word, and getting alone with the One who can change us, will help us see what we are captivated to, and what's been said in our past that we've believed.


Upcoming posts:

 7/5-  BLESSED BY THE BEST- Felicia Dawson
12th- OUR TRUST-WORTHY FATHER- OXCHITL DIXON
19th- NEW LIFE IN JESUS- Amy Boucher



The North Country Christian Fellowship Center Churches,

located in the St. Lawrence county of NY,

broadcast their Sunday services at 10 or 10:15

You can view past services too.

Sermon listing:https://www.cfconline.org/sermon-library 


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