My Sunday message was titled “Wrap up your 2011”
God has a plan and a future for you – don’t mess it up by staying stuck to the stuff of 2011… may this truth set you free to move into all God has for you in 2012 and beyond!
You can listen /download it here. To help you, below are the summary notes from our handout sheet at the service:
“Wrap up your 2011”
May this message help you to leave the negatives of the past behind, and positioning you to enter into Gods new for you in 2012…
The Pattern of renewal is always: “Put off the old, and put on the new…” – Eph 4:20-24
The way you leave, is the way you enter…
But How????? Here are three Jesus-centered sure ways of being free of what’s in the past, and getting set up for a blessed 2012: Repentance, Forgiveness, Truth
- Repentance says: “I’m sorry” – and will free you of sin you have committed…
- Forgiveness says: “I forgive you” – and will set you free from what others have done to you…
- Truth says: “I believe what God says” – and will set you free from lies, ignorance & deception…
Repentance
Repentance literally means “a change of mind and purpose”
It is always “away from sin” AND “in faith towards God”
- Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord
- Romans 2:4 … knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
- 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Forgiveness
Unforgiveness is a poison that will ultimately kill you, and defile many around you. Once you have personally experienced forgiveness of our sin by God, then you CAN find the ability to forgive others for how they have wronged and their sin against you.
- Colossians 3:13&14 … and forgiving one another, …even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
You can forgive, and you can love, only because God first loved you and demonstrated His love through Christ dying for your sins. Receive it, and then give it – and experience a resulting supernatural freedom from all they did to you!
Truth
Truth is the power to set you free from the slavery and control of the lies and deceptions of the devil and the world, and also of the ignorance that you may have about God and His plans for you.
Truth comes to you from the Scriptures – what God says. Not from feelings, or what other people say or do.
- John 8:32 “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
- John 17:17 Sanctify (set them apart) them by the truth; your word is truth.
To grow in Truth, consider doing the “One-2-One,” “Purple Book,” “Victory Weekend,” or our online Bible School next year. See www.enbibleschool.co.uk
Conclusion
There is the power of Christ in each of these and if you will receive them today, you will experience the freeing and renewing power of Jesus. So, wrap up your 2011 in Repentance, Forgiveness & Truth – and be set free to receive all that He has for you as you reach out for what is ahead.
To think about and respond:
- Repentance: Do you need to repent of sin in 2012? Actions, attitudes, issues of the heart? Pray: “Lord, I’m sorry for… forgive me… thank you.”
- Forgiveness: Do you need to forgive someone? Pray: “Lord, just like you forgive me, I choose to forgive ___________________ for what they did to me…”
- Truth: What lies have been spoken over you this year? What deception have you embraced? In what area of your relationship with God do you need to grow to dispel ignorance so that your faith will be grounded on solid Bible truth? Pray: “Lord, I commit to knowing and living in Your truth
You can listen /download it here.
Wolfi's View from London 