Friday, May 19, 2006 - Women's Night: "All New"

 

Speaker: Lin Beaty

 

We want new
We settle for old in our lives
first thought game -- word association -- deep thought
What is your deeper list?
2 Cor 5:17
Do I really know Jesus? or just about Him?
God, let me know this man like I've never known him before
Make a list -- Your Name / Jesus -- compare and contrast
It's not that I'm not like Him, but do I want to be like Him?
If you're not in love with someone, your not going to follow very well
Love will let you do what you never thought you could
Eph 4:22-24 we were created to be like God -- created to love -- He adores me
Eph 4:25-32 and then this is what we need to do
like a little child - don't cross the line (they go right up to that line and smile at you and cross it to see what we are going to do about it). We're like that with the world.
God wants a new life for you.
new life / heart / attitude / spirit
Get up after baptism -- "please don't let me sin"
we just want to be perfect
as a newlywed, we wanted to be a perfect wife (story about breakfast in bed)

God loves me no matter what because He is a God that is perfect
When you have children, doesn't your heart ache when your children are going through hard times?
Then we will get comfortable blowing it
Do I have certain old, comfortable things? She has a few t-shirts -- don't throw those t-shirts out. We start to protect them.
Even when the old is not necessarily good.
Jesus didn't come to give us a new life once, but over and over again.
Life does not respect new attitudes -- things happen. Like we are wearing a neon sign -- I have a new attitude, nothing is going to bother me. Circumstances happen to test that new attitude.

Life is tough. It won't be smooth sailing. We get disillusioned with God. We are going to go through hard times. Dreams will be crushed. Things we can't control. Things that hurt deep.
Lin and her husband lived like they were dying. He was dying anyway -- might as well go overseas. God kept him alive 12 years with a tumor. She promised him she would be righteous and bring their 3 children to heaven with her so they could all be with him someday. Single moms -- an endless hard job. She would pray that God would keep her righteous for the next hour.
Her brother got the same tumor her husband had -- he died in 2 years.

Women start over again a lot. We have to make ourselves over regularly - each stage in life. God wants us to continue to become new creations.
Where are you tonight? Where are you going to be when you're 80? It's great to be where you are, but where are you going to be then?

Our character doesn't just happen, God makes us an inspiration.
What decision are you making right now?
2 Cor 4:18 We do not lose heart -- what is unseen is eternal
The feeling that you just can't do this anymore -- battery has run down
What do I need new?
like Peter - sees the wind and the waves and can't see Jesus anymore -- wind and waves taking you down

She went back to the old stories -- David, Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Abraham -- remind me, God, of who you are, let me see you big again, let you be the only one I see
none of my obstacles seems as big as 10,000 soldiers outside like the Israeli soldiers -- get dressed and ready for battle then see Goliath and shrink back. Ezekiel - need a new heart and a new spirit.
It is a burden to do God's will?
Are you tired of sacrificing?
Am I the best me I can be in my marriage?
If something happened to my husband, don't have any regrets.
Have a great marriage NOW.
It takes work.

New kids -- time out -we need a new family, this one is not working. This will end now - you can't hand with your friends until you get this relationship with your brother on straight. This relationship is a God-given relationship. God did not send his son to die so I would stay here.

A new purpose -- Did we forget how wonderful it was to see someone's life change?
Share our faith, we realize how good we have it.

new Dreams -- God isn't done with us, he's just started.
Everything up to now is to groom us for the big dreams still to come
There's a lot of lives I still need to touch
I need to stop feeling sorry for myself so God can use me
There are people right now who need help -- Story about a woman at a store who saw a young boy with a man, saw a chain around his neck, he mouthed to her "call my dad" and before she could react, the man saw and yanked the child out of there. Abducted child. "Call my Dad" We need to save that person now & not let them escape with Satan.

"Do not let your life be like a shooting star, which lights up the sky for just a brief moment. Let your life be like the sun, which always burns brightly in the heavens, bringing light and warmth to all those on earth. Let your light shine!" from The Rhythm of Life, Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose, by Matthew Kelly.

I'm gonna fall, but keep holding on to God's hand.