New Life!

There are so many dead things around us and so many others that are dying. We are victimized by so many signs of death and their impact upon the way we live. While we know that death is one of the surest facts of life, there is a need for us to dispose of dead stuff as soon as we can. However, more and more of us are holding on to things that are no longer viable and alive. Life brings with it a certain amount of adventure and excitement. Life is loaded with awe and intrigue. Life offers us chance after chance to experience the fresh and dynamic. It should be our goal to experience life like never before. If you are one of those who have held on to something that has long since died, or even some non-productive habit or activity, or failed strategy; now is the time for you to let go of the dead stuff and take hold on the new life that the resurrection of Christ offers. Wow! What a wonderful time to release what isn't working for something that holds more promise. This is an excellent season for evaluating everything about ourselves and making changes as necessary. New Life in Jesus Christ means that death should not dominate us. We can begin by getting rid of dead things and embracing new possibilities. Thank You Jesus for the New Life that comes to us by faith in You. Amen. Pastor E.L. Branch

Fresh Start

Every year--every day provides us with opportunities for fresh starts. By the grace of God we are given chance after chance to begin again. That's a blessing that we cannot ignore. Because we are prone to make mistakes and to suffer failures, we have to take advantage of every opportunity to be renewed and restored. We are the people we are because of grace and fresh starts. It is when we ignore our chances to start over that we get bogged down in our past and become stunted in our growth. The Bible teaches that grace is renewed day by day.

Our fresh start gives us a chance for new directives and brand new goals. Have you set your goals yet? Some would like to earn a degree; others would like to lose weight or begin exercising. There are some who would love to travel the world and yet others who would like to spend more time with family or friends. Whatever your goals, you can celebrate the fact that God will work with you right where you are to take you to where you should be. God is available to us all and will grant us grace to realize our hopes and dreams.

This word is my encouragement to you to keep believing God, and hold to the truth of God's word. God looks beyond our faults and failures and gives us the strength and authority to achieve our goals to the glory of God. If you have failed, and we all have; if you feel weak, and we all do sometimes; just know that God is your strength and salvation. It matters not what others may think of you or say about you, you are God's child--you are God's child!

Therefore, live with your head up and your heart full of confidence. We are on our way to the next level and God is getting us ready for something better than what we are experiencing right now. Look around and see if there are open doors and new opportunities within reach to you. Look and see what channels and avenues are open to you. Therein lies your chance for a fresh start. You may not need to relocate to a new city or state. You don't have to launch a new career. Your answer may not be in finding a husband or wife. A divorce may not be the thing to set you free. God's answer for your life just may come from renewed grace right where you are.

Blessings and Peace, E.L. Branch