Pastor Rick Warren Sermon When You Need A Fresh Start: Today we look at what God tells us to do whenever we need a fresh start, both the Old Testament and the New Testament in the bible are filled with examples of God, giving people fresh start because God is the God of second chances, he’s the God of new beginnings, he’s the God of starting over, he’s the God of beginning again, he’s the God who specializes in giving people fresh starts.
An example in the bible can be found in Zechariah 10:6 from the message, God says I’ll save the people of joseph, I know their pain and I’ll make them as good as new, they’ll get a fresh start as if nothing ever happened, because I am their God and I’ll do what needs to be done for them
What an incredible promise, aren’t you glad that God knows and cares about all the pain you go through, he felt everything you went through this past year and aren’t you glad that no matter what happens in your life he can make everything as good as new and aren’t you glad that God says I’ll do what needs to be done to give you a fresh start.
You almost can’t count the number of times, in the bible that God gave his people Israel a fresh start, after they messed up.
God’s word gives us the simple steps for getting started on a fresh start;
Pastor Rick Warren says, Here’s the first step in a new year and a fresh start the first step is always this, stop making excuses, for not starting, stop making excuses for not starting, have you ever been around somebody who makes excuses for everything, you’ve probably noticed that people who are good at making excuses are rarely good at anything else, the biggest barrier to my success and your success are my own excuses your own excuses.
The second step is to focus listen on character goals, rather than activity goals, you can focus on activity goals, if you know the future you don’t but you can focus on character goals anytime.
Hebrews 11:6 says this, without faith, it is impossible to please God that’s why The third step in a fresh start is you have to act in faith, the question you must ask yourself is this, what faith goals for this next year will you, set this next week,
Now we go to the fourth biblical step to a fresh start, that Is to refocus your mind if you want a fresh start in life.
We must do the first three things and then refocus our mind, if you want to change your life, you got to change the way you think first, changing your thoughts is the key to a fresh start, in any area, in a hobby, in a career, in a relationship, in a marriage, in parenting, changing your thoughts is the key to a fresh start in any area.
Ephesians 4:23 and the amplified says this, be constantly renewed in the spirit, of your mind, that’s changing your mind, change the way you think, and you would be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind having a fresh mental attitude.