How to take the initiative?
50 Days of Faith Part 3 of 8 – Mark 10:46-52
We’re continuing in this “50 Days of Faith” series. . I am receiving very encouraging feedback on how God is stretching our faith. Last week our prayer partners prayed for youth workers. At our Ignition last weekend we had 19 people including 6 youth workers. What a great start! God is really stretching my faith – is God stretching yours?
The children are memorizing a verse each week and so are we. Remember our theme verse (Hebrews 11:6). I am also sending a weekly daily devotional to help us along.
We started the Bait of Satan study this past Wednesday with _______________ participants. The Breaking Free has ______________ participants and they are encouraged. Tonight is our prayer summit at 6:30 PM. Mike Yutzy and his youth band will be leading us. This is the most important meeting of the church. These are positive days for Calvary.
But I want to be honest with you. There are times when I wished I could just start my life over? Maybe just go back and do it again. But I cannot.
So from here on in I don’t want to waste my life. The future faith of our children and grandchildren rests on our obedience and faith in God. We can all avoid lots of problems, pain and worry by stepping up to the plate in faith; by choosing to live a Christ centred life.
But still there are still days that I wish I could rewind the tape and start my life over.” Have you ever felt like that?
The problem is we can’t rewind the tape. It’s behind us. But we can have a fresh start. And God is a God of fresh starts. Psalms 145:14 says, “God gives a fresh start to those who are ready to quit.”
If you have ever thought I feel like quitting you’ve come to the right place today. We’re going to talk about the five secrets of making a fresh start – S.T.A.R.T. There are things from God’s word that will bring us victory regardless of our background, our past, or how we really messed up. You can make a fresh start.
One day Jesus was walking through the streets of the city of Jericho. A large crowd was following Him. There was a blind beggar by the side of the road named Bartimaeus. Let’s call him Bart.
Now in Jesus day if you were blind:
o You could not work
o There was no social assistance
o You had no trained seeing eye dog
So Bart was reduced to begging for survival. He would beg for money daily. It was a miserable life. His name Bartimaeus meant son of Timaeus or “son of the honorable.” But his life was not honorable.
Sometimes in life we have fantastic opportunities.
This would be Bart’s miracle day. He is thinking “This is my chance. I’ve got to go for it. This is where I can get my fresh start. I’m not going to miss this opportunity.”
He starts yelling and screaming above the noise of the crowd saying, “Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!” That is the first step to a fresh start with God.
I. SEIZE THE MOMENT
He said, “I’m not going to miss this one. Jesus may not be back this way. I will not delay nor procrastinate. I’m going to start now.” And that’s the first key to a fresh start in your life. Do today what God is calling you to. Whatever you’re going to do, do it now. Don’t say, “Next year I’m going to make a fresh start.... Next month I’m going to make a fresh start...” It’s now or never. Seize the moment!
Your thinking:
o Time to start reading the Bible – start today
o Time to become a Christian – today is the day of salvation
o Time to start praying again – pray today
o Time to get involved in worship – start today
o Time to start giving to the ministry – give today
o Time to start serving in children’s or youth ministry – start today
Are you a procrastinator? Procrastination is my sin, it only causes me sorrow. I know I need to change my ways, in fact I will, tomorrow!
God is at work all around us – let’s not miss the moment lets crucify procrastination.
Bart got up that morning to another routine day as a beggar. I am sure he never even thought that the Son of God was going to encounter Him; that Jesus would be passing by him. Same place, same begging, same miserable, lonely, pitiful lifestyle. So he had no time to prepare for Jesus, he had no time to plan for Jesus. It was just an opportunity that was dropped in his lap. He had to seize the moment.
God is dropping opportunities right in front of you. Will you seize the moment?
The story is in Mark 10. “As Jesus left town a great crowd was following. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus was sitting beside the road as Jesus was going by. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was nearby, he began to shout, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’” He says “I’m going to take advantage, it’s now or never. I’m going to make the most of this.” He seizes the opportunity, the moment.
All around you daily there are opportunities for a fresh start. You get them all the time. But you don’t take advantage of them. Why? One word: Procrastination.
I spent a fortune on a trampoline, a stationary bike, and a rowing machine.
Complete with gadgets to read my pulse and gadgets to prove my progress results
And others to show the miles I’ve charted
But they left off the gadget to get me started.
Procrastination is a strange phenomenon. It is so easy to think I will just put this off and I will have less stress. But procrastination just creates more stress. The truth is, you already know the right things to do. Not only that, you know the benefits of doing the right things in life. So why don’t you do them? You keep saying, “I’ll do it later.” It’s the procrastination syndrome, “I’ll do it tomorrow. I’ll put it off. Someday over the rainbow……One of these days... I’ll get around to it. I’m aiming to.” But you never do it.
The Bible warns us over and over about presuming upon tomorrow. I’m not guaranteed tomorrow, neither are you. You have no guarantee that you will live tomorrow. Whatever you’re going to do you better do it now.
Job 9:25 ”My days go quickly. More quickly than a runner, they sprint away.” As I found out on ‘Youth Night’ the older you get the faster others run.
Job 8:9 “Our life is short. We pass like shadows across the earth.” Your life is really just a blip, a shadow. It doesn’t really last that long.
Proverbs 27:1 “Don’t boast about tomorrow for you don’t know what a day will bring forth.”
Psalm 90:12 “Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are. Help us to spend them as we should.”
Ephesians 5:16 “Make the most of every opportunity.”
What do you need to stop procrastinating about? What do you need to start doing that you already know is the right thing. I think God brought some of you here this morning just so He could say “Stop making excuses. Get on with it. Start living the things you know to do. Give Me your life now. Start living for Me now.” Jesus said this in Luke 9:62 “No procrastination, no backwards looks. You can’t put off God’s kingdom until tomorrow. Seize the day.” Stop procrastinating.
The second secret to making a fresh start: the “T” in the word START stands for
II. TAME MY FEAR
If were going to make a fresh start with faith in our life, we have to weaken our fears. Don’t let fear control you. Fear paralyzes our potential, keeps us from launching out, and keeps us from having faith in our lives.
Fear makes, skeptical, cynical, and afraid to try something new. It makes us selfish. It keeps us from seeing God at work. We’re afraid to commit to God and to others. It makes us short sighted. We focus on the past and not on the future.
There are a lot of fears that we face when it comes to stepping over the line in faith. Bart faced the fear of disapproval or rejection. But Bart knew that Jesus Christ was the only one that could help him.
And look at what happened. When he shouted out to Jesus the Bible tells us in Mark 10 “Many of the people scolded him and told him to be quiet. But he shouted even more loudly, ‘Have mercy on me!’” When he shouted out everyone around him told him, “Don’t do that. Be quiet. Quiet down. Don’t make a scene. Surely Jesus Christ isn’t interested in you. He’s got more important things to do.”
The devil whispers things like that to us. When that opportunity for faith comes into our heart, “God surely wouldn’t be interested in you. Don’t make a scene. What would people think of you?” Don’t share Jesus with that co-worker? That thought is not from God and it is keeping you from exercising faith. Satan says ‘don’t step out in faith. Don’t rock the boat. Don’t go for that new ministry. Don’t give in faith. There are all kinds of shouts from inside of us and outside of us tell us not to rock the boat.
Whose disapproval do you fear the most? Whoever that is, that person is your god. They can keep you from having faith or invite you to have faith. Peer pressure isn’t just for kids. You face it at work every day.
Keep your faith to yourself. That is peer pressure. The fear of disapproval is a struggle for all of us. We talk about “co-dependency” and what it meant to live life for somebody else’s approval. God’s word warns us about this. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of human opinion disables you; trusting in God protects you from all that.” That’s an incredible protection that God can give us. The truth is you really wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized they didn’t think about you anyway. They are only thinking about themselves. They are not thinking about eternal principles.
Some of you are stuck in a rut called ‘the fear of man.’ Bart broke through that fear of disapproval, of “What are other people going to think?” He was rejected and disappointed a lot of times in his life.
Some of you feel like that. “Why should I have faith? I’m just going to be disappointed one more time?” I have heard you rousing preachers before. Jesus says ‘crucify your doubts and trust in my promises.’
Bart broke through all strongholds and found genuine faith. You may feel ‘if I have genuine faith will my fears be 100% eliminated? Why should faith have fear along with it?
God is asking me, you, this church to trust in Him more than ever. Don’t you think that’s going to feel a little bit scary? Of course it is. And in that moment you and I have a choice. Am I going to fall back on my fear and stay the way that I was? Or am I going to look ahead and step forward in faith?
Seize the moment; Move against your fear. The third key to beginning a fresh start is to:
III. ANNOUNCE YOUR FAITH.
Go public with it. Announce your goal, your intention, the change you want to make in your life, what you’re asking God to do. Clarify what you really want and then state it publicly. A secret faith is a shallow faith. If you’re going to make a change you need to go ahead and make a public announcement about it and say, “This is what I’m asking God to do in my life.”
Now this is your turn. Remember, without faith it is impossible to please God. Jesus, I am trusting you in faith for ___________________________________.
In Mark 10:51 it says, “Jesus asked him [Bartimaeus] ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ The blind man answered, ‘Teacher, I want to see.’” He said, I want my sight. I want to be healed.
Question: Why in the world did Jesus ask this? Think about this:
o Jesus walks over to a blind beggar
o He is begging by the road
o Jesus asks “What would you like Me to do for you?”
o Jesus is the Son of God. Couldn’t He read His mind? Yes, obviously. Didn’t He know what the guy’s problem was? Absolutely. Why in the world would Jesus look at him and say, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
Do you know the first question I have for anyone who comes to me for counseling? It is ‘how can I help you?’
Jesus asked that question for Bart’s benefit. By asking that question He allowed Bart to publicly announce his faith. Because Bart said, “I want You to heal me!”
Now you don’t ask a guy to heal you unless you believe, unless you have faith that he can do it. By asking Him, “What do you want me to do for you?” and Bartimaeus saying, “I want You to heal me. I want You to give me sight.”
He’s saying:
1. I believe You are who You say You are, the Son of God.
2. Secondly I believe You have the power to change me.
3. Thirdly, I believe You can and will change me.
4. Fourthly I believe you can heal my blindness.
It was a statement of faith. He was announcing it publicly.
Here’s the amazing thing. Jesus Christ asks you the very same question right now. “What do you want Me to do for you?” Every morning He asks, “What do you want Me to do for you?” If Jesus Christ were to come to you right now and ask that question, how would you answer? You’d better think it through because He is asking you. He’s asking you right now and every moment of your life, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
God wants to use you. He wants to bless you. He wants to make changes in your life. He wants to do incredible things in your life. Things you can’t even imagine. But you have to ask. And you have to ask in faith.
So along our path ‘to grow a large area wide church reaching hundreds for Jesus’ I am asking Jesus to bring healing to our church and area, revival and renewal. That is why we have the prayer summit tonight – don’t miss it – this is the most important meeting of this church. Mike Yutzy and his youth band will be leading us. A number of our pastors will be helping out.
Did you know that every time you set a faith goal your faith in God increases? That is a statement of faith? When you say, “Here’s my goal in life, here’s my objective,” then you’re saying this is what I believe God can do in my life by this time.” When I speak about a large church reaching hundreds for Jesus for me it is a statement of faith. Goals are statements of faith. Every time I say, “This is what I asking God to do, this is my dream, my goal, my vision, my objective I am increasing my faith” I am publicly saying God will divide our Red Sea. To God be the glory. And God does not need my help; but I am an ambassador with Christ. Were publicly announcing by faith that God will do miracles in our hearts and lives.
Rick Warren tells us ‘there is one qualifier when you set a goal, when you say, “I’m going to do ‘this’ with my life.” you need to add the phrase, “... if it is God’s will.” Why is that? It is because we don’t know the future. You don’t know what God’s plans are. You’re not sovereign. He is. You say, “Here’s my goal... if it’s God’s will.”
James 4:15 “You ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will we will live and do this or that.’” We can’t predict the future. We don’t want to be presumptuous. That doesn’t mean we don’t set faith goals. We do make them.
Why should you announce it publicly? The more people who know the more support you’ve get. If you want to make a major change in your life and you keep it to yourself, “This is what I’m hoping God will do in my marriage... this is what I’m hoping God will do in my life...” that’s a pretty shallow faith. You don’t even have enough faith to share it with somebody else. The more people you share it with, the more people can pray for you, support you, help you, and encourage you. You need to go public.
“Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe – Christ’s life, the fulfillment of God’s original promise.” How do I announce my faith?
Here is what I discovered from the Bible. The first way that God wanted me to announce my faith was to be baptized. This is a no brainer. Jesus said, “If you’re going to be a follower of Me I want you to not be ashamed of Me. I want you to publicly identify yourself with Me as a follower of Christ through an initiation act that we call baptism.”
Baptism is two things. One, it is a public announcement saying, “I’m not ashamed of Jesus Christ. I’m not a secret closet Christian. I am a disciple. I am a follower. I’m not ashamed to say that.” It’s a public act. Two, it’s a symbol of a fresh start. Baptism is a symbol of dying, being buried to an old life and beginning a fresh start.
If you haven’t done that, that’s your next step. Publicly announce your faith and the fresh start that God wants to give you.
I heard a great illustration from a church. When they baptize people they wear nametags into the water. When they go under water their sticky nametags fall off. What a great reminder of what that’s all about. Baptism is a picture of the old life falling off. When you become a Christian you’re a new spiritual person. All those sins, all those stupid things, our regrets are wiped out, washed away. We get a fresh start with God. That’s what it’s all about. So crucify your fear today in Jesus name.
It’s time to stand up, be counted, and announce your faith publicly. Don’t be afraid any longer. Some of you have become Christians and you have yet to get baptized. Now is the time – invite all your family, employees, everyone to your baptism.
Your thinking – hey I was already baptized as a child – do I need to get baptized again? The answer is yes. Now I was christened as a baby. I know that was very important to my parents. But it was not a decision that I made. Jesus got baptized and I needed, as an adult to make a decision to follow him in baptism. I will never forget it. I was so blessed.
What has this to do with faith? It has everything to do with faith and obedience. I needed to trust God and make a public declaration. I did not know the future.
When three of our babies died I knew God’s presence. In times of adversity my faith carried me through. It started by attending a Christian church. An elder told me I needed to get baptized.
I’ve discovered that when I trust God’s promises and I trust in Him in faith He brings healing and opens doors.
Of course as a new Christian there are times when we lapse and think we can carry the weight of the world on our own shoulders. When we do we just stumble along under the weight of them. That stress is a big yellow caution light. It is God speaking to you saying relax, let go of your fears of what other people think and trust Me to work it out.
I would like to say a word to those of you who are Christians but who have never yet taken the step of being baptized. Don’t wait any longer. Being baptized will build up your faith, will be a testimony of your faith to others and it will be pleasing to God that you are not ashamed to identify yourself with Him.
What an incredible moment my baptism was! I was suddenly filled with peace – peace that I had never had before. Now I knew what I was missing. I placed everything in my life in the loving hands of Jesus Christ. I had become a man of faith.
I want to urge you to make a fresh start with God in faith and baptism. You may be like I was, a religious person but without a relationship with Christ. Don’t be afraid of what others think. Accept God’s grace and then demonstrate your faith in Christ by being baptized.
So that is the fourth key, the fourth secret to a fresh start.
IV. RECEIVE GOD’S GRACE
You seize the moment; you realize Jesus is here, He’s given you the opportunity. You move against your fears. You announce your faith – “This is what I want.” And you Receive God’s grace. The grace of God is wonderful in our lives.
Mark 10:52 says, “Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way. Your faith has made you well.’ Immediately he regained his sight.” He accepted the grace of God. I know that there’s a lot of hurt here. Some of you barely made it here today. It is a struggle to come; your lives and marriages are stressed. Some of you are carrying major conflict, major pain, major disappointment, and major grief in your life. Some of you are lonely and you feel that happiness has passed you by. You’re kind of like the blind beggar Bart on the side of the road. You’re in a lot of misery. The truth is you can put on a happy smile but inside you’re hurting. You’re in a lot of pain.
I’m glad you’re here today because Jesus Christ wants to give you a fresh start. The emphasis is on give. You don’t earn it, you don’t work for it. You certainly don’t deserve it. You don’t buy it. You don’t do a bunch of religious rituals. You just receive the free gift of God’s grace and the ability to make a fresh start. Regardless of what your past has been, regardless of what you’ve done, regardless of the things you’ve brought on yourself, Jesus says come to me.
John 1:16 “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.” How do you receive God’s blessings in your life? You do it by faith. “That’s why faith is the key. God’s promise is given to us as a free gift.” Circle “promise”. There it is again.
This is the third week were looking at faith - every week in the “50 Days of Faith”. You say, “When are you going to stop talking about the promises of God?” Not till this series is over! You can’t become a person of faith without getting the promises of God in your life.
This weeks’ promise. Week number three, 50 Days of Faith Memory Verse. Today we’re going to look at Philippians 4:13. Some of you say, “I’d like to change. I just can’t. I’d like a fresh start. I’d like to be different. I’d like to change but I just can’t.” And you’re right. You can’t change. If you could, you would have already done it. But you need a power greater than yourself to make the changes that will set you free. We need God’s power and that’s what this promise, this week is all about.
When you memorize a verse, it’s good to say the “address”. That’s where it’s found in the Bible. Philippians 4:13 “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”
This verse means He can give you the strength to memorize Bible verses? I hope you will memorize these verses every week. You’ve got to get them under your belt, in your heart and in your life.
When I am excited, discouraged, down, in conflict tempted, these promises I memorize give me victory. They give me a fresh start that day.
We will not become a church of faith without God’s promises in our lives.
We need the Bible in our hearts. You need the Bible in your life. Faith comes from the word of God. With Jesus’ help you can make a fresh start.
I heard a story this week about a little boy. His father asked him to go to the back yard and move a big bolder. He goes in the back and he pushes it and it won’t move. He pulls it and it won’t move. He uses a lever and it won’t move. He ties up his dog and tries to pull it with a rope and it won’t move. All these different ways. He finally comes back in and says, “Dad, I can’t do it. It’s impossible.” The father says, “Son, Have you tried everything?” He said, “Yes.” “Have you tried everything?” “Yes! I have! I’ve tried everything!” The father said, “You didn’t try asking me to help you.”
You have tried everything else and you’re thinking “It’s impossible. It’s never going to change, be any different.” Have you tried asking God for help? Have you tried receiving God’s grace and letting Him give you power that you don’t have on your own? Receive the grace of God.
Bart was blind. But he had enough faith and vision to believe that Jesus Christ could help him out. He had enough vision to see that he needed grace. Do you? Are you going through life on your own power? Spiritual blindness is far worse than physical blindness. Because you don’t realize how much you need God’s grace in your life.
Grace isn’t just for me to get my sins forgiven and get into heaven. Grace is for the daily struggles in life. If you don’t have grace in your life then you’re going to be filled with regret. When you’re filled with regret you get stuck in the past. If you’re stuck in the past you can’t make a fresh start.
I know that some of you are carrying regrets. I do know that the grace and forgiveness of God is available and you can have a fresh start. If you will Seize this moment, if you will Move against your fears – just put them out of the way, toss them aside, if you will Announce in faith, “I need You, God,” if you will Receive His grace and finally the fifth...
V. TAKE THE NEXT STEP
What is the next step? I don’t know for you. For every one of us in this room it’s different. Every one of us in this room is at different stages. I don’t know what step you need to take but I do know you need to take it.
Some of you the next step for you is:
o Accept Jesus Christ into your life – that was the most important decision I ever made
o Your next step is to be baptized, to publicly announce, “I am going to be a Christian. I am a follower of Christ.” We’re ready for you. Just fill out a white card and write baptize on it. Do it today.
o Your next step may be to join our church family, take class 101.
o It may be to get into a HOME group. It may be to come and Study the Bait of Satan on Wednesday evening. It may be to join the ladies study on Thursdays, called ‘Breaking Free.’
o It may be to start tithing.
o It may be get involved in a ministry.
o It may be to share with that friend at work and invite him to church.
o It may be to have faith and get involved in our youth ministry.
o It may be to become one of my twelve prayer partners and meet with us Sunday mornings at 8:30 AM.
o It may be to start inviting others back for lunch after the service
But I do know this: you’ve got one. God will never be finished in taking you deeper in faith. There is always, always a next step toward faith, toward love, toward joy, toward happiness.
If you listen to this message and you don’t take the next step you’re going to harden your heart. Your heart is going to grow cold. You’re going to feel more distant from God rather than closer to God. You’re going to be stuck in a rut.
If you do not feel close to God it is not because God has moved away from you. It is because you have moved away from God. God is there for you.
Some of you are asking “God, help me with this problem!” and He’s saying, “Why haven’t you done what I’ve already told you to do?” You need to take the next step. Some of you say, “I’ve been aiming to. I’ve been aiming to join that group. I’ve been aiming to get into ministry. I’ve been aiming to invite that person to church.” “I am thinking about being baptized.” You need to stop aiming and you need to pull the trigger. Stop procrastinating.
Mark 10:52 Bartimaeus “...regained his sight and he began following Jesus on the road.” Mark 10:46 says, “Bartimaeus was sitting beside the road as Jesus was going by.” Circle “sitting beside the road.” That’s before he meets Jesus. Then circle “he began following Jesus on the road.”
Your thinking that’s me; just sitting beside the road and watching other people serve Jesus. Which of those two lifestyles do you think is more fulfilling? Sitting beside the road or following Jesus down the road? Which do you think has more joy, more meaning, more satisfaction? Isn’t it time to get off the sidelines and take that step of faith?
It is time. Faith is action. It is movement. It is activity. Faith is something you do. In fact, the Bible says in James 2:14 “If people say they have faith but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing.” James says it’s useless, it is dead or dormant.
What are you waiting on in order to take the next step of faith in your life? What’s your excuse for procrastinating? Do you realize that none of us are guaranteed a tomorrow? None of us! You’d better do it now if you’re going to do it. Because you’re never guaranteed tomorrow.
This story was in the LA Times a while back. “My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister’s bureau and he lifted out a tissue wrapped package. ‘This,’ he said, ‘is not a slip. This is lingerie.’ He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip. It was exquisite. Silk, handmade and tipped with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached. He said, ‘Jan bought this the first time we went to New York eight or nine years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion. I guess this is the occasion.’ He took the slip from me and put it on the bed with the other clothes that we were taking to the mortician. His hand lingered on the soft material for a moment then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me, ‘Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion! Every day you’re alive is a special occasion!’ I remember those words and thought about them through the funeral and the days that followed an unexpected death. I thought about all the things that my sister hadn’t seen or heard or done. I also thought about all the things she had done without realizing that they were special. I’m still thinking about those words and they’ve changed my life. I’m not saving anything any more. We use our good china and crystal for every special event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped or the first camellia blossoming. ‘Someday’ and ‘one of these days’ are losing their grip in my vocabulary. If it’s worth seeing or hearing or doing I want to see it and hear it and do it now. I’m trying very hard not to put off, hold back, procrastinate or save anything that would add faith or laughter or substance to our lives. And every day, every morning when I open my eyes I tell myself ‘This is a special day.’”
Where do you get the faith to begin a fresh start? There’s only one source. Jesus Christ.
“Everything that we have – right thinking, right living, clean slate and a fresh start comes from God by way of Jesus Christ.” Bart no idea that Jesus Christ was going to pass his way that day. To him, it was just another day – same place, same thing, another miserable day. But Bart seized the moment and he was never the same. What about you? The reason you’re sitting here right now is because God is giving you an unexpected opportunity for a fresh start. Don’t blow it. Don’t miss it. Don’t let it pass you by. Step out in faith today.
Prayer:
The Holy Spirit is speaking to you right now. If you want a fresh start, the Bible says today – not tomorrow – today is the day of salvation. Why don’t you do something bold and step out in faith. Begin a fresh start with God, trusting Him at deeper levels than ever before with your time, your money, your relationships, your future. Time is short. None of us are guaranteed a tomorrow. And there’s not a better time than right now to take your next step of faith. Make a fresh start now while there is time.
I’m going to pray a prayer and as I say this prayer you can say in your mind, “Me too.” Just kind of say, “Yes, me too.”
Dear God, I’d like a fresh start in life beginning now. Forgive me for all the times I’ve procrastinated in doing the right thing. Forgive me for the fears that have caused me to hold back and not trust You completely.
Today I receive Your free gift of grace and forgiveness. I want to stop sitting in the bleachers and really follow You. I don’t want to be ashamed of You. I ask You to strengthen my faith, Jesus Christ. Thank You for dying for me. I am ready now to take the next step of faith.”
Now you finish the prayer. You fill in the blank. Tell Him what that next step is going to be. If it’s, “I want to commit my life to You.” tell him that. If it’s, “I want to be baptized,” tell Him that. If it’s, “joining the church... a HOME group... find my ministry... start tithing... share with a friend...” tell Him what your next step specifically is going to be. Then I want to ask you to write on the Welcome Card your next step. Then put the card in the offering basket when it is passed. That is a public announcement that you can share with me, your pastor. Write your next step on the back of that card. If you’re going to give your life to Christ, do that.
You were made for such a time as this.
Father, give us the faith to take the next step in a fresh start with You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
