The Gift - 2025 - 1

The Gift - 2025 - 1

Subject – The Gift of a New Beginning

By Rick Welborne

Isaiah 43:15-25 (NIV)
¹⁵  I am the LORD, your Holy One, Israel's Creator, your King."
¹⁶  This is what the LORD says-- he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,
¹⁷  who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
¹⁸  "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
¹⁹  See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
²⁰  The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen,
²¹  the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.
²²  "Yet you have not called upon me, O Jacob, you have not wearied yourselves for me, O Israel.
²³  You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings, nor honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with grain offerings nor wearied you with demands for incense.
²⁴  You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me, or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your offenses.
²⁵  "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. 

--2025 – Can you believe it? It seems like just a few days ago it was 2024. So how are you entering or approaching 2025? With dread and fear or with hope and praise?

--For so many 2024 was an extremely tough year. For many a very sad year. The loss of loved ones. For many a year of life seemingly punching you in the gut. Spiritually, physically, and financially.

--Many of you heard from doctors’ news that shook you to the core and many of you had loved ones who heard that report and it broke your heart.

--A few weeks ago I shared with you Paul’s perspective toward all the things that were happening in his life and how he perceived those things to be a gift.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NKJV)
⁷  And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
⁸  Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
⁹  And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
¹⁰  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

--Perceiving the things Paul mentioned as gifts completely goes against the grain of what much of the American church believes. They believe that Christianity is nothing but happiness and bounty.

--Don’t misunderstand me, I believe the benefits of serving Jesus and being filled with Holy Spirit definitely makes a wonderful difference in our lives. But not free from difficulties.

--I have a little history here at Life Church which gives me a perspective that some may not have. When you stay in the same place for 36 years, you witness a lot.

--For example, no matter what camp you are in…Just confessing all your problems away or simply trusting God to help you when diverse trials come, life happens to everyone.

--I have seen those who have declared healing would happen but it didn’t. I have heard people declare someone wouldn’t die and they did. You shall live and not die. The Psalmist died.

--So many have been hurt by well-meaning Christians declaring certain things over people’s lives and, then, those things do not happen. I personally believe those people should be held accountable.

--On the other side, we cannot and we should not live our Christian lives without having tremendous faith in God. Nothing is impossible with God.

Hebrews 11:1&6 (NKJV)
¹  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
⁶  But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 

--Today, with God’s help, I want to share with you about the gift of a new beginning. Many need that. Matter of a fact, all of us need a new beginning.

1. The Gift of a New Beginning – Focus

--One of the many reasons why people are so hurt and frustrated with life is because they have focused on the wrong thing. We focus on people instead of on God.

Psalm 118:6-9 (NIV) ⁶ The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
⁷ The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.
⁸ It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
⁹ It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. 

--Much of the counseling we do to help people is trying to convince them to stop looking to people as the source of their happiness and fulfillment. The first two verses in our text:

Isaiah 43:15-16 (NIV) ¹⁵ I am the LORD, your Holy One, Israel's Creator, your King."
¹⁶ This is what the LORD says-- he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, 

--If He is your Lord and King and if He is the One Who has made a way through the sea for you and a path through turbulent waters…why do you keep trusting in man?

--Those of you who are single (young or old) you will never find that one person who is going to make you happy all the time. Stop thinking they are like God. They are not! Focus!

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) ² Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

2. The Gift of a New Beginning – Faith.

--One of the tough parts of being a pastor or a spiritual leader is getting people to understand that God can take better care of our situation or circumstances better than we can.

--We feel the need to help God out because He is either way too slow in responding or He is not doing what we want the way we want it.

--Whose judgment or wisdom do we trust when our back is against the wall, or the healing is delayed, or the finances are scarce, or our hearts are broken from loss or loneliness?

2 Peter 1:3-4 (NLT2)
³  By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
⁴  And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 

--These two verses should be major faith-builders letting us know that God is the provider of everything we need. Maybe not everything we want, but everything we need.

--The first thing I see in these verses regarding our faith is that God is our source. God has given us everything we need. Not man, not a job, and not the bottom line of our finances. God!

--One of the reasons we stay so frustrated and depressed is because we want our source or sources to be people. People can never do for you what God can do.

--The second gift I see in regard to our faith is that everything we need is obtained by getting to know Him better. Getting to know Jesus better is a gift for sure.

--The third thing I see as a gift in regard to our faith is great and precious promises. He is the Way Maker and Promise Keeper, and again, He is our source.

--As a good Father, He has control of those gifts and how they are dispersed. Just remember, He is the Potter and we are the clay. Why do we tell God what to do?

Isaiah 29:16 (NCV)                                                                                                                                                 ¹⁶  You are confused. You think the clay is equal to the potter. You think that an object can tell the one who made it, “You didn’t make me.” This is like a pot telling its maker, “You don’t know anything.”

--Faith gives us a new beginning when we make the decision to rest in His hands and let Him form us.

3. The Gift of a New Beginning – Forgiveness.

Isaiah 43:25 (NIV)
²⁵  "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. 

A. If you want a new beginning, you must let God forgive you.

B. If you want a new beginning, you must for give others.

Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV)
¹⁴  For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
¹⁵  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

C. If you want a new beginning, you must forgive yourself.

Psalm 103:2-4 (NIV) ²  Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits--
³  who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
⁴  who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 

D. If you want a new beginning, you must forgive God.

Malachi 3:14 (NLT2)
¹⁴  “You have said, ‘What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying his commands or by trying to show the LORD of Heaven’s Armies that we are sorry for our sins? 

--Some of you need to forgive God because you think He didn’t do you right. This is shaky ground.