Getting Past your Past Series Part I: Breaking the Labels that Bind

Today was a start of a new series at Crosswalk. One I really felt afterwards everyone should have heard. Pastor Shante's words today touched many lives. I could feel it all around me that people were really listening. Why? Because she was talking right to the heart of alot of peoples problems- the past, and the labels we put on others as well as ourselves. Bear with me as I write out my notes to you, many direct quotes, from Pastor Shaunte's message as it spoke to my heart today.

First let's talk about the past. Everyone has a past. Some would prefer to forget theirs, or at least alot of things in it. Pastor Shante' brought up about how others used to describe us in our past, and even, how we thought of ourselves back then. As we look in the Bible, so many people in that day were not always what they wanted to be. They were not always walking God's path perfectly. In fact some led very ungodly lives before they found the God of Israel, or before they met Jesus. They were much like we are today. We're born, we grow, we learn, we grow, we make some good, some bad choices, we learn, we grow, we try to control our own lives, we learn, we grow.... and then one day, some of us, like them, realized that we couldn't do it on our own. That we needed God to guide us and direct us. Therefore, what our past has done is not "define" us, but it has brought us to this moment, this "time" that God will use to change our lives and our future forever.

We all label each other and label ourselves. Pastor Shante' gave us many examples of labeling and the negative impact that it has on our society. Think about the negative labels in your life. How some of them have followed you from your past until now. The passage Pastor Shante' stressed on this thought is II Corinthians 5:17. She read it in the NLT version that says:

"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"

One of the things this verse is saying is the past is broken..... the sin is broken. God's power is bigger than your past! God's truth about you is bigger than any current or past truth about you!

SO, now we have a new life! But what about all those past negative labels?? What if we still feel our past haunting us?? What if we are feeling as if we have no direction in our life?? 

Pastor Shante' then gave us three things that God will give us once we turn our life over to Him... our old life for a new one.

1. God will give you a new name.

The passage we read concerning this was Isaiah 62:2:

"The nations will see your righteousness. World leaders will be blinded by your glory. And you will be given a new name by the Lord's own mouth."

There were many examples given of people in the Old and New testament that received new names from God or Jesus after their conversion of giving their life and believing God's truth. Jacob was named Israel after wrestling with the Lord, Simon became Peter after proclaiming to Jesus that He was the Messiah. Both of these men's names were changed as their lives changed in their encounter with God. The change in the name does not change us 100%, but God helps us "grow" into our new name. We just have to believe what God says that we are!

2. God will give you a new purpose.

Jesus didn't just change Simon's name, He gave him a new purpose. As Simon, he was a fisherman. He too had some negative labels that followed him from his past. But Jesus saw through that. He told Simon (who he renamed Peter) he would begin catching men instead of fish. And then later told him that He would build his church on Him- and called him the Rock. Even when Peter denied knowing Jesus 3 times the night they arrested Jesus, Jesus forgave Peter after the resurrection. This is an example of how we can still get off track, like Peter. Lose sight of the path that God has us on. But Peter was used by God in many ways, just as we can be used.  

The power of Christ is greater than any label....

3. God will give you a new future.

I love this statement. Because I know that it's true. God has given me a new future. One that glorifies Him, and that is what I was created for. The person that Pastor Shante' wanted us to read about concerning this was Rahab. Most of the time she was known as Rahab the prostitiute.This was quoted many times in the bible. However, Rahab eventually found God and gave her life over to Him. Her past was broken! God gave her a husband and a new future! Her future? Well, if you look at the generations of her grandchildren, the fifth generation was a baby named Jesus.

"Do not insult God with your "faithlessness" of what God can do for you"- Pastor Shante' Buckley

Are you letting your past control your present and future? Are you caught up in labeling people or labeling yourself? Do you want a new purpose and a new future? God can give you both.... and He is the only one who can.

Lord, speak to the hearts that are reading this today. Thank you for giving Pastor Shaunte' such a powerful message that all need to hear, right here, right now. May your Spirit move in a way to cause someone to take action towards you. To lay down whatever it is that is in between You and them. May their past become only their past, and may their present and future be what You provide for them. Change our names Lord. Change them to be conquerors over evil, selfishness, and hate. Change them to be Warriors of Love and kindness. Seekers of truth and wisdom. Give us purpose, and change our future to serve and care for each other as You care for us... thank you for this word, and thank you for your Son.

Amen

Made New series: Part 2 - Puzzle Piece

Today was a special Sunday for me. A day that I will remember as a corner turned, or a new chapter that begins in my life. This Sunday I became a member of Lovers Lane United Methodist Church. Part of a family of God that truly loves people into a relationship with Jesus Christ. It has been a long road of prayer and seeking God's will in my life that has brought me to this point. But I know in my heart, this is where God wants me to make myself available to His service, and I am humbled for the opportunity to serve with such loving people.

The message today was given to us by Pastor Shante'. So what I write today are from the notes I took from her sermon, and some are direct quotes from the Pastor. I knew in the first few minutes of her preaching, I would be blogging today. What an important message to me, as a new member of this church, and a great message to all of us that are Christ followers. Pastor Shante' has been preaching on the passage in Revelation 21 the last two

weeks. God is speaking to John about making all things new at the end of the world as we know it.

Revelation 21:3-5 says "I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." And the One sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!" And then He said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true."

There were some old pieces of stained glass at the church that was put on display in our sanctuary today. They had been broken, dirty and put in a storage room until this week. These pieces were taken by someone who cleaned them up, polished them, restored their original beauty, and then put them on display with lights shining behind them to make them even more beautiful. Pastor Shante' was quick to point out to us that our God does not throw us away when we are broken and beat up like a piece of junk. She said that when broken and beat up junk is put in the hands of someone with a vision, it can be renewed and restored.

We see ourselves as useless, but God see's ourselves as "priceless".

The next passage of scripture we read was I Corinthians 12:12. It reads, "The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ." As we walked into the sanctuary this morning, we were all given a puzzle piece. Just one. At this point in the sermon, the Pastor asked us to get out our puzzle pieces and look at them- to compare them to the person's sitting next to us. No two puzzle pieces were/are alike..... the same is true in the body of Christ. Each one of us is different. Different in circumstances, different stories of our lives..... However, each one of us is needed as a puzzle piece to create the "whole picture"- the picture of God's love. Every piece of the puzzle is important and is needed.

I have heard many people say in my life that they can believe in God and not go to church, and not have to be involved in any small group or ministry. Pastor Shante' made a great modern illustration for this: how can you say you are part of the body of Christ as a believer but not be involved in some way. It's like saying you are a Mav's basketball player but you never play in any of the games.... you don't know any of the other team members..... you never come to practice.... you don't know the coach..... so how is it that you are actually a part of the Mav's team?

We are called to do "life together". We can do so much more together than we can alone. Everyone has a place in this puzzle, and every piece is important to show the world the picture of the Love of Christ. Sometimes the pieces have to be moved around to get the right fit, and that's ok..... The important thing is to be like minded in the renewal and restoration that God has for us and let God's dream define us, and not ours.

I am so thankful to be a "piece" of the puzzle in the body of Christ. I take my puzzle piece today and will put it somewhere to remind me that I am important in the completion of the picture of God's love and salvation to the world.

Do you need to be renewed? Do you need to be restored from your brokeness? Take the broken pieces of your life to Jesus. Ask Him to put you back together, and to help you moving forward. Put Him in charge of your worries and sorrows and allow Him to give you rest.

Father, I ask that you deliver those that are depressed, that are burnt out, that feel that they have no one to turn to. They have you Lord, but they will only know that if someone tells them - if someone reaches out and helps them. God, show your followers the importance of a family as a body of believers. Help them know that many can do what one may not can do, and that old broken pieces put together with other broken pieces becomes a beautiful piece with Your renewal and restoration for our lives.

Teach us Lord, that being a piece of the puzzle means You need us in the game-rappin' with the other players- practicing for the big games- and listening to the Coach. Thank you for your Son as I ask these things in His name.

Amen.