New Chapter
Embracing the New Chapter: Living in the Freedom of Christ
There's something powerful about celebrating milestones. They remind us of where we've been, what we've overcome, and the faithfulness that has carried us through. But milestones aren't just about looking back—they're about stepping forward into what's ahead with renewed vision and purpose.
We live in a world that constantly pulls us toward the temporary, the earthly, the fleeting. Yet as followers of Christ, we're called to something radically different. We're called to fix our eyes on things above, to live with an eternal perspective that transforms how we navigate every challenge, every relationship, every decision.
The Battle Between Old and New
The Apostle Paul's letter to the Colossians confronts us with a stark reality: there's an old nature and a new nature, and we can't carry both into the future God has for us. In Colossians 3, Paul doesn't mince words. He tells us to "put to death" whatever belongs to our earthly nature—sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, anger, rage, malice, slander, and lies.
That phrase "put to death" isn't gentle. It's a decisive, forceful command. It means we can't play with sin. We can't entertain it, flirt with it, or keep it on standby for moments of weakness. We must render it powerless in our lives.
Think about Joseph in the Bible. When Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him, he didn't negotiate. He didn't consider the options. He ran. He fled. That's the posture we need toward anything that threatens to pull us back into old patterns. We run from sexual immorality. We flee from the things that once enslaved us.
Why? Because Jesus already paid the price for our freedom. The wrath of God that was coming because of sin has been satisfied at the cross. Christ died so we wouldn't be dominated by these destructive patterns any longer. He rose so we could walk in newness of life.
The Process of Being Renewed
Here's the beautiful truth: when we come to Christ, we take off our old self with all its practices, and we put on a new self. But this new self isn't static—it's "being renewed" in the image of its Creator. Notice that present tense? Being renewed. It's an ongoing process.
This is the journey of sanctification, of becoming more like Jesus every single day. It's not about perfection; it's about progression. It's about cooperating with the Holy Spirit as He transforms us from the inside out.
We're called to look more like Jesus, not more like the world. Every day presents us with choices: Will we respond with patience or anger? Will we speak truth or lies? Will we love sacrificially or selfishly? Each choice is an opportunity to reflect our Creator more clearly.
Leaving the Past Behind
Many of us carry wounds from our past—trauma, abuse, rejection, failure. These experiences can become chains that keep us from moving forward into the new chapter God has prepared. We find ourselves constantly looking in the rearview mirror, reliving painful moments, unable to embrace what's ahead.
There's a reason why car windshields are so much larger than rearview mirrors. We're meant to spend most of our time looking forward, not backward. Yes, we glance back occasionally to check our surroundings, but we don't drive while staring at what's behind us.
The good news is that Jesus wants to meet you in your pain. He wants to heal the deepest wounds of your heart. He's not intimidated by your trauma or put off by your brokenness. He came specifically for people like us—the hurting, the lost, the wounded.
Healing requires surrender. We have to give Jesus access to those tender places we've protected for so long. We have to trust Him with the pain we've carried. And when we do, He handles our hearts with gentleness and brings restoration we never thought possible.
You Matter to the Mission
Every person matters in God's kingdom. Every single one of us has a role to play in the mission of filling heaven with souls. Just like every player on a championship team contributes to the victory, every believer has something unique to offer.
You might not feel qualified. You might think you don't have anything special to contribute. But that's exactly where God loves to work—in our weakness, in our ordinariness, in our willingness to be used.
Think about the thousands of people around you who don't know Jesus. Start with five names. Write them down. Begin praying for them consistently. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to love them well, how to demonstrate Christ's love in practical ways.
There's a powerful story of a homeschooled teenager who felt called to join his high school basketball team specifically to reach his teammates for Christ. One day, he overheard the team captain complaining about having to mow his lawn. Without being asked, this young man showed up at the captain's house with his lawnmower and did the job.
When the captain asked why, the response was simple: "God told me to tell you that He loves you, that He died on the cross for you, and He rose again on the third day." That captain gave his life to Christ, and eventually, the entire team followed.
That's the power of being sensitive to the Holy Spirit and showing love in tangible ways. It opens doors for the gospel that nothing else can.
A New Chapter Awaits
We stand at a threshold. Behind us are the old patterns, the earthly nature, the things that once defined us. Ahead of us is a new chapter filled with purpose, transformation, and kingdom impact.
This new chapter requires us to break out of our comfort zones. It demands that we stop living for ourselves and start living on mission. It calls us to be transformed more into the image of Jesus so that others can see Him in us.
The question isn't whether God can use us. He absolutely can. The question is whether we'll make ourselves available. Will we surrender our past? Will we embrace the new self we've been given? Will we fix our eyes on things above?
There are people waiting to hear the good news. There are souls hanging in the balance. And God has positioned you exactly where you are, with the relationships you have, for such a time as this.
The old has passed. The new has come. It's time to step fully into the new chapter God has written for you—a chapter of freedom, purpose, and eternal significance. Don't let another day go by living beneath the abundant life Christ died to give you.
Your new chapter starts now.
There's something powerful about celebrating milestones. They remind us of where we've been, what we've overcome, and the faithfulness that has carried us through. But milestones aren't just about looking back—they're about stepping forward into what's ahead with renewed vision and purpose.
We live in a world that constantly pulls us toward the temporary, the earthly, the fleeting. Yet as followers of Christ, we're called to something radically different. We're called to fix our eyes on things above, to live with an eternal perspective that transforms how we navigate every challenge, every relationship, every decision.
The Battle Between Old and New
The Apostle Paul's letter to the Colossians confronts us with a stark reality: there's an old nature and a new nature, and we can't carry both into the future God has for us. In Colossians 3, Paul doesn't mince words. He tells us to "put to death" whatever belongs to our earthly nature—sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, anger, rage, malice, slander, and lies.
That phrase "put to death" isn't gentle. It's a decisive, forceful command. It means we can't play with sin. We can't entertain it, flirt with it, or keep it on standby for moments of weakness. We must render it powerless in our lives.
Think about Joseph in the Bible. When Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him, he didn't negotiate. He didn't consider the options. He ran. He fled. That's the posture we need toward anything that threatens to pull us back into old patterns. We run from sexual immorality. We flee from the things that once enslaved us.
Why? Because Jesus already paid the price for our freedom. The wrath of God that was coming because of sin has been satisfied at the cross. Christ died so we wouldn't be dominated by these destructive patterns any longer. He rose so we could walk in newness of life.
The Process of Being Renewed
Here's the beautiful truth: when we come to Christ, we take off our old self with all its practices, and we put on a new self. But this new self isn't static—it's "being renewed" in the image of its Creator. Notice that present tense? Being renewed. It's an ongoing process.
This is the journey of sanctification, of becoming more like Jesus every single day. It's not about perfection; it's about progression. It's about cooperating with the Holy Spirit as He transforms us from the inside out.
We're called to look more like Jesus, not more like the world. Every day presents us with choices: Will we respond with patience or anger? Will we speak truth or lies? Will we love sacrificially or selfishly? Each choice is an opportunity to reflect our Creator more clearly.
Leaving the Past Behind
Many of us carry wounds from our past—trauma, abuse, rejection, failure. These experiences can become chains that keep us from moving forward into the new chapter God has prepared. We find ourselves constantly looking in the rearview mirror, reliving painful moments, unable to embrace what's ahead.
There's a reason why car windshields are so much larger than rearview mirrors. We're meant to spend most of our time looking forward, not backward. Yes, we glance back occasionally to check our surroundings, but we don't drive while staring at what's behind us.
The good news is that Jesus wants to meet you in your pain. He wants to heal the deepest wounds of your heart. He's not intimidated by your trauma or put off by your brokenness. He came specifically for people like us—the hurting, the lost, the wounded.
Healing requires surrender. We have to give Jesus access to those tender places we've protected for so long. We have to trust Him with the pain we've carried. And when we do, He handles our hearts with gentleness and brings restoration we never thought possible.
You Matter to the Mission
Every person matters in God's kingdom. Every single one of us has a role to play in the mission of filling heaven with souls. Just like every player on a championship team contributes to the victory, every believer has something unique to offer.
You might not feel qualified. You might think you don't have anything special to contribute. But that's exactly where God loves to work—in our weakness, in our ordinariness, in our willingness to be used.
Think about the thousands of people around you who don't know Jesus. Start with five names. Write them down. Begin praying for them consistently. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to love them well, how to demonstrate Christ's love in practical ways.
There's a powerful story of a homeschooled teenager who felt called to join his high school basketball team specifically to reach his teammates for Christ. One day, he overheard the team captain complaining about having to mow his lawn. Without being asked, this young man showed up at the captain's house with his lawnmower and did the job.
When the captain asked why, the response was simple: "God told me to tell you that He loves you, that He died on the cross for you, and He rose again on the third day." That captain gave his life to Christ, and eventually, the entire team followed.
That's the power of being sensitive to the Holy Spirit and showing love in tangible ways. It opens doors for the gospel that nothing else can.
A New Chapter Awaits
We stand at a threshold. Behind us are the old patterns, the earthly nature, the things that once defined us. Ahead of us is a new chapter filled with purpose, transformation, and kingdom impact.
This new chapter requires us to break out of our comfort zones. It demands that we stop living for ourselves and start living on mission. It calls us to be transformed more into the image of Jesus so that others can see Him in us.
The question isn't whether God can use us. He absolutely can. The question is whether we'll make ourselves available. Will we surrender our past? Will we embrace the new self we've been given? Will we fix our eyes on things above?
There are people waiting to hear the good news. There are souls hanging in the balance. And God has positioned you exactly where you are, with the relationships you have, for such a time as this.
The old has passed. The new has come. It's time to step fully into the new chapter God has written for you—a chapter of freedom, purpose, and eternal significance. Don't let another day go by living beneath the abundant life Christ died to give you.
Your new chapter starts now.
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