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NEW!

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I did this last year and I wanted to do it again. Last year on this date I chose a word for 2017 and wrote a post about it. This year I want to do the same and I hope that this word will not only be for me but for other as well.

I hope this word breaks chains and unlocks things for you in 2018. I know it will for me.

The word I have chosen for 2018 is NEW.

Now let me show you where this word comes from. Let me direct our attention to the passage of Scripture below from Isaiah:

“This is what the Lord says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, 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: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a NEW thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” - Isaiah 43:16-19 NIV

As you read the story of Israel in the Old Testament they had this habit of looking back to their days in Egypt. They would look back and see how things used to be and would long for things to be that way again. But never mind that they were slaves in Egypt and they kept bringing up to Moses how they had it while they were Egypt.

But God sent Moses and got them out of that trouble and brought them to a NEW thing outside of Egypt. A life of freedom. A life of adventure. But this new adventure wasn't not free of ups and downs - a lot of downs which were caused by Israel themselves - and they found themselves in Babylon captivity. God was going to free Isaiah, but He was urging them to not look how He had done it in the past. He was going to do it in a new way.

This is what I take away from this passage. But I want to zero in on 2 verses:

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a NEW thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? - Isaiah 43:18-19a, NIV

1. Forget the former things

God is always going to help us, but He won't help us in the same way. God is always doing a NEW thing. However, God doesn't want us to forget how He's helped us. God wants us to remember the times that He has come through for us, so we can trust that He will do so again. But God also doesn't want us to....

2. Dwell on the past

God doesn't want how He has helped us in the past to be our focus for future help. God wants us to be looking for His help to come in many ways and forms. God is always ready to help (Psalm 46:1). But God wants us to grow and move forward so He will help us in different forms.

So whatever is going on in life right now or what has happened in 2017 that has left a scar on your life - don't dwell there. Don't stay in the past. Don't dwell on what could have been or might have been. God wants to come to your rescue. God wants to help you through. God will help you through - holding your hand all along the way (Isaiah 41:13, NIV). [1]

Look for the NEW thing - or things - in 2018! God will do great things this year for me and you. We just need to be looking for them.

The best is yet to come!
______________________________________
1] For more please read the post "Holding Hands" or CLICK HERE!
Questions or comments... please email secondstagequestions@gmail.com
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