The thoughts of a new year, new beginnings, out with the old, in with the new... Recently during our first Sunday morning church service of the new year at my church, The River at Music City
Now, let me tell you about our church. God is working in an awesome way on that hill down in Bellevue, TN. That building that sits on the incline just off Belle Forest Circle is a powerful building with God embracing not only the building, but the people - HIS people - who worship there. Babbie Mason sings a song about '...You can't have church until the Holy Ghost shows up...' Well, friends we HAVE church!
This particular Sunday, Pastor Reba was there; Pastor Dony was in California undergoing some medical treatments. Now I have to tell you about Reba and Dony McGuire. Not only are they our pastors, but they're also married to each other. Reba, is the daughter of Gospel Music legend, the late Dottie Rambo and her husband, Buck. She and Dony have been in the ministry for many, many years. Not only were The Rambos - Dottie, Reba, and Buck Rambo - known for their singing, but it was their natural abilities to write songs that touched you, that spoke to you in such a profound way that you could not walk away from hearing them sing or just listening carefully to one of their songs and not know that you have a God who forgives you and who loves you unconditionally.
Now getting back to Reba and Dony . . .They're like everyone else. They're human beings. Being pastors doesn't make them any closer within God's reach, but they're REAL people with REAL problems, REAL worries, and REAL testimonies. Each week, I sit there amongst friends and church family and I never look at my watch - in fact, I don't even wear one! I never lean over and ask my buddies, Bryan, Robby, or possibly Edward, "Psst..what time is it?" I don't care what time it is. I'm too caught up in the moment of preaching and experiencing God. I'm too caught up in worship. I'm too embraced by the Holy Spirit to worry about what time it is and how much longer are they gonna preach. But, when I walk outta that door after hearing Pastors' message, I KNOW I've been to church, friends!
Well, back to the first Sunday of the new year...Pastor Reba shared with us her thoughts and revealations for the new year. We are proclaiming 2009 to be The Year that we See the Lord and The Year of the Mouth. Huh? You mean the Lord is coming this year? "I better get ready!" No, no, no... but, we ARE gonna see Him and our eyes are going to be opened like they've never been opened before. You may be asking, "How are we gonna see Him if He doesn't come?" Simple. It's all about change.
With the dawning of a new year, it is customary to make New Year's Resolutions. Do you make them? The real question, I suppose is....Do you make them and keep them? Many will probably say, "Yes", while others reply, "Well, sorta..." I can tell you now, I've never made one in all of my 49 years until this year. But, this year is different. Things have to change. Uh huh...there's that nasty word - change. No one likes change. We're a selfish people in that we get lazy and want to continue doing the same things, day in and day out. Add some spice to that cookin' !! Change things up in your life! "Open my eyes to Your way Lord, Open my eyes to Your way..."
In order for change - positive change - to take place in our lives, we must be willing to submit and surrender to change. Submit and Surrender? I've heard those words before. Mmmm...in church? From the Bible? Yep. It goes deeper and higher than that though. We must be willing to submit and surrender to Jesus Christ. Let God have complete and ultimate control over our lives. Let us surrender our all to Him, submit to Him. Then, we'll begin to see the change, or changes, take place in our lives.
So, 2009 is going to be the Year that we See the Lord. See where I'm going with this? We can choose to change, submit and surrender it all to Jesus Christ, obey his principles, and we will SEE the Lord in powerful ways in a completely new perspective. A new year. Anew year. Anew, renew...you decide! It's all good! When we let go of the best of us and the worst of us, we WILL SEE the Lord!
Now, once we begin to see Him, we want to keep the communication lines open, not only with Him, but with others. This is where, we'll begin to tell others about Him and profess His love, kindness, mercy, and grace - The Year of the Mouth.
So, I'm going to let my new year, 2009, start off with change. I know that God has been working in my life for quite some time now, but wasn't quite sure what His divine plan was or is for me. Who am I to question God anyway? But, with a new year, I know that a new order is being established, and our eyes will see the Lord. We'll see the fire of God and the power of God!
