“TIME FOR NEW BEGINNINGS”
by Rev. J. Loren Russell, BA, MDiv.
John 1:1-5 NKJV
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
I was speaking to a group of women the other night and asked where this scripture was found. Most said Genesis, but one correctly said, “John.” There are significant differences in these two accounts; in the Genesis account, it says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). In John’s account we find out what He created; “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:3). Then, we find out how; “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14 NKJV).
Through both of these accounts, we encounter the awesome power of The Word. When God spoke, everything became real. It was through The Word. We discover in John’s gospel that The Word, the same word that created the heavens and the earth, became flesh and dwelt among us. We saw His glory and experienced His majesty.
There is nothing more powerful, more forceful, more authoritative, more life building than The Word! The Word is what makes you who you are, what you do, and all that you can be.
If you haven’t noticed, of all the creatures in God’s creation, the only one that was given the use of this powerful force is you and me. However, there is caveat; you have to be connected to the source in order to access the fullness of this awesome gift. All that we were, all that we can be, all that we will forever be is available to us through The Word.
There are new possibilities, new opportunities, new potentialities, new challenges and new obstacles in this new year. Some will be good, some will be bad. Your words will determine whether good or bad comes out of those situations and circumstances. It will all depend on the way you speak those things into existence.
Speak trouble and dispair from your mouth, and trouble and dispair you shall have. Speak life, health and prosperity, and life, health and prosperity you shall have. Don’t get me wrong, you may speak health and get sick. You may speak prosperity and have a financial calamity. The difference will be in your focus and your direction. If you are connected to the source of The Word, you will know that you are not destined to remain in the negative forever, even if it kills you. Death for a believer is a victory, not a defeat.
Speaking of life, it is a remarkable thing; we didn’t ask for it, but here we are; we often are frustrated with it, but nobody wants it to end; when it does end, it will happen before you would like, and your obituary won’t even come close to defining your life and what you will have meant to those who knew and loved you.
But one thing I am sure of, before long, all that will remain of your life will be precious memories.., until the generations that knew you themselves will have passed from time to eternity and you will be no more.
If we are going to leave a lasting impression on the world and leave it better than we found it, determine and then speak that truth to power. This is the launching pad to your God-inspired greatness so recognize that The Word created all things including us. Allow Him to fashion our future by giving us a new beginning. We’ll come alive and out of our comatose existence to embrace the full potential and the awesome possibilities that live in us. We will not, we cannot know what that is unless and until we are quickened by the spirit of the Lord. But when we are quickened, our word is energized with power to shape and determine our destiny. Your choice will create your destiny in this time for New Beginnings!
Rev. J. Loren Russell, BS, MDiv. is President/CEO of The JLR Company, and an associate minister at both Goodwill and Greater Universal Baptist Churches in the Bronx and hosts “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” on Soul 1 Radio (internet), Mondays 8:00 – 10:00 PM. http://tobtr.com/s/7436671, or by phone at 626-226-1448.
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