A New Beginning Church

What Difference Does It Make?

Armor of God (D3) A Roman soldier girded his loins with something more akin to a girdle than a belt. (A manly one, I’m sure.) Most scholars agree that more than any other piece of the soldier’s clothing or equipment, this girdlewith its intricate decor and elaborate bucklesdistinguished a soldier from a civilian. It wasn’t some optional, secondary accessory, like the kind you or I might add to an outfit. It was a strategic, primary focal point of his attire. Think of thos...e wide lumbar braces that UPS and FedEx workers wear around their waist when carrying heavy packages. The sturdy, leather girdle of the Roman soldier was made to reach around the torso and provide essential support while he performed the quick, demanding movements of war. Truth is your support. It provides the essential backing you need when you’re in the midst of spiritual war. Remember, the enemy’s overarching device is deception. He shades reality with enticing and alluring colors, seducing us away from black and white principles. He propagates fantasies, causing temporal and insignificant things to somehow appear immensely valuable and favorable. His packaging is so clever that unless we know what’s trueI mean really know it, know it at our corewe easily fall prey to his ploys. Truthwhich we could basically define as God’s opinion on any matteris our standard. Truth is who God is and what He says it is, which is best summed up for us within the Person of Jesus Christ. God’s truth. Biblical truth. Without concrete allegiance to and affirmation with this truthwith real truthyou’re left weak and susceptible to things that may look right and sound right yet actually aren’t right. But with the standard of truth in place, you can adjust everything else in your lifeyour ambitions, choices, and feelings; your mind, will, and emotionsuntil all of it lines up correctly. When you have a strong, stable, well-supported core, you can’t easily be led astray by the enemy’s clever lies. Gird yourself with truth, and you’re on guard from the word go. The real test will come when the ideals and philosophies of our culture swing in the opposite direction, and yet we choose to stand strong and firm on the unchanging standard of God. The time has come for us to be girded in truth.

Armor of God (D2) Paul wasn’t asking in prayer that the Ephesian believers would receive their abundant inheritance of spiritual riches, blessings, power, and authority, but that they would realize it was theirs. As Christians, they already possessed these things, just as we do. But until they realized it, what good could it accomplish? In reality, the spiritual armor he describes in Ephesians 6 is merely a repeat ofa different way of describingwhat Paul had been explaining... in the first portion of the letter. How could they put on or take up things they didn’t know they had? The first step for themthe first step for usin utilizing the spiritual resources we’ve been given is to have our spiritual eyes opened so that we can see them. The story of Elisha and his vision-impaired servant in 2 Kings 6 is one of my absolute favorite stories in the Bible. The setting is a battle about to ensue between the enraged king of Aram and the nation of Israel. Elisha’s servant got an eyeful. At first, he could only see the enemy, which likely left him no other response than fear and anxiety. But then he immediately became tuned in to a game-changing spiritual reality: more was at his disposal and working on his behalf than he could have ever imagined. What his physical eyes could see were no match for what they couldn’t see. Elisha’s prayer helped make him aware of all the resources and strength on his side fighting against the enemy. To be confident and victorious, you’ve got to be able to see it. In Ephesians 1, Paul accentuates just a few of the gifts God has given us. There are many more, and each one connects specifically with your spiritual armor and weapons. The first key to understanding how they all fit into your ability to pin down the enemy is vision. You cannot use them if you’re not able to fully recognize them, if you’re not aware of their availability and their importance in successfully waging war against the enemy. Victory starts here. It starts today. It starts with a prayer for vision. So join Paul in asking the Lord to open your eyes more fully so you can not only detect the enemy’s activity, but can also be fully aware of what God has given you to disarm and defeat him in your life.

Armor of God (D1) The most troubling things in your lifethings you perceive with your five physical sensesare not your real issue. Everything that occurs in the visible, physical world is directly connected to the wrestling match being waged in the invisible, spiritual world. Your real enemythe devilwants you to ignore the spiritual reality behind the physical one. Because as long as you’re focused on what you can see with your physical eyes, he can continue to run rampan...t underneath the surface. The more you disregard him, the more damage he is free to do. The enemy may be invisible, but he is not fictional. He is very real, and very persistent, waging war against us constantly. Being a believer doesn’t give you immunity from the assaults of the enemy, but it does give you access to the power of the FatherHis power to defend you as well as reverse what’s been done to you. If you want to win the fightif you want to join me in flipping the script, pinning down the enemy, and crippling his impact in your lifethe key is realizing you’re connected to more spiritual brawn than is coming against you. Paul wrote Ephesians not only to draw attention to the spiritual battle that exists in the invisible, unseen realm but largely for the purpose of unveiling the strength inherent in every person who is in relationship with God through Christ. In Ephesians, Paul highlights one of the most important yet overlooked aspects of our spiritual armor: prayer. Paul deemed prayer so critical in gaining victory over Satan’s power in our lives that, as one scholar observed, Ephesians has proportionately more than 55% as many verses directly related to prayer as Romans, Paul’s longest letter. He even burst right out praying several times while he was writing. And when he prays man, is he strategic, being sure to tell his readers exactly what he is praying for. He knew prayer was able to change the trajectory of their whole lives. Victory in spiritual warfare is inseparable from prayer. Read Ephesians 1:18-21 and 3:14-19. Of all of the things Paul prays, which do you most need to ask of God today?

We are so thankful for the ministry of Dr. Richard Marks. Catch the service below: https://www.facebook.com/anew.b.church/videos/258523999011149/

Reboot Your Relationships And Marriage

Gaining Godly Wisdom (D4) The Right Foundation In Matthew 7:24-29, Jesus is teaching about the foundation we build our lives on. He said that whoever listens to His teaching and follows it is wise. They’ve built their foundation on solid rock, that won’t shift or move when storms come. But whoever hears his teaching and doesn’t follow it is foolish. Their foundation is placed on sand, which is easily disturbed when winds and rain come. ... Every single one of us has built our lives on a foundation. The question is, what type? Is our life built on the hopes and dreams of others? If we seek to please people in our liveseven if it means that we don’t stay true to our beliefsthen our foundation is on them. This is dangerous, because people change, and when they do, our foundation crumbles. Are we placing our confidence in things that are fleeting and pass away? If our hope is in material pleasures and physical appearance, then we will most assuredly be disappointed and our lives disrupted. On any given day, our money and our appearances can change. Do we find our security and strength in the ways of the world? If we place our trust in what the world offers us, then our foundation will always be shifting. The belief system that many in our society hold fast to changes depending on people’s desires. Or have we planted ourselves firmly in Jesus Christ? If our foundation isn’t steady and firm, our house won’t have a place to stand on. If our foundation is on the temporary, then it will fail the moment the temporary changes. But, if we are grounded in God’s truth and seek to make Jesus our entire life, then when hardship and heartbreak come, we have a foundation that won’t move. Sure, our lives or house may need some repairs and even break apart in places, but because our foundation is secure in Jesus, we can rebuild our lives on the hope we have in Him. Spend some time analyzing where your foundation is built. One way to know is to ask yourself the following questions: When someone I love fails or loses their dream, does my world crumble? When my body changes because of aging, do I get depressed or upset? When my retirement account isn’t flourishing, do I still feel secure? If you’ve discovered that your foundation is built on anything other than Jesus Christ, it’s not too late to rebuild. As long as there is breath in our lungs, there’s always an opportunity to change our lives and live fully for His glory.

Hey guys, we are needing a few more volunteers for the Food Giveaway tomorrow at 1 Soccer Way in Jesup Ga. 9:30 am should be fine to arrive. See ya then! #ANBCthrive2020

Gaining Godly Wisdom (D3) Wisdom from Proverbs The Old Testament book of Proverbs has many writers, but the principal author was most likely King Solomon. While there are dozens of verses that mention wisdom in this book, we’ll focus on some and glean as much truth as we can about wisdom. ... Proverbs 12:15 NLT Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others. Listening to others brings wisdom. Sometimes we are too close to a situation or have already decided what to do, but we’re wise to listen to the thoughts, insights, and suggestions of godly people in our lives. Even if the advice is unsolicited, wisdom will consider it anyway and decide if it’s worth heeding. Proverbs 13:10 NCV Pride only leads to arguments; but those who take advice are wise. Too often people think they truly have all the answers, but even the people we consider to be wise receive advice. That’s how they grew to be so wise! We all have room to grow, so let’s put aside a prideful mindset in order to become wise. Proverbs 16:16 ESV How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver! Nothing this world has to offer can compare with the wisdom we can receive from God and others. We may enjoy temporary pleasures, including possessions and money, but employing wisdom in our decisions will bring a greater return. There’s no price tag we can put on God’s peace manifesting itself on a truly wise person. Proverbs 19:20 NIV Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. The essence of this verse is that we should never stop seeking to grow in the area of gaining wisdom. We can never get to the place where we think, Yep, I’ve got all the wisdom I need! Life will continue to change, and we’ll have to learn to maneuver in new ways. The way we do this successfully is to never stop learning and growing in the area of becoming wise. Proverbs 4:5-6 NASB Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; love her, and she will watch over you. One of the most vital aspects of walking in wisdom is that it actually protects and guards us. What an amazing thought! It’s not that our lives will be 100% problem free, but when we do seek to walk in wisdom, our wise choices will actually prevent a lot of unnecessary hardship. Throughout our lives, seeking godly wisdom should be a top priority for us. Possessing it will help us navigate every aspect of our lives. Spend some time searching God’s Word for more insight on gaining wisdom and the importance of it.

Gaining Godly Wisdom (D2) The Wisest Man One of the kings of Israel was a man named Solomon. He was the son of David, who is well known in the Bible. When King David died, 1 Kings 2:12 tells us, Solomon became king and sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established. ... King Solomon has quite a reputationsome of it good, and some of it not so good. The good is that he really did love God and worship Him. The not-so-good is that he still worshiped false gods and ended up having 700 wives and concubines. But, despite the imperfections of this king, he did something so memorable that it earned him the title of the wisest man. In 1 Kings 3, there’s a story about King Solomon and a dream he had. In this dream, the LORD appeared to Him and asked, What do you want? Ask, I will give it to you! (1 Kings 3:5 NLT) The God of the universe asked Solomon what he wanted, and clearly, he could’ve responded in many ways. But his response was anything but typical. He began by praising God and showing Him honor. After that, he made a surprising request in 1 Kings 3:7-9: Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong... Solomon’s heart was truly postured to lead the country, but he knew he needed wisdom from God to do it effectively. God was pleased with Solomon’s response because he could’ve requested a variety of things like power, money, and fame. But, he didn’t. Because of that, not only did God grant him wisdom beyond what anyone had ever had before, God also granted him riches and fame. Can you even imagine? This story is a great example of how valuable and necessary wisdom is. A king who ruled an entire nation could have asked God for anything, and the one thing he chose was wisdom. He saw that wisdom would enrich not only his life, but the lives of the people he led. In a world where good and bad seem to be mixed up, walking in the wisdom of God will help us make decisions that will protect and sustain us. Think about your life and what you consider important. Is it the treasures of this world, or is it having godly wisdom so that you can live a victorious life here on earth? Just be honest with God, and if you don’t see the value in having wisdom in your life, ask God to reveal His truth to you.

FREE FOOD Dec. 9th at 1 Soccer Way in Jesup. Over 400 boxes plus lots more! ANBC partners with The Tabernacle to serve Wayne County. Drive-thru starts at 10 am. DO NOT COME EARLY! #ANBCthrive2020

Anchors That Will Hold