Christian Reflection and Prayer

(The next Reflections will be a series
of 14 brief messages on how you can make a
Fresh Start in your life. It is my prayer
that these suggestions will help provide
a real renewal in your total life.)

How You Can Make a Fresh Start
Whitney Hopler

(Editor's Note: The following is a
report on the practical applications
of Doug Fields' new book, Fresh Start:
God's Invitation to a Great Life,
(Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2009).

Do you feel stuck?  Maybe you don't
like the way your life has been going
lately, but can't seem to change it.
Perhaps you're struggling with an
unhealthy habit that you know you
should stop, yet still continue despite
your best intentions to change.

No matter how stuck you may have
become, you can move forward with
God's help.  Here's how you can make
a fresh start to change your life for the better:

#1. Look beyond yourself to God.  Your
ability to make real and lasting changes
to your life is limited, even when you try
your hardest.  Rather than relying just on
your own determined resolve to change
and your own positive thinking (which may
improve your life temporarily but not lead
to permanent change), connect to God in
prayer daily and rely on the strength that
He will give you to truly change for good. 
God loves you too much to let you stay
stuck; He wants to help you become
the best person and experience the best
life possible.  Invite God to give you a fresh
start and cooperate with His work in your
life by following where He leads you.

{Adapted from Fresh Start: God's Invitation to
a Great Life copyright 2009 by Doug Fields.
Published by Thomas Nelson Publishers,
Nashville, Tn., www.thomasnelson.com.
Doug Fields graduated from SCC in 1984
(now Vanguard), and received his MDiv.
from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1986.
Doug has served as a youth pastor for 25
years, and has been teaching pastor at
Saddleback Church since 1992. Doug
has been a global youth ministry leader
through his books, speaking and youth
ministry resources. He is the award-winning
author of more than 40 books, many of which
serve as curriculum in Seminaries and Bible
Colleges. Besides speaking regularly to
teenagers and the congregation of Saddleback
Church, Doug can also be found speaking to
youth workers around the world. Doug would
say his greatest accomplishment is marrying
way out of his league to his wife Cathy of 23
years. They have three teenage children; Torie,
Cody and Cassie.}

Article publication date: August 20, 2009

Scripture:

Jesus took the five loaves and two fish,
looked up to heaven, and asked God's
blessing on the food. Breaking the loaves
into pieces, he kept giving the bread and
fish to the disciples to give to the people.
They all ate as much as they wanted,
and they picked up twelve baskets of
leftover bread and fish.
Mark 6:41-43 NLT

Break Thou the bread of life, dear Lord, to me,
As though didst break the loaves beside the sea;
Beyond the sacred page I seek Thee, Lord;
My spirit pants for Thee, O Living Word!
Mary Artemisia Lathbury

Bread of Life

While Break Thou the Bread of Life is
often sung during Communion, it is really
intended to prepare the heart for Bible
study. The great London preacher G.
Campbell Morgan customarily read the
words of the hymn before his midweek
service.

The author, Mary Lathbury, was better
known as a commercial artist than as a
poet. Her illustrations regularly appeared
in the popular magazines of the 19th century.
She was a devout Christian who often
vacationed at Lake Chautauqua, where she
became one of the founders of a new
movement. Mixing Christian inspiration,
culture, and education, the Chautauqua
movement spread across the country.…
As she sat with her Bible, overlooking Lake
Chautauqua, she thought of the disciples at
the Sea of Galilee and wrote this hymn.
Mary Lathbury's desire was to take Bible
students "beyond the sacred page" to meet
the living Word.
From The One Year Book of Hymns
(Tyndale House), entry for February 15

Reflection:

I remember, as a young man, attending church
and the first Sunday of every month we
would celebrate communion.  This song
"Break Thou the Bread of Life" was quietly
sung as we participated in the Lord's Supper.
It was always very meaningful to me.  The words
and the spirit of this song brought me to a place
where I met, the living Word, Jesus Christ.
I must ask myself, as I ask you, When is the last
time I met the Living Word? When is the last time
my spirit "panted" for Jesus Christ? LORD LET IT
BE NOW!

Prayer:

Lord You are the bread of life, I yearn for You.
I am ready for You the Living Word, LET IT BE NOW!
In Jesus Name Amen.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is
useful to teach us what is true and to
make us realize what is wrong in our lives.
2 Timothy 3:16 NLT

The Word Transforms

Dr. E. V. Rieu was a classical scholar
and translator for many years. He rendered
Homer into very modern English for the Penguin
Classics. Rieu was 60 years old and a lifelong
agnostic when the same firm invited him to translate
the Gospels. His son remarked: "It will be interesting
to see what Father makes of the four Gospels. It will
be even more interesting to see what the four Gospels
make of Father."

The answer was soon forthcoming. A year later, Rieu,
convinced and converted, joined the Church of England.

In an interview with J. B. Phillips, Rieu confessed that
he had undertaken the task of translation because of
an "intense desire to satisfy himself as to the authenticity
and spiritual content of the Gospels." He was determined
to approach the documents as if they were newly discovered
Greek manuscripts. "Did you not get the feeling," asked
Canon Phillips, "that the whole material was extraordinarily
alive?" The classical scholar agreed. "I got the deepest feeling,
" he replied. "My work changed me. I came to the conclusion
that these words bear the seal of the Son of Man and God."

From J. B. Phillips, The Ring of Truth. quoted by R. Kent
Hughes in 1001Great Stories and Quotes (Tyndale House) pp 28-29

Remember This:

The B I B L E yes that's the book for me.
I stand alone on the Word of God. The
B I B L E.

AAAAAAAA MEN