Garbage - Let it Go! by Nancy Soulemana

Have you ever held onto something that you know wasn’t good for you? Why, why hold onto it? What is so significant about this thing The Holy Spirit is telling you to let go of? What does it remind you of?

While driving one day with my windows down I noticed a beautiful breeze. As I drove, I began to smell something awful. What is that? I just couldn’t shake the odor. Then, I realized there was a bright orange garbage truck in front of me. I was so mesmerized by the color, I didn’t realize it was a garbage truck.

I stayed behind the garbage truck because I did not realize that it was a garbage truck . Once I realized what it was, I became conscious, removed myself. drove around the truck and went my way. I no longer thought about the old. I focused on where I was going. I let the garbage go!

Just like our lives. We want something so badly, we chase after it. Eventually, we realize that it isn’t the right thing for us. According to Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ, and no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” The old man has died. We should no longer desire the things of old. There are times however where the old will chase us.

While writing this message, the truck came back! At that moment, I realized something. We are all assigned jobs. In life, we all have an occupation. Teacher, mother, doctor, be that as it may be we all have jobs. So just as we have a job, the enemy has a job as well. But as we know our God is greater! All we must do is put our lives in His hands. James 4:7 states, “Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Once you let the garbage go, don’t pick it back up! What the enemy uses for distraction, turn to inspiration. Romans 8:28, “And we know All Things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.”

The old man has died and we are a new creation in Christ. Don’t pick up the old. Let the garbage go! And if it does reappear, you tell that garbage who your God is!

Created For Him by Christina Calvache

When we stop to admire the wonderful and vastness of God’s creation, we can’t help to stand in awe of his marvelous works. Whenever I’m on the beach whether it’s raining, cloudy, sunny, or even at night, I can’t help but think of how God’s creation is so beautiful and so perfect. As magnificent and majestic as nature may be, there is one whom God calls a masterpiece (Eph 2:10). Us!

God fearfully and wonderfully created each one of us (Psalm 139:14), our frame (body) was not hidden from Him when we were “intricately woven” (verse 15). In fact, before conception He saw who he intended for us to be.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were for me, when as yet there was none of them (verse 16).

God created you to do great works that were predestined for you to do (Eph 2:10). God created you to worship Him (Isaiah 43:21). God created you to love him with all of your heart, with all of your soul and with all of your mind (Matt 22:37). Anything that interrupts or prevents you from doing these things should be brought to question. Search me, o God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23-24)

Although God created us with such esteem, we are not the final product of His plan until we allow Him to work in us to be the individuals He created us to be for His glory. I’m reminded of this scripture: Psalm 51:5 (NLV) “See, I was born in sin and was in sin from the beginning.” Because of our sinful nature, we need the Creator to continue creating in us. Malachi 3:3 refers to God as a ‘Refiner” and states, “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver”. During the journey when we face challenging trials and hardship, and go through the various seasons of our lives, we can remember God is refining us.

God promises in Philippians 1:6, “He who began a good work in you will carry it out to completion.” God doesn’t want us to conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of our mind (Ro 12:1). But this life is full of choices considering the free will that He gave us. Children of God are faced with this decision - You can either walk in your destiny or walk away from it. The farther you walk away from it, the longer it will take for the Lord to complete His creation in you.

Now What?

The House on the Rock Church family met, prayed, and some fasted for our annual “Easter on the Boardwalk Celebration.” The Lord, our God, faithfully answered our prayers and we are grateful.

Despite the preceding days of rain, the sun came out on Sunday. Most importantly, this was evidence that THE SON came out! We worshipped! We danced, we sang, and we worshipped through drama. The word went forth and will not return void. Now what?

Now is not the time to relax! May we draw closer to the Lord so that we will all be used by Him during this harvest season. Yes you are important. Your presence is important. You are needed to pitch in. No one is left out!

As it is written in Isaiah 35, now is the time to strengthen the weak hands, and the feeble knees. It is time for us to be strong, doing away with fear, so that the Lord will use us to strengthen and encourage those who will come with their fears, depression, and grief.

May our eyes be opened and our ears hear what the Lord is saying so that we will love others, not based upon what we see in the natural, but what the Lord will show us by His Spirit. As we pray and study His word, He will anoint our tongues so that we will speak words of life to others. (Isaiah 50:4)

Now what? Now is the time more than ever to be more in tune with what the Lord desires to do in and through each of us. As we seek Him first, He will supply our needs, for He is aware of what we have need of. (Matthew 6:33) May we trust Him to be God over all that concerns us, as we now move forward in service to Him, loving Him, and loving others not only through our words, but through our attitudes as well as our deeds. Now is the time for us all to move forward together as one! Now let’s be about our Father’s business. No time to waste. How will you respond? Pray about your role. The time is Now!