Join us as we talk about new beginnings. Start by reading and meditating on the scriptures that will be featured this week. 

In Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV the Lord said — Forget the former things;    do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness    and streams in the wasteland.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV — Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!

Isaiah 40:31 NIV — but those who hope in the Lord    will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;    they will run and not grow weary,    they will walk and not be faint.

Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV — You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

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Take time to set the scene for our week ahead on new beginnings by listening to the following songs.

Made New by Lincoln Brewster

More Of You by Colton Dixon

Break Every Chain by Jesus Culture

1 Chronicles‬ ‭16‬:‭9‬-‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬ – Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Israel his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

Join us on our YouTube channel as we finish out the week on songs and worship.

Let’s pray. Dear God, come and reign in this place. I seek Your presence to flood my life. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

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‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭25‬-‭27‬ ‭ESV‬‬ — Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

‭‭This week we have been sharing worship songs that have Old Testament meaning. Today I want to flip the script! Thankfully because we live on this side of Christ, we are blessed to walk this Earth with the love and grace of God. Before we listen to today’s song, I encourage you to listen to the story behind the song with Kari Jobe’s Song Story.

Now I encourage you to worship with Let Your Glory Fall by Kari Jobe. May our mantra be, “Let Your presence flood my life, oh Lord.” Imagine that first time the Israelites experienced the glory of God in ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Moses and Aaron then went into the tent of meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.

Let’s pray. Dear God, come and reign in this place. I seek Your presence to flood my life. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

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‭‭Psalms‬ ‭100‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

‭‭This week we have been sharing worship songs that have Old Testament meaning. In reading Leviticus through the Bible Recap I realized that God first sacrificed animals in Genesis to clothe Adam and Eve. The blood is an atonement for our sins. This practice continues through Exodus and we read in ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — The priest shall then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the Lord in the tent of meeting. The rest of the bull’s blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

The Apostle Paul instructs us that without these ritual offerings there is no forgiveness of sins as we read in ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭9‬:‭22‬ ‭NIV — In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.‬‬

Take a moment to think about the blood of Jesus atoning for our sins and how every day we are able to enter into the Holy of Holies as you listen to Take Me In by Kutless. Some of the lyrics sing, “Into the holy place past the brazen altar. Lord, I want to see Your face. Pass me by the crowds of people and the priests who sing Your praise. I hunger and thirst for Your righteousness.”

Thankfully we live on this side of the cross. We don’t need to travel with a tabernacle and go before the mercy seat. We have the gift of the Holy Spirit living in each of us. 

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for sending Your son Jesus to die for my sins. I desire to enter Your gates with thanksgiving and praise. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

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‭‭Exodus‬ ‭25‬:‭17‬-‭22‬ ‭NIV — Make an atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you. There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.

‬This week we continue sharing worship songs that have Old Testament meaning. Today I will share about the Ark of the Covenant, where the mercy seat sits. The mercy seat is where God’s presence rests. The details are of such significance as the details are repeated in Exodus 37:6-9 NIV. It is also foreshadowed by the Apostle Paul in ‬‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭9‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

Take a moment to listen to Mercy Seat by Kim Walker Smith. The Chorus sings, ”Back to the mercy seat, Lord, I am running, I’m running back to simplicity. You are enough for me.” As you sit in God’s presence today, bask in all His glory. Humbly remind yourself of His simplicity. Are you living as if God is enough for you? Are you running back to Him or towards worldly things? 

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for the simplicity of Your love. I humbly give You my heart and ask that You mold me towards Your perfect will for my life. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

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‭‭Exodus‬ ‭14‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

‭‭This week we have been sharing worship songs that have Old Testament meaning. Today I share how God delivered Moses and The Israelites out of Pharaoh’s captivity. Take a moment to listen to Pharoh, Let My People Go by Brandon Lake. Some of the lyrics sing, “My God is a God of freedom. Don’t underestimate His strength.” 

We have confidence in God, that through His strength we can do all things through Him. That includes God fighting our battles for us. In the chorus, Brandon sings to let the people go from fear, worry, shame, pain, depression, addiction, division, and the Devil. What battle are you facing? Take time to be still in God’s presence and let Him fight for you as well read in ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭14‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You that I can stand firm in the confidence that You know the battles I am facing. I surrender them to You and ask that You fight my battles for me. In the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

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