Fresh Start of 2007

I believe that we all regularly need to find places to begin again in different areas of our lives. It's in these places that we need to draw a line separating us from all that we've known in the past and move forward with a new outlook based upon the truth of God's Word.

In order to make a fresh start, we need to be willing to let go of what lies behind and take hold of what lies ahead. I believe this includes making a fresh start at how we see ourselves, the way we think God sees us, and what we see before us in our future. As we begin to see ourselves the way God sees us and get a good picture of the things that He desires to bring about in and through our lives, our outlook on life can take on a whole new perspective.

How Do You See Yourself?
Our self-image—how we see ourself—is very important. It is the portrait we carry around in our heart and in our head. It is just as real as the pictures of our children that many of us carry around in our wallets, but it has a much stronger effect on us. Many years ago, I had a very poor self-image. I often felt like I was a failure, unlovable, and not as good as other people. Many times I went around thinking that God was not pleased with me and that I would never overcome my past. Because I saw myself in the wrong way, I never asked for what was rightfully mine through the blood of Jesus. I wasn’t bold enough, and I didn’t feel like I deserved it.

Well, God brought me to 2 Samuel 9, the story of David and his quest to bless anyone who remained from the house of King Saul. Jonathan, Saul’s son, loved David and was probably one of his closest companions. After Jonathan and Saul were killed in battle, God promoted David to be king. Deeply moved with sorrow at the loss of Saul and Jonathan, David said, Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan’s sake? (2 Samuel 9:1).

David soon discovered that Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who had become crippled as a child but was still alive. When he sent for Mephibosheth and had him brought before him, David said to him, Fear not, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father [grandfather], and you shall eat at my table always. And [the cripple] bowed himself and said, What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I am? (2 Samuel 9:7,8). In other words, Mephibosheth was saying, “Why do you want to help me? All I deserve is to crawl around on the floor and lick up the crumbs that fall to the ground.”

I believe that one of the reasons Mephibosheth had a poor self-image was because he was crippled. As a result, he didn’t feel worthy of King David’s kindness. You and I may not be physically crippled, but because of our failures, inabilities and weaknesses, we see ourselves as crippled. And since we see ourselves as less than perfect, it’s difficult for us to imagine how or why God would want to bless and care for us as He has blessed and cared for others. But just as David was good to Mephibosheth for Jonathan’s sake, God is good to us for Jesus’ sake.

God doesn’t want us looking at everything that is wrong with us or the sins of our past; He wants us to look at everything that is right with Him. Hebrews 12:2 says, Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]…. The more we focus on our failures, the more likely we are to repeat them. Whatever we continually think about and talk about becomes magnified. That’s why you and I need to get our eyes off of what is wrong with us and onto what is right with God. God is at work every day, changing us to be more and more like Jesus.1 Once we begin to magnify His power and minimize our problems, we will discover a new realm of victory and get a fresh view of how we see ourselves.

How Do You Think God Sees You?
The way God sees us and the way we think God sees us can often be two different things. Thankfully, God does not withhold His love, acceptance and assistance from us because we fail. He is not looking for a perfect performance—just a willing heart that is surrendered to Him.

God gave me a good example of this years ago. When our son Danny was a little boy, he wasn’t very tidy. So in order to motivate him to keep his room clean and do his chores, we created a chart with a system of checkmarks and stars. Every time he did what was required, we gave him a check. After he had a certain number of checks, we gave him a star. And after he had a certain number of stars, we bought him a present. Sometimes he had plenty of checks and stars, and other times he had very few.

Well, there was a bully in our neighborhood who was always taking Danny’s ball away from him and throwing it down the sewer. Every time this bully would aggravate Danny, he would come running into the garage screaming, “Daddy!” My husband, Dave, would nearly tear the door off its hinges to get outside and protect him.

One day God said to me, “What kind of parents would you be if every time Danny came screaming because the neighborhood bully was after him, you went to his room to see how many checkmarks and stars he had? You would be pitiful parents if you only protected him when he did everything right. Joyce, if you and Dave wouldn’t do that, then why do you think I would?”

This really opened my eyes—it gave me a whole new perspective of how God sees us. When the bully of our soul is aggravating us, God doesn’t look first to see if we’ve done everything right before He answers our cry for help. He steps in and helps us just because we are His children. This doesn’t mean He closes His eyes to sin. When we do something wrong, He will correct us. For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves… (Hebrews 12:6). However, He will also not refuse to help us when we are in trouble.

You and I need a fresh revelation of God’s salvation. Once we are saved, God sees us as a brand-new creation. Second Corinthians 5:17 says, …if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! The same fresh and clean feeling that we experience when we are born again is available to us every day. Lamentations 3:22,23 says that the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness never fail and that they are new every morning.

For a long time, I hated myself because I couldn’t be what I thought God wanted me to be. But one day I finally came to this realization: I am no surprise or shock to God. He knew what He was getting when He called me. All I can do is cooperate with God when He shows me what to do. There is no way I can change myself.

That is all God expects of us—cooperation. By submitting to the power of His Holy Spirit within us, we can die to the wrong ways of thinking, speaking and acting and live the right ways. God will show us how to avoid sin, but when we do sin, all we need to do is repent, receive God’s forgiveness and go on.

What Do You See Before You?
God has a good plan for each of our lives. Jeremiah 29:11 says, For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. In order for us to see this promise become a reality, we must choose to look away from the past and look forward to what God has ahead.

This reminds me of the time when Abram and his family came up out of Egypt(2). Both he and his nephew Lot had a great number of livestock, and the land where they lived was not able to support both of them. In an effort to remove the strife between them, Abram went to Lot and offered him first choice of the land that was before them. Lot looked it over and chose the well-watered land of the Jordan Valley.

The Lord said to Abram after Lot had left him, Lift up now your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see I will give to you and to your posterity forever. Arise, walk through the land…for I will give it to you (Genesis 13:14,15, 17). Notice that God didn’t tell Abram to look at where he was or what Lot had taken from him. He told Abram to look from the place where he was and that all he could see would be given to him and his generations to come. Then God said, “Arise.” In other words, he told Abram, “Make a fresh start—get up, and step-by-step, move
forward.”

I believe the Lord is saying the same thing to you and me. He wants us to stop staring at where we are and where we’ve been and start looking at what lies ahead. Our God is a progressive God— always on the move. He tells us in Isaiah 43:18,19, Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing!… God wants to do something new right now! The possibilities are unlimited. It doesn’t matter how young, old, rich, poor, educated, or uneducated we are or even how many weaknesses we have. God can make miracles out of our messes!

It All Comes Down to Choice
Making a fresh start begins and continues as we consistently make right choices—nobody can do this for us. Deuteronomy 30:19 says, …I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live. Every time you and I choose to trust God’s Word and take the appropriate action, we will be blessed.

No matter how deep of a pit you are in, God’s arm is not too short to reach down and pull you out. If you’ve made mistakes, repent, get right with God and go on. Every day God gives you the opportunity of a fresh start with a clean slate. The only thing that stands between you and victory is YOU.

I encourage you to begin seeing yourself the way God sees you—as the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus(3). Get your mind off of the past, and open your eyes to what God wants to do today. In Him there are no dead ends—only places for new beginnings!


(1) See Philippians 2:13. (2) See Genesis 13:1-18. (3) See 2 Corinthians 5:21.

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"MY LIFE WAS FOREVER CHANGED IN PRISON BECAUSE OF YOUR BOOK AND CONTINUOUS SUPPORT."

Testimony: Carla A., Lindale, TX

I was in prison in 2001. One day my bunkmate dropped the book Beauty for Ashes on the floor. When I went to pick it up, I was drawn to read it. It ministered to me so much…I gave my life to the Lord after reading it!

Joyce’s life was a reflection of mine. I decided it was time for me to “get off my pity pot” and quit blaming everyone and everything for my life being so messed up.

During my prison stay, I continued to use Joyce’s resources to strengthen me in my walk with the Lord. I wanted more of Him in my life. And it seemed like more of Him did come into my life when a ministry called Calvary Commission visited the prison. As they were ministering, the Lord said to me, “This ministry is going to be your new home.” Amazingly, He had gone and prepared a place for me. I stand in awe of God’s goodness!

Since then I have graduated with an associate’s degree in biblical studies and am now serving as a staff member at Calvary Commission. I also married the youth pastor at Calvary Commission in October 2005. The Lord allows me to go back and minister in prisons. Two of my favorite places to minister are death row and lockdown.

Joyce, I want to thank you and your ministry for being obedient to God’s calling. My life was forever changed in prison because of your book and continuous support. I will continue to pray for you.