PASTOR’S CORNER: I’m headed in a new direction

I’m headed in a new direction

Today’s message is a testimony, a made-up mind statement. It is made on behalf of somebody whose mind is made up that for them things are going to be different. There is a positive change for the better in their lives. They are not going back, not looking back and not going to go the same old way; the old way was not working.

They are saying the buck stops here! I’m taking charge of this and I’m taking charge of my life; no more wasted days and wasted nights; things in my life are going to be different! On this Saturday in the second month of the brand-new year some things are going to change in my life because I am headed in a new direction, in Christ! Is that anybody’s testimony today?

Leaving old stuff, old habits, old excuses, I am going God’s way. First, I have a new attitude. I’m thinking differently, talking differently, and expecting differently. I’m not going to go the same way. Satan will not direct me. Oh no, he that comes to kill, steal, and destroy will not direct or stand in my way. I’m not holding on to anything or anybody that’s not going in the GOD direction that I am going in. The year 2025 is for me. It’s a brand new start. As we look down the road, we realize that we just cannot continue to do the same thing. Something has got to change and if we are doing good, we need to seek to do better. A new attitude in 2025 is what we all need.

Everybody this morning needs to take inventory of their lives and see everything that is wrong and be honest. We know everything about us that is wrong. We may not want to admit it, but we know it. We know where our belt needs to be tightened up, and where we stand with God.

My friends this morning, if we are traveling to a destination, New York, Atlanta or some other city, and we discover that we got off on the wrong road, we don’t keep going. The first thing that we do is turn around and make an adjustment. Our GPS will re-calculate. If we are headed in the wrong direction, we don’t keep traveling that road. We turn around and head in another direction. It makes sense. If what we are doing is not working, then it’s time to try something else.

If two people, a man and a woman in a relationship, keep butting heads and all they do is argue, fuss and fight; if they are not getting along, then a light bulb ought to go off in one or the other’s head saying this thing is not working. You go your way, and I’ll go my way. It’s time to head in a new direction. If being with someone is toxic, if they keep you stressed out, if you are trying to serve the Lord but there is somebody you are connected with that keeps pulling at you and taking away from you but not bringing anything spiritually good to you, then it’s time to disconnect and head in another direction.

Don’t keep knocking your head against the brick.

Community, we don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know when something is not working. When things are not clicking we CAN go in another direction. Once we find out that all the devil wants to do is destroy us, and cause us to go to hell, we turn to Jesus who loves us and died for us. When the car stops working, we get another car. When the computer stops working, we get another computer. When the refrigerator konks out, we ship it out and purchase another one. If the insurance company doesn’t want to pay the claim, we find another insurance company.

If we do the same old thing, we will get the same results!

Now I’m not saying that if a husband and wife are having some issues in their marriage, they should just walk away from their marriage. That’s not what I’m saying. Teeth and tongue fall out sometimes. Every marriage has had, is having, or will have some issues. Christians should try to talk, pray, communicate, define, identify their problems, and trust God with their marriage, and with the help of God they deal with them and make their marriage work. Of course, there are some exceptions.

In Isaiah 43:18,19 God said, “Remember not the former things, the old things; neither consider the things of old; behold, I will do a new thing.” Claim this somebody, in 2025! Head in a new direction, not going to go the same old way. If I want change, then I have to make a change.

Somebody needs to say “I’m not going to go the same old way; cutting all strings; not going to answer certain phone calls anymore; getting out of the cliques; deleting certain folk from my Facebook page; cutting loose bad relationships; I don’t need negativity in my life; I’m not going that way anymore; got a new attitude; a new mindset; going to get in my word; going to get in Bible study, Sundey School; forgetting those things behind us, I’m reaching forward in 2025.”

God said he’s going to do a new thing; that’s me, it’s mine; is it yours? Forget the past, forget the failures, the mistakes. That’s old stuff. In 2025 claim favor over your life. It’s Jesus and you. I don’t know about you, but I’m headed in a new direction for the best is yet to come.