WEDNESDAY'S WORD - RESIDUE - 04/27/16 Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

 

SUNDAY WORSHIP 11:00 AM
SUNDAY CLASSES 9:30 AM

225 Wyoming Ave
Cincinnati OH 45215

The Great Room

(Presbyterian Church of Wyoming)

513-212-1131

RESIDUE - is a small amount of something that remains after the main part has gone or been taken, or used.  Ever try to get the price tag completely off of a new shoe? You scrape and add water, but you're no match for the stickiness of that stuff!  Your foot adheres to the shoe as you walk. The price tag is ostensibly gone (means apparently, but not actually). The drink is finished and it seems as if the glass is fully clean...but there's still residue. It's frustrating and annoying because something persists that should have been washed out.  Do you have residue from a past relationship or situation?  Do you carry just a little anxiety, distrust, frustration, or bitterness? Do you have faith but a tiny bit of doubt? Do you desire to move on... but there's just this one lingering issue. "I've almost entirely forgiven..." myself or someone else, but I've got a twinge of regret, or a bit of anger. We're moving to a new place but we can't shake the history of the old one.  Transitions require cleaning up residue to move forward to a NEW day!

It no longer matters what happened yesterday: how the place you used to be in treated you for good or bad; what you failed at, or could have done by now; what you did or didn't get from your parents, etc.  Paul said the thing that he focused on was "forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead." (Phil 3:13) He instructed the Ephesians not to grieve the Holy Spirit. To "Let ALL bitterness and wrath, and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with ALL malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:30-32)

Jesus told His disciples that their message would not be received well everywhere. "If any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them." (Mark 6:11) Residue happens when we just can't let it go...Freedom comes when we can and do! The book of Luke admonishes us to "Remember Lot's Wife." (Luke 17:32)  God had rescued her family, pulled them out of a terrible place that He was judging and instructed them not to look back.  Sadly, residue from the past drew her attention away from God's promised future. Looking back cost her life. She turned into a pillar of salt (Gen 19) and was left right there to forever stare at her former situation. Last week we said it's time to MOVE! Today we're all being urged to release ourselves from any residue and proceed forward into God's plan!

THIS SUNDAY, May 1st,  New Life Covenant is MOVING! You can read about it here.  We are honored to join forces with Pastor Edward Goode and the congregation at
the Presbyterian Church of Wyoming (PCW)  To the left is a photo of the Great Room where we will gather on Sundays at 11am.  We will have 9:30 AM Class in the Youth Room (lower level) and will have a Nursery available and lessons for small children.  PCW is graciously helping us 'nest' and grow to our next phase, and we are strategizing ways that we can serve and bring the Gospel the Cincinnati Region in partnership together! 
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU SUNDAY as we embark upon this next leg in the journey!

New Life Covenant's LIFE Worship Team at   Fountain Square  520 Vine Street Downtown Cincinnati 45202 Urban Outreach's Hope at the Fountain Thursday, April 28th at 7:00 PM  Come out and bring your family, friends and neighbors!