“I AM” Chapter 5 – Day 3: I AM…Free to Be ME

As I thought about this lesson and what God would have me share, two words kept coming back at me and I thought “really God that is what you want me to talk about?” And He kept saying yes, so here we go!

 Do-Over    (what is it?)

In our family, a do-over has consisted of many things in our daily lives, but the most constant one has been when we have been playing Putt-Putt at Myrtle Beach.  Every summer the kids would always have at least one hole they didn’t do so good on and they would ask us, “Can I have a do-over?”  My husband said that is called a “mulligan” and the kids would say “Well, whatever.  Can I have one?”  So right then we made a rule that on every Putt-Putt game we ever played together in our lives we would always allow one “do-over” *(mulligan)* during the game.   Sometimes we would pick the “do-over” on the right hole, but sometimes we didn’t.

As I thought about this story of our family I began to think about our daily lives and how we need do-overs in them too!  Sometimes we say something too quickly to someone or hit the send button on an email, and both times wishing we should have thought a little longer about it before we spoke or wrote.

Have you examined your life lately?  Where are you spiritually?  Are you wishing for something different?  Are you living the life Jesus wants for you?  If all of a sudden you feel burdened by any of these questions…don’t…because you must remember our God is a God of “do-overs!”

No matter what the mistake, the pain, or any hardships, we can call out “Do-over!” and we can start fresh and new!  In order for us to have the freedom that knowing this truth brings we have to truly mean it, not just say it and then do the same thing again.  But to truly mean it— we have to live it!   You may be asking, “Well how do I do that?”  “How do I break those bad habits?”   Here’s your answer…turn your life over to God fully and let Him RENEW you!

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

 When you turn your life over to God He is giving you a “do-over” from all your past; you will see a whole new view of yourself.  You will also realize two truths:

• God does not see you as a struggling, troubled, or horrible person.
• Instead, God sees you as His beloved child, made in His image.

It is then we will begin focusing on God and not our mistakes.  We will see that God can renew us.   When we see that by placing all the pieces of our lives before God and staying alert in the ways of God, and by seeing His divine nature growing in us, we will begin to take advantage of the blessings of all the do-overs.

There have been many in the Bible who had opportunities to step up in their journey of faith and yet were not only offered a “do-over” but also new opportunities to serve:

• King David after his affair with Bathsheba
• Saul of Tarsus after he hunted down Christians
• Church of Laodicea after they let their faith fade from passionate to lukewarm

There were also people in the Bible who discovered the blessings of do-overs:

• Jacob and Esau  (Genesis 33)
• Both Joseph and his brothers got to start over (Genesis 45)
• After Peter denied Jesus, he got another chance to stand up (John 21:15)
• And then there was Paul, he got an entire life do-over!   As Saul he persecuted Christians, but he was transformed on the road to Damascus (Acts 9), received Christ, and began spreading the gospel instead of persecuting it.

Talk about a do-over, that is a total newly born, born again believer! He is a new creation!

If God offers us this kind of do-over, then why is it that we feel trapped, paralyzed; we want to make a change but just unsure about how to do it.  Most reasons we feel this way is because once we’ve messed up we are labeled as a failure by others, we aren’t looking at ourselves like God would.   That’s what needs to change!

We need to realize that we aren’t living the way God wants us to and that we need a spiritual “do-over,”  so how do we get one?

• Submit
• Surrender
• Yield to God

If we aren’t where we need to be spiritually what is keeping us from asking for a “do-over?”  Why are we having a hard time letting go?

Paul has painted us a beautiful picture in Phillipians 3:13-14, to forget what is behind and reach for what is ahead!

As I thought about writing today’s blog God showed me there are two kinds of people that will be reading today: 1) those that have had a “do-over” and, 2) those that need to have a “do-over.”

For those who need a “do-over,” what would it look like for you to be free from your past and become a new creation—a new-born believer?

We serve a God that allows “do-overs,” He will accept you, forgive you, and grow you into a new person.   Yes, this is YOU I’m talking about!  No matter what you’ve done or said, no matter what,  He allows us to start over!  Here’s a good verse for you to consider.

Psalms 116:12-13 says, What shall I render unto the Lord for all of His benefits towards me? I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord.

 Your “do-over” is up to you.

 When we surrender our lives to You, God, we stop fighting with ourselves.

If we truly want a “do-over” we can have it.

All we have to do is “ASK”.

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Let’s Pray:

God, I thank You for “do-overs.”   Help each of us today to feel new, act new, think new; help us to love others like we never have before.  Help us to realize that You are there every moment of every day to help us when we need a “do-over” and to make a fresh start to something that started not so good.  God, I lift up a special prayer for the ones who are reading this that need a total “life do-over;” they need You as Savior!  Help them to see You are waiting in the wings of their day for them to call on Your name, asking to be made a new creation.  Help them to know You give “do-overs” and are ready to give them one right now! And when they receive it, help them lift their hands in praise to You and tell the world!   In Your name I pray.

Amen