Colossians 3:10 "and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him."
It's a fact of life, that all the stuff we have gets worn out with use and over time. My favorite jeans, shoes, t-shirt, whatever I have and use will eventually lose its newness and fade away. It's great fun having all of our post Christmas new things, but they aren't new for long. Nothing can be new forever, in fact the instant you first use it, it is no longer new.
You might be wondering if I'm depressed going on about everything getting old, and worn out, and faded....but I'm not! In fact my pondering the old and new has gotten me pretty excited.
My thoughts were triggered by the fact that a new year is upon us, and there is all the annual talk about resolutions and new starts, about getting rid of the old and beginning anew. Of course as I hear all of this, I'm reminded of what I already stated, what is new will soon be old. But the exciting part to me is this: There is one thing that never gets old and is in continual renewal, that is our relationship with the Lord.
How exciting it is to understand what a living and vibrant relationship with God brings about. Just think about all that is new in Jesus....we have been given a new song (Psalm40:3); we are given new mercies every morning (Lamentations 3:23); a new spirit (Ezekiel 11:19); a new heart (Ezekiel 18:31); we are new creations, and all things are made new (2 Corinthians 5:17); and this is all in Jesus, the new a living way Hebrews 10;20).
It is a fact of our spiritual lives in Jesus, that our outward man may be perishing, but our inward man is being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16). How great is it, that in Christ we aren't getting older, we are just getting newer everyday. Make it your resolution to work on your relationship with Jesus, which will forever be new. Happy New Year.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Joy To The World
Hebrews 11:13 "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth"
The shock of the shootings in Connecticut hasn't worn off, and with every new story and picture the ache returns. The fact that this evil came upon little ones causes the grief to linger. I must keep reminding myself that our prayers for the families and people of Newtown are effectual, so it is important to keep praying.
I was talking to someone who said that the shooting had robbed them of their Christmas joy. I had to agree because I felt much the same way. Not long after that conversation I was in the car listening to a Christmas music station. I have to admit I was pretty numb to some of the old traditional songs, Frosty, Silver Bells, and Rudolph, didn't do too much for me. When I was about to switch stations the hymn "Joy to the World" came on and it set my focus right and the joy returned. It was the third verse that struck a chord within me...."No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground, He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found."
With all the evil that we are bombarded with we are constantly reminded that we are living in a fallen world that is under a curse brought on by our own sins. The words of that third verse reminded me why we sing Joy to the World. The world desperately needs a savior, and God sent us one, oh what joy, the Savior born in Bethlehem has come!
We often feel like strangers in this world, and I guess we should, because it's not our true home. But let's not get a hard heart toward the world. Just think of how much our perfect and holy Jesus was a stranger here, yet He gave of Himself completely for this worlds salvation. We have been given the only message of hope for this world, and now it rings more true than ever. Don't let evil rip off your Christmas joy, when it gets dark share the message that brings light, the Savior has come to end the curse and ban all evil. Joy to the World!
The shock of the shootings in Connecticut hasn't worn off, and with every new story and picture the ache returns. The fact that this evil came upon little ones causes the grief to linger. I must keep reminding myself that our prayers for the families and people of Newtown are effectual, so it is important to keep praying.
I was talking to someone who said that the shooting had robbed them of their Christmas joy. I had to agree because I felt much the same way. Not long after that conversation I was in the car listening to a Christmas music station. I have to admit I was pretty numb to some of the old traditional songs, Frosty, Silver Bells, and Rudolph, didn't do too much for me. When I was about to switch stations the hymn "Joy to the World" came on and it set my focus right and the joy returned. It was the third verse that struck a chord within me...."No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground, He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found."
With all the evil that we are bombarded with we are constantly reminded that we are living in a fallen world that is under a curse brought on by our own sins. The words of that third verse reminded me why we sing Joy to the World. The world desperately needs a savior, and God sent us one, oh what joy, the Savior born in Bethlehem has come!
We often feel like strangers in this world, and I guess we should, because it's not our true home. But let's not get a hard heart toward the world. Just think of how much our perfect and holy Jesus was a stranger here, yet He gave of Himself completely for this worlds salvation. We have been given the only message of hope for this world, and now it rings more true than ever. Don't let evil rip off your Christmas joy, when it gets dark share the message that brings light, the Savior has come to end the curse and ban all evil. Joy to the World!
Monday, December 3, 2012
Make Haste
Luke 2:16 "And they made haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger."
So it's December 3rd and we are now fully immersed in the Christmas season. I'm watching my calendar fill up quickly and already I'm feeling like the season will fly by before I can sit down and enjoy it. It's the season to hurry and make haste, but too often the haste is for the wrong reason. I think my tendency is to do Christmas stuff but miss Christmas.
On the very first Christmas the shepherds hurried and made haste like we do now, but they made haste for the right reason. They had been told of the birth of our glorious Savior and dropped everything and made haste to Bethlehem where the sought after and found Jesus. You will never miss the true joy of Christmas if you follow the example of the shepherds, and make haste to seek after the Lord.
It is still early enough in the season to set the right priorities. Make sure to set aside enough time to rejoice in, and glorify our wonderful King.
So it's December 3rd and we are now fully immersed in the Christmas season. I'm watching my calendar fill up quickly and already I'm feeling like the season will fly by before I can sit down and enjoy it. It's the season to hurry and make haste, but too often the haste is for the wrong reason. I think my tendency is to do Christmas stuff but miss Christmas.
On the very first Christmas the shepherds hurried and made haste like we do now, but they made haste for the right reason. They had been told of the birth of our glorious Savior and dropped everything and made haste to Bethlehem where the sought after and found Jesus. You will never miss the true joy of Christmas if you follow the example of the shepherds, and make haste to seek after the Lord.
It is still early enough in the season to set the right priorities. Make sure to set aside enough time to rejoice in, and glorify our wonderful King.
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