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.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Fatih and Gratitude
Colossians 2:7 "rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."
We are not naturally a thankful people. In fact our natural bent toward pride and being self-centered, makes us pretty cranky and ungrateful.
Notice in the above verse the connection between faith and thanksgiving. When one gives their life over to Jesus, and begins to live a life of faith and dependence upon Him, a supernatural change takes place, and one of the great fruits of that change is a heart of thanksgiving.
The more one is rooted, built up, and established in Christ, the more abounding in thanksgiving they will be. Thanksgiving is not a forced behavior, it is a heart felt gratitude, coming from a changed life and perspective because of Jesus.
The key for us this Thanksgiving is not to dwell on forcing thankfulness, but instead to focus on a solid loving relationship with Jesus, and as we do, we will abound with thanksgiving every day.
We are not naturally a thankful people. In fact our natural bent toward pride and being self-centered, makes us pretty cranky and ungrateful.
Notice in the above verse the connection between faith and thanksgiving. When one gives their life over to Jesus, and begins to live a life of faith and dependence upon Him, a supernatural change takes place, and one of the great fruits of that change is a heart of thanksgiving.
The more one is rooted, built up, and established in Christ, the more abounding in thanksgiving they will be. Thanksgiving is not a forced behavior, it is a heart felt gratitude, coming from a changed life and perspective because of Jesus.
The key for us this Thanksgiving is not to dwell on forcing thankfulness, but instead to focus on a solid loving relationship with Jesus, and as we do, we will abound with thanksgiving every day.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Election Day
"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding." Daniel 2:20-21
Election day if finally here! No more ads, no more polls, no more debates, no more parsing every sentence from the candidates, and no one knows who will win today! Not matter which candidate you might be pulling for it has been a roller coaster ride the last couple of months. We have been bombarded by conservative and liberal pundits spewing out trends and numbers trying to predict the election outcome. And finally today it will be answered....we hope.
Though we don't know the results of the election yet, I have already set in my mind what I will do tomorrow. No matter who wins I will get up for my early morning run. While on my run I will praise the One and only King of kings and Lord of lords, who is seated upon His eternal throne, sovereign and powerful.
Isn't is wonderful that our hope does not rest in the outcome of elections or the government of man. Our hope is in our Lord Jesus, and all of history is moving toward, and lining up for His glorious return. Let's all find peace knowing that however the election turns out, it will fit perfectly in the sovereign plans of our gracious God.
Election day if finally here! No more ads, no more polls, no more debates, no more parsing every sentence from the candidates, and no one knows who will win today! Not matter which candidate you might be pulling for it has been a roller coaster ride the last couple of months. We have been bombarded by conservative and liberal pundits spewing out trends and numbers trying to predict the election outcome. And finally today it will be answered....we hope.
Though we don't know the results of the election yet, I have already set in my mind what I will do tomorrow. No matter who wins I will get up for my early morning run. While on my run I will praise the One and only King of kings and Lord of lords, who is seated upon His eternal throne, sovereign and powerful.
Isn't is wonderful that our hope does not rest in the outcome of elections or the government of man. Our hope is in our Lord Jesus, and all of history is moving toward, and lining up for His glorious return. Let's all find peace knowing that however the election turns out, it will fit perfectly in the sovereign plans of our gracious God.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Celebrating Evil?
"And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." John 3:19
As a kid I enjoyed Halloween, not for the costume dressing up part, but for the candy part. My friends and I would sprint from house to house to get as much candy as we could. I can still picture the pile of candy on the kitchen table that I would joyfully sort through.
I have always known that the holiday was about ghosts and witches and vampires, but never really focused on the evil. Even after becoming a Christian I didn't think on the dark side of Halloween, I just sort of ignored it. As parents we would usually take our kids out to dinner and a movie and let the day just pass by.
As the days we live in have gotten darker I have had a harder time with Halloween. I guess it still doesn't bother me if you carve a pumpkin or dress up the kids and get candy. My struggle comes with the idea of celebrating evil or making light of darkness, as if it were cute. There is nothing worth celebrating in real evil, and nothing cute about true darkness. Our Jesus died to destroy evil, He was crucified to rid us of darkness, and we should never ever take that lightly.
So have fun carve a pumpkin and get some candy, but as you do that, stop and remember the great sacrifice of our God. Let this day be a day of remembrance of the hope we have in Jesus, for because of His cross the day will soon come when evil and darkness will be banished forever!
As a kid I enjoyed Halloween, not for the costume dressing up part, but for the candy part. My friends and I would sprint from house to house to get as much candy as we could. I can still picture the pile of candy on the kitchen table that I would joyfully sort through.
I have always known that the holiday was about ghosts and witches and vampires, but never really focused on the evil. Even after becoming a Christian I didn't think on the dark side of Halloween, I just sort of ignored it. As parents we would usually take our kids out to dinner and a movie and let the day just pass by.
As the days we live in have gotten darker I have had a harder time with Halloween. I guess it still doesn't bother me if you carve a pumpkin or dress up the kids and get candy. My struggle comes with the idea of celebrating evil or making light of darkness, as if it were cute. There is nothing worth celebrating in real evil, and nothing cute about true darkness. Our Jesus died to destroy evil, He was crucified to rid us of darkness, and we should never ever take that lightly.
So have fun carve a pumpkin and get some candy, but as you do that, stop and remember the great sacrifice of our God. Let this day be a day of remembrance of the hope we have in Jesus, for because of His cross the day will soon come when evil and darkness will be banished forever!
Monday, October 29, 2012
True Power
"Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, like a flood of mighty waters overflowing, who will bring them down to the earth with His hand." Isaiah 28:2
I heard a television commentator describing the importance of our upcoming election. He said that the candidates were battling to see who would hold the most powerful office in the world. He wasn't making a huge exaggeration, we all understand that the President of the United States is a powerful position.
Amazingly a week before this historic election, our east coast, including Washington D.C., is bracing to be pounded by hurricane Sandy. This huge storm being nicknamed Franken-storm, is 700 miles wide and packing powerful winds and rain. The biggest fear seems to be the storm surge which is predicted to be 8 to 10 feet.
Think about it, at a time when our nation is fixed upon the election of a man who will hold tremendous power, we are all being reminded of true power, and who holds that power. I don't think the timing of Franken-storm is an accident, I believe the Lord is once again reminding us to get our focus off of man and back on Him.
Let's remember to be praying for those who will be affected by this powerful storm. And let us also be praying that the church and our nation will repent, awaken, and turn to our God, who holds all power.
I heard a television commentator describing the importance of our upcoming election. He said that the candidates were battling to see who would hold the most powerful office in the world. He wasn't making a huge exaggeration, we all understand that the President of the United States is a powerful position.
Amazingly a week before this historic election, our east coast, including Washington D.C., is bracing to be pounded by hurricane Sandy. This huge storm being nicknamed Franken-storm, is 700 miles wide and packing powerful winds and rain. The biggest fear seems to be the storm surge which is predicted to be 8 to 10 feet.
Think about it, at a time when our nation is fixed upon the election of a man who will hold tremendous power, we are all being reminded of true power, and who holds that power. I don't think the timing of Franken-storm is an accident, I believe the Lord is once again reminding us to get our focus off of man and back on Him.
Let's remember to be praying for those who will be affected by this powerful storm. And let us also be praying that the church and our nation will repent, awaken, and turn to our God, who holds all power.
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