Happy new year! Did you ever wonder what that statement meant (or am I thinking too hard again?) – “I hope you are happy in the new year”, right? Well, I like “make it a new one!” better - what do you think? A brand new year to start brand new !! “New” meaning bright and fresh. Sounds good, doesn't it?
II Cor 5:17 says "Therefore, if any man (woman) be in Christ, (s)he is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things are become new. (KJV) and the New Living Translation says "What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!"
II Cor 5:17 says "Therefore, if any man (woman) be in Christ, (s)he is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things are become new. (KJV) and the New Living Translation says "What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!"
THAT SOUNDS WONDERFUL!
But how? How does it happen? I'm "old" (just sayin) ! I mean it takes willpower, doesn’t it? A great quote I have on a sign at my desk says:
If you want long-term change, then you must focus on:
§ A whole new mental paradigm
§ A whole new picture
§ A whole new way of seeing yourself, seeing life, seeing God, seeing your future AND seeing your problem.
Okay, so . . . how do I do that? I think I need to "shed" something old, in fact A LOT OF OLD, like:
No more hanging on
No more dwelling on the past
No more bondage
No more hopelessness
No more just "showing up" - I wanna REALLY be there
No more lying
No more ingratitude
No more selfishness
No more short-sightedness
No more deceit (and this is just a “few” of them!)
No more dwelling on the past
No more bondage
No more hopelessness
No more just "showing up" - I wanna REALLY be there
No more lying
No more ingratitude
No more selfishness
No more short-sightedness
No more deceit (and this is just a “few” of them!)
and then “put on” something, like maybe . . . . . The Holy Spirit – to be filled with God’s Word and God’s Spirit. THAT would help me be a new creation FOR SURE! I'm taking off my "old" self and putting on the new by mixing in some Fruit of the Spirit and saturating myself with God's Word - daily. This includes praying like my life depends on it (it does) and thinking before I speak (HA! THAT’ll be a miracle!).
Ephesians 1:17ff says:
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.
And then of course, Paul says, (includes my blog verse):
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Now THAT’s some power! I can’t even imagine utilizing THAT power – but He says we can (“for us who believe”) - that’s us! I want to know Him better and I know you do too – and I want to start this NEW YEAR with a NEW start – a fresh new beginning in my faith (belief), prayer life, and the power in it all!
May our hears see . . . . AND BELIEVE!
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