New Beginnings

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.”

One of my favorite days is New Year’s Eve.  There just seems to be such anticipation for the opportunities that the New Year will offer.  It is a time of reflecting back over the current year with its victories and failures but the year is almost over.  A new one is about to begin……a new slate, a new canvas on which to create a new story.

This new beginning is precisely the opportunity that we have as followers of Jesus Christ each and every day.  It begins with our entrance into His Kingdom when we accept Jesus as our Savior.  It continues each day as we renew our walk with Him day after day.  The old things have passed away and all things in my life have become NEW!  If, and only if, you are in Christ!  To be “in Christ” is to live a life that follows His path, His will, His Word!!!!  It is to have a heart for the “way” of Christ.   That is when everything becomes New.  We leave behind all the ways of our sinful past and become New by His precious blood that was shed for us.  His sacrifice on the cross became our way “to the Father”. 

It is a starting point to becoming a New creation.  A creation whose life is found in Jesus Christ.

Acts 17:28 “for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, “For we are also His offspring”.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, thank You for this new life I have found in You.  Thank You that all the old sinful things of my life are past and all things are new.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

Do you believe?

Ephesians 3:17-19  “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

As a child our family didn’t drink much soda.  It was only on special occasions that we were given a glass of soda.  I remember watching as my mom would pour the soda into my glass and it would fizz.  I would rush to slurp off the foam so that my mom would pour me a full glass.  We did only get some on special occasions…….

God wants us to be full of His love, full of His goodness, full of His presence.  We access this fullness through our faith in Him and His desire to fill us with all that He is.  His son Jesus Christ is our connection to the Father. 

Christ must dwell in our hearts through faith.  As we become rooted and grounded in His love, we begin to comprehend the immeasurable love that God has for us.  It is a love that takes us past the inability to understand the how and why of God’s love to simply accepting His love with faith….

This leads us to being filled with all the fullness of God.  As that child watching the soda fizz and then subsequently shrink, I wanted a full glass and was willing to do whatever necessary to have my glass filled.  We should be willing to do whatever is necessary to be filled with “all the fullness of God”.   Thankfully all that is necessary is to believe.

Do you Believe?

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, help me believe, that I might be filled with all the fullness of Your presence.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.