Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:
The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:17
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!
For most of us, the New Year celebrations represent a new beginning, a new season and a renewed vigor to accomplish or fulfill our aspirations in life.
I wish you well in your endeavors.
I do.
As always, you were in my prayers today.
So beyond my well wishes, this is what I prayed especially for the Holy Spirit to impress upon your heart on this New Year’s day:
For someone who professes faith in Christ, is the ‘new’ really here?
Have you come before our Lord Jesus Christ in prayerful resolution to no longer hold to your old, sinful ways that you have come to accept or perhaps, embrace?
To be in Christ, is the only way you would ever experience the transformation from your old self to the new.
To be in Christ, is the only way you would ever lose the desire for the things of the world; things that have distracted you away from the purposes of God in your life, things that have eroded your commitment to follow Christ.
Understand this.
To live in any way that is not ‘in Christ’ makes any given ‘New Year’ meaningless - and all your most prodigious efforts - futile.
Let’s be honest.
If you remain in your old self, embodying old ways, old realities and old mindsets, - all of which are derived from a fallen and sinful worldview - there is nothing ‘new’ about the ‘New Year’.
Christ tells us, “And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined.
No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” (Mark 2:22)
New wine is poured only into new wineskins.
Are you ‘new creation’?
Is your covenant with God ‘new’?
Have you asked the Holy Spirit to begin to work His new creation in you?
Perhaps you ask: ‘how would I know?’
You know; when you no longer hold on to ambitions of your own, but become increasingly excited at ambitions of fulfilling Christ’s greatest commands (Mark 12:28-31) and His great commission (Matthew 28:18-20).
You know; when you no longer look at life the same way, but with a new yearning to live daily in the power of the Holy Spirit.
You know; when ‘love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’ become that which you value most in your life, instead of worldly riches, power, status and most insidiously, self-sufficiency.
You know; when a crisis happens, and you surprise yourself by praising and worship God - drawing yourself instantly towards Him in prayer, and surrendering fully to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
You know; when every event in your life is clear evidence that God is at work in, and through you.
These are the transformations that help you know that you are ‘in Christ’.
To be ‘in Christ’ is the aspiration of one who is ‘New Creation’.
And it is this aspiration that makes for a truly divine and meaningful New Year.
In the year ahead starting this New Year’s Day, be resolute in living your life as Christ’s New Creation.
May the Lord bless and keep you.
May He help you, and grant you a truly divine 2018!
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Holy Spirit, come live in me.
Thank you for Your assurance that I belong to Christ; and therefore Christ is in me. So even though my body is subject to death because of sin, Holy Spirit, You have given me life because of Christ’s righteousness in me. (Cf: Romans 8:9-11)
Holy Spirit, I believe that You raised Christ from the dead. I also believe that because You live in me, I may rise as well, to walk with Christ in the newness of life.
In this, put to death my selfish and worldly ambitions; and bring to life Your divine purposes for me.
I desire to make Your commands and Great commission the ambitions of my life.
Help me, God!
Teach me to live each day looking at life through Your eyes, and yearning each day to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. Empower me to embody ‘love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’.
When I am in crisis, Spirit of God, draw me close to the Father through the Son.
May I always be amazed that Your Grace is sufficient for me.
Lord Jesus, I renew my commitment to follow You.
On this New Year’s day, help me in my resolve to live as Your ‘New Creation’ being from now and forevermore.
I thank you and pray all these in the Name of our Lord, Saviour and Coming King, Jesus Christ. Amen.
The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:17
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!
For most of us, the New Year celebrations represent a new beginning, a new season and a renewed vigor to accomplish or fulfill our aspirations in life.
I wish you well in your endeavors.
I do.
As always, you were in my prayers today.
So beyond my well wishes, this is what I prayed especially for the Holy Spirit to impress upon your heart on this New Year’s day:
For someone who professes faith in Christ, is the ‘new’ really here?
Have you come before our Lord Jesus Christ in prayerful resolution to no longer hold to your old, sinful ways that you have come to accept or perhaps, embrace?
To be in Christ, is the only way you would ever experience the transformation from your old self to the new.
To be in Christ, is the only way you would ever lose the desire for the things of the world; things that have distracted you away from the purposes of God in your life, things that have eroded your commitment to follow Christ.
Understand this.
To live in any way that is not ‘in Christ’ makes any given ‘New Year’ meaningless - and all your most prodigious efforts - futile.
Let’s be honest.
If you remain in your old self, embodying old ways, old realities and old mindsets, - all of which are derived from a fallen and sinful worldview - there is nothing ‘new’ about the ‘New Year’.
Christ tells us, “And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined.
No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” (Mark 2:22)
New wine is poured only into new wineskins.
Are you ‘new creation’?
Is your covenant with God ‘new’?
Have you asked the Holy Spirit to begin to work His new creation in you?
Perhaps you ask: ‘how would I know?’
You know; when you no longer hold on to ambitions of your own, but become increasingly excited at ambitions of fulfilling Christ’s greatest commands (Mark 12:28-31) and His great commission (Matthew 28:18-20).
You know; when you no longer look at life the same way, but with a new yearning to live daily in the power of the Holy Spirit.
You know; when ‘love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’ become that which you value most in your life, instead of worldly riches, power, status and most insidiously, self-sufficiency.
You know; when a crisis happens, and you surprise yourself by praising and worship God - drawing yourself instantly towards Him in prayer, and surrendering fully to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
You know; when every event in your life is clear evidence that God is at work in, and through you.
These are the transformations that help you know that you are ‘in Christ’.
To be ‘in Christ’ is the aspiration of one who is ‘New Creation’.
And it is this aspiration that makes for a truly divine and meaningful New Year.
In the year ahead starting this New Year’s Day, be resolute in living your life as Christ’s New Creation.
May the Lord bless and keep you.
May He help you, and grant you a truly divine 2018!
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Holy Spirit, come live in me.
Thank you for Your assurance that I belong to Christ; and therefore Christ is in me. So even though my body is subject to death because of sin, Holy Spirit, You have given me life because of Christ’s righteousness in me. (Cf: Romans 8:9-11)
Holy Spirit, I believe that You raised Christ from the dead. I also believe that because You live in me, I may rise as well, to walk with Christ in the newness of life.
In this, put to death my selfish and worldly ambitions; and bring to life Your divine purposes for me.
I desire to make Your commands and Great commission the ambitions of my life.
Help me, God!
Teach me to live each day looking at life through Your eyes, and yearning each day to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. Empower me to embody ‘love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’.
When I am in crisis, Spirit of God, draw me close to the Father through the Son.
May I always be amazed that Your Grace is sufficient for me.
Lord Jesus, I renew my commitment to follow You.
On this New Year’s day, help me in my resolve to live as Your ‘New Creation’ being from now and forevermore.
I thank you and pray all these in the Name of our Lord, Saviour and Coming King, Jesus Christ. Amen.