They say that the new year is coming. Everyone likes new things: New clothes, a new television, new car, a new house or new situations in life – new job, a new year at school, new friends.
It’s one thing to have new things, but the situations in our lives don’t change just because we get new things. For example, the young man who begins a new year at school, but does not get better in his grades because he continues with the same habits of not studying and not doing his best. or person begins a marriage but it ends in failure because he still hasn’t changed his way of treating others. You can buy a careless carpenter new saws, hammer, and a new tape measure, but if he doesn’t change his ways, his work will not be much better.
People talk about New Year’s resolutions, but many times tthey are broken. We are beginning an new year. If we want it to come out any differently, we have to do things differently. The definition of silly is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Will this really be a new year? What would make it a new year?
Ezekiel 18:31-32 Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn and live!”
Ephesians 4:22-24 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Colossians 3:9-10 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Will this truly be a new year? In what way will it be new? As you know, we could designate any date on our calendar and call it a new year. Every day, or for that matter each second is a new year compared to that same second the year before! So we see that such a designation, in itself, is not very meaningful. What would make the year NEW, spiritually speaking? It would have to be a completely different type of year:
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A year that is new because of a different outlook.
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A year that is called new because our thoughts have changed
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A year in which the aim is higher and the results equally superior.
Will we see a new year new year just because the calendar said January 1? Not necessarily. But if our sight is clearer, our aims higher, our relationship with God more according to his word, it can indeed be a NEW YEAR!!!
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Will there be new year in our homes with our husband or wife and our children?
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In our jobs as we relate to our boss or our employees, to our fellow workers? In our relationships to others outside of work?
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In our outreach for Christ to our community both individually and as a congregation?
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Will there be a new year for you or just a continuation of the old one?
We hope it will be truly a new year, a superior year. It will have to be when we follow God. Make your New Year start today and not January 1st!!