God Speaks Into the New Year

Are you ready for a New Year?  It seems 2020 has done a dirty deal to many of us and most are ready for a change. I think as humans, we are always looking for newness. Last year's New Year's post was the most read post that I've published. A good majority of us are often looking for that change from the old into the new and New Year's day is just the time to start over. Almost everyone makes resolutions and plans to "change" and "be new" are discussed. Too often these resolutions and plans are not reached or followed through. The good news is that God's "newness" does not get forgotten and does not fail to reach it's goal. The Bible talks about being "new" in many places.

Lamentations 3:22-23--"The Lord’s acts of mercy indeed do not end, For His compassions do not fail. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness."

Each day, God's mercies and compassions for us are new. Every day, when we awake, we can look forward to the mercy of God.

2They are new every morn

The majority of the verses talk about being "new" with God and the newness we experience when we become followers of Christ. When we become followers of Christ, He gives us a new way of looking at things. He changes our hearts. 

Ezekiel 11:19--" I will give them a new will—an undivided heart—and plant a new spirit within them; I will remove their cold, stony heart and replace it with a warm heart of flesh."

Ezekiel 36:26--" I will plant a new heart and new spirit inside of you. I will take out your stubborn, stony heart and give you a willing, tender heart of flesh."

2 Corinthians 5:17--"Therefore, if anyone is united with the Anointed One, that person is a new creation. The old life is gone—and see—a new life has begun!"

Ephesians 4:22-24--"then you know to take off your former way of life, your crumpled old self—that dark blot of a soul corrupted by deceitful desire and lust— to take a fresh breath and to let God renew your attitude and spirit. Then you are ready to put on your new self, modeled after the very likeness of God: truthful, righteous, and holy."

Once God has created this new life and new spirit within us, we wait until His new kingdom comes when He returns to set up the new earth. If you will let God, He will create in you a new heart and spirit. He will clear the muddiness from your mind and create a newness for you. Don't get stuck in 2021, doing the "old" things; let God make it all new for you!

Revelation 21:5--"Behold, I make all things new...."

Isaiah 43:19--"Watch closely: I am preparing something new; it’s happening now, even as I speak, and you’re about to see it. I am preparing a way through the desert; Waters will flow where there had been none."

God Speaks All Things New

Kari Farnell

For this posting, I’d like to focus on a couple Scripture passages that have touched me during the Christmas

and New Year season. 

One particular passage is Luke 1:68-70 and is from The Voice translation. If you recall, Zacharias was the father of

John the Baptist. When he went into the temple to perform his duties, a messenger of God met with him and

told him he would have a son and his name should be John. Because Zacharias doubted the message, he

became mute. It wasn’t until this message had been fulfilled that Zacharias regained his voice. Once Zacharias

declared in writing that his son’s name would be John, which was what the messenger told him to name the

baby, he regained his voice. Once the prophecy or message had been fulfilled, Zacharias began praising God.

Among his praises, he proclaims the meaning for the birth of his son and that of the coming birth of Jesus

. 

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This is what he says in Luke 1, verses 68-70, “May the Lord God of Israel be blessed indeed! For God’s intervention has begun

,and He has moved to rescue us, the people of God.

And the Lord has raised up a powerful sign of liberation for us from among the descendants of God’s servant, King David.

As was prophesied through the mouths of His holy prophets in ancient times”  I love the line “for God’s intervention has begun”.

Zacharias acknowledges that his son John will be used as a messenger for Jesus, who will save the world. The Scriptures from the old

prophets are being fulfilled and Zacharias is making sure everyone knows that Jesus IS the Savior and God’s intervention, necessary for our salvation, is beginning.

Another Scripture passage that touched me is a familiar one but goes nicely with the previous passage. It is from Isaiah 43, “See, I am doing a new thing!”

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This may have been one of the Old Testament prophets that Zacharias was referring to. In this passage, Isaiah tells people not to focus on

the past and old way of doing things. It could be said, not to dwell on the sinful ways.

God is doing a new thing; He is sending His son to earth to lead, guide, and direct us in our

lives and then to die, not just physically, but to die our spiritual death as well.

In so doing, He has paved a way for all of us to spend eternity in Heaven, if we accept what He has done. God created a new thing!

Kari Farnell

The last passage I would like to address is from Revelation. Rev. 21:5 says, “Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”

It ties into this Isaiah passage as well. Not only did God do a new thing by sending His son Jesus to begin the intervention for our souls,

but He will also make all things new again when Jesus returns. At that time, those who have accepted and

acknowledged the intervention done by Jesus, will be in Heaven and God will create a new Heaven and new Earth where

we will live with our new bodies. He will make ALL things new!