New Year’s Possibilities

"The new year is an opportunity for

a new start."

The new year is an opportunity for a new start. I once heard about a man that regularly took a block of time in December to engage in planning and goal setting for the next year for his organization. The way our annual calendar is set up, it provides a vision for that. It is the end of the old and the beginning of the new. Not only do we see this concept in view of time, but in nature too. In our part of the globe, we are blessed to have four seasons. When fall and winter come, it is the end of the old. But when spring and summer come, it is the beginning of the new. We see this concept in life itself. In a family, when a grandparent has passed away there is sorrow in saying goodbye, but then later there is joy in welcoming a new little infant to the family. And we also see this in spiritual terms. For people outside of Jesus there is spiritual death and darkness, but once they are in Jesus, there is spiritual life and light. One writer from the Bible put it this way, “…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God…” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18) (Image from freepik.com)

You may not realize it, but if you are outside of Jesus, you are living in the old. All that is in you is death and darkness. Though that sounds grim, it is true. And that may explain some things happening in your life and family right now. They are the consequences or by-products of it. We may try to “Instagram” our life to others, but we cannot escape the reality of our condition. No amount of busyness, noise, praise by others or positive self-talk can hide the truth. This is the old.

Jesus declared He is life and light. He is the one who can make all things new. He conquered death and darkness through His own death and rising again. For all who come to Him, He is willing to make new. But to receive the promise of being made new, there is a great cost. To receive what Jesus died to give you will cost your very life. What does that mean? It means you are no longer willing to put your desires, wants and needs above, beside or to the exclusion of God. It means that you deliberately choose to follow Jesus as your own Lord, King, Master and Ruler.

It is a new year, and the possibility of a new life is waiting for you. The empty blood-stained cross of Jesus is what it took to bring you the chance for a new start. Commit all to Jesus as the first step toward transformation.

A prayer for you - Lord God, I pray you will make many new creations today. May people receive by faith the promise of newness you rose again to give them. I pray they would turn from their ways and give all they are to you. There is no cost too great, compared to what you did on the cross for us. May they see that and humble themselves before you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Discover Your Destiny in 2024!

“You were created for a purpose. You have a destiny to achieve."

In August of 1991, I began packing my things up and saying goodbye to family and friends to head east. Over a year earlier I had a life changing encounter with Jesus. Through that, He put a desire with me to go and tell others about Him. This led me to the place where I loaded up all my belongings and left my home in Colorado and traveled to Kansas. There I enrolled in college to begin preparing for my new purpose in life. It was through that experience where I discovered my true destiny. (Image from depositphotos.com)

What about you, have you ever thought, “What is my destiny in life? What is my purpose?” Everyone’s answer falls into three groups. The first group says, “You bet! I get up every day with a sense of purpose for myself.” The second truthfully states, “Honestly, I have never considered the question. I just do not think that way.” And the third, “Me? I am totally lost. I have no idea where my life is headed.”

No matter how you are wired, let me say that your life has a purpose. You are destined to achieve something beyond yourself. And as we begin a new year, I think it is finally time to discover what that is.

One of the greatest men who ever lived, was Paul of Tarsus. He was a Jew, whom made his mark on the world in the first century. He was brilliant from his youth, with some believing he had an equivalent to a triple Ph.D.

He lived at the same time as Jesus of Nazareth, and began to make his mark on the world following Jesus’ death and resurrection. In Paul’s own words he wrote, “I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers." (Galatians 1:13-14) To fellow Jewish observers, Paul was a success and living out his destiny.

However, in the middle of all his achievements, something began to change. It started with a man named Stephen, where Paul oversaw his martyrdom. This impacted him. However, Paul went on to do more and more evil until he came face-to-face with the one he was trying to destroy - Jesus. He confronted Paul, causing him to fall to the ground. Through this encounter Paul was transformed and given a new direction in life. Years later after reflecting on that moment, he stated, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.” (Philippians 3:7) To Paul, all of his success in Judaism meant nothing in relation to Jesus.

Paul’s achievements early in life, was about “him.” He was living out “his” purpose. But something changed when he turned to Jesus. He realized how God had a purpose for him that was different than his own. Paul humbled himself, accepted that purpose, and began to live it, counting everything before that moment, “as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus…” (Phil 3:8)

What is true success? It is taking yourself before God and saying, “I want your purpose for my life, not my own.” Or it is admitting, “I do not feel any sense of direction for my life at all. Show me your purpose O God.” It is then letting God’s plan for you, to become your plan.

And where does it all start? At the cross, where Jesus died. It is where you also must die, die to what you feel is your purpose or even lack of purpose. Then take up God’s direction for you. It is at this intersection, where you will discover your divine destiny.

A prayer for you – Lord God, awaken people to their divine destiny. Let them wake up each day with a sense of holy purpose. Help them to find this at the foot of the cross, and begin a new life in you this day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Greatest Mystery of Christmas

   

“What effect do hearts and lives made holy through Jesus have? They have the ability to change an entire family, city, nation and the world.”

Did you know there are many things we cannot explain? Like dark matter in our universe. We know it exists, but unsure what it is and where it exists. Did you also know what the least explored part of the earth is? The deep sea, where depths can reach seven miles. Only two humans have ever traveled there. The whole region is a mystery to scientists. Do you know what the greatest mystery to the Christmas story is? The virgin birth. It is a mystery to both theologians and scientists. How can a woman become pregnant without the sperm of a man? But the virgin birth is beyond mysterious, it is miraculous, and it is the very center of the Christmas story, for without it, there would be no Christmas. (Image by eyecrave productions)

The virgin birth is the way in which Jesus came from heaven to earth. It was how God became a man and humbly lived among us. One of Jesus’ Apostles wrote of this, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) Often Jesus referred to Himself as being sent by His Father in heaven, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38)

Jesus eternally existed in heaven until one marvelous day. It was then He left His Father and the angels in His celestial home, to become a seed planted inside of a young virgin’s womb. I cannot imagine what heaven must have been like, seeing Him go. And Mary became God’s chosen instrument to bring His Son into the world. She was a woman in her teenage years when she and her fiancé, Joseph, were preparing to wed. It was during this time Mary had an encounter that would change her life and the world, forever. An angel appeared to her and communicated a message from the Lord God. "…you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus" (Luke 1:31). Thinking logically, Mary could not understand. She replied to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" (Luke 1:34). The angel explained, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy—the Son of God…For nothing will be impossible with God" (Luke 1:35, 38).

The virgin birth was necessary because of who Jesus was; a holy, perfect, and sinless Man. And God the Father chose Mary to bring Him into the world. She was faithful Him, and had never lain with a man. Though Mary was not sinless, God made her holy, which prepared her to receive the Son of God.

The virgin birth was also necessary because of the cross. For only Jesus could have died and rose again to provide forgiveness of sins for the world. In all the universe there was no one so good, so right as He. There would be no cross and no resurrection, if there was no virgin birth.

The birth of Christ is no myth, legend or allegory. It is a historical fact, albeit, a miraculous one. No scientist can explain or fully understand it. It is a complete miracle in how a virgin can give birth to a child. Do you believe in the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ? Jesus came from heaven to earth for you and your household. For it is only through His birth and resurrection, both miracles, that you can have the hope of forgiveness and be spared from the judgment of God.

A prayer for you - "Lord God, I pray you will help us to believe in the virgin birth of your Son. It is a miracle. It defies human logic. How could this be? Help us to believe and fully yield our lives to you. For you are the God of the impossible. Do the impossible within us, and change our hearts this very hour. In Jesus’ name. Amen."