New Years

The following series of advertisements reportedly appeared in a daily newspaper:

Monday: "The Rev. A.J. Jones has one color TV set for sale. Telephone [phone] after 7 p.m. and ask for Mrs. Donnelley who lives with him, cheap."

Tuesday: "We regret any embarrassment caused to Rev. Jones by a typographical error in yesterday's paper. The ad should have read: 'The Rev. A.J. Jones has one color TV set for sale, cheap...Telephone [phone] and ask for Mrs. Donnelley, who lives with him after 7 p.m.'"

Wednesday: "The Rev. A.J. Jones informs us that he has received several annoying telephone calls because of an incorrect ad in yesterday's paper. It should have read: 'The Rev. A.J. Jones has one color TV set for sale, cheap. Telephone [phone] after 7 p.m. and ask for Mrs. Donnelley who loves with him.'"

Thursday: "Please take notice that I, the Rev. A.J. Jones, have no color TV set for sale; I have smashed it. Don't call 626-1313 anymore. I have not been carrying on with Mrs. Donnelley. She was, until yesterday, my housekeeper.'"

Friday: "Wanted: a housekeeper. Usual housekeeping duties. Good pay. Love in, Rev. A.J. Jones. Telephone [phone].'"

Mistakes are inevitable in the publishing business.

First United Methodist Church, Meadville, PA, Content The Newsletter Newsletter, August, 1990, p. 3.

One of the

most accurate

generalizations about

humanity is:

we make mistakes...

Because of that truism,

what we often need

is forgiveness.

Not long before she died in 1988, in a moment of surprising candor in television, Marghanita Laski, one of our best-known secular humanists and novelists, said, "What I envy most about you Christians is your forgiveness; I have nobody to forgive me."

John Stott in The Contemporary Christian.

Forgiveness is simply

a fresh start...

Isaiah 43:18–19 (ESV)

“Remember not the former things,

nor consider the things of old.

Behold, I am doing a new thing;

now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

I will make a way in the wilderness

and rivers in the desert.

Our God

is a God of

second chances.

(100th chances)

During this time of year,

many are planning

different resolutions.

Each is excited

about embarking

new commitments.

More than anything...

we crave a new start.

Something that will

wipe away the mistakes

of yester-year.

Jan 1,

Gyms are full

diet companies making money

By Feb 1

Back to regulars

people paying for

stuff they aren’t using.

Each new year...

We are looking to

atone for bad decisions...

the extra doughnuts

the couch potato ways

for many - stop smoking

stop drinking

stop scrolling

stop swiping

stop watching

stop grudges

The sins and

over indulgence of the past

looms over us...

But the hope

of something better

pushes us forward.

Ezekiel 36:26 ESV

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

God offers hope.

True change!

Trade In!

Old Heart ->

New Heart

God isn’t selling

a fad diet!

True Heart Change!

and it works!

Science of change management.

There are few thing

more sought after

in this life

than change...

Many jobs

professionals

of change!

There is

psychologists

life coaches

counselors

consultants

hypnotists

All make their money

helping other change!

There are:

Self Help

Group Therapy

Personal Counseling

All promise great results

The psychology of change!!!

Which is good.

These bad habits

These sins

These mistakes

God wants us to change...

Bible has simple word:

Luke 5:32 ESV

I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

μετάνοια

Repentance

means to

change your mind

make U-turn

Do not confuse

with confession...

Interstate Driving

Repentance:

Sinner is

sorry for sin

decision to change

Matthew 3:7–8 HCSB

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to the place of his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance.

Jesus knew their

attendance was insincere!

That was a place of

conversion and repentance.

Their actions didn’t agree...

I like the way

Paul describes

this change:

Ephesians 4:21–24 (ESV)

assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,

--

to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,

--

and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Clear description

of repentance.

Description:

Put off:

old self

former life

deceitful desires

Put on:

renewed spirit of mind

new self

likeness of God

true righteousness and holiness

Isn’t this

what we really want

this New Year?

Satan’s Counterfeit

to distract us

from true change..

fad diets

botox

collogen

quick fixes

artificial

external changes

For Guys

New truck

New Watch

New TV

New Lawn Mower

Still External

God has better

to offer us:

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 (ESV)

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

--

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.

--

For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

What we really need

botox for the heart

take the wrinkles

blemishes

out of soul!

Thankfully

this is what God

has to offer this New Year!

Close with this story:

Bruce Goodrich was being initiated into the cadet corps at Texas A & M University. One night, Bruce was forced to run until he dropped -- but he never got up. Bruce Goodrich died before he even entered college.

A short time after the tragedy, Bruce's father wrote this letter to the administration, faculty, student body, and the corps of cadets: "I would like to take this opportunity to express the appreciation of my family for the great outpouring of concern and sympathy from Texas A & M University and the college community over the loss of our son Bruce. We were deeply touched by the tribute paid to him in the battalion. We were particularly pleased to note that his Christian witness did not go unnoticed during his brief time on campus."

Mr. Goodrich went on: "I hope it will be some comfort to know that we harbor no ill will in the matter. We know our God makes no mistakes. Bruce had an appointment with his Lord and is now secure in his celestial home. When the question is asked, 'Why did this happen?' perhaps one answer will be, 'So that many will consider where they will spend eternity.'"

Our Daily Bread, March 22, 1994.

Appeal

Enjoy the New Year

Experience New You

Receive the New Heart!

Praise God

for His forgiving grace.