New Beginnings

Breaking into Newness

Its a new year, and every new year is a time to be reflective, A time to really think about the things. And the real reality of it is, we really don’t know what to expect. We know the things to come like all of us will move on to a new grade, some of yall will go on to a new school but what we don’t know, and some of the routine things that we do that were interested in yeah sure we know what to expect. but what we really do not know what to expect is what is going to happen to us. Whats going to happen to our families and everything. And really most of it is unavoidable. I love going into to new years and spending the new year with the people you care about the most, but what Im asking you is this, if you cared about these people so much, would you pray for them? If we didnt know what was coming up for this new year, would you spend time with the Lord.

If I looked at you and I said, this is about to be the hardest year of your life, would that make you spend time getting prayed and reading. I hope so! My seminary professor said this the other day and he is absolutely right, he said you are going to expereince Highs like you are on the mountaintop and lows like you are down in the valley. And the one thing you can controll is you, youre attitude, your perspective, and if it comes from God, or if it comes from the world.

And so theres a lot of places I could have Gone today, but I wanted to jump to revelation because there is just this newness and an angel shows John some wild things, the book of revelation is not some book for us so we can predict the second coming of Jesus Christ, its a book for that tells us whats going to happen to human kingdoms, and how God restores everything. people are either about themselves or there about God, which one are you.

This angel shows john a vision of New Jerusalem prepared as a bride for God, and God is like im going to be with you forever. Im going to take care of you forever. and there will be no more suffering and no more pain.

English Standard Version Chapter 21

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

There is hope for our future:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

There is hope for us now:

John 14:16-17 Christ died for us, and if you believe in that, his spirit lives within us, 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

There is newness for us in the future:

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

There is newness for us now:

English Standard Version Chapter 5

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

2 corinthians chapter 5

There will be choices to make for us in the future:

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

There is a choice to make for us right now: galatians 3:28

English Standard Version Chapter 3

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.