The New Has Come! – Emily's Snippets

Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed
away; behold, the new has come. that
is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting
their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of
reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God
making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-20.

As the New Year begins, what will it mean? Even the word, ‘new’, creates
expectations in our thinking.

Birthday celebrations create a ‘looking
forward’ to be a year older. How often, I found, the day after
celebrating, I am the same old me.

The New Year’s Resolutions I make in the old year did not create the newness I
anticipated for the new year. Then one day, the wonder of wonders, I
realize, we are never too old to be New in Christ Jesus! For in Him, we are
always New.

Man’s ‘New’ is temporary. Everything on earth needs repair, repainting, ‘un-denting’ and refilling. While God’s NEW means
continual renewal. Each day living His Way becomes richer, deeper, than
NEW!

In the past seven years, God has given me insight and understanding, I call
‘nuggets of gold,’ to think on. Scriptures that take me by surprise and giving
me direction for my life. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they
than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Psalm
19:9-10.

Constantly reading and pondering the Word of God shines light on my way each
day. God’s perspective on the happenings in my world provides understanding and
changes in the responses. He continues to renew my heart and He tunes my thinking to hear His Words. He
fills me with His steadfast and forgiving love.

The second part of the scripture from 2 Corinthians 5,
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal
through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be
reconciled to God.

How can I be a representative of God? Then I remember the verses in
Ecclesiastes 3:11-12: He has made everything beautiful
in its time. Also, He has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find
out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be
joyful and to do good as long as they live.

How can this be? The first time I read this, I praised God. I continue to
think of how God places eternity in each baby’s heart. Is this where the
desire to be good comes from, to live righteously and do good?

What do you long for most in this world? This shows what you value most.
The words we use, our actions, and our purposes in life give others the
understanding of what we cherish.

Everything God accomplishes lasts forever. Every word
God speaks makes a difference. God places within each of us a sense of
eternity to know, yet not understand Him. No matter how beautiful this
world is, there is much more. We are made for
that reality, too, but not yet.

When we ‘are used up’
and old, how can we become a new creature in Him? Do you
not know that all of us who have been
baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just
as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk
in newness of life. Romans 6:3-4.

We are made new in Him, and that newness is nurtured by concentrating on His Word daily. With this
newness in Christ comes a new attitude toward everything we encounter each day
of our lives.

The Promise of God in Revelation 21:4-5 gives hope for God’s Tomorrow. “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.” 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.”

What about today, and tomorrow until God’s Tomorrow? “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in
God; believe also in me. In my
Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a
place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for
you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am,
you may be also.
John 14:1-3, The words of Jesus!

Fear destroys our ability to believe. And these verses begin, Let not
your heart be troubled, BELIEVE!

Knowing God’s Story, reminds us, each day we live a story that matters to Him!

There is no fear in love,
but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We
love because He first loved us. I John 4:18-19.

Comments? eacombs@att.net