A FRESH START
"Look! I'm making everything new." (Rev 21:5)


FRESH START

It is the dream of nearly everyone at some point in their lives to "start over" again. Maybe we made wrong choices, maybe we messed things up, maybe we did profane things, maybe bad things were done to us and we were hurt or rejected, maybe we feel we have lost control of our lives, and we long to leave the past behind us and make a fresh start.

TOTAL MAKE-OVER
The good news is: by God's grace and through the blood of Jesus Christ, it is possible for anybody to have a "total make-over"!

God washes us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gives us new birth and a fresh beginning. He saves us because of His mercy, and not because of any good thing that we have done. (Tit 3:5)

God is in the people-changing business. He's never met one yet that He couldn't fix.

HE MAKES ALL THINGS NEW
The regenerating grace of God creates a new world in the soul … He makes ALL things new:

"Then the One sitting on the throne said: I am making everything new … My words are true and can be trusted".
(Rev 21:5)

Promise: The One on the throne (God) makes this promise. He says His words can be trusted.

"I": It is only God who does the renewing work in us - no human initiative is necessary. We cannot do it ourselves.

"Everything": There is not one aspect of our lives that God won't change.

"New": The old things have passed away. Everything is NEW, not just better … new and fresh.

A NEW CHANCE
When things look like they're pointing in all the wrong directions, when circumstances are depressing and there is no light at the end of the road, when you feel there is no hope, no answer … then God makes a new thing. When our minds are held in chains by fear, or deception, or guilt, and when we allow God to do what we cannot do… to lift us up, THEN God gives us a new chance …shows us a new way … makes us new people.

NEW, THROUGH CHRIST
Do you feel discouraged, rejected, unattractive, insignificant, useless, unsightly, condemned, impure? … turn to Jesus! He makes all things new.

2Cor 5:17:
· Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation.
· So if any man is in Christ, he is in a new world.
· Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person.
· Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being.

It is only by accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour into your life, that God can start His renewing process in you.

So change the way you think and act, and turn to God to have your sins removed. Then times will come when the Lord will refresh you. (Acts 3:19-20)

THE OLD IS GONE
The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence. God has done all this. He has restored our relationship with Him through Christ. (2Cor 5:17-18)

God promises not to ask any embarrassing questions about our past. He does this not because of anything we've done or promised to do, but because of the deal He made with Jesus Christ on the Cross. Our job is to accept or reject the gift He would like to make.

.. I'll forever wipe the slate clean of their sins. (Heb 10:17), ..events of the past will be completely forgotten (Is 65:17)

GOD CAN DO WHAT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE TO US
Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already - you can see it now! I will make a road through the wilderness and give you streams of water there. (Is 43:19)

GOD SEES WHAT WE CAN BECOME
When we give up on ourselves, concluding that we are too bad to ever change, God says "Wait a minute. I made you and I still see what you can become. You can't change yourself, but I can change you if you will let me."
This is God's word on the subject: "I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out--plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." (Jer 29:11)

NEW EVERY MORNING
Our freshness in the Lord doesn't have to fade! Life can be new for us each day! Sure, we will face some very difficult times. Life makes sure of that because we are flawed people who live in a flawed world.
We can find newness in each new day, because the Bible says: "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, His mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning..." (Lamentations 3:22-24)

TOTAL TRANSFORMATION
When God gives us new life, it includes transformation in every aspect of our live: we have a new future, a new heart, a new mind, a new spirit; we receive new strength, a new name, new family; now we have a new purpose in life, new values that we live by. The following Bible verses explain this total transformation:

NEW FUTURE
· Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven - and the future starts now! (1Pet 1:3-4)

NEW SPIRIT
· Create a pure heart in me, O God, and put a new and loyal spirit in me. (Ps 51:10)
· … a new spirit I will put within them. (Eze 11:19)
· God also gives His Holy Spirit IN us: You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. (1Cor 6:19)

NEW HEART & MIND
· I will sprinkle clean water on you and make you clean … I will give you a new heart and a new mind. I will take away your stubborn heart of stone and give you an obedient heart. (Eze 36:25-26)
· Your hearts and minds must be made completely new (Eph 4:23)
· … take on an entirely new way of life - a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside (Eph 4:22-23)

NEW STRENGTH
· Ps 23:3
He gives me new strength, He renews my soul, He gives new life to my soul, He restores my soul, He refreshes my life

· Jer 31:25
I will refresh those who are weary, give them new strength, new life and energy.

NEW NAME
· Your new name will be "God is pleased with her" (Is 62:4)
· But I will give a new name to those who obey Me. (Is 65:15)
· I will also give each person a white stone with a new name written on it, a name that is known only to the person who receives it. (Rev 2:17)

NEW FAMILY
· … you are no longer foreigners and outsiders but citizens together with God's people and members of God's family. (Eph 2:19)
· He gave the right to become God's children to everyone who believed in Him. (John 1:12)
· God loves you and has chosen you as His own special people. (Col 3:12)

NEW THOUGHTS
· … let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to Him. (Rom 12:2)
· … keep your thoughts on whatever is right or deserves praise: things that are true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, or commendable. (Phil 4:8)

NEW PURPOSE
· Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus (Col 3:17), and to the glory of God (1Cor 10:31)

As new people we are able and willing to give control of everything over to God, to follow where He may lead us:

All I am and have and ever hope to be
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into your hands

NEW VALUES
Here are a few things that can change in the way we act:
· You must quit being angry, hateful, and evil. You must no longer say insulting or cruel things about others. (Col 3:8)
· But don't forget to help others and to share your possessions with them. (Heb 13:16 CEV)
· Love your enemies and do good to them; lend and expect nothing back. (Luke 6:35 GNB)

NEW RULES
The Word of God and His commandments are the new rules to follow, the principles to live by.
· "…find out what the Lord wants you to do." (Eph 5:17)
· Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path. I will keep my solemn promise to obey Your just instructions. (Psa 119:105-106)

NEW CLOTHES
"I have taken away your sin and will give you new clothes to wear" (Zechariah 3:4).
Now you're dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with His label on it. (Col 3:10)

NEW SONG
He placed a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see this and worship. They will trust the LORD. (Ps 40:3)
 

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