ALL THINGS NEW IN 2002
Each December as we approach the New Year, I ask the Lord to give me a theme for the days that lie ahead.
This year, the theme that came to mind is: "All Things New in 2002."
This concept is based on 2 Cor. 5:17 - "Therefore, if anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new." That means if you know Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, all your sins and mistakes and failures are forgiven, and you have a brand new life to live - a life that can please and honor and glorify Jesus.
But I believe we can also apply this verse to ourselves as growing Christians. God wants us to stop living on "experiences PAST," and to move on to new things He wants to do in our lives today! Now, when I say, "New," I’m not talking about some far-out experience that no one has ever had before; but rather, new depths, new heights, new horizons BEYOND the normal and the ordinary.
God has been saying to me, "Jim, I want you to be unsatisfied with the "status quo," I want you to hunger for more, to desire a walk with Me that goes far beyond anything you’ve experienced thus far."
Now, I’m not advocating hopping from "seminar to seminar," looking for the newest spiritual high. Instead, I feel God just wants us to be open to all the exciting new things He wants to do, in us.
As I searched the Scriptures, I found seven new things God has begun, or wants to do in us in this coming year:
I. A NEW SONG OF PRAISE and WORSHIP
Ps. 40:3 "And He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord."
I believe God wants us to sing new songs of praise to Him continually. That means not only being willing to learn and sing new worship songs; but also developing a deepening intimacy of worship, which will result in new songs of praise being written on our hearts, that we can sing back to God. Col. 3:15 speaks about "singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord."
In 2002, God wants us to worship Him more deeply than we have ever worshipped before. Because those new songs He gives us will occupy us for all eternity!
"And they sang a new song saying: ’Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals. For Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and has made us kings and priests unto our God, and we shall reign on the earth." (Rev. 5:9, 10)
II. NEW DEEDS OF DELIVERANCE
Isa. 42:6-9 "I the Lord have called you in righteousness and will hold your hand and give you a covenant of the people for a light to the Gentiles: to open blinded eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that are in darkness out of the prison house. Behold the former things are come to pass; and new things do I declare, before they spring forth, I tell you of them."
I believe God has "greater deeds of deliverance" for us to perform - that through us, people will be set free from sin and Satan - blinded eyes will be opened, those in prison will be liberated, those in darkness will be brought into the light. God declares it, we must believe it!
In 2002, God wants to give us a new harvest of souls, a new sense of our authority over the enemy, resulting in new deliverances from besetting sins and addictions and demonic oppression.
But in order for this to happen, we must first have:
III. A NEW NAME OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Isa. 62:2, 3 "And the Gentiles shall see your righteousness and the kings your glory and you shall be called by a NEW NAME. You shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD and a royal diadem in the hand of your God."
As the world gets darker and darker in 2002, our light must shine brighter and brighter; our righteousness and integrity must far outshine the world’s righteousness, like a gold crown or a many-faceted diamond. That’s why Jesus said: "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works [righteousness] and glorify your Father in heaven." (Mt. 5:16)
Unbelievers may call us many different names, but the NEW NAME by which we want to be known is "RIGHTEOUSNESS" - people who are
right with God, who treat others right.
IV. A NEW HEART and SPIRIT OF OBEDIENCE
Ezek. 11:19, 20 "I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take out the stony heart and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes, keep my ordinances and do them; they shall be my people and I will be their God."
In 2002, God wants to give us a new heart for His Word, a deepening desire to put into practice all the precepts He has taught us. But this spirit of obedience will not be one of obligation, but rather of consecration.
Rom. 7:6 "But now we are delivered from the law that we should serve in newness of spirit, not in the oldness of the letter."
i.e. our new spirit of obedience is not legalistically trying to keep a long list of rules and regulations: but rather, a God-given desire to follow the promptings of His Word and His Spirit, day by day and moment by moment.
May we develop a new sensitivity to the voice of God! "Lord, give me a new heart of obedience!"
V. A NEW COMMANDMENT OF LOVE
John 13:34, 35 "A new commandment I give you, that you love one another as I have loved you. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another."
In 2002, as never before, Jesus wants His people to really care about one another and to reach out to one another in compassionate giving! How does Jesus love us? Fully, freely and unconditionally! That’s the way He wants us to love one another!
As we seek to obey this new commandment, we will care more about the needs of others than our own needs, we will give to meet the needs of others, even when it hurts! We will consider all that we have to be "God’s," not ours, and we will use our resources for the benefit of others. When this happens, the world will know we are followers of Jesus - because
we love sacrificially, as He did.
VI. A NEW MAN OF UNITY
Eph. 2:14, 15 "For He is our peace, who has broken down the wall of partition between us, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, to make in Himself one new man, thus making peace."
In 2002, God is calling us to a new level of unity among believers. He is calling us to lay aside minor doctrinal and practical differences and to come together under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
He wants us to worship together, to pray together, to fellowship together, and to witness together. I don’t think He wants us to become "one big church," but I do believe He wants us to be one new man. As different "body parts" unite together to accomplish common tasks, the body of Christ must work together toward the common goals of the defeat of the evil one and the evangelization of the world. I need my brothers in sisters-in-Christ in order to be all God wants me to be - - and they need me! As the Brooklyn Tabernacle sings, "Make us one, Lord, make us one, Holy Spirit, make us one, let
Thy love flow that the world may know we are one in You."
VII. A NEW COVENANT OF GRACE
Heb. 8:8-12 "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel…I will put My laws into their minds and write them on their hearts…for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."
The old covenant was a covenant of works - "Obey me and I will bless you." - the new covenant is a covenant of grace: "Trust me and I will forgive you."
I believe God wants His people to have a new understanding of the concept of GRACE - that there is nothing we can do to earn God’s favor- instead, we are free to serve God without guilt and fear.
In 2002, God wants us to put aside all legalism and all license, and live in LIBERTY! It would be such a blessing to see Christians reading their Bibles and praying and serving in the church and witnessing, not out of guilt, but out of thanksgiving for GRACE! This is the new covenant God wants to write on our hearts.
Concl: So, are you content to stay where you’re at spiritually, or would you like God to do a new thing in your life? I’m looking to God to do "all things new in 2002!"
Think about it:
1. What new song of worship does God want to give you?
2. What new deed of deliverance does God want to do through you?
3. What new name of righteousness does God want to work in you?
4. What new spirit of obedience does God want you to have toward His Word?
5. What new commandment of love does God want you to give to others?
6. What new man of unity does God want you to enjoy with your brothers and sisters-in-Christ ?
7. By what new covenant of grace does God want to set you free?
"Lord, give me a deeper intimacy in worship, a greater ministry of deliverance, a higher standard of righteousness, a more sacrificial love, a heightened sensitivity to Your Spirit, an ever-expanding unity with Your people, a growing understanding of Your grace!"
*How can we get out of the rut and into the "new stuff"?
Rom. 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism unto death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
1. Die to the OLD
2. Rise to the NEW
3. Walk in NEWNESS OF LIFE
So, what does the future hold?
2 Pt. 3:13 "Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells."
Rev. 21:1, 2+5 "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and earth were passed away….and new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven…and He that sat on the Throne said, ’Behold, I make all things new.’" Because of God’s eternal creativity, He is going to be doing something NEW forever! We’re going to be in His presence for ever and ever and it will never get "boring," or become "old hat!" God is the God of the NEW, so let Him do something NEW in you!
"Lord, ’All things new in 2002!’"
~Pastor Jim Westervelt http://LovingGrace.net
~E-MAIL: gracefellowship3@earthlink.net
