What Can We Expect In The Coming Year? This Is What The Lord Says!

This is the time of year when men make their predictions and prognostications about the coming year. It's also part of this longstanding tradition to make resolutions of positive changes in the new year. This tradition goes all the way back to ancient Babylonia, and according to Almanac.com, "In 2000 B.C., the Babylonians celebrated the New Year during a 12-day festival called Akitu (starting with the vernal equinox). This was the start of the farming season to plant crops, crown their king, and make promises to pay their debts."

The Romans adopted the tradition of making resolutions, and with the advent of the Julian calendar in 46 B.C., January 1st became the beginning of the new year. Again, Almanac.com records, "January was named for the two-faced Roman god, Janus, who looks forward for new beginnings as well as backward for reflection and resolution. The Romans would offer sacrifices to Janus and make promises of good behavior for the year ahead".

Today, we carry forward the idea of new beginnings and making resolutions for positive change. But it seems to me it has become demonstrably self-serving; focused on what will make our lives better in all the worldly ways. For instance, I've perused various websites who are in the business of seriously predicting the top issues most Americans care about. They range from concerns that the intelligence community and Justice Department will continue to overstep their bounds in surveillance of citizens, to the connections between China-linked companies and U.S. foreign policy, to a possible US-Ukrainian partnership to research and develop bioweapons. As we watched so much of our national position deteriorate in 2022, it is only natural to be concerned about the direction of 2023. To be honest, I haven't heard a lot of hope or optimism for changing our national trajectory. 

As a Christian, I wonder when we stopped treating new beginnings as ways we could honor the Lord and make positive changes to follow His commandments. Wouldn't that be something that would benefit the family of man? While the Bible speaks of new beginnings and the establishment of the Hebrew new year [in Exodus 12:2], nowhere does the Word mandate the making of vows or resolutions at the start of each new year. And this practice has always seemed so short-sighted to me. We make resolutions, hoping that our good intentions will result in dramatic change that will make our lives better. But we never really take responsibility for the situation we are in, nor seek God's guidance and feedback about how we can improve our lives. And things just seem to continue spiraling downward.

So, this morning, I found myself rejecting the traditions of our culture to make another list of things I wanted to accomplish for myself this next year. I wanted to hear what God had to say about the bigger picture -- where are we headed as a nation? So, I asked the Lord to direct me to what He wanted me to know, and just let the Bible open where it would. Not surprisingly [to me], it opened to Jeremiah. I say, "not surprisingly" because God has shown me and my husband that He will use us as He has used men throughout history; to forewarn of coming judgment if His followers do not repent of their ways. So, I read with great interest what the Lord had to say to the nations [through Jeremiah] in Jeremiah.

In Jeremiah 18, subtitled, The Potter and the Clay, this chapter speaks of a vessel of clay that was spoiled in the potter's hand, and He was working it into a new vessel. But it was beginning in verse 7 that the Word really caught my attention ... "If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it".

If at any time ... meaning anytime in history, because He is the God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Pretty sobering, right? It doesn't matter what resolutions we make -- if, as a nation, we are acting in opposition to His goodness, consistently committing evil, then we can expect judgment. The next few chapters continue the saga of the decline of Judah and Jerusalem and their deliverance into captivity in Babylon. God continues to warn them of their heresy and evil deeds, saying, in Jeremiah 21:5, "I myself will fight against you with outstretched hand and strong arm, in anger and in fury and in great wrath". That should strike fear into the hearts of all men who love the Lord!

And what were the sins committed by the nation who professed to love the Lord? Read Jeremiah 22. Among the sins were accusations of building the nation's house by unrighteousness and injustice; making the people serve the nation's needs without proper wages; having the eyes and heart only for their own dishonest gain; for shedding innocent blood; and for practicing oppression and violence [verses 13-17]. But that's not all ... the Lord also says, "I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, 'I will not listen'. This has been your way since your youth, that you have not obeyed My voice. The wind [Holy Spirit] shall shepherd all your shepherds and your lovers shall go into captivity; then you will be ashamed and confounded because of all your evil... how you will be pitied when pangs come upon you, pain as of a woman in labor!"

Where have we heard that before? Oh, yeah, Jesus warns us that among the signs of the End of the Age, will be nations fighting against nations, famines and earthquakes. "All these things are but the beginnings of the birth pains..."  the pains caused by the evil deeds of the nation; labor pains that will come when the Holy Spirit will lead the false shepherds into captivity as they experience the shame and confusion of trying to understand where they went wrong. [Read Jeremiah 23].

I know this doesn't fit the "good feelings" that usually accompany the beginning of a new year. But it is vitally important for us Christians to understand that what the Lord says to the nations who have gone astray in the past, holds true for what He is saying to the unfaithful nations today. His character is unchanging, and He demands righteousness and justice of those He blesses with prosperity and good fortune. And no nation has received such tremendous favor than the United States. But, we have not remained loyal to the One who blessed us. We have done all the same things as the apostate nation of Judah did. Can we expect any less judgment if we continue down this path?

So, if you believe that New Years resolutions can change the direction of your life and our country, then I suggest you start declaring what the Lord requires of a righteous nation -- to keep the covenant of the Lord their God and forsake the worship and service towards other gods. Do not keep the Lord's warnings to yourself, but make them known across the land; exhorting the shepherds in the church buildings to speak the Lord's truth; and encouraging those who profess obedience to the Lord to hold to the righteous path. We still have a chance to convince the Lord we are a just and righteous nation. He wants to restore us! But we have to turn the tide in this nation away from the evil projection it is pursuing. And we need to understand that no amount of vows or resolutions will replace authentic repentance and a clean and resolute heart. Cry out: Help us, Lord! Fight for us!

#newyearsresolutions #righteousjudgmentofthenation #2023resolutions #godsjudgment

Jeremiah 30:24   The fierce (righteous) anger of the Lord will not turn back until He has fulfilled and until He has accomplished the intent of His heart (mind); In the latter days you will understand this. 

 

 

It's A New Biblical Year! What Does That Mean For Us?

Last evening [Monday, September 6th] at sundown began the observance of God's Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Hashanah. This Feast is mentioned in Levitcus 23:23-25, and was instituted as a memorial day announced by the blowing of trumpets; a holy convocation. In the Jewish tradition, it is the first day of the month of Tishri, and the beginning of the "civil" New Year in which the counting of years is calculated. Since the Jewish calendar is based on lunar cycles, rather than the solar cycles of the Gregorian calendar [which we in the West follow], it can get a bit confusing. And according to the sages of the Jewish faith, when we count the years from the first day of Tishri, we find that it has been 5782 years since the creation of man [Adam]. 

It can get even more confusing when we understand that there is another month also designated as the "religious" new year. In Exodus 12, God tells Moses that the month of Nisan "shall be the beginning of months to you; it is to be the first month of the year to you". But unlike the new year in the month of Tishri, this new year is not for the counting of years, but is in commemoration of the Israelites' momentous transformation from slavery to physical liberation from Egypt. And not coincidentally, it is the month in which the Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits are celebrated, signifying our transformation and freedom from the slavery of sin and eternal death through Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. 

Although the Feast of Trumpets is not specifically mentioned in the New Testament, the themes of the Feast [trumpet blasts] are found throughout the Book of Revelation. And in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, the Apostle Paul alludes to the prophetic importance of the trumpet blasts heard during the Feast of Trumpets ...  Listen very carefully, I tell you a mystery [a secret truth decreed by God and previously hidden, but now revealed]; we will not all sleep [in death], but we will all be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed], in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at [the sound of] the last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [who believed in Christ] will be raised imperishable, and we will be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed].

So, what does all this tradition and instruction have to do with us 21st Century Christians? We see that the celebration of the new year in the month of Nisan speaks to the delivery of the Hebrew nation from slavery in Egypt, and their transformation into freedom. It speaks of Jesus's First Coming. The new year in the month of Tishri also speaks of a transformation -- and for us Christians, it commemorates our future transformation into our glorified bodies when Christ returns at His Second Coming. Should we observe this Feast of Trumpets, and what significance, if any, does the counting of this particular year have for us? 

The celebration of God's Feasts has increasingly become important to Christians as we take note that God ordained these Feasts as "permanent statutes throughout your generations, wherever you may be". Often mistakenly referred to as the "Jewish Feasts", they apply to all who call themselves children of Abraham. We may not be Jewish, in the physical sense, but we are "spiritual children of Abraham". He is the father of our faith, and through him, we have the roots of our faith. So, again, is this year any different than any other? Is there special significance to the year 5782? It is not uncommon at this time, as it has been for thousands of years, for prophecies to be forthcoming about what this new year holds for the faithful. All of us want to know how God's plans for mankind will transpire. And since we know there is a very active Enemy coming against those plans, we want to be forewarned of danger ahead.

To be honest, I am often skeptical of all the prophetic words that are coming from all the prophets in the land. I am always conscious that we are to test the spirits of those claiming to hear from God, because He tells us in His Word that "many false prophets have gone out into the world". I am aware that we have the ability to prophesy, as the Spirit leads us, therefore I am very discerning of what I hear prophesied, and, in turn, I never want to prophesy anything to anyone that I'm not convinced came from the Lord. That being said, I hear so many [in Christian circles] saying that the theme of prophecy for this year seems to be centered on rest in the House of the Lord; new things will be birthed, as the old falls away; new levels of Grace and Favor; Divine alignment and Kingdom connections. Oh, how I pray all that becomes our reality!

My spirit longs for it all and I will be earnest in praying for it! But I decided today to take some time away from what I'm hearing the prophets say and ask God what He wants to say to me about this year of 5782 and the year 2022. I just sat quietly and listened. I didn't want to project my fleshly biases, but honestly wanted His perspectives on what this year could bring. So, I now would like to share what I heard in my spirit; what I felt was an honest answer to my question of Lord, what is it that You want me to know about this coming year? [NOTE: this is not intended to be considered prophecy for the Body of Christ! It is simply sharing the personal conversation I had with the Lord, in the hopes of focusing my heart, mind, and spirit on discerning His will for my life].

Lord, what is it You want me to know? What should I be expecting [or looking for] in the coming year? Lots of upheaval, but a strengthening at the core. 

At the core of what? 1) My physical body;  2) the core of my spiritual house;  and 3) the core of the TRUE Body of Christ in the world.

Lord, I'm afraid to ask, but what does the upheaval look like? You don't need the details of all that is coming ... Trust Me to prepare you and inform you as needed.

Is there anything else You want me to know about this coming year? It will be difficult for many and your heart will be burdened by loss.

Is there any hope, Lord? You will be victorious and able to help many. You will see Me in the midst of it all. 

I want to stress again that this is what the Lord spoke over my individual life. It is not meant to be spoken as an umbrella prophecy over the Body of Christ. In fact, I urge you to take the time to sit with God and ask for Him to speak to you regarding His will for your life in the coming year. We each have an individual destiny as well as a corporate one, so He may have something specific to speak to you, and it will likely be vastly different than mine. And then continue to stay in touch with Him. As His prophetic word over your life comes to light, you will have more questions in which you will seek His direction and guidance.

 But most of all, I want you to celebrate this beginning of the new Biblical year, declaring that God is ever-present in our circumstances and we are all individually known to Him. We must never doubt that He has His eye on us, nor that we will be alone in what comes, good or bad. We have so much to look forward to! In this season we will experience the Ten Days of Repentance [leading to the Day of Atonement], and the Feast of Tabernacles [when we celebrate the future of living in the presence of our Lord and Savior]. So, I bless you all with peace and joy and revelation in this season of Holy Days! May the Lord's face shine upon you!

Revelation 21:5   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.”  

The Power of Jesus's Outstretched Arm

 

I'm inviting you along for the ride as the Lord schools me on a bigger picture of His redeeming power. I'm not sure what the Holy Spirit is going to reveal during my "thinking out loud in the spirit". But, as I write this post, it is my prayer that His revelation will be a blessing to us all.

I'm in the middle of reading a really interesting book, titled Redeeming Your Timeline, by Pastor Troy Brewer of OpenDoor Church in Burleson, Texas. He presents an interesting concept of Jesus as a Time Traveler, being able to move in and out of the timelines of our lives, healing us in the past, the present, and the future. This book intrigued me because it fits so nicely with what I have experienced with the Lord in the Inner Healing and Deliverance ministry He has brought Mark and I. It has been my privilege to witness Jesus appearing in the memories of a person's wounded past to liberate them from the spirits of shame, guilt, unworthiness, etc, and then speaking to them [in the present] of their new identity as a valuable [and much loved] child of God. It's always a beautiful picture of what "being supernaturally redeemed" looks like.  

Pastor Brewer takes this idea of supernatural redemption a little further, explaining that Jesus can not only heal our past wounds, but can relieve our fears about the future, and help us to remain calm in the present. In fact, when He delivers us from the captivity of our past, it actually changes our now and our future! Our entire timeline can be redeemed! 

Before I go any further, I think we need to come to a mutual understanding of what "redeemed" or "redemption" actually means. I know, for myself, that I have sometimes been confused about the significance of such Scriptural words because they were never fully explained to me. So, I want to make sure we are all on the same page. I would venture to say that most Christians think of redemption as a New Testament concept; that it exemplifies Jesus's sacrificial death on the Cross. And it certainly does point to the fact that Jesus brings us deliverance from the guilt and power of sin through His death. But when researching deeper and accurate meanings of the words "redeem" or "redemption" in Strong's Concordance, I found that those words actually appeared far more often in the Old Testament! And the meanings have so much relevance for us today!

These are the meanings assigned to the words redeem, redeemed, Redeemer: 1) deliverance from captivity; 2) preserving the integrity, life, property, and family name of a close relative; and 3) complete sovereign freedom to liberate human beings. And we see these understandings in passages like Exodus 6:6, which says, "Therefore, say to the children of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will free you from their bondage. I will redeem and rescue you with an outstretched (vigorous, powerful) arm and with great acts of judgment [against Egypt]". Then there is Psalm 77:15, which reads, "You have with Your [great] arm redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph".  This concept of Jesus as redeeming with an outstretched arm will broaden our understanding of how He heals in the timelines of our lives.

But first, I want to point out Job, which is considered by many theologians to be the oldest book in the Bible. Job is quoted as saying, "For I know that my Redeemer and Vindicator lives, and at the last He will take His stand upon the earth" (Job 19:25). That is a picture of Jesus being in the past, thousands of years before He was actually born, as well as a prophesy about what He will do in a future we haven't experienced yet! In Isaiah 48:17, Jesus speaks to the prophet Isaiah, identifying Himself as "your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel". And in Isaiah 48:12 Jesus calls Himself "the First and the Last", which coincides with His identity as "the Alpha and Omega" in Revelation 1:8. So, here we once again see Jesus in the past and the future. The point I want to get across is this: Scripture tells us Jesus is the One who is, who was, and who is to come. But we must not see that truth through an impersonal lens, as if it is a nice theological concept, but somewhat distant in relevance to our own lives. On the contrary, Jesus can actually enter into the timelines of our lives -- past, present, and future -- and redeem them. And here is what is even more amazing ... when Jesus heals that wound in your past, it is actually re-written in your Book of life, which creates a new present and a new future!

Take for example, the man with leprosy that Jesus healed in Mark 1:40-45. Scripture says, Moved with compassion [for his suffering], Jesus reached out with His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Once again, there is that act of reaching out His hand in power.  In the Greek, that act is the word "ekkteino".  Ek means "coming out of place, time, or cause". Kteino means "to put to death". So, we can understand that, in the power that was in Him, Jesus entered into the timeline of the man with leprosy [to the place, time, and cause of his disease] and healed him [put to death what the Enemy had sent against him]. In effect, that changed the man's identity, which transformed his life in the present, and into his future. 

And guess what? He can do the same for me and you! He can actually redeem us through His outstretched arm [just as He did for the Israelites in the aforementioned passages in Exodus and Psalms]. He can travel through the times of our lives [past, present, and future] and free us from the effects of sin, transgression, and iniquity; and in the process, give us a new destiny, transforming our lives to reconcile with what He wrote in our Book of Life before He even created the world! The question becomes if we will allow Him to do that. Can we see how inviting Him into our past can profoundly change our present and lead us into a glorious future? We must understand that Jesus created Time, so it is an environment that He has sovereignty over, and He can change what happens there. He has the power to confront our past and redeem it; delivering us from the captivity and bondage of sin, preserving our integrity and who He designed us to be, and propelling us into a future that glorifies Him and His Kingdom! That portion of time that contained the sin has been cleansed and a new portion of time has been established. And we can operate in this new timeline knowing our Lord, our Redeemer, has sanctified us to walk out our purpose. No looking back -- let Him stretch out His powerful arm and receive your redemption!

Isaiah 46:10     Declaring the end and the result from the beginning, And from ancient times the things which have not [yet] been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will do all that pleases Me and fulfills My purpose,’

A Timely Prophecy About Deliverance Ministry: Setting Ourselves Apart

    

     As I have shared in the past, God, the Father, placed Mark and I in a remote part of Texas, off the beaten path; in a place few people have even heard of. He spoke to Mark in a dream to sanctify ourselves and our property for Him [with very specific instructions]. And then we waited. Not really sure about what or how we were going to be called to serve the Lord, we spent that hiatus diving deep into the Word, which prepared us for greater revelations of just how big our God is and what He is capable of doing in the lives of those willing to be obedient to His calling. It opened up His supernatural nature to us; something we had never been introduced to in the Church denominations we had been a part of.
     Then His next step was to take us out of those Church buildings [who found it difficult to accept what had been revealed to us]. We didn't stop loving those who loved the Lord, but He wanted to do something different with us and we were obedient to listen to His voice. In His timing, we were led to the right people who could equip and train us to fulfill His purpose in our lives; to do Inner Healing and Deliverance; setting the captives free under the guidance and counsel of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. That has been our calling for the last five years. And it has been our desire to help equip and strengthen the Body of Christ in this ministry to help others receive their Freedom in Christ.
     It has been an exhilarating ride; as well as, at times, frustrating and disappointing -- I imagine the same emotions our Lord experienced as He did what He heard His Father tell Him to do. It has been exhilarating to see the Body of Christ be freed from the bondage of Satan's lies and to have an encounter with the risen Christ -- to see them embrace their freedom and their true identity in Him, and want to help someone else get their own freedom. It has been exhilarating to see Christians recognize that this is what the Kingdom of God on earth looks like, and that this is how we walk as Kingdom citizens.    
     But now I'm going to be honest and express the other side of the coin, as well. It is not that I feel I am qualified to judge; it's just that there have been moments when my spirit has been troubled by what I have observed. Because, you see, it has also been frustrating to present this glorious promise and potential for the Body to serve, and then to see it shot down by a religious spirit that denies its Scriptural veracity. Equally disturbing is to see someone get set free and embrace the opportunity to continue to "do the things that Christ did" [cast out demons, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers/spiritually sick, raise the dead, and spread the Gospel of the Kingdom], only to become more focused on boasting about their own experiences than being humbled to be used by God to advance His Kingdom. Then there have been those who are always seeking more --- not that the Lord doesn't want to grow and mature us, but I often see people shepherding their own lives, rather than becoming sheep who listen for their Shepherd's voice.
     Don't get me wrong ... it has never deterred Mark and I from continuing to listen to the Lord and Holy Spirit and do what They command. We have not taken our eyes off Them, nor become distracted by the paths of others. Steady and true [to our calling] as been our motto. If the Lord wants to take us to the next level, we trust Him to take us there. As we see this generation seeking after more -- more titles, more offices, more supernatural experiences, more giftings, more callings -- I'm not always sure it is happening under the covering of Christ. There seems to be a lot of self-promotion via the soul, rather than appointments by the grace of God through the Holy Spirit.
     It has been difficult to discern and watch, and rather than think it is our job to judge, we simply continue on our path, and choose to observe and celebrate the fruit of our fellow ministers. And until now, we have hesitated to even comment on this phenomenon. So, it was with great interest that I read an article by Jennifer LeClaire, a prophetic voice in our generation, and founder of Awakening House of Prayer. I am not declaring that she holds the patent on Truth. It's just that her article expressed exactly what my spirit was discerning. I'd like to share some of what she heard from the Lord (emphasis in bold is my own]:

     "I am raising up even now, in your midst, a new generation and a new breed of deliverance ministers. And they will be bold like lions. They will not shrink back nor will they be intimidated by the tactics of the enemy. For I am putting new mantles on my deliverance ministers who are willing to take the tough cases; who are willing to go where others will not venture... And they will cooperate one with another; they will become companies of deliverance ministers who will run together. They will share intelligence, and they will cooperate with one another for My glory. For there will not be a strong competition in the realm of deliverance as we see even now in the realm of the apostolic and in the realm of the prophetic, because these ministers have set themselves apart and they understand the need for clean hands and a pure heart.
     So, they will celebrate with one another and celebrate each other and they will relish over the victories over the kingdom of darkness together. And they will network together, not in the sense of building their own kingdom, but in order to share the stories of glory from My Spirit in the realm of deliverance... But also, know and recognize, that many will come and try to take this new mantle—this new time and season of deliverance ministers rising up—as a fad and a trend. And they will try to hook their wagon to the greater wagon and try to use the momentum of the tide and the flow that I am bringing to the body of Christ.
     But, they will not carry the authority because their heart is compromised. They will not carry the authority that the pure ones do because they are not in it for the right reasons, and they will end up like the sons of Sceva because I don’t know these ones—not the way that I need to know them—because they kept part of their heart back from Me. And watch as the false deliverers arise, needing deliverance themselves. And you will see and know that I will sweep through the body of Christ and I will do a new thing in deliverance ministry in this hour."

     I will tell you that I know exactly what she is talking about and it is what my spirit has been celebrating at the same time it has been mourning the ways the Enemy is trying to corrupt this new season. I say, "Yes", to the promise that there is a new generation and a new breed of bold ministers that aren't afraid to walk in their calling; those who are readying themselves to be a part of the remnant of God whom He will use to defeat the Enemy's long-held tactics.
     About a year ago, I heard Dan Duval, Executive Director of Bride Ministries, prophecy that we would see God's judgment on those in high positions who have joined with Evil to participate with sex trafficking and child porn. He stated that there were arrests coming and people would be going to jail. We have seen that in the headlines in recent months, and I believe it is only the tip of the iceberg. But he also warned that when this beast system comes crashing down, there will be tens and hundreds of thousands of victims that will be released upon our society, all desperately needing Inner Healing and Deliverance. We must be prepared for this! But who will be able to persevere and stand under the weight of such numbers?
     The false deliverers -- those who do it for all the wrong reasons -- will fall away, and I find great hope and strength in knowing that Christ "will sweep through the Body of Christ and do A NEW THING IN DELIVERANCE MINISTRY IN THIS HOUR!" We praise, You, Lord Jesus, for Your constant faithfulness and trustworthiness; for Your dedication to seeing the Kingdom of God, and the will of the Father, done on earth as it is in Heaven. You will provide all the strength, power, authority, wisdom, and knowledge that we will need. And thank you for giving us hope in this hour!

Nahum 1:7    The Lord is good, A strength and stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows [He recognizes, cares for, and understands fully] those who take refuge and trust in Him.





 

We Serve A God Of New Beginnings

     Tomorrow we begin a new year. I can remember being a little girl and the thought of 2019 would have seemed like a lifetime away. In reality, it has been. I would like to say that I have lived a life well-spent, but the truth is that I have some regrets. I have not always lived a life pleasing to God. Yet His Word tells me that It is because of the Lord’s lovingkindnesses [mercies] that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).
     Here's the thing I want everyone to know: If you are stuck in the past and can't move forward, God does not want you to stay there. By His grace and mercy, He has given us a way to have a new beginning and receive a new identity. Of course faith in Christ is at the center of a new beginning, but it is not a guarantee that you will live a sinless life. We are human, but that should never become an excuse. We are called to grow into the very image of Christ, and that means living righteously. But God is a God of second chances when we confess our sins and repent. And as we move forward, He does not want us to look back. That only gives the Enemy the right to taunt us with our failures and mistakes.

     Take a look at that Scripture again ... each morning is a new day with God; a new start and a new beginning to make progress towards a life that abides wholly in Him. This is a promise of deliverance from captivity by the Enemy, and of remaining in the presence of God, Himself. I know that may sound impossible if you are ending 2018 in pain. This year I have seen many people I love deal with failing health, failing marriages, and failing hope; it just seems that others, or their bodies, or God have let them down. And I'm sure there are those of you who are disappointed in yourselves, thinking that there is no future or way to move forward in your goals, including your relationship with God.  But that is NOT what the Word says!
     The Bible says in Lamentations that we have access to the Lord's mercy and compassion and faithfulness towards us. Whose fault is it if we don't take advantage of that, or walk in faith towards that truth?  I will admit that we fight a spiritual battle against an enemy that seeks to steal, kill, or destroy our hope, joy, and faith. He is too often successful in getting us to listen to the lies he whispers. But we have been given spiritual armor to effectively fight that battle. And as I've heard more than one pastor point out, there's not a piece of that armor that is positioned on our back -- it is all for our forward progress!  Looking back at our past mistakes and failures only serves to keep us from the new beginning and identity God wants to give us!
     The Bible gives us some good examples of people who overcame failure [or disappointment] to become who God created them to be. Joseph was solid into slavery by his brothers, accused of rape, and served undeserved time in prison, yet he never abandoned his loyalty and faith in God, nor stewardship of the leadership skills he possessed. Because he never lost faith that God's promises remain true, Joseph found himself in a position of influence where God could use him for His glory.
     If there ever was a man who suffered disappointment in his life, with no reason for hope, it was Job. He had it all, and then lost everything that this world measures as success. He lost his wealth, his family, and his health. The world tells him he's a loser and should just quit and die. But, like Joseph, Job remains loyal to who He knows God to be. He just waited [with patience] for God to deliver and restore him, and God does just that, restoring his fortune double-fold. I know that sometimes I look like I don't fit the image of a "winner" to either the world or the Body of Christ, but I believe God's promises to me as His child. I trust that He is molding and shaping me into who I am meant to be.
     And how many of us can identify with Moses, who used his past mistakes and failures as excuses for why he was unfit to serve the Lord? Let's face it ... when called upon by God, Moses was exiled, humiliated, and poor. He tried to tell God he couldn't do what was asked of him because he had killed, lied, ran away as a coward, betrayed his family, and furthermore, he was scared to speak in public! But after 40 years of running away, Moses was finally willing to believe that God's compassion for the Israelites would never fail, and that a new day of freedom was available and waiting for them. He came to believe more in God's new offer of mercy [and guidance] than in his own past mistakes. 
     And I think I would be remiss if I didn't mention Mary Magdalene. Although Church and cultural history have labeled her a prostitute, there is no real information about her life and character other than what is mentioned in Luke 8. Here, she is mentioned as having been delivered of seven demons by Jesus's compassion and mercy. Imagine the stigma of a woman in the Middle East who was possessed or tormented by not one, but seven, demons! Jesus didn't see a woman who was deserving of public castigation and humiliation, but the heart of a woman who would serve Him with complete devotion, ministering to Him during His death and resurrection, and serving His cause long afterward.
     But, for me, Peter represents the ultimate example of overcoming one's past mistakes and walking in a new beginning and identity. After all, Peter professed his eternal allegiance to Jesus, yet rejected Him three times in His hour of need.  But we must not forget that Jesus knew Peter would fail Him, but He still loved Peter. He still gave Peter the gift of salvation; and called him to His service anyway.  Do you not think that He will do the same for you? 
     Let us take these examples to heart and no longer be defined by our past, but look forward to new beginnings. We celebrate this concept in our culture. Why not in our spirits? Don't stay stuck, or focused on the past, or hinder yourself from walking into a new identity. Joseph didn't decide to languish in prison, misunderstood and failing to reach his potential. Job didn't roll up into a ball in the corner, accepting his fate and his losses. Moses could have hidden out in Midian, having lost his exalted title and position in Egypt, and never have been heard from again. Mary Magdalene could have given in to the demonic spirits and accepted her fate as an "undesirable". Peter could have spent the rest of his years in disgrace and shame and guilt for having abandoned his Master. 
     But each of these people answered a call upon their lives and were renewed, restored, and regenerated.  They were each given a new and higher spiritual nature and identity. They didn't accept the false identity the Enemy wanted them to embrace. Their faith in who Jesus was carried them beyond their pasts and into a transformed life full of hope and empowerment.
     That is what God wants for you!  I urge you to look upon this new year with expectation and a desire for a new and greater identity. Stop listening to the lies that the Enemy is telling you, and start this new year by declaring that you are a new creation; that God is doing a new thing in you; that you have a renewed spirit, mind, and heart; that you are forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God [on your life] in Christ Jesus... and finally, that our God is a god of Creation, not of destruction or disappointment. This new year is full of opportunities for you! Reach for them, accept them, and walk in them. And trust in God's faithfulness to grow you! Happy New Year!

Ephesians 4:22-24     And He has taught you to let go of the lifestyle of the ancient man, the old self-life, which was corrupted by sinful and deceitful desires that spring from delusions. Now it’s time to be made new by every revelation that’s been given to you. And to be transformed as you embrace the glorious Christ-within as your new life and live in union with Him! For God has re-created you all over again in His perfect righteousness, and you now belong to Him in the realm of true holiness.

Looking Forward To New Beginnings

     I recall so many New Year's sermons from the pulpit titled "You Can Begin Again", all preaching the truth that we serve a God of new beginnings.  And I don't want to repeat this message in a trite manner but rather, the purpose of this post is to exhort us all to step into new identities in 2018.
     As Bill Johnson says, the new year is really "the nature of the Christian life.  We are born again; given a new beginning". We are all familiar with God's nature of Grace, giving us second chances when we repent and turn towards Him. But how many of us are stuck in our pasts and can't move forward into that new beginning and new identity?
     That is what I hope to address today.  Because, you see, the one thing that I really want you to understand is the truth of Lamentations 3:22-23, which says,  It is because of the Lord’s lovingkindnesses [mercies] that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions never fail^. They are new every morning; Great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness. This is the word of God telling us that each morning is a new day with Him; a new start and a new beginning to make progress towards a life that abides wholly in Him. 
     It is important for us to understand that "abiding in God" gives us, not only a promise of restoration from captivity by the Enemy, but of remaining in the presence of God, Himself.  That means that we must stop looking back at past failures and past disappointments. We must have faith that God can help us develop new attitudes, new goals, and new hearts. But that means we must believe it is possible to begin again, and become a new person in Christ.

     I know that there are many people who are beginning 2018 with a lot of pain.  Whether it be failing health, failing marriages, or failing hope, it just seems that others [or God] have let them down. And there are those of you who are disappointed in yourselves, thinking that there is no future or way to move forward in your goals, including your relationship with God.  But that is NOT what the Word says!
     The Bible says in Lamentations that we have access to the Lord's mercy and compassion and faithfulness towards us. Whose fault is it if we don't take advantage of that, or walk in faith towards that truth?  I will admit that we fight a spiritual battle against an enemy that seeks to steal, kill, or destroy our hope, joy, and faith. But we have been given spiritual armor to effectively fight that battle. And as I've heard more than one pastor point out, there's not a piece of that armor that is positioned on our back -- it is all for our forward progress!  Looking back at our past mistakes and failures only serves to keep us from the new beginning and identity God wants to give us!
     The Reverend Tony Cooke writes on his website about historical men who serve as our example for moving forward from past mistakes and failures.  Let me share a few...
     Abraham Lincoln's mother died when he was nine years of age. At 23, he invested in a small store. Three years later his business partner died, leaving him in debt for years to come. At 37, on his third try, he was finally elected to Congress. He ran again two years later but wasn’t re-elected. Two years later he was rejected for Land Officer. At 45, he ran for Senate and lost. Two years later, he lost the nomination for vice president. At 49, he ran for Senate again…and lost again. At 51 he was finally elected president of the United States, but with only 40 percent of the popular vote. Yet I believe God used him to keep our nation from destroying itself.
     Moses' initial try to convince his brethren that God would deliver them from Egyptian bondage failed, and he spent 40 years in exile before he believed more in God's new offer of mercy [and guidance] than in his own past mistakes. He was willing to believe that God's compassion for the Israelites would never fail, and that a new day of freedom was available and waiting for them.
     There is no one in the Bible that I can think of who had more reason to regret his past mistakes than Peter.  He professed his eternal allegiance to Jesus, yet rejected Him three times in His hour of need.  But we must not forget that Jesus knew Peter would fail Him, but He loved Peter; saved him; and called him to His service anyway.  Do you not think that He will do the same for you?
     These are only a few examples of men who rose above their past mistakes to walk in new beginnings. They didn't let their failures in life keep them stuck in place, or focused on the past, or hinder them from walking into a new identity.  Abraham Lincoln could have embraced an identify of failed businessman and politician. Moses could have hidden out in Midian, having lost his exalted title and position in Egypt, and never have been heard from again. Peter could have spent the rest of his years in disgrace and shame and guilt for having abandoned his Master.  But each of these men answered a call upon their lives and were renewed, restored, and regenerated.  They were each given a new and higher spiritual nature and identity.
     That is what God wants for you!  I urge you to look upon this new year with expectation and a desire for a new and greater identity. Stop listening to the lies that the Enemy is telling you, and start this new year by declaring that you are a new creation; that God is doing a new thing in you; that you have a renewed spirit, mind, and heart; that you are forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus... and finally, that our God is a god of Creation, not of destruction or disappointment. This new year is full of opportunities for you! Reach for them, accept them, and walk in them. And trust in God's faithfulness to grow you! Happy New Year!

Ephesians 4:20-24    "But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 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".