New Year, New You!

and problems. A new job is a second chance.

I always thought the only reason I was promoted with new teachers every school year is that the old ones did not want to put up with me another year. A new year… a second chance.

And at this time of the year you have all kinds of New Year resolutions that happen this time of the year with a hope of a new beginning.

New beginnings… have you ever wondered what it would be like to start all over? A new start, with clean slate. All the mistakes from the past, gone. Sounds good doesn’t it. But that is exactly what God gives us when we enter into a personal relationship with Him.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

When you enter into a personal relationship with Christ, “Anyone is in Christ”, all things have become new. What this is saying is, no matter what your past may have been. No matter how many times you messed up or failed. Your slate is whipped clean. “old things have passed away”.

Now this is not to say that you still will not have to suffer the consequences of your past failures. If you are in jail for something that you have done wrong, then just because you enter into that personal relationship with Him, does not get you a “Get out of jail Free card”.
It simply means that God does not hold your past against you. No matter how good your past is or how bad it is, you have a new beginning. Remember it only takes one sin to separate us from spending an eternity in heaven with Jesus Christ. So you can have a new beginning by entering into a personal relationship with Him.

You need a new beginning and when you do you become a…

New Person
When you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior then you become a new person. Now this is not to say that you walk in the phone booth as Clark Kent and step out as Superman, but your change will be just as powerful.

Now I have seen people who accept Christ as their Savior and there was a visible change in their appearance. Some who were very reserved before Christ and now who are out going and have a smile on their face.
Then you have those who had addictions of drugs or alcohol who leave it all, without craving it again. I’ve seen people who were bad spouses, bad parents, just bad people who after receiving Christ, became a new person. People have came home to new husbands and wives. Kids have gotten new mommies and daddies.
You become a new person.

Now it is not always an outward change. I have shared with you before; I was saved at the age of 5. There was no recovery from drugs or alcohol. I was not a serial killer or did any other serious crimes. My change, and many like me experience, was an inward change that reflects on the outside.
I no longer could do things and not feel guilty about it. The Holy Spirit now dwells in my heart. I was a new person and anyone who accepts Jesus as there Savior will become a new person as well.

And even though we are not saved by works, our works should be prove of that change. We read about the things we should avoid in our new person in…
Colossians 3:5-10 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the