A new school year has started.
While I have not attended school in a long time, I remember well some of the feelings I had when I began a new school year.
One of the feelings that I remember best was the excitement of having a new beginning.
Nothing compares with the sense of leaving prior mistakes and shortcomings behind.
It is a chance to start over.
The slate is clean and free of test grades that are less than great.
It is free of homework assignments that have not been given my best effort.
There are no negative comments in the margins.
There are no essays with the comments "explain" or "give examples".
There are no math worksheets with the comment "show your work".
It is a chance for a fresh start.
There are many people in the world right now that would like a nothing more than new beginning.
They would love nothing more than to start fresh.
If only they could leave the mistakes of their lives behind them and start anew with God.
They think about it time and time again.
Their regrets may even keep them awake at night.
Many conclude that they can never escape their past.
They may even conclude that they’ve done too many bad things.
Sadly, many conclude that God could never forgive someone like them, let alone love them.
How wrong they are.
John 3:16 (NET) - For this is the way God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
John reminds us that God loves the world.
That means God loves everyone in the world enough to want to save them.
He provides for that salvation in the only way possible.
He had Jesus pay the price we could never pay on our own.
God does have some expectations.
God asks that we believe in Jesus.
But can a person really start over?
In the words of Jesus, one must.
John 3:3 (KJV) - Jesus answered and said unto him, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
When one is born again, he becomes a new creation.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NET) - So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, what is old has passed away - look, what is new is come!
Confession is also important.
1 John 1:9 (NET) - But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.
Why?
After all, doesn’t God know everything already?
Certainly, but confession helps us build a relationship with God and serves to remind us how much we need salvation.
When we do this, something wonderful happens.
Psalm 103:12 (NET) - As far as the eastern horizon is from the west, so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us.
A new beginning is possible.
After all, nothing is impossible for God.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com
While I have not attended school in a long time, I remember well some of the feelings I had when I began a new school year.
One of the feelings that I remember best was the excitement of having a new beginning.
Nothing compares with the sense of leaving prior mistakes and shortcomings behind.
It is a chance to start over.
The slate is clean and free of test grades that are less than great.
It is free of homework assignments that have not been given my best effort.
There are no negative comments in the margins.
There are no essays with the comments "explain" or "give examples".
There are no math worksheets with the comment "show your work".
It is a chance for a fresh start.
There are many people in the world right now that would like a nothing more than new beginning.
They would love nothing more than to start fresh.
If only they could leave the mistakes of their lives behind them and start anew with God.
They think about it time and time again.
Their regrets may even keep them awake at night.
Many conclude that they can never escape their past.
They may even conclude that they’ve done too many bad things.
Sadly, many conclude that God could never forgive someone like them, let alone love them.
How wrong they are.
John 3:16 (NET) - For this is the way God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
John reminds us that God loves the world.
That means God loves everyone in the world enough to want to save them.
He provides for that salvation in the only way possible.
He had Jesus pay the price we could never pay on our own.
God does have some expectations.
God asks that we believe in Jesus.
But can a person really start over?
In the words of Jesus, one must.
John 3:3 (KJV) - Jesus answered and said unto him, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
When one is born again, he becomes a new creation.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NET) - So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, what is old has passed away - look, what is new is come!
Confession is also important.
1 John 1:9 (NET) - But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.
Why?
After all, doesn’t God know everything already?
Certainly, but confession helps us build a relationship with God and serves to remind us how much we need salvation.
When we do this, something wonderful happens.
Psalm 103:12 (NET) - As far as the eastern horizon is from the west, so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us.
A new beginning is possible.
After all, nothing is impossible for God.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com
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