Matthew 3:1-3
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Can a New Year really bring change? Well it depends to whom we owe our allegience to. Let me explain. If we are serving self or the gods of our society then pretty much what happened last year, the good and the not so good, will probably happen again. Chasing the proverbial carrot does bring happiness, however short lived. There are several theories on how Alexander the Great died, one is that after conquering the known world and having nothing else to conquer he became so depressed that he drunk himself to death. He lost his purpose for living. He is an extreme example of an overachiever, yet on a much smaller scale we can have the same emotions. For single women a common emotion is once married I finally got my man and I’m going to be happy for ever, only to wake up one morning some time later and realize that the knight in shinning armor needs his armor shined as well as his clothes washed and meals cooked etc., and he burps without saying excuse me. And men have similar thoughts and this is just one example of so many.
However as a believer we have the opportunity to be in a relationship with the perfect man, regardless of whether you are a man or a women. Jesus as Lord of our life is ever infinite, is ever kind, forgiving and loving, we can never know too much of Him. If you have ever gone rafting on a scenic river then you know that with each turn or bend the scenery can change with different configurations of shoreline, boulders, even groupings of plants and trees. There’s never a “I’ve seen it all” or as in Alexander’s case, “I’ve conquered it all,” there’s always more to see and hence with Christ there is never an “I’ve arrived.”
The process of growing in Christ I liken to when we landscape a yard. The front end of the work is tough, we are tearing out all the old, sometimes even the trees if they are damaging the driveway or walkways. It’s hard work getting down to the earth and even when we have removed it all we are not done. The stump/roots of the trees need to be removed. We use our tractor to dig them out. Completing this we are still not ready to landscape, but we are getting close. At least the tear out phase is done, which I liken to the breaking down process of our pride, the “me” that is inherit in all of us. The process of changing “me” to “You” can be a life long process but it is through this process that the Holy Spirit is getting us ready to receive the graces of the Lord.
Similar to landscaping once the ground is cleared we are ready to amend it. Adding organic matter provides a nutrient rich environment for the plants to grow in. And just like the working of the Holy Spirit, He wants us to be full with the fruits of the Spirit which the first is His love. To receive His love for no other reason than He loves us. No because we earned it or deserve it, we need to get past our societal programming that says you only get what you have earned, not true with God. God’s love is not merit based, it is GRACE based. Founded on the intense truth that He loves us. It is humbling to receive such a life changing gift without having to earn it. And Amen to that, because we could never be good enough to earn His love, so it’s simply a gift to those hearts that realize and see their need for it.
Now back to landscaping, once the ground is amended it’s all about adding beauty, from mounds to boulders, water feature if one is wanted or dry stream bed, trees and plants, night lights and mulch. So from a complete tear out to everything new. In like fashion there is nothing of our carnal nature that the Holy Spirit can use. The ways and desires of our old nature are at enmity with the Spirit, they have to be being removed so that the Holy Spirit can add His “landscape features,” those of patience’s, love, forgiveness, kindness, faith; these and more mature in us as He “landscapes” more ground. As that happens newness happens, joy becomes real, peace, even in the hard times and love, that which lights our decisions become ever more present. These attributes are becoming of us as believers but not just becoming, but they become us. We need to allow the “ Master Landscaper” to landscape us, He knows exactly how to do it, for no two souls are alike just as no two yards are exactly alike. Paul guided by the Holy Spirit says in Romans 8:5-10
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”
If this is our outlook for the new year then step one starts with John’s calling, assuming that baptism succeeds our profession of faith in Christ. Just going to church is not enough, volunteering at church is not enough, only a truthful and sober understanding of what confession is ( and it is not just for sins committed, but for pushing away the hand of God that seeks to love me and guide me, that’s called pride and that is what I am confessing and repenting from). Me, myself and I is at the root of most problems, especially those that involve me and God. Therefore repentance, especially now that I understand what I’m repenting of, is what follows. Doing a 180, a u-turn, instead of my way it’s all about His way and growing in His way. Truly accepting Him as my Lord and Savior, growing in my faith by scripture study, home fellowships, church, and cultivating Christian friends are things I can do to grow my new walk with Christ. If you have “accepted Christ” without this understanding then there is no better time than now to make things right between you and Him. The most important life changing decision you will ever make.
Part of our Christian mind set is that of being prepared. Jesus also told a story in Matthew chapter 24:43-44.
But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
And again in Matthew we have the story of the 10 virgins, 5 being wise and 5 being foolish
Matthew 25:6-10
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
These are a few of the parables that Jesus taught on being ready, or being prepared and John The Baptist’s call to be “baptized for the Kingdom is at hand” fits right into this. On a secular level John’s calling constitutes one of the hardest challenges for us, for seemingly since Biblical day’s, God’s Kingdom has not come. Nothing has really changed. With the other parables we sighted, the thief came and went and the bridegroom took his bride, but the Kingdom of God has yet to come, or has it? Because of the time and the culture that John spoke in we have differences in our understanding. Yet in context to John’s time, the Kingdom had come, for the Kingdom of Heaven was fully represented in Jesus Christ. And when Christ lives in our hearts the Kingdom is represented to us as well but even more, through us. We too become representatives of that Kingdom. So has God’s Kingdom come, yes, it resides in you and me and there is also a place called the Kingdom of Heaven were we all long to be. The Lord resides there, the saints that have gone on before us and the angels that do His bidding. Our future home, just not yet. We are to be His ambassadors “in the world but not of it.”
In 2 Corinthians 5:20 we have an explanation of the position and posture we are to maintain while here. I’ll use my son in law as an example. He is a fire chief, his posture while waiting for a call is he is on duty with his men to respond to what may come. “On duty” means he is available, he’s not doing personal things, his sole priority is to always be ready to respond to a call. Once the call comes then his position is that he leads a group of other firefighters into what could be a potentially be a hazardous situation with the goal to save lives. While we wait for our call, the opportunity to share Christ, our posture ( the way we live out our lives) is we our Christ representative to a really messed up world. Our lives need to be different, at home, in the office, out in the field, in the grocery line etc., in all places ready knowing that our culture is not to change us, but we are to change our culture. How are we doing with that?
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
As an ambassador we represent our home country to the place we are sent or find ourselves in. If we do not know the values and beliefs of our home country how could we represent them to others? It would be impossible. So how do we gauge where we stand as an ambassador? A good test is how do we respond to John’s message, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” If we say, Oh I’ve heard that my whole life, (which I have) then more than likely we are not living a “readied or prepared life,” much less being His ambassador. We are more “of the world” than just “in it.” However if we say “I’ve heard that my whole, but this day I am one more day closer to my Lord’s coming,” then a prepared life we are living, and a faithful ambassador we are. Putting minimal stock in the values of this life is the effect that this right attitude gives us. And because our values are Christ based we have transferred our “life assets and goals” into the life that is to come. For we chose not to seek after the ambitions of this life; fame, money, power, materialism etc., though we may have these things we recognize that we are stewards of them, fully knowing that God has entrusted us with them and we will need to give an account of my stewardship of them. As such our attitude and goal is to daily walk in communion with our Lord. We must live uninvested in this life while being prudent with time and funds to make the most of them, especially in case the Lord tarries and we go to Him before He comes to us. A correctly prepared heart is key, and it is not easy finding that balance. If you have not read my published Christmas article in House2Home called Foundations, please do, I go into greater detail. On my business website executivecareinc.com u
In my earlier years of raising a family and growing the business it was easier for me to get off track and I became so grateful for God’s Word that always brought me back to center; it kept every problem in perspective and made every problem smaller. My devotional periods always ended with me having hope, even in the most challenging circumstances – and there were many. I learned that when God was big, problems became small, and when problems were big, God had become small. Problems therefore became the test or the gauge of my faith, and my faith became the gauge of where I stood in my relationship with God. Therefore my lunch time in the Word was critical; though I ate alone rather than going out to lunch with my follow co-workers kept God big, problems smaller, and built within me an overal sense of hope even when logically I could see no hope.
So now as we stand at the precipice of a New Year, let’s ask the question of what were the struggles or the pitfalls of last year? Do we still have these struggles today, skeletons hanging in our closet that we have not dealt with? It could be unforgiveness that we are carrying forward, mudding the fresh waters of a new year, or it could habits of our flesh that still control us, or a temper that goes much deeper than just the situation that triggers it. How much longer are we willing to allow our past experiences or habits determine our present and future experiences. There is a saying, “ Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.” To believe that just because it’s a new year that things will be different without dealing with the root problems that caused them is “ shame on me.” We are great at living in denial because we refuse or scarced to face the issues. However we don’t see how the collateral damage that is caused by not dealing with these hurts and injuries is much worse.
The best way I can illustrate this is when two people get divorced and then they remarry unless they dealt first with the “old luggage” of the previous marriage (which caused the divorce) the new life they are seeking with their second spouse could very easily be affected. The old luggage or problems from the past create triggers, reaction points in us that cause us to misinterpret a current situation. Just because our past spouse did this for this reason, which offended us, doesn’t mean that our current spouse does it for the same reason. Even in marriages where there has been no divorce, triggers develop and we need to talk them out or seek pastoral help. In either scenario we need to become free from the past and give this new year a clean slate. The only person that is big enough to help us, heal our wounds and love us to wholesomeness, at which point we can become agents of change, is the Lord. We ignore Him or do not make time for Him, we lose our only hope. So many of our bad reactions, anger , jealousy, insecurities etc. stem from events in our childhood that are virtually impossible to deal with without a supernatural healing from the Lord. We may seek fresh waters but by our own actions we are contaminating them.
This year the only resolution that will carry enough weight to bring positive and hopeful change is what we do with the Lord. If the heart isn’t under the authority of Jesus Christ, then permanent change is unlikely to happen. Superficial resolutions based in the emotions, not in the new life that Christ gives will not stand the test of time and struggle.
And “at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. “ When will our “midnight” come? It could come today, tomorrow, next week, next year or twenty years from now but does it really matter, for our midnight will come and how should we thus live? I don’t believe we would go wrong if we adopted Paul’s attitude about himself, “
“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
If we started each day by looking in the mirror saying to ourselves today I am God’s ambassador, first to my family, then to my neighbors, co-workers and people in general because I am first God’s son or daughter. How would this change us? What would we do differently and what would we stop doing? I know for sure that we would grow in a love that is selfless, for that is God’s love, Agape and our view on life would change as well, fostering decisions that engender Holy living. As a result of those choices our joy, which is the natural result of Godly living, would be a marked trait of who we are becoming. Could this be a reason for why we fail to attract non believers to Christ, for our lives do not give them a reason to change?
Will you not join me in greeting this new year with this mindset and with a heart bent on following Christ?
Father God,
As cars run on gas we were made to run on holiness, created by a Holy God. Let us not be lead astray by emotions and false promises, and let us not live short sighted being guided by our insecurities, lusts and or pleasures. Truth must light the path we follow. Lord help us to love Your Word, our time in prayer and attending a church that worships
You. Amen
Arthur Navarrette