From Old to New

We are thankful to God for His faithfulness to us during our successes & failures, joys & sorrows, good times & bad times in 2008. We are thankful to Him for His promise of being with us – Immanuel in this New Year 2009!

None of us would have dressed ourselves with OLD clothes on the Christmas or even on the NEW Year day. Then why do many of us still struggle to live the NEW life that Christ offers to us? Or in other words why have we not put off the OLD self in this NEW Year?

All this emphasizes on the two words – the OLD and the NEW.

The Bible reminds us in:
II Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a NEW creation, the OLD has gone, the NEW has come.

We praise God that since we are in Him, we are already a NEW creation. But that implies that the OLD self in us has to give way to the NEW self in us. St. Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians 2:1-10 talks about our OLD life and the word but in the 4th verse makes a radical change… but because of His love for us and His rich mercy He accepted our OLD state of death in sin. He has then given us a place with Jesus Christ in heaven and has seated us there in Him.

God has done what was required by offering us SALVATION in and through Jesus Christ. Now it’s our turn to live in this NEW identity. We are exhorted again by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:22-24 to become NEW in our minds. To put off the OLD self and then put on the NEW self is what God desires from us in this NEW year of 2009. Paul also talks about this even in his epistle to the Romans in Chapter 6:6-14.

No one likes the OLD things but the NEW ones. In the same manner, as we have begun this NEW year of 2009, God reminds us that when He has made us NEW through Christ, it’s time we start living in that identity.

Putting on CHRIST is synonymous to putting on the NEW self. Romans 13:14 says: “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”

By Bro. Steven Christian

Weekly Meditation: New Year's Resolution

Let's look to the resolution of man aged 110 years from the Holy Bible. It is Joshua, who was born in Egyptian slavery. He had seen affliction, tears, sufferings, pain and the yoke of slavery. He had also seen deliverance from his bondage, the crossing of Red sea, the parting of river Jordan, wandered in the wilderness for 40 years; experienced God’s presence in clouds and a pillar of fire, God’s care & protection, the falling down of great city of Jericho, and many other victories.

Now he was free man, settled in the promised land with possessions and enjoying God’s blessings. It was because he didn’t grumble or murmur, he didn’t worship idols as other Israelites did. Instead, he waited upon God, and he wasn’t afraid of enemies and problems. For he believed God is greater and stronger than all his problems and enemies, he fully depended upon God in all the circumstances. That is why God made him leader of His people and he led Israel into the Promised Land.

He had gone through all the tough circumstances. He experienced God’s greatness, faithfulness, fulfillment of promises.

Having experienced all these things he said before all the people that this is my resolution; “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
(Joshua 24:15b)

The reading of the verse throws up a question to us from Joshua “What is your New Year’s Resolution?”

Yours in Christ,
Rev. Varinder Kumar

New Year Meditation: His Presence, Protection, Power and Provision...

(Excerpts from the message shared by Bro. Prakash Rao during the Watch-night service 2008-'09)

The year 2008 will be etched in our memories as one of the worst years in history. It was a year where Christians faced persecution in different parts of the country; it was a year where we saw a downward spiral in the economy all over the world; it was a year where we saw hundreds of people killed in various parts of our country by terrorist attacks. The world is entering this New Year with fear and apprehension over continued news of recession. How do we as Christians respond to these challenges?

We can find some answers in the first letter of Peter, where the church was facing persecution and uncertainty in AD 60 due to the persecution unleashed by Emperor Nero. These words will be appropriate for our context too. In I Peter 1:1-10, the Apostle encourages them by reminding them of three important reasons due to which Christians can have hope & cheer while facing a crisis:

1. Deliverance in the past: Firstly, the Apostle reminds them of how they were the elect (1:2) or the chosen people of God. God said to them that they were his special people whom he had delivered from slavery to sin and given them “new birth” (salvation) and a “living hope”- a live relationship with the living Christ himself. Hence, in times of crises we as followers of Christ have to take strength in our identity in Christ and his love for us and find strength by communing with him.
2. Protection in the Present: Secondly, the Apostle reminded them that they were “kept (shielded) by the power of God (1:5) through faith. In times of crises, we need to remember that God who created the whole universe by his Word and upholding it is also the one who is upholding and keeping us by his power. However God expects us to exercise faith and trust in him so that we can appropriate His protection. Thus, when we face different kinds of trials (v 6), we need to remember that God allows these trials in our lives so as to refine or purify our faith and to prove the genuineness of our faith. But these trials will not be forever, as God will put an end to them (1 Pet 5:10).
3. Hope for the Future: Thirdly and finally, the Apostle reminds them of their “inheritance in heaven” (v.4). Many times when economic liberalization happens, we forget about heaven and begin to establish our personal heavens on this earth! Peter reminds them that they were “foreigners and exiles” (2:11), and that they were citizens of heaven and that they needed to set their “hope fully on the grace to be given … when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1:13). In other words Peter wanted to remind them that they were citizens of heaven and that they need not worry too much about their loses on this earth as they had an “inheritance in heaven” that would “never perish, spoil or fade.”(1:4).
   

May God help us experience his presence, protection, power and provisions abundantly in this New Year 2009!

Weekly Meditation: Moving towards 2009

“Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Php 3:13-14 KJV)

Friends, we thank God the year 2008 and ask for His presence with us during 2009. In 2008 we have gone through the time of joy and sorrow, good and bad experiences of the life. In all these we have experienced His continuous Holy presence with us.

We may have bitter experience or a great loss during 2008. That time seems unforgettable.

Let’s look to the life of St. Paul. When he wrote this letter to Church in Philippi he was aging, weak, sick, losing eyesight, in prison, facing trials, his death was near and sure. In spite of all these things he says “Rejoice in the Lord and again I say Rejoice. Look towards future or press toward the goal and forget those things which are behind” (Php 3:13-14). These words encouraged St. Paul and he happily gave his life for Lord Jesus Christ. This was the secret of St. Paul’s life.

During this New Year God Says forget your past failures, problems, difficulties, things that troubled you, pain, and grief. “...Come boldly unto my throne of grace, that you may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16)

May God bless you and your household during 2009.

Wish you blessed New Year.

“And our God shall supply every need of yours, according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Php 4:19).

Yours in Christ,

Rev. varinder Kumar, Sangeeta, Riya