All Things New...the Wayfarer 12/28/16

All Things New
12/28/16

2 Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Resolution:  The absolute intent of follow-through, intended to improve health, circumstance, and other aspects of life.

These resolutions, though so well intended, are most often also broken soon after having been made, because the resolve that is the requirement of resolution is in fact missing from the halfhearted lip service given them instead of the commitment required for the follow-through.

Change is honestly wished for, but the necessity of making that change in other aspects to initiate that change is not recognized.

This is a result of the failure to comprehend, or accept what is truly needed to initiate that change.

An alcoholic will resolve not to drink as much, or even to drink at all, an addict will resolve to stop taking the drug of choice, either by tapering off or by going cold turkey and cleaning up their lives.

There is a recognition of need for change, or the resolution would not be made.

That recognition does not include the surrounding circumstance, and affiliations and activities that contribute to the cause of the problem to begin with.

Until the root cause of the problem, addiction, or behavior is changed, there can be no change in that which is wished for.

An alcoholic cannot cease drinking to excess, without first addressing the cause of the alcoholism, an addict cannot cease being addicted to any drug or other behavior without recognizing the cause of that behavior.

The cause of the problem may be summed up in one single word, a simple word that goes unspoken in today’s society, unspoken at the few dinner tables still used for gathering the remnants of what once was the core unit of that society… family, unspoken by the media that is given so much credence and attention, and most sadly unspoken even in the “churches” that could, if functional, not only assist in that change, but could effect a far greater change in society as well.

That single, simple, small, yet so significant word is SIN!

To effect change, all aspects that cause what is to be changed must be recognized.

“Friends” who encourage the things that need to be changed, also need to be changed, a drunk will not find help in the bartender pouring the drink, nor will the addict find solace from the pusher providing the drug that is killing him, even if there is recognition of the fact that death is to be the final result of the behavior needing to be changed.

True resolution, true resolve can be found, can be attained only with the proper help of someone equally resolved to actually HELP in the wished for change.

Help is available, when sought, for any problem that may exist.

Change is possible for any who willingly actively pursue that change and seek that HELP.

It must, however be sought, and cannot and will not happen without that active and willing pursuit.

Denial of the need of that help dismisses the possibility of that help, and denies the wished for change.

Change in others, no matter how desperately wished for, may not be made by any but the one in need of the change first knowing that that change is needed.

As the year begins, and resolutions are made, resolve must be included to make those resolutions happen.

We cannot lose weight and improve our body strength and stamina without first changing diet and behavior.

That change will not happen if the habits that make it impossible are not also changed.

The “couch potato” that resolves to lose a few pounds does not do so simply by changing to a diet drink and diet foods while continuing to over indulge in those foods and remaining on the couch shouting at the sports teams, or commiserating with the misery portrayed in the soaps and on the “reality” shows.

It requires active participation!

It requires a change in the root cause of the problem.

The same applies to much larger problems as viewed by man and men.

Poverty cannot be cured without the active assistance of the impoverished and a willingness to pursue the necessary work to make the change from poverty to prosperity. Throwing money at that problem only makes the impoverished more so by ignoring the need for them to contribute as well as take.

Problems are not resolved by ignoring the cause of them, but by first fixing the cause, by first seeking the HELP needed to fix them.

Jesus told us that what is impossible with men is possible with God, and this remains an immutable truth today, just as when it was spoken then.

Also as true now as ever, is that the light that was given through Him is scorned instead of sought because of the unwillingness to change the actual root problem to make the perceived problem cease to exist.

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

¹⁸ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

²⁰ For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

(John 3:16-20)

In short, HELP is available, when sought!

Salvation is possible… when sought!

Eternal LIFE is promised… when sought!

The key to all of this is the necessity of first seeking and actually accepting the required change to the root cause, and effecting that change through HELP that is available.

Whether nation, or individual, there can be no change without the active participation in that change and the recognition of the cause of the actual problem in order to attain the desired blessing that is sought through the resolutions made.

Revelation 21 King James Version (KJV)

21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

² And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

³ And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

⁴ And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

⁵ And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

⁶ And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

⁷ He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

⁸ But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

⁹ And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

¹⁰ And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

¹¹ Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

¹² And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

¹³ On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

¹⁴ And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

¹⁵ And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

¹⁶ And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

¹⁷ And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

¹⁸ And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

¹⁹ And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

²⁰ The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

²¹ And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

²² And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

²³ And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

²⁴ And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

²⁵ And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

²⁶ And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

²⁷ And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Change is coming…. Whether sought or not!

I anticipate that change with the joy of one who recognized long ago the root cause of what is in need of that change.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

I also recognized and still recognize the only HELP that is available to effect the change that must and will occur and welcome that HELP, as I, a simple sinner saved by grace though absolute FAITH in that help, stand in assurance of His arrival, just as promised, to deliver that help.

Amen and Amen

the Wayfarer