You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV
New Person
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health website says this to new Canadians who have arrived alone in this country: “You are a recent immigrant to Canada. Perhaps you came seeking a new life, or to escape war or persecution in your homeland. You came here alone – with no close family or friends to help you. No matter why you came, you have to adjust to living in a society that is new and strange to you. Some days are good. Other days are bad.”
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2023 is now a week old. Have you noticed much new happening in your life? We always enter into the New Year hoping that all that was wrong and painful in the past year will go away and the New Year will be one quite different than the last. The reality is that usually not much changes, at least not without the transforming presence of Jesus. It is in Him that true change comes about, and it doesn’t just happen automatically with the arrival of January 1. It does happen when we put our faith and trust in Jesus. Paul the apostle writes this in Ephesians 4:22-24: “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” The Lord doesn’t want us to be dragged back into our past. Once we are redeemed, we look forward to all the new that Jesus wants to bring about in us – new attitude, new self, new desires.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley