A New Sheet of Paper!

Happy 2015! How amazing! We've dashed through the holidays! I just imagine many are glad it's over and can get on with a new year. I really enjoy this time of year and am sorry it flew by. How delightful it would be if, in those wonderful, special moments, we could make time stand still. 

Beginning a new year can be somewhat disconcerting. Taking into thought all the failed plans, incomplete goals, not to mention the blunders. I, for one, when making a mistake, while writing on a piece of paper, will wad it up and throw it away and begin afresh. If only life were that easy! Just throw away our blunders and start fresh! In a sense, becoming born again was just like that! The moment we accepted Jesus as our Lord, repenting for our sins, He made us brand new! 2 Cor. 5:17 says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Hallelujah, our slates are clean and He does not remember the sin! Is.43:25 "I, even I, am He Who blots out and cancels your transgressions, for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins." And, Heb. 8:12 "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” When we go before the Father, repent (express our heartfelt remorse and turn away from the sin), He forgives us and remembers it no more! The key to real repentance is never doing the sin again!  2 Cor. 7:10 (ERV) The kind of sorrow God wants makes people decide to change their lives. This leads them to salvation, and we cannot be sorry for that. But the kind of sorrow the world has will bring death. 1 John 1:9 is our guarantee of His forgiveness.

So in one sense, this brand new year, is just like a clean sheet of paper. All the blunders and any goof ups are now in the past. Wad it up and discard it! They are behind us. Let's make a conscience decision to choose to lay the past down and press on towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:13-15) I realize this takes determined effort on our part. When receiving His forgiveness, we also must forgive ourself. Perhaps for some, this might be difficult. But look at it this way, any pondering over previous events will not change them. However, our laying them down only to push aside, and to explore God's plan for us will bring forth freedom and victory. He has such great plans for you. There awaits many wonderful things for you this year! The only way to get there, is to 'forget the past and press on'!  1 John 1:7 says, "But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations]." Today is a new piece of paper! We can do all things through Christ, Who gives us strength! Happy New Year 2015!

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