“New Beginnings”
 
 
Welcome to all the Freedom Journal readers of yesterday, today and those who will embark upon the Freedom experience in the future.
 
We have been given another year with God’s blessings pronounced upon our lives.  Embracing the year of 2008 with expectancy, joy, love, exhilaration and thanksgiving!  This is a year declared for “New Beginnings.”  The number “Eight” in the Bible refers to “New Beginnings.”
 
In Hebrew the number “eight” is (Sh’moneh), from the root (Shah’meyn), “to make fat”, “cover with fat”, “to super-abound.”  As a participate it means “one who abounds in strength, “etc.”  As a noun it is “superabundant fertility,” “oil”, etc.  So that as a numeral it is the superabundant number.  As seven was called because the seventh day was the day of completion and rest, so “Eight”, as the “eight” day, was over and above this perfect completion, and was indeed the first of a new series, as well as being the “eight.”  ( Paragraph taken from E.W. Bullinger – Number In Scripture – Its supernatural design & spiritual significance).
 
As Bullinger describes the significance of the number “Eight”, it goes beyond the state of something being completed, as the number seven denotes.  Somehow, the number “Eight”, causes you to operate in another dimension.  Almost, leaves the impression of favor and how it just shows up on your manifest.  I often heard favor is not fair.  When someone steps beyond their personal power, and allows the Holy Spirit to take charge of their life, something miraculous begins to exist.  There is an anointing that rests upon your life.  You will begin to experience things you’ve yet to imagine with Christ.
 
In the book of Ephesians, Paul speaks in 4:24, “Put on your “New” nature, created to be like God-truly righteous and holy.  “New Man”, in the Greek “Kainos anthropos” – 2:15, 4:24 – word for “New “ does not mean something more recent in time, but something having a different quality or nature.  Thus the “New Man” is the new humanity created in Christ, of which all believers partake, both individually and corporately.  Since Paul has already spoken of the “New Man” created in Christ in terms of a “New” unified, corporate humanity (2:14, 15) the “New Man” in this verse must also be thought of corporately (see Col. 3:9-11).  In the immediate context, Paul is exhorting each believer to put on his or her “New” human nature.  (Paragraph taken from The MacArthur Bible Handout by John MacArthur (Nashville- Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2003) 410. @ 2003 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.)
 
MacArthur is trying to get a point across to the reader that once you accept Jesus Christ as you Personal Lord & Savior, there is a transformation process that takes place.  Consequently, the things you used to do, you do don’t anymore, because the Holy Spirit comes in and takes over your mind, body and soul – All for the right reasons.  The “New Man” he is speaking of has everything to do with the Holy Spirit; He is the Spirit of Truth, He is your Comforter, He is your Teacher, He is your Righteousness, He is your Instructor, He is your Guide.  The key to understanding the Holy Spirit is learning how to hear his voice, and acknowledging Him as the Person that He is.  Renewing of the mind is another step in the process in the “New Man”, found in Eph. 4:23, “Instead, let the spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.”  Old thoughts, old concepts, old traditions, old ways, do not fit into the things of God.  There is a full renewal and purification process that the Holy Spirit desires to fulfill in all of us.  You must submit to the Spirit of the Lord allowing Him to operate in your life.  We can be our greatest hindrance to what God is trying to do in us.  The things of the flesh are an enmity to the things of God.  The carnal thoughts of man, go against the principles of God, because we choose unbelief and disobedience; just as Adam and Eve had a choice to pick from the trees in the garden with one exception; Gen.2;16-17, “You may feely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden-except the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”  God had already given them the consequences that would occur if they chose to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  This is where depravity entered the world, through disobedience-the desire to be god.  How can you be the creator himself?  But man in his state of unbelief, Adam and Eve didn’t believe they would really die.  Here starts the process for man to be saved by a Savior, The Beloved Son of God, Jesus Christ himself.
 
Genesis which is the 1st book in the bible written by Moses.  The word Genesis means “Beginnings.”  Moses made no attempt to defend the existence of God, which is assumed; nor did he explain what He was like in person or how He works, which is treated elsewhere (cf.Is.43:10,13).  This word is used here of God’s creative activity alone, although it occasionally is used elsewhere of matter which already existed - (Is. 65:18).  Content demands, in no uncertain terms, that this was a creation without preexisting material (as does other scripture: cf. Is. 40:28; 45:8, 12, 18: 48:13; Jer.10:16; Acts 17:24).  A simple decree from God brought the created thing into being.  Matter emerged from that which was immaterial.  Out of nothing, in an instant, the universe-with all its space and matter was made by God’s decree.  The universe- at best its energy and mass-began to exist in some from, the heavens and the earth.  All of God’s creation is incorporated into this summary statement which includes all six, consecutive days of creation.  (Paragraph taken from The MacArthur Bible commentary by John MacArthur).
 
 
In Genesis 1:1-2, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waxes.  And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.”  This scripture denotes the power, and authority and the creative force of the God of this universe.  The same God, who created this universe, is the same today, yesterday and forever.  He is the same God that can meet every need in your life no matter how impossible your human mind deceives you into thinking any thing less.  He is a just, forgiving and loving God, who will administer judgment and wrath should the need arise.  He is the God that will give you a new start and offer “New Beginnings”, should you give him the permission to move in your life in those areas you’ve closed.  God wants all of your mind, body and soul.  You must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.  This is a new year, what will you do with the remainder 343 days left to do His will.  Allow The Spirit of the Lord to manifest in your life.  Now is the time, not later, not next week, not when you think you have yourself together, not when your husband or wife gets it right, you won’t take them with you on the day of judgment.
 
NOW IS THE TIME TO REPENT AND GET YOUR LIFE RIGHT WITH GOD, NOW IS THE MOMENT OF TRUTH, ONCE YOU’VE READ THIS INFORMATION.  YOU ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT WHICH YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU DIDN’T KNOW BEFORE-BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON YOU’RE READING THIS ARTICLE AT THIS VERY MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE.  NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH THAT JESUS IS LORD AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT HE HAS BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD………THE PRICE HAS BEEN PAID ON CALVARY FOR YOUR SINS, THEY HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN.  NOW IT’S UP TO YOU TO MAKE THE NEXT STEP, AND TRUST GOD WITH YOUR LIFE.  I PRAY IN THE NAME OF CHRIST JESUS FOR YOUR FAITH, THAT IT WOULD NOT FAIL YOU.  BE STRENGTHENED MY BROTHER AND SISTER IN CHRIST!!!