"Out with the old....In with the new!"

As 2007 draws to a close, most of us are considering what 2008 will bring. Debbie's lesson in Sunday School this week centered on the old and the new....at the close we talked about new beginnings....Somehow I am reminded of the lyrics from Randy Travis' song, "The Baptism"...."down with the old man, up with the new!" If you are a child of God, you are a new creation (2 Corin 5:17) and you should reflect the image of God in the way you think, talk, and act...Now I know what you are probably thinking, "I can't help what I think" but God's Word says that although we can't control what we think, we can take those thoughts captive and make them "obedient to Christ" (see 2 Corin. 10:5)...in other words, we may think it but we don't have to let the thought linger or "ponder" on the thought. I don't know where you are in your walk with Christ or if you even have a walk with Christ, but you know where you are. Be encouraged that if you go to God asking Him to mature you in your walk (or to give you a "walk"), He'll do it for the asking. I can only praise God as I leave 2007 behind....after a year and half battle with cirrosis, my sweet brother now has a "new beginning" in heaven, seeing our Savior face to face! Thank you to each and everyone of you that prayed for him and his family! Hope you and your family have a Happy New Year!