He Makes All Things New (If You Let Him)
Revelation 21:5
Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
Our first house together was an extreme fixer upper. By the time we had finally sold it, there was not one place that had been left untouched, some of them twice. This could often be a good representation of people who come to God. It was for me. I was an extreme fixer upper!
One of the many things we had to do with this house was replace the roof. Now if you’ve ever owned a home, one of the “biggies” is the roof, something that maybe most people don’t even think about, that is until something goes wrong. And for us, it did. With a good understanding of house maintenance when our roof started getting really leaky I knew it was time to get it fixed. The problem was, although I knew how to do the work, I don’t like heights. Our house had a very high, very steep roof. So I had no choice but to hire someone to do the work. At the time, we were also on an extreme budget. I did something I would never suggest to do, I looked for someone to do it cheap.
Well, this crew of yahoos ripped the roof off and put a new one on and it looked fairly decent all things considering. Everything was great, until it rained. I found I had a brand new roof that leaked more than it did before because it was the details they didn’t bother with. No flashing at the edges and no consideration for nail placement. That brand new roof watered our house like a gardener with a watering can!
This is what happens often in the church. People come usually because something or many somethings aren’t working. They come seeking something to fix it, hoping this time it will work for them. The problem is, all too often they forget about the details. Like these bad roofers, they are ok with (at least to start) the appearance of a fix. If it looks good on the surface they think they can get away with it. They don’t allow God to do a thorough work in them. Often it’s all because there are things they insist on hanging on to. Whether it be old ideas of how to do things or people that drag them down, people are too often content with just a surface fix. That is until it rains.
Jesus warned us to build our lives founded on the rock, which is Him and His Word. The Word, when we truly apply it, always changes us because He makes things new. It is not enough to just have a one time fix, we must continue to let God work things in and work things out. The Apostle Paul said in Colossians 1:23, “if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.” Notice, you can be moved away from the truth if you don’t continue in it.
In my life I needed a complete over haul. I have known many people throughout the years that needed the same. Many of those never grew at all and fell away from the truth. It isn’t because God Didn’t Work and because the Bible isn’t effective. The Word only works if we work it and continue in it. To be sold out to God and His Word is a promise of a good outcome, just as Jeremiah 29:11 tells us.
The Bible warns us not to get deceived. It warns us to stay with the truth. Jesus Himself warned us to live in His Word. We cannot blame God if we walk away from Him and then fail. God has given us the way, the only way, and that is His Son. We must go God’s way if we want to get where He is. We must stay on His path if we want the freedom He offers us.
Philippians 1:6 says, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Be Blessed,
Pastor Jeff
