A New Beginning IV ...

Thursday, April 18, 2013. We have been talking about the new beginning which coming to faith means. That is a sincere transition - but it is not everything. Renewal is an important part of faith. It continues, when you live with the Lord. Renewal is life itself, lived straight!

Renewal every day …

Faith means that we have access to a power of renewal which is unparalleled in purely worldly environment. Looking back into experiences over 30 years, I can really say that I have never found a force so powerful with respect to personal renewal than Christ. People who live with him can take from his surpassing love and dedication.

We have already stretched the point that God comes to us with open arms. He does not expect us to have changed already, when we come to faith. But we have also talked about God being so different from our own way of life, that change is truely needed! We cannot stay as we are. We need to change, when we live with the Lord.

One consequence of these observations is that change takes place when we live with the Lord. Renewal is not always immediate, but it comes step by step. In fact, renewal is a key theme of Christian life. We are renewed every day. We are renewed step by step. It is a learning curve, which is linked to renewal. We change, usually not in one big transition, but in a life-long transition which is called “life in faith”. Being a pilgrim in faith means to be renewed, to be changed, to be transformed into his image more and more and more and more and more.

Renewal as a biblical theme …

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Renewal is a biblical theme. It is highly implicit, hidden in many stories and remarks. It is partly explicit, mentioned in detail in the Psalms, in Lamentations, in the New Testament gospels and books. For example, it is written:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3, 22)

We can expect God to have a new approach to our problems and our challenges every morning. That is absolutely fantastic and I cannot imagine a stronger force to help us to solve our problems. What ever we do - he is there again and with fresh courage every single morning. When you go to work, you can thank him for being there, for knowing all what is challenging, for his love, for his support, for his power, for his truth, for his character, for his faithfulness, for everything he has ever given you …

Renewal when you come to faith is fantastic. The renewal while living in faith is even more exciting. God is marvellous. He is breathtaking. He is wonderful, the wonder performing God, with wonders on all levels of our life. Some people love magic, but no magic compares to him and his surpassing power and possibilities! (Roland Potthast) ... more texts