This Sanctuary Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.

It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.

In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts.

We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.

Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure you’re addressing the issue only, and not trying to confront the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.

In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.

Please also consider the Guidelines for posting and discussion printed here: 
https://www.theqtree.com/2019/01/01/dear-maga-open-topic-20190101/

A New Year’s Resolution . . . no
A New Year’s Revelation

Here I am, the New Year. I am an unspoiled page in your book of time. I am your next chance at the art of living. I am your opportunity to practice what you have learned about life during the last twelve months. All that you sought and didn’t find is hidden in me, waiting for you to search it but with more determination. All the good that you tried for and didn’t achieve is mine to grant when you have fewer conflicting desires. All that you dreamed but didn’t dare to do, all that you hoped but did not will, all the faith that you claimed but did not have — these slumber lightly, waiting to be awakened by the touch of a strong purpose. I am your opportunity to renew your allegiance to Him who said, “Behold, I make all things new.”

We will soon celebrate the beginning of a new year, but more importantly, that God made with us a new covenant … a covenant that leads to permanent change.  God has made this change possible for us, not by us making a New Year’s resolution but by the work of his Holy Spirit in our hearts.

Isaiah 43:18-19 – Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

God told Israel that He would do something new, that He would do even greater things with them, but in order for this to happen, they had to return back to Him. God speaks to us today using the same words, we have to turn back to God and leave far behind the sinful life; we have to turn to God and leave far behind the depression, rebellion, apathy and discouragement. God wants to do something new in our life, He wants to restore and use us. We are about to begin a new year, but we may also be ready to lay hold of a new life.

We should examine ourselves today, reflect and ask, “Am I a slave to the things of this world? Am I about to be led captive due to my rebellion, apathy or discouragement?” Listen well for God tells us today “See, I am doing a new thing!” God wants to do something new in our lives today. He can renew us, and He wants to bless us, but we must want Him to do so.

When we trust God, He remains faithful. He will guide us in the year ahead.

Happy New Year!!!!!!

Many of us do look forward to the new year to make changes in our lives that may affect how we look, and what we think, say, or do.  This time of year is also a good time to think about the changes God is offering us in our new life in Christ and whether or not we are really embracing those changes.

THE NEW LIFE

1 Pet 2:24  He took our sins on himself, giving his body to be nailed on the tree, so that we, being dead to sin, might have a new life in righteousness, and by his wounds we have been made well.

Rom 6:4  Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in a new way of life.

Rom 7:6  But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old letter of the law.

AND WITH THAT NEW LIFE COMES THE HOLY SPIRIT (more of that later) AND . . .

2 Cor 5:17  all things are become new
Rom 7:22  a joyful delight in the law of God
Rom 8:2  freedom from the law of sin and of death
2 Cor 4:1  courage and hope
2 Cor 4:16  we do not give way to weariness, our inner man is made new day by day
2 Cor 5:4  a new body, in which death is overcome by life
Col 3:10  a new man renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him
1 Pet 1:3  new birth into a living hope
1 Pet 3:4  a new nature within—a gentle and peaceful spirit
1 Pet 1:4  a heritage fair, holy and forever new, waiting in heaven
John 6:39  surety of salvation and a resurrected body
2 Pet 3:13  new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness
Rev 21:2  new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared for us

Rev 21:5  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.

If we don’t feel the enormity of the blessings of our new life now and in the future to come all the way to eternity, it’s because we, and I put myself solidly within that we, have not fully laid hold of those blessings and made them our own. 

One day in the future, much sooner than we might expect, on resurrection day, in our newly transformed bodies, we will have that realization.

Ring Out the Old, Ring In the New

Ring joyous bells, across the snow:
The old year is going, let him go;
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out all forms of worldly strife;
Ring in God’s righteous ways of life,
Ring out the vain and selfish cause,
Ring in Jesus and freedom from laws.

Ring out the carnal lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring out the demon foul disease,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in larger hearts, and kindly hands;
Ring in the godly man and free,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

Ring joyous bells, across the snow:
The new year’s come, our hearts aglow;
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring glory to God, Good and True.

Amen.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson (heavily modified)

Colossians 3: 9-17

9 . . . you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

On this day and every day –

God is in Control
. . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . .
Keep Looking Up

Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.

“This day is holy to the Lord your God;
do not mourn nor weep.” . . .
“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet,
and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared;
for this day is holy to our Lord.
Do not sorrow,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”