8 = New Beginnings

I was inspired to write this post when my dear friend drove past 8 cows grazing on the property of our Church on Monday the 5th. It was not just the cows that surprised me but the "number" of cows that were there...

The 8 Cows found randomly on our Church property

While number 7 means Perfection, a full cycle or Completion; number 8 marked New Beginnings. I love biblical numerology - maybe it's because of my background and culture; the Chinese finds great meanings through numbers!


"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become NEW." (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV)

You see, it's easy to associate "new beginnings" with new venture, new plans, all the "external" stuff - all those it's easy to get. But i believe it is just as important to wave goodbye to the "former things" as to embracing the new; INTERNALLY. So what are the old things you asked? One thing I love - is how we can allow the Bible to interpret the Bible. When Paul talks about the old things in the Book Of Corinthians, the Apostle John spells out specifically what the former things are in the book of Revelation chapter 21:

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4 (NKJV)

 And the best bit, 

"Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things NEW.”

That should be the fundamental reason why we should feel ALIVE each time we wake up in the morning. The very moment we accepted the very Person of Jesus into our heart; we became NEW. This newness is much more than we can ever comprehend. This NEWNESS regardless of our feelings have more impact to our body, soul and spirit than we can ever fathom! WE ARE NEW CREATION IN CHRIST AND THROUGH CHRIST!
For the old has passed away or gone or dissapeared or vanished - and BEHOLD WE ARE NEW.


How often do we acknowledge the NEWNESS in ourselves? And in others?  For it takes FAITH to tune our mind into that zone. 
That verse plainly says that; henceforth, I refused to see MYSELF in the natural. And I refused to see YOU who are in Christ in the natural. 


Have you ever been in a noisy place for a period of time? Say in a busy and massive construction place; the whirring of machines caused the dins in the atmosphere. And you slowly walked away and the noise diminishes, bit by bit but somehow you are still able to hear it in your HEAD?
This is like, the old man has gone but the old thinking is still there. That's why the Apostle Paul kept reminding us that we no longer dwell in the flesh but in the Spirit.


Former things that was spelled out in Revelation means death, sorrow (depression) and cry (pain). Wow - the next time we feel like dying, depressed or experiencing pain in any kind, we need to be reminded that those are the FORMER THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY VANISHED! 


My friends, you no longer need to face nor battle with your former things (death, depression, pain) any more, (yes that includes aging!) because Jesus has already taken them from us. How great is our GOD!


I prayed that your days will be filled with you EXPERIENCING the NEWNESS in CHRIST. If they are not then start feeling NEW.


I have jumped into the bandwagon of "New Beginnings", will we encourage (put courage) in each other to stay there?