Gen 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.  Gen 1:2  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Gen 1:3  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.  Gen 1:4  And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God. Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. Joh 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men. Joh 1:5  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 

There has been many beginnings in the world, even in our lives.  As bible believers I have opened with what may be the two most important ones.  The creation of the world by our heavenly Father and the arrival of His son. 

Gen 1:1-4 mirrors our creation.  In our beginning God created us.  Through our parents; but with His breath of life.  Our little bodies of 7lbs or so was without mental form. It had a physical form as the earth, or a newly created computer; but lacked content, purpose and knowledge.  We were in both darkness, probably not even able to see sunlight nor the light of God’s directives.  Yet the spirit of God was in our lives even on the first day of our existence.  We had parents or a human to take initial care of us.  For many of us our parents may have had the inclination to have us christened.  For a traditional Jewish boy, it would have been circumcised. Bringing the light of God into our lives.  From then on our parents or guardians were supposed to raise us in the light of God; separated from the darkness of the devil.

Sadly for one or many reasons darkness may have instead reigned in our lives through our guardians or our own failures and bad choices.  The teachings of society filled our earth.  Our hard drive.  It may have come from the outset as with Adam and Eve or later.  In one moment as with them or gradually as we succumbed to society’s traditions, teachings and influences.  Our heads were filled with a different purpose of our lives than of God’s purpose.  The moment we start to live according to our creator’s purpose is when we start to live.  Until then, the partying and disobedience is the devil living in and through you.  Gen 2:7 says God made us a living soul.  The devil makes us a dead soul walking. 

After the earth’s and mankind creation a lot went on before the Messiah came.  Mankind knew of God and what He wanted; but preferred the pleasures of our own choices.  Prophets were sent by God; but were ignored or killed.  People of the world think NOT going to church or following God is freedom.  They do not realise they may be free from God; but belong to the devil.As we grew, we too knew of God and what He preferred of us; but, in different degrees, made the same choices as mankind of old.  We may have thought we could not trust God to make the right choices for us.  Good for Him; but maybe not for us from our point of view.Eventually the earth got the Messiah of John’s gospel.  Some believed it and others did not.  Many scriptures record the transformation.  Act 5:14  And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women). 

When they believed and turned to the truth, they too had a new beginning.  Remember they, as in Paul and those of Acts 2, already had a faith in God, though inaccurate.  We too, while growing up may have had a faith in God, also inaccurate.  Whether simply accepting there is a God; but nothing else or following a corrupted traditional teaching.  Hopefully we too have now reached a point of knowing a lot more of the reality as those early believers.  Now able to trust God to lead and make right choices for us. 

John 1:1-5 tells us our Messiah Yahshua, “The Word” (thought to be Jesus by many) is the manifestation of God into human form.  God, through the Word spoke everything into being including us.  God’s word is life.  It is also our light in the darkness of the world.  Just like in Genesis 1:3, God only spoke light into being and our lives not darkness.  Darkness was already there in the void.  From this we learn God always wants us to have light, the Word of God in our lives.  God separated the light from the darkness and wants those who belief in Him and His son to also separate themselves from darkness.  To save me giving you a multitude of scriptures I hope you know and accept Messiah is the light, the way, the truth and path for our feet and lives.  His purpose was to lead us back to live in the light and reach the ultimate brightness of His Father i.e. redeem us back to God  Rev 5:9  … for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 

Here are a few scriptures for those of you who may need some scriptural evidence.

Joh 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Luk 1:79  To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Luk 11:34  The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.Act 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 

So hopefully we are now at the stage of our lives similar to John.  Where we recognise and are CONVINCED of what is light and what is darkness.  We can choose to be joyous in God’s light rather than the devils darkness.  These are John’s words of conviction penned to give us the same conviction. 

1Jn 1:1  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 1Jn 1:2  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 1Jn 1:3  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1Jn 1:4  And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 1Jn 1:5  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 1Jn 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1Jn 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1Jn 1:10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 

Have you arrived at that place? At least mentally if not in lifestyle and practice?  Although Paul got to that place he still had dilemmas.  However, he started by having the delight and desire to obey and serve God not live in sin and darkness Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 

I am sure we have seen and maybe were ourselves, deceived by sin.  It may now be easier to recognise from our present position; but it and our past believes or lives demonstrates just how vulnerable everyone is to deception.  We talk ourselves into believing lies.  Our hearts become hardened when we nolonger care or respect the warnings of God and we shut out godly influences.  This shutting out can soon lead to living an ungodly life.  Let us warn each other and be wise enough to receive such warnings with openness and love to avoid returning to such darkness. 

So brethren, the world has just finished celebrating a new year.  Many have planned new beginnings and changes to their lives for 2017.  Casting out a lot of the old of 2016 and looking positively to 2017 in anticipation of better times.  Hopefully we know it is not a biblical new year, which comes in about three months in Passover month.  Biblically God did a lot of miraculous things at the beginning of His new year and in addition to the two new beginnings of creation and the Messiah’s arrival mentioned above, His people have other historical new beginnings. 

Gen 8:13  And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.

A new beginning for mankind through Noah and his family where sin was put away from the whole earth. 

Exo 12:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, Exo 12:2  This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.

A new beginning for His separated people Israel.  Taking them out of the sinful world and setting them up in a land meant to be holy.  Untouched and uninfluenced by the sinful world.  Israel failed to adhere to God’s instructions of putting sin and people of the world away from the land and not letting it or them in.  The consequence of that failure still exist today 5,000 years later with the hostilities between Israel and the middle east.  If we fail to adhere to God’s instructions we too and our future generations may suffer the consequences.  Prevention is definitely better than cure. 

Exo 40:17 And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.

The separation from the rest of the world also meant a separation of religious and worship system.  So as people of Yahweh God we are to separate ourselves from the world.  Be in it but not of it.  Maybe live physically next to them; but not have them influence our beliefs.  Have a separate yearly calendar and religious system which includes days to hold as holy and the rest as ordinary.  These are things that were not changed by our Messiah. 

So friends whether you wish to make this period a new beginning in your life to draw closer to God or a year’s ending as we complete the last three months, I want to encourage you to so do.  Audit your life thus far or as it was in 2016 and step up to concluding the biblical year better in God’s eyes.  It is like the lap of a race.  You may have faltered; but let’s get our second wind, bounced in out step for the next 90 or so days. 

We are in a relay race.  We started strong with Yahshua as our anchor runner who finished His lap.  He passed the baton onto His apostles who have passed it onto you.  They are now watching and cheering you on to endure to the finish line.  Keep putting one foot, one action, one sentence infront of each other to live your life pleasing to God. 

It may seem hard and even unnatural to live the life required by God; but here is a video to show you what seems unnatural can be achieved with diligent practice. 

SHOW VIDEO OF DOG WALKING ON HIND FEET DRESSED UP AS HUMAN. 

Every January, the world makes a fuss on how they start the year.  We should be and our bible teaches us to think differently.  The focus is not on how we start our years or lives; but how we end it.  During our lives people come to religion and God for what they belief they can get from Him not for what they can give; and when those possibly false expectations fail, they turn away from seeking the light.  I stopped in a Christian “new year” service to have a word with a husband of someone who was going to be there.  I heard the pastor making all these claims to the congregation about 2017.  If you are childless and barren, this or that come forward to get your blessing for 2017.  Then later came the reason for the season and service.  Queue up to bring your financial seeds etc etc. 

The gift of God is not money, wealth, fame, children and many of the things pastors teach to expect; but eternal life.  Friends let’s focus on what God promises and is faithful to keep; not what He does not promise.  False expectations bring disappointment and falling away from the faith.  So let us live in the light of God’s word not the deceit of the enemy.  Expect and have faith He will walk with you through this life and earth roamed by the devil seeking who to devour; not expect life to be made  easier for you by taking away of problems or giving you riches.  The devil may present your dark circumstances.  Your way out is to use God’s light.  1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

God provides you with bread and water not caviar and wine.  You can get ill on riches as you can with caviar and wine; but not bread and water.  I would rather have water in a dessert than wine. 

The gift of God: Joh 4:10  Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.Joh 4:14  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 

Act 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Rom 5:15  But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. Rom 5:18  Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.  Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Neither can this or any gift of God be purchased with money; but by doing things pleasing to God.  So those giving to receive at midnight on the 1^st January 2017, do not even know God works in light not darkness.  They may have been there giving money 1 Jan 2016 and, if still alive, may do the same midnight 1 Jan 2018.

Act 8:20  But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.  1Jn 3:22  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 

Did Yahshua come to teach us how believing in Him and His Father brings us earthly riches and our desires?   Did it work for Him or the prophets?  Were they rich, etc?  No.  We are not even promised to live until tomorrow so why would God promise us riches, children or things without the time to enjoy them? That is not His message, example nor purpose.   Manifested as a man, suffering the same temptations and rejection, He was to give the same example of obedience.  If we had to bear anything which Yahshua did not endure satancould have argued God’s indwelling poweris insufficient for us to also overcome him.  Hebrew 4:15 says otherwise.  Yahshua met temptation and overcame them in the same strength and powergiven to Him by God as is offered to us. We only have to look at His wilderness temptations of Matt 4 where He overcame with teachings of Deu 8:3, 6:13, 16. His life testifies that it is possible for us to obey the laws of God. As the son of man, he gave us the example of obedience.  As the son of God He gives us the power to obey.Let us likewise seek not our glory; but that of God through our lives.  Joh 7:18  He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. 

With diligence, applying ourselves or assistance of others we can achieve such things ourselves.  What we cannot achieve even with medical assistance is the gift of God, eternal life.  So brethren, do not neglect to do your part to achieve your earthly desires in accordance with God’s directives.  Want a better career in 2017 apply for those jobs. Research and rehearse for the interview.  Want to pay off your mortgage or better your finances?  If you buy things you do not need i.e. expensive cloths that you would hardly wear, you may one day have to sell things you need.  So with a long term view of finances wisely consider purchases of luxuries, entertainment or find someone with who to share the bills.  Another good principle is not to save what is left after spending; but spend what is left after saving. 

Want a good patient and loving husband? Make the right choice and be the same as a woman.  Want to reduce your car maintenance costs?  Stop driving fast over speed humps.  Want people to treat you nicer?  Treat them nicer.  Your 2017 and end of God’s year can improve with YOUR effort not only others.You can be God’s face, voice, friend and comfort to others.  Please try it.  You will be blessed in more ways than you imagined.  And when it is your turn to receive, God will use another face, voice, or friend to comfort you.  You can give from your heart without giving from your wallet.It is a principle of God.  We all have something valuable we can give, love.  A cherished memory given can last longer and be more valuable than gold.  Caring people help others for no reward.  You can be the most physically attractive person in the world; but ugly due to your character covering.  When you implement some of these things you are reflecting and experiencing a character trait of God.  However, that does not mean you freely give of your heart without engaging your brain or you may be taken advantage of. 

God has not promised nor is His gift escapism from trials; but that he will be with you through it to comfort you.  Was it not for that faith and comfort many would not get through trials, tribulation or injustice.  At your lowest, He is your hope.  At your darkest, He is your light.  Your weakest, he is your strength.  At your saddest, He is your comforter and friend. 

He does not ask you to hold His hand and walk with Him; but promises to hold yours and walk with you.  If you held his hand you may let go in moments of despair.  Him holding yours sees you through.  David a king chosen by God and a man after His own heart was not spared trouble; yet through it he as able to write these words.   Some show his troubles and others his comfort.

Psa 28:1  Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit. Psa 28:2  Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle. Psa 28:3  Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. Psa 28:4  Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.

Psa 28:5  Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.  Psa 28:6  Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.  Psa 28:7  The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.  Psa 28:8  The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. 

Psa 40:3  And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. 

You also can have an exalted position as David. 

1Co 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 1Co 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 

1Co 7:23  Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

Eph 1:5  Havingpredestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Eph 1:8  Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Eph 1:9  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 

Let us in this short life live to be gathered together with our Messiah, saviour and God. 

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE IS WITHIN THE WILL OF God. 

The purpose of Yahshua redeeming you is the same as why God redeemed Israel: 

Exo 8:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Rom 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Rom 6:13  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 

Do you have questions of friends and even at times misunderstand them or their intentions.  Well God is also your friend.  Talk with Him daily.  Ask your questions and search His Word for the answer not your head as many deceiving spirits can enter your head.  At times you too may misunderstand his written speech and intentions; but remain His child and he will teach you at the pace according to the effort you put in. 

Lastly remember, if you truly belief Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Use as your guidance this simple directive ACKNOWLEDGE your sin, sincerely REPENT, RECEIVE God’s forgiveness.  IF SLIP UP, REPEAT.  ACKNOWLEDGE, REPENT, RECEIVE.

Shalom.