Consider this

             “Behold I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5).             Those six, short powerful words have become my favourite description of God.               A quick glance through the Bible reveals some of the “new” things he offers: a new life (Romans 6:1-4), a new spirit (Romans 7:4-6), a new relationship (Hebrews 8:6-13), a new birth (1 Peter 1:3-5) and the chance to be made into new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17) just to name a few.   He desires to put a new heart in us so that we can serve him in a new way (Ezekiel 36:24-28) and he does all of this because his goal is to make things new (Psalm 103).             This “new” message is important, not only because of what it says about God, but also because it brings hope to our circumstances. When we know that God’s goal and purpose is to make all things new and better, then it is easier to believe that the mess that we find ourselves in is not the end of the story.   The dead-end that we are facing can become a p

           When we were kids, my brother and I used to play this game where one of us would crawl head first into a sleeping bag and then the other guy would wrap up the open end and sit on it.   Whoever stayed trapped the longest was the winner.             Now, you would think that a person could stay inside a sleeping bag for hours.   I mean, there is no danger of suffocation.   Air is easily transmitted through the fabric.   In fact, it is not even as dark in there as you may think, because a little bit of light leaks in around the zipper.   After a while, you can see quite well.               The problem, however, is that you are trapped!   And after a while, that is all you can think about.             Claustrophobia sets in long before the actual “physical dangers” of being trapped in the sleeping bag become serious.   When thoughts like, “I can’t move!” or “I can’t breathe!” or “I have to get out!” start to dominate your thinking, then you are done.   I think our al