New Wine Skins

 

New Wine Skins

Luke 5:33-36

Then they said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?” 34 And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.” 36 Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. 

Jesus is calling us to come to Him. The Lord has something that will change our lives forever. His Spirit is full of new mercies and gives us newness of life. Where can we go or turn to find peace, rest, and freedom from all the weariness that have plagued our souls. This new life and peace are found in the Spirit of God. So many still will not come to Jesus, because they are comfortable being miserable with tradition.

The knock at the door is the opportunity that many have been waiting for. We must open the door and invite the Lord into our homes. He brings us good cheer and blessings. If we need healing, we must ask and pray for it. Mark 5:34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” Sometimes, the Lord will heal us instantly because of our faith. In this moment, we heard the knock and opened the door. That is our faith being activated to receive something from God. He comes to give us life more abundantly.  

There is more to enjoy in life that will help us to understand that we are being called to a new life that is everlasting. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth who is dwelling within us. He comes to meet us where we are to help us believe in the Word of God. Many may not believe but their heart is in the right posture to receive. That is the move of God when we are not sure of what we believe, and He still wants us to experience this new life. 1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

The Lord loves everyone of us and have a plan to give us more. We are made in His image and likeness. There is nothing that He doesn’t know about us. This journey called “life” is not our destination. Christ is patiently giving all mankind time to seek the kingdom of God and answer the call to accept and believe in Jesus. There is a final hour when grace will no longer be extended the gates will not open and the door will be shut. The power of God is working on us to live as examples of His testimonies that are also written about the men and women in the Bible.

We are vessels of clay with different hues, shapes, sizes, and depth. Yet, many of us have been broken, bruised, chipped, torn, cracked, and discarded. We don’t feel useful nor valuable let alone attractive in a sense. But news flash we are made in God’s image and likeness. He is the Master Potter and knows perfectly well how to reshape and mold us into something new that will reveal His light and glory in us. We must reject accepting negative thoughts about ourselves and the past hurts. God is in the business of doing new things and creating us new again. Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

The power of God is sovereign through eternity into time and forever. Because God is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient and Omnibenevolence. He is thinking about us every second and has His eye upon everyone of us. We are called to come to Jesus and ask Him about our identity in Him so that we will stop feeling sorry for ourselves and wasting precious time doing nothing.

Many people turn to organizations, movements, social clubs, gangs, etc. Because they are in search of finding their identity in the world. This becomes their life and everything else in their lives becomes centered around it. They learn how to conform to the mission and vision of the founders of these kind of organizations. Sometimes, it’s hard to leave and start someplace new or move on to other adventures. And yet, inside them they still feel that there’s something more that they should be doing in their lives. No matter how busy we become we will not find internal peace or rest outside of the will of God in our lives. Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Jesus is calling us to come away from seeking the applause and attention of men. He wants us to know and experience Him, so that we will be living testimonies of the truth found in the Word of God. We must know by now that external things will not fill us with this new life that Christ speaks about. John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 

Everyone will not seek the kingdom of God nor accept the call of God on their lives. This is an individual’s choice to choose Christ. He will not force us to decide if we do not speak it out of our mouths. But our answer will be revealed in how we lived our lives before we leave here. So many are called but few are chosen. Again, that number is recorded in heaven and so are those names. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

The Lord is pouring His grace, love, and Holy Spirit upon us, but many are fighting God. They want to go their own way. The Holy Spirit is a gentleman and will not force Himself upon us. As we ponder let us think why does the Lord want us to serve Him and choose His plan? When we feel incline to follow our own way in life, we end up running out of answers and mess up our lives. Many are hurting and living behind so much pain and fear and for others they are serving mammon. Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” 1 Peter 1:24-25 because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, 25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

God sent His Son, Jesus to die for our sins to save us from eternal death. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. However, we must still come to Jesus and ask Him to be Lord of our lives, so that we will be a part of His spiritual family. John 3:5-8 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

When we confess that we believe in Christ that is when the door opens for us to allow the Holy Spirit to work in us by transforming us from the old man into the born-again spirit filled man. We are now new wine skins being used for God’s glory. He fills us with an infill of His power and Spirit to be servants and ambassadors in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

Gabriel

 

 Prepare to receive the good news

No matter what you are going through

There is a message on the way

God has an angel on duty

Press toward the mark

Many prayers are heard

 Don’t fret about the journey

The Lord has your back

You will receive His blessings

 Keep the faith when you are weak

His strength is made perfect

The war has been defeated

 Keep asking, seeking and knocking

Changes are taking place in your life

Open your heart and release your spirit

 The Lord above has called Gabriel

You are the one whom He wants to bless

Start rejoicing and proclaim the victory

ã2004 “Naima’s Inspirational Melodies”