January 1 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Revelation 21:1-7

¹And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
²And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
³And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
⁴And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
⁵And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
⁶And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
⁷He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Devotional

At the beginning of this New Year let us look not to the things that are old, and ready to decay, but let us have regard to things new, and that shall abide for ever. The Bible speaks of old things and new things. Thus it speaks of an old way, and of a new way, of the old man and the new man, of the old covenant and of the new testament (covenant). It speaks of a new song, and a new name, and a new heart, and a new spirit. We must remember that by nature, as long as we are not renewed by the Spirit of God, the adjective old applies to us and our life. We walk in the old sinful way; yea, we are dead in trespasses and sin, ruled by our old nature, still under the old covenant, the covenant of works. We must be renewed by the Spirit of God. Jesus says, "Ye must be born again." We must become a new creature (creation). Paul says, "Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." We put on the new man by believing in Jesus Christ. And "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new." Believers shall also have a new abode. Peter says, "We, according to his promise, look for new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." The first heaven and the first earth shall pass away. Let us remember what our text tells us, He that sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said unto me, "Write: for these words are true and faithful."

Prayer

O Lord our God, from everlasting to everlasting Thou art God. In Thee we live and move and have our being. O God, be merciful to us and lead us in the way everlasting. And unto Thee we would give all the praise now and for ever. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Heb. 8:13; 10:20; Job 22:15; Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9; Eph. 4:24; Heb. 8:8, 9; Matt. 26:28; 2 Cor. 3:6; Ps. 26:1; Isa. 62:2; Ezek. 11:19; 18:31; John 3:7; 2 Cor. 5:17; Rev. 21:1, 5.

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