The Fast of Daniel – Day Seventeen

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New Year, new life?

This is what everyone hopes for, even believers in Jesus.
But can hope alone give you a new life in the New Year?

All we have to do to answer this question is look back in time.
People in the past had the same expectations at this time of year. The same hopes. And what happened? Nothing. For many, it got worse.
Why is that?
Because a new life doesn’t depend on emotions, it depends on an active faith. But in what way?
Let's go back to biblical times.

God called Abraham to raise up a nation that would be separate from all the other pagan nations.
While in Egypt, Abraham's grandson, Israel, multiplied and became a great nation. The Lord then delivered them from the slavery of Egypt and helped them build a strong and powerful nation.

But because of their rebellion, Israel returned to the spiritual state of Jacob. They went back to being slaves in a foreign land.

History repeats itself. When people are spiritually healthy, there is peace, health and prosperity, but when they are far from God, the devil takes charge of their lives.

Nearly 100 years had passed since their return to the land of Palestine, and yet, in the days of the prophet Malachi, Jacob had once again become spiritually lost. The priests were immoral and so were the people.

Dishonesty, infidelity, marrying people of other faiths, divorces, idolatry, sorcery, adultery, profanity, stealing and every other sort of immorality was being committed.

And when they cried out to the Lord, He replied: For I am the lord, I do not change. You have gone away from My ordinances...
Return to Me, and I will return to you.
But you said: In what way shall we return?

So the Lord gives the recipe for a new life in the New Year: Be faithful with your tithes and offerings.Malachi 3:6-12
Of course!
A marriage cannot be restored without first restoring the principle of marital faithfulness. The same applies to restoring a covenant with God.

This year, start the New Year by being faithful to God and testing His faithfulness to you.
See for yourself if His Word is true or false!
Tithes represent faithfulness. They are a sign of your partnership with God.

When we are faithful to Him, He is required to do the same to us. That is why He promises to rebuke the devourer.

Whoever wants to begin a new life must be faithful to God with their tithes. Otherwise, they‘ll be hoping for a new life until the day they die, and nothing will have changed.

Think about this!