I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name. Ps 138:2 NKJV

I stand in awe of the wonderful word of God, the Bible. There is nothing like it in all of His creation. Each word, each letter, each thought is presented with a divine perfection and accuracy that staggers the imagination. I love to read it, study it, teach and communicate its great thoughts because it has the power to bring life, hope and peace to all who receive its eternal truths. The word of God is to the soul of man what the Spirit of God is to the spirit of man. Life. Power. Hope. Wholeness. Fulfilment. Love.

The word of God makes known the thoughts of the Father and reveals the Son, Jesus who is the same, yesterday, today and forever, through the power of the humble and all wise Holy Spirit.

Every word is used precisely in the original texts, even the very letters, and so we get to the use of numbers in scripture. In the Greek and Hebrew languages, they didn’t have the Arabic numerals that we use today for numbers. Instead, different letters of their alphabet were assigned different numerical values, for instance, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10, 20-30-40-50-60-70-80-90, 100-200-300, etc. all had different letters or groupings of letters that signified their values. We even see this today in what we call ’roman numerals.’ For instance, ‘Super Bowl XV’ means Super Bowl 15, which was a win by my beloved Oakland Raiders.

In scripture the numbers one through thirteen have particular significance, as well as a number of others. (The reason I don’t like paraphrase translations is that they adulterate the original text especially in light of figures of speech, which are huge!) ONE (or first) is significant of unity and commencement, TWO of difference or confirmation, and so on. Most of us know that the number SEVEN refers to spiritual perfection or maturity. Now, God’s numbering system works in groups of sevens, while ours works in groups of tens. So, under God’s system the eighth thing listed begins a new group, so the number eight is significant of a new beginning. Do you see it?

Let’s see this in the Word.

Jesus first appeared alive from the dead on the first day of a new week. Connecting that day with the events of the previous week makes His resurrection appearance to be on the eighth day, thus the number eight is associated with resurrection, new life, mercy and grace. In Jesus’ name in Greek ‘IESOUS the number values of the letters add up to 888 – three eight’s, THREE being the number of completeness. Accepting Jesus into your heart, the new birth experience, is far and away the single most important event in anyone’s life. It is the beginning, the new beginning, the birth moment of a limitless eternal life. Jesus brings a COMPLETELY NEW BEGINNING, washed in the blood of the lamb, without even a hint of the old life still lingering, complete and forever! My heart leaps inside of me…are you rejoicing yet?

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness (Grk. PRAUTES) the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. James 1:21 NKJV

PRAUTES is listed as the eighth fruit in Galatians Five. How does meekness relate to a new beginning? Oh, I can start preaching now! Every time I sin, and I humble myself to the Lord and His word and confess my sin, it’s a new beginning. The meekness that brings obedience to truth allows you to enjoy a new beginning. I want you to grasp how significant this new beginning is! When you have this new beginning, the Word says He cleanses you from all unrighteousness. This means that the lock that holds every spiritual, physical and emotional shackle, even financial and otherwise, in your life has now been broken. Now all you must do is shake the chains off and walk free. You have a new chance to walk right, to do it right, which is a new beginning. Understand! This is why it is possible for EVERY LIFE to turn around, no matter the age, no matter the severity of the circumstances, no matter the guilt and shame or the wickedness of the past. There is hope of a new beginning for saved sinners as well as unsaved sinners. No matter what kind of mess you are in, humble yourself to obey the word of God, and the Lord can release you, free and clear, into a new beginning.

One incident I remember from my early days in salvation was of a buddy who enlisted in the army. This was during the Vietnam war. In between his enlistment and his induction into the army, he got saved, and his heart changed. He wanted to serve the Lord as a missionary. When he showed up for induction, his papers had been mysteriously torn in half and were no good. So, with a huge change of circumstances divinely wrought, he went to be a missionary. A new beginning!

Finally, do you realize what the eighth gift listed in 1 Corinthians 12 is? Oh, come on, give it a try! Yes, its speaking in tongues!

Speaking in tongues, the eighth gift listed, actually ‘diverse kinds of tongues’ because of the miracle translation situation, was the first gift manifested – unity and commencement – and signified the new beginning of the Church age. It is also a new beginning in individual’s lives, especially if they use it and not bury it (Luke 19:20). When Agnes Ozman received the Holy Spirit under the hands of Charles Parham it opened the way for a new beginning in the Church, a new revival of Pentecost power that has swept the world and continues even to this day.

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Jude 20-21 NKJV

Dear one, this is the last week of an old year. There is HOPE in you for a new beginning in the new year, a new HOPE for every circumstance that you face. The Lord allows new beginnings whenever they are needed. All you and I have to do is obey the Word of God in whatever way it instructs us. The Lord has made provision for every one of us, in whatever situation of life we find ourselves, to have a new beginning with greater glory and blessing than ever before! Receive with meekness – a new beginning – the engrafted Word which is able to make whole your soul. After what we have all been through, a new beginning is more important than ever. Love you!

Remember dear one, we must be about our Father’s business…