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| Close the door and say a final goodbye to things worth "goodbying" as you close the door to 2014. Wait with joyful expectation on the wonderful things God has in store for you in 2015. The best is YET to come! |
You never know what is going on behind the façade of someone’s
face. We live in a day and age where people are ready to snap in a moment. Common sense is no longer common. Common courtesy no longer exists. People are only concerned about
themselves. We have become a microwave
society where we want what we want when we want it and the heck with what
anyone else thinks or feels. We are truly living in the last days.
“But realize this, that in the last days
difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of
money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal,
haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather
than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied
its power; Avoid such men as these.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There
will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of
birth pains. You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local
councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before
governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached
to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry
beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for
it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to
death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and
have them put to death. Everyone will
hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
(Mark 13:8-13)
None of the above should be news to us, as we hear it on the
news every night. It is more an
awareness than anything else. Along with
the anxiety of the above comes concern and depression but we are not without
hope because the battle has already been won.
As we enter into the New Year, let us not be discouraged but encouraged
because God is still in control. Let us
treat others with kindness and understanding and love. Let us think about how Jesus would
respond. Let us turn the other cheek when
someone offends us and surprise them by showing an outpouring of love and
forgiveness. This is not something that
is easy to do and totally goes outside of our nature. Let us remember to PRAY for our nation. Pray and encourage others. Let the light of Christ shine forth as a
beacon of light in a dark stormy world where people are running scared. It is so easy to get filled with anxiety over
what we hear on the news or what we see going on in the people surrounding
us. We need to be a calming influence.
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power and love and of sound mind.” (2nd Timothy 1:7)
"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become
tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything,
except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You
are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor
does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and
it gives light to all who are in the house.
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your
good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16)
I know it is hard letting the light of Christ shine through
us when we feel overwhelmed by the darkness of the world that surrounds us, but
we need to remember that the Bible also says:
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly
about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in
weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For
when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2
Corinthians 12:9)
We don’t have the strength or energy or
know how to combat things on our own accord.
It is only through Christ that we are able to go forward. May one of our prayers for 2015 be to trust
Him more. To remember who we are in
Christ.
"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the
waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame
burn you.” (Isaiah 43:1-2)
As this old year passes away, let us
reflect on it and think about those lessons (especially for prodigals that have
come back home) we have experienced and learned.
Think about the doors that God has had you
close this year. Maybe it was a door you
didn’t want to close. Maybe it was a
door that God had to close FOR you because you weren’t strong enough to close
it for yourself. Maybe you are still
smarting from the pain of it. Don’t
reopen it, don’t go by your feelings no matter how much you wish that door was
still open – leave it closed. It has been closed for a reason. Don’t reopen a wound that God is healing.
Remember that we only see in part – but God see’s in full. If He has allowed a door to your life to
close, there is a reason for it. Seal it
shut and walk away from the door for 2015.
There is a better door full of God’s abundant blessings coming your way.
You just have to trust Him.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean
not to your own understanding. In ALL
your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” (Proverbs 3:5)
Pray for those who persecute you. The only ones that ol’ slewfoot can use to
hurt you are those you love the most. It
is hardest to pray for someone who has hurt you, but in doing so there is
freedom there. Say the words even if you
don’t feel them as you say them. Just
getting them out is the hardest of things to do. In time it will come easier, the pain of
deception will fade away and you’ll find you are able to pray sincerely from
the heart and not just out of obedience.
This is what God has called you to do.
Don’t allow ol’slewfoot to make you bitter or to doubt God cares. He does!
The plans He has in store for you are better than any you could make for
yourself. Just believe it. Why? Because
He says so!
"For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to
him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among
you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he
asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you, then, though
you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will
your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew
7:9-11)
If you are a prodigal who has come back home, look ahead of
you and not behind, close the door to 2014 and praise God that He is a God of
second chances. A God of grace, a God of
love, a God of forgiveness. 2014 has
been covered by His precious blood – now go forward in His grace thankful for a
fresh new start – or as I say – a fresh new page of life to write upon. Keep your eyes looking forward and remember
all that you have learned. Remember what
He has brought you through and glorify Him further because of it.
Remember also that the doors that ol'slewfoot tempts us can very often be those we least expect.
"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16)
He will not come in something unattractive, but something that beckons to you and makes you turn your head. That is why it is called temptation. Use wisdom and pray about all things.
Tonight, as you close the door permanently on another year
past, thank God for having brought you through it and trust Him that as He says
in His word, “The number of your days He will fulfill.” (Exodus 23:26) He knows what He is doing, as you say goodbye to 2014 trust Him for 2015. He is in control!
Here's to the year 2015 – May God bless, encourage you and
draw you nearer to Him. May His good and
perfect will be done in your life. May
He open up the windows of Heaven and rain down blessings upon you so abundantly
that you will not be able to hold them in both hands! Remember Who has called you, remember who has
created you, remember who loves you and praise His blessed name!
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