Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Something New or Same Old Stuff?


There are a thousand Scriptures that I would like to have used this morning but these stuck out in bold print:   "Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.  Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world.  Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.  You turn man back into dust and say, "Return, O children of men."  For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it passes by, or as a watch in the night" (Psalm 90:1-4).

James wrote these words to help keep our head screwed on right: "Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit."  Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.  You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.  Instead, you ought to sway, "If the Lord wills we will live and also do this or that." (James 4:13-15.)

Hey Gang, Another New Year has been placed in the archives of history.    I sense that most folks would place the events of the past year in the  "up and down" column.  If my heart and soul were not anchored on the King of kings and Lord of lords, I believe I would be frazzled mess.  But I know that even before time began, God laid out a plan for this earth and for every person on this earth, an irrevocable plan and He has not neglected that plan or forsaken those who are locked into His word. 

But it is a good time, as we stand between two years to do some evaluation of our lives.  Looking back and remembering some of the events of the year, its high points and its low points.  The delights and disappointments that stick out in our memories.  A new great grand baby, the marriage of a loved one, the opportunity to pray for a  brother or sister, and seeing God pour out His healing power on that loved one;  all are experiences etched in our mind and heart forever.

Looking ahead, we have new hopes for the New Year.  We wait with anticipation, high hopes and new dreams. True, everything that can be shaken is being shaken but we know that God is still at the helm.  God is God and we are not.  It is a time when we need to be firmly entrenched in the fact that God is in control and we are not. 

I have often said that in my home I control all the important things like should we enter the war, who the next president should be or whether the taxes should be increased: the bride-of-my-youth controls all the mundane things like how to raise the kids, control of the household budget, where we should live and a multitude of other mundane decisions.  Do we not get the idea that we are in control of the important things of life when in reality it is God's who controls death and life, day and night, seasons and times.  
        
Charles Swindoll wrote the following:  "As we move forward into a New Year, we would do well to remember these four "greats": 

*We have a Great God!  Our God has within Him power to accomplish all things He desires to do. 
*God is able to make this a great year! We may be looking at this coming year with fear and trepidation but keep in mind God can make this year a great year for serving Him
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*Don't  be afraid to ask GREAT things of Him.  This is where the shoes hit the pavement.  If we believe that God can do great things, why don't we ask Him for them?

*The Lord delights in giving His children GREAT gifts.  God loves to give-it's in His nature.

Soooo my friends and neighbors, brothers and sisters in Christ, do you believe that God can do great things?  What great things have you asked Him for recently?  

 We wish for each of you that you will have a deeper hunger to know and walk closer to the Lord in this New Year and submit yourselves to be used by the Lord to spread the Good News that Jesus Christ is Lord and Coming Soon!

Blessings,

Gramps

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