Happy 2019 New Year! What are your New Year’s Resolutions? Are you crawling, limping, walking, running or soaring into 2019? The Lord is in 2019 ready to draw you closer to Himself and take you into the plans He has for you. I love this story:
“A married couple had been out shopping for most of the day. Suddenly the wife rrealized that her husband had “disappeared”. Somewhat irate she called her husband’s mobile and demanded, ‘Where are you?’ Husband: ‘Darling, do you remember that little jewelry shop where you saw that beautiful diamond necklace and totally fell in love with it but I didn’t have the money at that time and I said “Darling it’ll be yours one day.” Wife, tremulously, ‘Yes, I do remember that my love.’ Husband, ‘Well I’m in the Sporting Goods store next to it.’
Monday evening we gathered to praise our Lord, take in His Word, go back to the cross… and fellowship with one another as we prepared for 2019. During the times in God’sWord I sensed the Lord giving us by His Spirit a simple picture of what to shoot for in 2019: “Faithful, Fountain, Fear Not & Freedom.”
Faithful: Proverbs 28:20 – “A faithful man will abound with blessings.” Mark Hatfield tells of touring Calcutta with Mother Teresa and visiting the so-called “House of Dying,” where sick children are cared for in their last days, and the dispensary, where the poor line up by the hundreds to receive medical attention. Watching Mother Teresa minister to these people, feedingand nursing those left by others to die, Hatfield was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the suffering she and her co-workers face daily. “How can you bear the load without being crushed by it?” he asked. Mother Teresa replied, “My dear Senator, I am not called to be successful, I am called to be faithful.”
Fountain: Jude 1:21 “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” One morning R.C. Chapman, a devout Christian, was asked how he was feeling. “I’m burdened this morning!” was his reply. But his happy countenance contradicted his words. So the questioner exclaimed in surprise, “Are you really burdened, Mr. Chapman?” “Yes, but it’s a wonderful burden–it’s an overabundance of blessings for which I cannot find enough time or words to express my gratitude!” Seeing the puzzled look on the face of his friend, Chapman added with a smile, “I am referring to Psalm 68:19, which fully describes my condition. In that verse the Father in heaven reminds us that He ‘daily loads us with benefits.’
Fear Not: John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” The Bible tells us 365 times to “fear not.” God knows what fear unchecked can do to His children. “Sometimes the Lord calms the storm. Sometimes he lets the storm rage and calms his child.” This year keep your eyes on the Lord and “FEAR NOT!”
Freedom: Galatians 5:13-14 “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge theflesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This prayer was give by Peter Marshall, Before the U.S. Senate. “Lord Jesus, thou who art the way, the truth, and the life; hear us as we pray for the truth that shall make all free. Teach us that liberty is not only to be loved but also to be lived. Liberty is too precious a thing to be buried in books. It costs too much to be hoarded. Help us see that our liberty is not the right to do as we please, but the opportunity to please to do what is right.” May this be our prayer in 2019 in Jesus name!
By His Spirit,
Pastor Bill