HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021 – It Can Be!

Friends, what a year 2020 has been…one we will not forget!

At the stroke of midnight, wherever you are it will be Year 2021 and all of us who are here can shout loud and long – “Praise the LORD!! We made it over!”

Some 1.8 million-plus people of the 83 million COVID-19 virus cases world-wide didn’t survive leaving behind much sorrow, pain, and despair along with economic hardship.

The recent roll-out and availability of new vaccines may not bring the downturn we so desperately need  as a new COVID virus strain more virulent than the first has been discovered.

And then there’s the weakened economy and political and social unrest.

All things considered, world leaders are not offering hopeful predictions for 2021.

 

But what does this mean for a child of GOD?  

However significant the upheaval in the world around us the absolutes that govern the lives of a child of GOD remain unchanged. That is to say, the GOD we serve never changes and neither does His WORD and His promises.

JESUS CHRIST is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8

Whatever difficulties you may have faced in 2020 or lurking on the horizon in 2021, you have a firm and fixed foundation upon which you may continue to stand and build, God the Father and His WORD. So you keep on living like the unique individual that you are – as one chosen and beloved of GOD (1 Thessalonians 1:4.)

 

Obey the will of your Father and:

Cease needless worry being confident that He knows what you need and will provide for you according to His will.  Matthew 6:25-34

Study and meditate on His Word to increase your knowledge of and faith in both the Father and the Christ JESUS the SON. 2 Peter 3:18

Ask GOD for wisdom…do not make life decisions based on your own thoughts and feelings. Proverbs 3:5-6

Pray continually with thanksgiving to sustain joy. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Remain ever mindful that if you are in Christ JESUS all of the Father’s promises are yours 2 Corinthians 1:20

And because we all live in this human flesh you will stumble from time to time but be encouraged – “If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for he cannot deny who He is.” 2 Timothy 2:13

So, today, regardless of circumstances, you can praise GOD for being AWESOME with the confidence that He will be AWESOME again tomorrow!!

 

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26

 

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Almighty GOD and Father, we thank you for YOUR goodness and mercy throughout this year 2020. You forgave our sins, healed our diseases, filled our lives with things we didn’t deserve, renewed our strength, and crowned us with YOUR loving-kindness; and YOU will do it all again in the New Year, 2021. Thank YOU for choosing us to be YOURS in Christ JESUS, not because we are good, but because YOU are. And thank YOU for the Holy Spirit our Counselor. We have all that we need and we are so grateful. We pray in JESUS’ NAME. Amen.

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

 

Cecile

Reflections: On Advent

The four Sundays and weeks preceding Christmas day is the Christian’s season of Advent – November 29 to December 24 this year 2020. During these weeks Christians worldwide focus on the importance of the Advent to the faith – the celebration of the birth of Christ 2000 years ago and the return of Christ at the Second Coming.

Advent ("adventus" in Latin) means “coming.” The English dictionary further defines the word advent as the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event – all aspects of which we can apply to the Christian Advent. The notable person being Christ, the “notable thing” the redemption from sin Christ brought to the world, and the “notable event” being His second coming when He will judge the world and reign in it forever.

 

Two Advents?  

Through the prophet, Isaiah, GOD foretold the coming of JESUS: 

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

This fulfilled prophecy represents the first advent which we celebrate at Christmas. Jesus came then as Savior and Redeemer. He bore our sins at the cross so that those who believed in Him by faith are saved from the wrath of GOD. This too was foretold by the prophet Isaiah:

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, everyone, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:5-6.)

This too was fulfilled: They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him... Mark 15

Now we are to live in anticipation of the second Advent when Jesus will return as Ruler and Judge.

Many Old Testament prophets hint at this triumphant return Zechariah 9:14-15.) But Jesus Himself speaks of it in the New Testament gospels.

Three parables in Matthew 25 foretell His return. Each with a different emphasis but a recurring theme - no one knows when He will return.  

In the parable of the "Ten Virgins," Jesus is represented as a ‘Bridegroom”; in the second parable, He is the “Master” of three servants whom He entrusts with “talents” that they are to put to work for Him. But in the third parable, He is more direct with His identity and the purpose for His return:

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” (verses 31-46)

Jesus is coming again to judge the world and take His place as Sovereign Ruler of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21)  

The first Advent brought salvation for all who would believe – freedom from sin, soul rest, and peace that we cannot get from the world; all of which prepares us for the Second Advent.

If we accept Him fully as Savior, we will reign with Him forever when He comes as King.   

 

A BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOURS!