Well, the big Christmas celebrations
have come to an end for 2014 and the new year is right around the corner.
We've just come out of a season of thankfulness and praising the Lord
for the precious gift of His one and only Son and now we are rushed
right into a time of reflection; reflecting on what we've
accomplished in the past year and what is to come in the new year.
Yesterday, Pastor Randy spoke about how
God wants to use us in the coming new year. Sure, we like to make
our own plans but God's plans are the ones that matter. He told the
story of how he asked his grandfather-in-law (or maybe it was his
father-in-law) “How can we write a plan that's pleasing to God?”
and I loved his grandfather-in-laws reply: “Write things in
pencil and keep a Big eraser on hand.”
Here are some of
the verses that Pastor referenced yesterday in his sermon titled "Come, Seek, Call":
Isaiah 55:1-9
Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no
money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and
without price. 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not
bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen
diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in
rich food. 3 Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul
may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my
steadfast, sure love for David. 4 Behold, I made him a witness to the
peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. 5 Behold, you shall
call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know
you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy
One of Israel, for he has glorified you. 6 "Seek the
LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the
wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him
return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our
God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 9 For as
the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than
your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10
"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not
return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word
be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but
it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the
thing for which I sent it.
(ESV)
Luke
2:22 -35 (Jesus presented at the temple)
Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this
man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him
by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the
Lord's Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when
the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to
the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God
and said, 29 "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in
peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your
salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your
people Israel." 33 And his father and his mother marveled at
what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary
his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and
rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a
sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from
many hearts may be revealed." (ESV)
2
Corinthians 4:5-6
For what we proclaim is not
ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants
for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of
darkness,"has shone in our hearts to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (ESV)
John 16:7-8
Nevertheless, I tell you the
truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go
away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him
to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin
and righteousness and judgment
(ESV)
James
3:10-12
From the same mouth come
blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt
water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine
produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
(ESV)
Please
let me know if I forgot any verses.
In
closing, make prayer a priority in your life. Now is a good time to
think about who you would like to see come to Christ in the coming
year and pray fervently for them.
Have
a happy and safe New Years Eve celebration,
