BUT WHAT IS AHEAD IN 2011?

2011 has arrived! 2010 is now history. The New Year in almost every culture, including ours, signifies new beginnings, doesn’t it? Many people are really glad that 2010 is over. This past year has seen job losses, health problems, broken relationships and the list goes on. Thank God 2010 is past, they think and say. But, what is ahead? More of the same? Or is there really hope out there somewhere?

Welcome everyone to your 24/7, week long, online church services. Everyone, and yes we really do mean everyone, is welcome in this place. You have come to the right place, my friends. One thing this online church is convinced of – there is hope for you. Our hope and faith is in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. And guess what? We are more than willing to share the love of God we have with you.

Last week we preached the message entitled “Put God First.” That should be the ongoing message for this New Year. If you want things to change in your and your family’s lives, you have to make some changes yourself. This time of year should be a time of self examination. Take an honest look, my friends. In the mirror of self examination you may see what you consider to be a good person - one who loves your family and works hard to provide the good things for your loved ones.

You may have fought the good fight with poverty, sickness and disease or unfair and unjust employers. Possibly addictions have impeded your desire to be the husband/wife, son/daughter you would like to be. Hey, I didn’t say these self examinations would be fun, did I? The truth is, when we really do a serious evaluation of ourselves, we almost always come up short, don’t we?

When one looks at all the obstacles of life, things that seem designed to destroy our dreams and plans can be very daunting. There are times when we as humans can be in a room full of people and be all alone. The good news is this – if you are brave enough to seriously evaluate yourself, you are on the right track for change. You may feel lost, but when you are with people who know the way, you can allow them to show you the way out. That is where this online church comes in for you. We know the way out of being lost. His name is Jesus.

God sent his only begotten Son to this earth to be the perfect sacrifice, to atone for all our sins. You see, the truth is, as you evaluate your condition, the real truth emerges. You can’t make the changes you need to make to be what you desire to be on your own. Your time has come. God is drawing you by his Holy Spirit to him. I know you are tired of the emptiness that plagues you. God desires to fulfill you. He desires to set you free from the law of sin and death. You say “I didn’t know there was a law of sin and death.” That’s okay, most people don’t. Romans 8:1-2 explains it very clearly. Get your Bible out and let’s read it together:

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”

Did you notice the above scripture starts out by saying “There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus?” Now means now!! As soon as you willingly and on purpose receive Jesus Christ in your heart, you are set free from all the bondages of the sin in your life. All sin is forgiven and you are accepted into the family of God for life eternal. The question would be – how does this get you out of the troubled situations of life we talked about earlier? You know, the poverty, the bad relationships, sickness still attacks, employers are still unfair and unjust. The truth is, it doesn’t. But it does give you the opportunity to do something about it. Something you had neglected to do in the past. Because you are now in the family of God, you can cry out to your heavenly Father in the name of Jesus and he will hear you and deliver you out of your troubles. How do I know that? Turn with me to Psalms 34:17.

“The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.”

Look at Psalms 34:19 if you need more convincing.

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: But the Lord delivereth him out of them all.”

Now I can tell you God never delivers you out of these troubles in just the way or time you might think he would. But, God does keep his promises. Through his Word (the Bible), God will show you how to follow him. He will lead you to a victorious life on this earth. The emptiness we talked about earlier will be filled with the Spirit of God. Your reactions to the obstacles of life will be totally different.

God has chosen the end of 2010 to be the end of your walk without him. Now, as 2011 begins you can say as the Psalmist said in Psalms 40:1-3:

“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: Many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.”

Simply put, the Spirit of God is calling you to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. However, the choice is yours to make. I love the above scripture because it says “He inclined unto me and heard my cry.” Imagine, God inclining to hear us! Come on, my friends, as we enter 2011, it is time to let God bring you out of the miry clay you have allowed yourself to get stuck in. He wants to set you firmly on the rock. That rock is his Son, Jesus Christ.

God will establish the new direction for your life, a path to eternal life with him. Pretty soon you’ll be singing a new song and it will be praises unto the Father. Your family and friends will see the change in you and your firm commitment to serving God will even draw some of them to him also.

This message, based on God’s Word, is not going to return void. I pray you are the reason that is so.

God Bless You,
Bro. Bob

You desire to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life. You are ready for a new beginning in 2011. E-mail me today. I will get with you and help you. E-mail me at BrotherBob@TheSpiritofWisdom.org, and let the year 2011 begin.