Looking Back Yet Looking Ahead

Ephesians 3:20-21, “ Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (NKJV)

We are quickly moving toward the conclusion of 2016. I trust that each of you enjoyed a wonderful time of celebration at Christmas. First, we were blessed with a wonderful service on Christmas morning at New River. The presence of God was definitely with us as we turned our attention toward our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I was both honored and blessed with the opportunity to share the Word of God with the congregation. Our family enjoyed a time of sharing our love with one another, our hugs with one another, our laughter and even a few tears with one another. We shared our gifts with one another and my wonderful wife provided a delicious meal that each one of us enjoyed, Our four grandchildren shared information and even some inspiration regarding four of the characters of the "Christmas story." The sharing of these insights into Christmas was a highlight of our time together. 

The wrapping paper has been put away. The last of the leftovers have been devoured. The gifts have been put away or worn already. The tree and decorations will soon come down and put away until next year. The Christmas music does not feel the same way as it did prior to Christmas. We will soon return to our "normal routine" of life. Some people will even make this comment that it was fun while it lasted. And others will be looking toward New Years Eve as one final "emotional high" prior before the 2016 ends. 

But where do we go from here? First, we certainly do not know what 2017 will hold. We are living in an era of time that is very unpredictable and can change very quickly. We also live in a world of uncertainty, confusion, distrust, division and even hatred. Where do we look and in whom do we trust? We realize that the fickleness of the world does not offer any lasting hope, joy, peace, comfort, etc. 

BUT WE DO REALIZE, UNDERSTAND AND BELIEVE THAT THE PROMISES OF GOD ARE TRUE, STEADFAST AND UNSHAKABLE!! We place our confidence in God and His promise to love us and His promise to care about of us. I shared one of the promises of God at the beginning of this blog. I would encourage you to meditate on those words and allow the hope of that passage to take root in your heart as we complete the year of 2016 and prepare to enter 2017!!