Early this morning, encouraging words filled my heart, and I found myself re-reading them.  In a small way, here is the good and encouraging news:  Christianity is growing.

Now, we are vividly aware how Christianity seems to be shrinking, and in fact, the report speaks that less people are identifying as Christians in North America and in Europe, but that does not mean Christianity is stagnant.  No!  The report spoke of new believers across Africa and Latin America, how the spread of the gospel message was permeating outward—across the globe.

Immediately, my mind returned to my childhood, to my small country church where I sat in my Sunday School class learning about the Cooperative Program and the vision to spread the Good News across the world.  I recall wondering:  Is it possible?  Can everyone really hear the Gospel Message as proposed by the projected year?

Today’s news report answered that question.

Today’s news report spoke of the increasing number of Bibles printed last year and how that number will increase as we enter this new calendar year.

The report even spoke of the way the Bible was translated in new languages reaching people groups who before did not have access to God’s Word.

Encouraging Words.

Hopeful Words.

Peace-Filled Words.

As this year ends, day-by-day, we find ourselves looking backward, pondering the things we did or did not accomplish, while at the same time looking forward, considering the possibilities that remain before us, & we are encouraged & filled with hope.

Today, this concept of a new year meshes in my brain with the concept of a life changed from within by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

The questions come:

• In Whom does your identity reside?
• Have we individually been made “brand-new” in Him?
• Do we have an intimate relationship with the Savior of the world?
• If someone were to ask us (as Jesus asked His disciples) “But who do you yourselves say that I am?” (Matthew 16: 15 NASB), what answer would we readily give?

Jesus’ disciples knew the truth;  they knew Jesus as Savior and Lord.

They walked daily with Jesus and saw His character proven as they did.

They knew Jesus was who He said He was:  the Son of God.

They also knew it did not really matter what the world surrounding them said;  they knew the truth!

They knew Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah.

They saw Jesus perform miracles, healing people from within, raising people from death to life, and they listened to Jesus speak of His upcoming departure, His death, and His resurrection.

They recalled how He said He would come again one day.

They listened, heard, and believed.

HIS Lavish Gift—Freely Given—Offered to All.

• Who do we (individually) say Jesus is?
• Do we know to the depths of our soul who Jesus is?
• Does our identify reside in Him?

Christian hope resides within something unseen, within SOMEONE unseen.  It is a spiritual blessing, a gift, and a heavenly promise offered to every person alive.

We either accept or deny this TRUTH.

As the apostle Paul wrote, it is “our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, . . .”

• We read and see how God chose us even before He formed the world.
• We read and see how God chose us to be holy and blameless before Him.
• We read how in love, God predestined us to become His children:  sons and daughters.
• We read and we receive how God saves our souls through His only Son Jesus Christ.
• We read and we understand that it was God’s good pleasure, His will, that makes this so.
• We read and we praise God with our mouths, with our hearts, with our hands, and with our daily walk.
• We read and we continually thank God for His redemption He provides through the work of Jesus Christ, His Son, upon the cross of Calvary.
• We read and we remember how our sins were forgiven when we responded to God’s Holy Spirit’s conviction felt within our heart.
• We read and we are reminded of God’s Lavish Gift HE Freely Gave to All Who Willingly Accept, Believe, Confess, & Receive.

A well-known minister once wrote:

“If you can’t fly, run.

If you can’t walk, crawl,

but by all means, keep moving.”

—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

• May we open our eyes to see Jesus this day.
• May we open our eyes to see the possibilities given to us in this one day we are gifted to live.
• May we long to walk within God’s will.
• May we stand and be counted in the number identifying as Christians today.
• May we stand and may others know that we live and speak as God’s children.
• May we live a life that pleases God.
• May we fly, run, walk, crawl, and keep moving toward our heavenly promise.
• May we go and tell the world surrounding us about Jesus’ lavish gift of salvation He freely gave upon the cross.
• May we lift our hands in thanksgiving for our Savior “our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, . . .”

Lyrical words that speak of this blessing can be heard through the melody “Left It in the Water” by We The Kingdom.

Listen.

Tap Your Toe.

Sing Along.

Enjoy.

Sense God’s Amazing Grace.

“Left It in the Water

My yesterdays are history.

Left It in the Water

I went down dirty, but I came up clean. . . .

I am born again.

I have been made whole.

Nothing but the blood—washing over my soul.

Glory Hallelujah.

Let this signify.

All that You have done for me—LORD, I’ve got to testify. . . .”