Until A Person Knows God, It Really Does Not Matter . . .
“For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
(The Psalms 84: 11-12 NASB)
The LORD gives grace and glory;
No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
O LORD of hosts,
How blessed is the man who trusts in You!”
Today is the LAST day, yes, the totally final day of the calendar year. Happy Birthday Kim & Jay.
Today is the FINAL day, yes the ultimately last day of the calendar year. Many look at today, hopeful to what tomorrow will bring.
Nevertheless, in walking through THIS DAY, THE LAST & FINAL DAY of the CURRENT YEAR, it is quite important that we pause today to ask these twelve (12) important questions.
- Are We Confident, that What the LORD Promised, HE Will Do?
- What do we do when the LORD God says, “No” to our prayer?
- Do we really trust that God really will always give us what’s best for us?
- Even when we do not understand nor cannot see His plan, can we still “Rest Assured that God Really Does Give His Children Something Better Than Even What We Sought?”
- When are We Who Believe to “Shout joyfully to the LORD . . .”?
- Are we to shout praises when our needs are met?
- Are we to praise God when others hold us accountable?
- Are we to thank God when we serve Him?
- Are we to bow in thanksgiving when we are frustrated or tired or undone?
- Are we to offer thankfulness when we are tested and tried?
- Are we to raise our hands in praise and thanksgiving when the Gospel is shared, when we see the Holy Spirit at work?
- IF THIS DAY were the LAST DAY of our earthly lives, WHERE WOULD WE SPEND ETERNITY?
If a person walks through this life he has been given, and the person does not ever know Jesus Christ as his Savior, then truly—It Really Does Not Matter . . .
- How much education he earned.
- How much money he made.
- How much growth he earned in his career.
- How many children he raised.
- How much good he did for his neighbor.
- How many exciting journeys he has taken.
- How many places, countries, or sites he has visited.
- How much—ANYTHING—If the man, woman, boy, or girl does not know the Son of God as his Redeemer and Lord.
That’s right.
On this final day of the calendar year, it’s most important that we take time to discuss WHAT REALLY DOES MATTER!
The skeptic person will ask: How can we know this is the truth? To that question, our best answer is to refer to the Word of God, to see what the CREATOR & LORD GOD ALMIGHTY has to say. In The Book of Jeremiah, the prophet, we read—
“Thus says the LORD,
“Let not a wise man
- boast of his wisdom,
and let not the mighty man
- boast of his might,
let not a rich man
- boast of his riches;
but let him who boasts boast of this,
- that he understands and knows Me,
- that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth;
for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”
(The Book of Jeremiah 9: 23-24 NASB)
There’s a Christmas carol we sing, maybe one the entire world knows to sing. Each December, we sing these lyrics, but today, as we prepare to turn the calendar to the birth of a new year, may we pause to look back on the calendar year we have just walked through, & may we see with truth WHO REALLY IS KING!
“Joy to the world, the LORD IS COME!
Let earth receive HER KING;
Let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
REPEAT 2x.
Joy to the earth, the SAVIOR REIGNS!
Let men their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
repeat the sounding joy,
REPEAT 2x.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
REPEAT 2x.
He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
and wonders of His love,
and wonders of His love,
and wonders, wonders of His love.”
“Joy to the World”—Isaac Watts
- WHO REALLY IS KING of our lives!
- WHO REALLY IS KING of our days!
- WHO REALLY IS KING of our thoughts, actions, & selves!
WHO IS REALLY KING!—GOD or me?
Until A Person Knows God, It Really Does Not Matter . . .
THIS DAY, the LAST & FINAL DAY of the CURRENT YEAR, it is quite important that we pause today to ask—WHERE WILL I SPEND ETERNITY?
“Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.
(The Psalms 100: 1-5 NASB)
Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
Know that the LORD Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and now we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
For the LORD is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.”
How can we know this is the truth?
Our best answer is to refer to the Word of God, to see what the CREATOR & LORD GOD ALMIGHTY has to say. The apostle Paul was led by the Holy Spirit of God to write these words so that we can face this day with confidence, knowing the TRUTH of WHAT REALLY DOES MATTER—
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it
(The Letter of Paul to the Philippians 1: 6 NASB)
until the day of Christ Jesus.”