New Year – Remember

by Micky Galloway

All of us over the past year have been richly blessed by God. Some have experienced sickness or the loss of a loved ones. Some have obeyed the gospel; others have taken a stand for the truth at great personal sacrifice. Others have struggled with sin and faithfulness to God. The passing of another year causes us to reflect on the challenges and blessings of the past as well as the prospects the new year brings. I read many articles last week about the beginning of the new year. They all said about the same things, so here are my thoughts.

Remember that time is precious. Many will die in the next year without the gospel! David prayed to God, “So teach us to number our days …” (Psalms 90:12). No moment can be recalled or reclaimed. It cannot be returned to the clock or the calendar. Life is limited by time! It is, “a vapor that appeareth for a little time …” (James 4:14). The reality of death and the brevity of life should make us more careful and sober in our thinking about sin and its eternal consequences. “For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Opportunity to serve is also limited by time! In the parable of the talents of Matthew 25:14-46, after the distribution of the talents to “each according to his several ability,” there was a day of reckoning. “Now after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and maketh a reckoning with them …” (Matthew 25:19). We don’t know how long, but we do know time was limited. We are commanded to “redeem the time” (Ephesians 5:15-16), literally to buy up opportunity. Let us use our time to teach the lost before it is too late!

Remember what is most important. This will solve a lot of problems before they develop. We will not have problems with church members who neglect Bible study, fail to give as prospered, or allow the slightest things to interfere with their service and worship to the Lord, if we all remember what is most important. We will not have problems associated with “withdrawing ourselves” (II Thessalonians 3:6), marriage/family problems, or divorce (cf. Matthew 19:3-9). However, when other things present a conflict, remember that serving God is most important! This is an individual and unconditional choice! Paul considered, “all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ, and be found in him” (Philippians 3:8-9). He continued, “Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing (I do), forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). It doesn’t matter what anyone else does (husband, wife, friend, or foe). You will answer to God for your own decisions. We must get this right! Parents, teach your children what is most important!

Remember the things above. Closely related to the previous point; Paul wrote, “If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth” (Colossians 3:1-2). Remember that this world is not our home, our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). This is why the Christian will lay up treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). We earnestly anticipate a home where there will be no pain, no death, and no tears (Revelation 21:4). We, like righteous Abraham, look “for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Or as Paul worded it, “For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens” (II Corinthians 5:1).

Remember the source of our blessings. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above …” (James 1:17). From birth to death, we have been amazingly blessed. One of the besetting sins of mankind is ingratitude. The foolishness of men is described in Romans 1:21, “because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks …” Paul’s stated desire for the Colossians was that they might, “… walk in Him, rooted and builded up in Him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7). “In Christ,” we enjoy all spiritual blessings, including the forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 1:3). Let us be thankful for God’s love for us.

Remember that evil is active in the world. Satan is described as a “roaring lion … seeking whom he may devour” (I Peter 5:8). Satan has been bound and is destined for eternal damnation. Hell is prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Yet, he continues to exert his influence, blinding “the minds of the unbelieving” (II Corinthians 4:4) and devouring the souls of men. We are warned, “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (schemes, NASB) of the devil” (Ephesians. 6:11). Satan is crafty, methodical, and deceptive. Paul stated to the Corinthians, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ” (II Corinthians 11:3). It is his desire to make that which is wicked appear righteous and that which is error to appear as truth. Indeed, we face a formidable foe! Our enemy does not sleep; we must continue to be sober and watchful.

Remember those who have gone before. Examples of faith give us courage to endure (cf. Hebrews 11:39-12:2). May our faith also enable us to see the countless brethren of the past and present who, against tremendous forces, remained faithful to God. “Brethren, be ye imitators together of me, and mark them that so walk even as ye have us for an ensample” (Philippians 3:17). Thank God for our brethren (Romans 1:8)! Oh, how badly we NEED each other! Often, under the stresses of life we despair, until these heroes of faith encourage us to boldly press onward (cf. Philippians 1:12-18).

Remember to live to please God. Commit every day of the new year, and every year, as long as life is granted in the flesh to please God. We do not please God by accident; make it your “aim.” “Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord (for we walk by faith, not by sight); we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him” (II Corinthians 5:6-9).

May God richly bless each of you in 2023. May we all draw ever closer to God and each other in truth, in faith, in hope, and in love.