Foundational Scripture John 12:32: And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”
As we begin a New Year we contemplate what the New Year will hold for us. We look back over the last year and we ask God to help us to learn from our failures and from our weaknesses. We also ask the Lord to help us to learn from our mistakes and not repeat the same missteps again in the New Year.
Most of us set goals. We make plans to lose the holiday weight we may have gained. Some of us promise to read and pray more. Others make business plans. All of us have this desire in our DNA to do better, be better and to make some sort of mark on society for good. All of this we do year after year until we take our last breath.
Even though there is nothing wrong with all that I have outlined above, it’s not the most important thing we could be setting our minds and hearts on as we look forward to 2013.
Side Note Here: Our Lord has warned us to not hold to tight to the things of this world and to be heavenly minded, even more so as we see His Day approaching. Luke 21 identifies this for us very clearly. Luke 21:33-38
Continuing...
Last year this thought seemed to be a reoccurring theme in my life throughout the year. It’s as though the Holy Spirit was trying to get something across to me and He didn’t let up on this message. Below is a simplified summary of what the Lord is walking me through and maybe it can assist you in your walk with Yeshua (Jesus):
- In life we make all sorts of decisions and we don’t always make correct choices. In one’s lifetime you can fail at everything you ever attempt to do, but, there is one decision you must get right and you cannot get it wrong…the decision to put your faith, belief, love and trust in Yeshua (Jesus Christ) you have to get that right!
Think about this with me for a moment. A person can fail at everything in life, but if they put their faith and belief in Yeshua they WIN! This ONE decision all men and women must get right no matter what they may get wrong in life. Imagine that, eternity for you and me soley rests on that one "big" decision; a yes will seal your eternity with God and a no will seal your separation from God for eternity. Why do we put so much focus on success, money, our careers and everything else under the sun? It seems to me the condition of ones soul should be the highest of all priorities in ones life!
At a time last year when I was in a desperate painful place and at times, felt that I was alone, Yeshua reached out to me in a very real and tangible way. It was so real it felt as though He was in my living room with me on that day. I have only had this happen in 38 years maybe 4 or 5 times. These are very special moments and I always cherish them. Here's what I heard the Lord say to me, “Stephan, don’t worry, don’t be too hard on yourself, I love you and I care about what you are going through, you're not alone. Remember, the one decision you had to get right – you got it right and now I’m going to ask you to do only these two things for me right now…”
- Trust and obey me… I opened my laptop and I found the song Trust and Obey. That song soothed my hurting soul like never before. The thought, that God was with me, was an overwhelming experience in that moment. God is good. He never gives us more than we can handle and He does comfort us and He always provides a way of escape! [1Corinthians 10:13] Also read Psalm 23 and Psalm 119
The Lord has used all of 2012 to literally teach me how to trust Him and how to obey Him, even when I'm at my worst and may not feel like it. I'm learning that to trust Him I must have faith in Him. In order to have faith in Him I had to believe in Him. The only way I could have believed in the Lord was for the Holy Spirit to open my eyes and heart. The Lord showed me through my experiences through pain and suffering (health challenges) this year that to trust him meant I had to fall in love with Him and falling in love with my Messiah and Savior meant that I would want or desire to obey Him as the natural consequence of hope, faith and love. What an amazing progression. The Lord doesn’t force us to love Him, He leads us to understand through His love for us that He demonstrated on the cross that we can count on Him and because He will never fail us, and because He will always be there for us, He is worthy of our love and obedience.
If you love someone you seek their best interest and to do things that bring joy and encouragement to their lives. If I love the Lord then I want to do things, say things and think things that are pleasing to Him and I never want to bring harm to Him. Every decision I make is made with Him in mind. Because we have a living-breathing relationship I communicate with Him and go to Him and ask Him for His input before I make a decision or take any course of action.
I don’t think I really understood fully, until now, what John 12:32 really meant. But I’m starting to get it and I look forward to lifting Yeshua up in my life and looking to Him for guidance, strength, for comfort, for peace and a safe place to fall when I need help. To love Jesus Christ is to "do His will," for He will never steer us wrong!
Isn't it amazing that God never asks us to do something without providing us with all the tools to get the job done? Whatever He is asking of you today just say "YES!" Allow me to encourage you to listen to that still soft voice in your heart, that's where God's Holy Spirit speaks to us, just as He did for Elijah in 1 Kings 19. Follow that leading from the Holy Spirit and you can never go wrong!
John 12:32: And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”
I pray you will have a blessed 2013. Lift Christ up in your life and in your heart and fall in love with Him in a new way in the new year!
Numbers 6:24-27:
The Lord bless you and protect you; the Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace. In this way they will put My name on the Israelites, and I will bless them."
Until next time God willing...
Keep looking up because Messiah's return is at the door!
Peace and Love in Jesus The Messiah,
Shalom v'ahava b'Yeshua Ha'Mashiach
שלום ואהבה בישוע המשיח
Bro Stef
Watchman & Publisher
'But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman's hand.' ~Ezekiel 33:6
But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. ~1Thessalonians 5:1-6
“My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD. Because they lead my people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace …”
Ezekiel 13:9-10
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