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This Week’s Devotional Topic
FROM CHRISTMAS INTO THE NEW YEAR
Reality is that God alone knows what lies ahead for us in 2022. In many respects, we will be ‘boldly going where we have not gone before’. Just as we live every day, every moment, we walk by faith not by sight.
There are three basic concepts that will give you encouragement in the new year to come. These include faith, hope and love.
Let’s consider each of them carefully. First look at faith.
Romans 1:16,17 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
Hebrews 11:1-6 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith. It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
Since we live by faith, we should walk by faith. And as the prophet Isaiah told God’s children: “this is the way, walk ye in it”.
Isaiah 30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
The Joy of the LORD can be present and abiding as we dwell on things above, whereas happiness is temporary and typically brought on by ‘things’. Joy given us by God is our strength, giving us HOPE.
Nehemiah 8:9,10 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
Psalms 30:5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Psalms 51:10-12 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Matthew 2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Luke 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
The greatest of these is love.
I Corinthians 13:4-6 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
I Corinthians 13:13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
These three elements of faith, hope and love are also a vital part of the Christian’s holy “armor”.
Ephesians 6:11-13 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil.
I Thessalonians 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
If you are just thinking about things you want to do differently in this coming year or are working prayerfully and fervently on “New Year’s Resolutio ns”, be sure to incorporate faith, hope and love into your lifestyle.
This week’s Scripture:
Romans 1:16,17; Hebrews 11:1-6; Nehemiah 8:9,10; Isaiah 30:21; Psalms 30:5; 51:10-12; Matthew 2:10; Luke 2:10; Ephesians 6:11-13, I Corinthians 13; Ephesians 6:11-13 and I Thessalonians 5:8
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