Zephaniah 3:5 “The LORD within her is righteous; he does no wrong. Morning by morning he dispenses his justice, and every new day he does not fail, yet the unrighteous know no shame.”
The Lord spoke to the nation Israel via the prophet, when the city was rebellious against God, he spoke to them about this faithfulness. Today as we live in a world of uncertainty, with violence, crime, corruption and division in our culture, what great comfort these words of Zephaniah give.
He reminds us that within the world of evil is a God who is righteous, the Lord who does no wrong. Zephaniah’s message is so timely so important to our generation. Because every day, “morning by morning” he is just, he love and mercy do not fail.
As we enter a new year and a new decade I am so excited about what the Lord is doing not only in our church and community but around the globe. As nations divide over global warming, as conflicts happen around the globe, as people in our nation separate over political ideologies, what comfort there is to know that Jesus Christ did not leave the church without hope.
John 16:13-14 “But when he, the Spirit of truth , comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.”
The Holy Spirit has been guiding believers for millennium and will continue to be with us bringing glory to Jesus by taking from what is his and revealing it to the church. How does he do that? By your life lived as a “living sacrifice” to the Lord. When the church walks in / lives by the Spirit they will bring glory to Jesus in everything we do. Glory to him by the fruit of our lives. After all that is what Jesus said is going to make all mankind know we follow him.
John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Lets take up the sword of the Spirit and walk in the truth as we see then new year approaching. New Year resolutions will fail but a heart focused on Jesus, a life relying on the Spirit will represent him well. It is only our connection to Jesus Christ that we can do anything. It is the Holy Spirit that brings glory to Jesus, but the Spirit is promised to the Church not to the world (John 14:17). It is as the church lives after the Spirit we will not gratify the flesh and we will represent him(Gal 5:16).
Personally I am very excited about 2010 all that the Lord has for his church. Personally I am anticipating what he has for me as a follower of him, and what he has for us at HSF as small part of his body that desires to bring glory to him.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Rich <><