New Year's Revelations

Many people, excluding myself, make New Year's resolutions. As I do not make them myself, I offer little in the way of advice in making them. I do say that if you make them that you should keep them. It is better not to make a vow, even to yourself, than to make one and not keep it.

I would caution, though, that these resolutions can become too focused on "me" and what "I" am going to do - for myself or for God - and less on what God may really want. But the idea behind this blog is a little different. It is more about what God has for us in the new year than what goals we set for ourselves.

Many churches and individual Christians will pray in the New Year (instead of partying) or will be praying around the new year regarding what God has planned for us in the next year. God may reveal to us what the new year will be like.

I specifically remember the new year 27 years ago in 1984 when God gave me an idea as to what that year would bring. Since Christy and I were married in 1980, we had received wonderful spiritual and biblical training, but had no ministry and had greatly struggled financially for a long time. I also was separated from my whole family, especially from my parents.

On the first Sunday in 1984 (I believe it was the 4th), our pastor began his sermon with the words 'new beginnings'. He said that some would experience some 'new beginnings' that year. Those two words rung in my ears for weeks after I heard them. I knew it was the Lord telling me about what 1984 would bring.

Three weeks later, my parents show up out of the blue (they had been living in Chincoteague and we were in northwest Pennsylvania) and we were reconciled immediately. They invited us to vacation in Chincoteague and we did so when I had vacation time in March.

While we were there, he offered me a job and paid me to move here. Immediately, I was making double what I had been before and was developing much needed skills. I also began my teaching ministry that I have been doing ever since on the Eastern Shore.

So in that year, my career began to blossom, my ministry got off the ground and I was reconciled to all my family. That little revelation from God laid the groundwork for what God wanted to do in our lives. "For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

This year the Lord has given me a word and a Word. What does that mean? It means that He has impressed a concept and a scripture on my heart about this upcoming year. I wish that I could share it with you, but it is between me and the Lord.

So I encourage you to spend time in God's presence and asking Him about His plans for us this year and not just declare our resolutions and our plans for this next year.

A Few Thoughts at Year's End

At the close of every year I wonder how much longer it will be until Jesus comes back for His church. We know when the year ends but we do not know when the end of the age will be. Perhaps there are only days left, as there are in the year.

Are you ready?

I am.

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(This is a bit sardonic. Apologies in advance.)
I have always liked Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things." I just wanted to note that 'cute' and 'adorable' are not in this list.
It is hard to keep one's mind on these things. The world has nothing that fits all these criteria.

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Oral Roberts, RIP.

In my Sunday School class I am teaching church history. We are discussing historical figures and how history will judge the impact of a person on the world. Now I am not saying that we judge the individual (that is forbidden by Matthew 7:1) or that we judge their ministry (that is forbidden in 1 Corinthians 4:5) but what their effect, for better or worse, is upon the church (in this case) or the world.

I use the example of Thomas Jefferson who authored the Declaration of Independence. Some have said that he was bad because he owned slaves. Okay, but what effect did that have on history? None. Many owned slaves in that time and place.
But his authorship of the Declaration and his other activities associated with the founding of our nation have had a tremendous effect on our nation and the world.

Let's look at Roberts from this perspective. Look past his faults and examine his effect on the church. Nobody besides Billy Graham has had as much impact as Oral Roberts had in the second half of the 20th century. He brought knowledge of divine healing to a skeptical church. If you pray for the sick to be healed by the direct action of God you probably should thank Roberts who did it very publicly. Whether you liked him or not you ought to acknowledge that divine healing and Pentecostal Christianity were made respectable to most of the church by his ministry. He also pioneered spreading the gospel by television when other Christians cursed "the Devil's box".

When Roberts began preaching in the late 40's, Pentecostal Christians were marginalized and generally despised. Today they are the most dynamic, and numerous, group of Protestant Christians in the world. (The numbers are now estimated to be over 500 million.) It is easily the fastest growing Christian movement in the world and shows no sign of stopping. It is hard to imagine this happening without Oral Roberts.



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A Happy New Year to all!