Trusting in the New Year

Dear Friends,

This New Year, 2024, will present many challenges to believers as the world radically changes.

We are called to trust God in times of trials, troubles, and turmoil. This is how the church has overcome evil and persecution throughout the centuries.

Since the Early Church, believers have been taught about the imminent return of Christ. This has kept each generation on alert, and in a constant state of readiness, preparedness, and prayerfulness. There has always been a marked urgency to spread the Gospel to as many people as possible. This motivated and sustained the first believers.

As we see powerful evil forces envelop the entire world, we must resist the temptation to lose heart and surrender. In fact, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we must intensify our prayers and devotion to God.

The year 2024 will be one of great transition and intense battles in both the natural realm and the spiritual realm. There is presently a dramatic spiritual shift taking place. Why? Because we are now facing an unprecedented time in world history – the beginnings of the one-world dictatorship of the Antichrist. To build their so-called one world “utopia,” the elites of the NWO must deconstruct Western Civilization, which is built upon biblical truth. The global changes about to take place will be extreme and all-encompassing. They will profoundly affect the way we will live, while permanently altering the course of history. Social, political, economic, and religious upheaval will be the norm.

We mustn’t be frightened by the events taking place in the world – rather, we must be enlightened by the precious promises of the Word of God and the leadings of the Holy Spirit. We will apply what Jesus taught:

Matthew 4:4:
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."

As the world falls further into deception and deviance, the Word of God will become increasingly offensive to our culture. Yet, we are to boldly declare the Gospel with great conviction, for the salvation of many.

The beautiful hymn describes how we are to live in this time, “Trust and obey, there is no other way.” Jesus must be our “all in all,” and our source for all things!

On God’s prophetic time clock, Israel represents the hands pointing to the Last Days and the Lord’s return:

Zecheriah 12:3 (Emphasis, mine):
On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.

The Bible predicts that in the last days, all nations will be against Israel. Sadly, America will not be Israel’s protector – nor does our country appear in end time events. The Jewish people will look to God for their help, and He will defeat their enemies.

Psalm 7 is David’s prayer and praise for God’s deliverance from His enemies. The Lord will also deliver Israel from their enemies today.

Psalm 7:14-17 (Emphasis, mine):
Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity;
Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.
He made a pit and dug it out,
And has fallen into the ditch which he made.
His trouble (Hebrew: amal) shall return upon his own head,
And his violent dealing shall come down
on his own crown (or, the top of his head).
I will praise the LORD according to His righteousness,
And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

As I was meditating on Psalm 7, verse 16 stood out. The terrorist group, Hamas, dug an extensive network of tunnels to trap Israel and invade their land. The Psalm identifies the wicked as liars and workers of trouble. The word translated “trouble” in Hebrew (amal) refers to iniquity, misery, pain, perverseness, and sorrow. This describes the despicable and horrific acts of the Hamas terrorists.

Psalm 11:5-7 of David:
The LORD examines the righteous,
but the wicked and those who love violence
(Hebrew: “hamas”) his soul hates.
On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and
burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot.
For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice;
upright men will see his face.

Genesis 6:13:
So God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence (Hebrew: “hamas”) because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.

The unrepentant evildoers of Noah’s generation were so filled with violence (hamas), that the Lord destroyed them all! Interestingly, the Hebrew word “hamas” refers to violence, cruelty, harsh treatment, wickedness, ruthlessness, damage, and injustice. It also describes “oppressors.” The terrorist group, Hamas, will be utterly destroyed.

In these Last Days, the just will live by faith!

Hebrews 10:36-39:
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him."  

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved. Though the spirit of antichrist seeks complete control over the world – there is freedom and victory only in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior! We, as children overcome because:

1 John 4:4:
…greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

The early church responded to the evil and persecution of their day by habitually gathering together:

Acts 1:14 in the upper room:
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Acts 2:42-47:
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (emphasis mine)

The early believers would meet frequently – prioritizing prayer, study of the Word, worship, sharing the Gospel, fellowship, and service to those in need. The prominent Church Father, Tertulian (c. 160-225 AD) describes the church of his day, as they continued the practices of Acts 2:

“We are a body knit together as such by a common religious profession, by unity of discipline, and by the bond of a common hope. We meet together as an assembly and congregation… offering up prayer to God as with united force…This strong exertion God delights in. We pray, too, for the emperors, for their ministers and for all in authority, for the welfare of the world, for the prevalence of peace, for the delay of the final consummation.”

1 Peter 1:22-23:
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

Ephesians 4:1-6:
…live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Jesus Christ is our light and hope in these perilous times:

Isaiah 60:1-2 NKJV:
Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.

May the Lord richly bless you and your family in every way in this New Year of 2024!

Pastor Paul