January 2007 Newsletter


"Bummer, Another Year!"  

By: Craig Rippy

Yep, such a bummer. Another year, 2007. What shall we do? It can be so depressing. Year after year, never able to recover any time, and never able to adequately use the time we do have. Shall we look back on 2007 with the same misery?

You may be one of those who could say one or all of the following: "Will it be held against me?" "Last year I didn't complete my Bible reading." "I didn't attend church services like I should have." "I didn't share the gospel successfully last year." "I was unable, or unwilling, to give up the habit that harms my witness." "Another year to fail at my commitment to Christ, what a bummer."

I hope you aren't suffering guilt from a poor 2006 showing of your faithfulness. If so, the guilt alone can keep you from entering 2007 with eager expectancy.I'm not here to make you feel better. I'm here to teach and encourage you to be more faithful. If you don't deserve to feel good about your faithfulness to God I can't change that. You wouldn't expect me to lie to cheer you up either.

One constant is found in the Scripture, Genesis through Revelation, God expects faithfulness. Not only does He expect it, He deserves our faithfulness.

You don't have to go far to recognize that faithfulness is the key to having a saving relationship with God. Just look at Hebrews chapter 11, James chapter 2, and He tells the church of Smyrna, Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life (Rev 2:10 NIV).

Romans 1:16-17, 16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." (NIV) 1 John 5:4-5, This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. (NIV)As a person responds to God by faith he/she can be guiltless and await the next year with joyful anticipation.

What is faithfulness? It is trusting and obeying God. In telling the Roman Christians about his ministry, Paul said, Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. (Romans 1:5 NIV) From God's standpoint, faithfulness pleases Him. 2 Cor 5:7-10, 7 We live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (NIV)

I suppose verse 10 answers the first question of the first paragraph in this article. The great thing is, when we become faithful God judges us right with Him, cleansing the past failures (sins), because God is faithful too. 1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (NIV) Yet, we should always remember, Galatians 6:7-8, 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (NIV) Remember, I told you I'm not here to make you feel better. I'm here to teach and encourage you to be more faithful.