As Christmas and a brand-new New Year approach, like never before we need the Babe in the manger. Yes, indeed we need Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world like never before. When we look back on 2016 and we see the hand of the devil, the chaos, carnage, pain, suffering and the loss of life that has been caused, especially in the Middle East and the very area where that Baby was born. We can only say, "Come quickly, Lord Jesus."
John said in The Book of Revelation 22:20 (NKJV), "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"
We need to exercise our faith in God like never ever before. It is almost like the climax of the ages is at hand. Some older people sigh how much longer can this continue, because of the pain that has taken place in this past year. But our confidence is in Christ and in him alone. Philippians 1:6 (NKJV) says "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;" So it is with faith in Jesus Christ that we are confident of going into 2017 with much joy and much expectation.
Therefore, let us enjoy this Christmas, because time is ticking away and loved ones are going to be with the Lord day by day. We need to really spend time with our families at this Christmas time. Christmas has always been identified as family time. Try your utmost to spend time with your loved ones. Try and get together in one place. Put all your problems, misunderstandings and arguments to rest and spend time celebrating the birth of Jesus, our Saviour. It is a time to reflect on the past and also a time to look forward to the future.
Many reading this column will be getting ready to go to university, others getting ready to get married, some getting ready to take on a business proposition; whether it be an engineering company, a farm, a promotion in a business, and each and every one of these areas requires faith. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," (Hebrews 11:1, NKJV).
St Augustine said, "Faith is to believe what you have not seen and the reward of that faith is to see what you believed."
So by faith you believe for the miracle and as has been stated many times before in this lovely magazine, "without faith you cannot please God," (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV). In fact, you cannot even continue in your walk with God if you have no faith. A young maiden who had never met with a man, supernaturally became pregnant with no one less than the Son of God Himself. Nine months later she delivered the most beautiful child that the world has ever seen. It takes faith to believe this and Jesus Christ is more real to me today, then many of you reading this article.
How do we exercise our faith? Well, it comes by spending time in The Word of God (Romans 10:17). So let us be men and women of faith, as we look forward to a brand-new New Year 2017. Not looking back, but moving forward and looking forward to that great and amazing day when Jesus Christ will come and visit us personally to take us home to be with Him in paradise forever. It really is a win-win situation that we the Believers find ourselves in!
Paul said in The Book of Romans 14:8 (NKJV), "For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's."
That is a wonderful promise and a blessing to face 2017 with.
Yours in Christ Service
Angus and Jill Buchan
