Looking back, looking forward.
Another year has gone by and we are in the year 2016.A.D. We have seen great men rise and fall, many wars, floods, famines which have taken many lives. Doomsday prophets have predicted the end of the world, but the world still survives. Governments are spending huge amounts of money trying to reduce ‘global warming’, little realizing that the world is destined to be destroyed by fire (2Pet.3:7). Elohim has given us one more year to draw closer to him, and we are one year nearer to the Second Coming of our Lord.
The month January is named after the Roman god Janus, who was the god of beginnings and endings. He was depicted with two faces, one looking back and one looking to the front. It seems appropriate that on the first day of January we contemplate about the year that is past and make plans for a new year.

Let us also look at the pit from where we were taken (Isa.51:1),’Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.’ Let us remember the pit of sin we were in and how Elohim raised us up. Let us humble ourselves and think of the grace of Elohim which has saved us.
Look at the life that is saved. We who were unrighteous have been washed clean, have been justified and sanctified in the name of Yahshua. (ICor.6:11). We who were dead in our sins have been raised from the sinful life, saved us by his grace and made us sit in heavenly places in Yahshua Messiah. (Eph.2:1-3).

Having considered our past life, let us look at the brighter side. Let us look to the future, at the salvation that Elohim offering. Isa 45:22,’Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.’ Look to Elohim and not to any idols that we have made, let us not look at the work of our hands, or at our self-righteousness. Look at Yahshua, the Son of Yahweh Elohim, the Saviour of the world, the Lamb of Elohim who takes away the sins of the world. Let us look at Him for He is the light of the world. Look to Him for life because He gives life and life abundantly. Look to Him and the Holy Spirit because he is the Comforter who comforts us in all our troubles. Look to Him and be saved  because whoever looks to Him and believes in Him will be saved.

Look to the help that comes from the Lord. Psa 5:2-3, ‘ Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.’ Psa 121:2, ‘My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.’ King David was most of the time surrounded by enemies but he was confident that the Lord would hear him and answer him. Our friends will fail us, our riches, status and all worldly possessions will fail us but our Elohim is faithful and will never leave us or forsake us. Let us therefore look to Him in our troubles because He is our helper.

Look at the creation and be filled with wonder that He has chosen us to be his children. Psa 8:3-4, ‘When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?’ He has made us in His image and honored us that in His creation, He has given man dominion over all the earth.

Let us look to Yahshua Messiah who is our Saviour. Phil 3:20, ‘For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:’ Let us look for the Second Coming of our Saviour and be prepared to meet Him.

Missed opportunities will never come back. We may have had opportunities to do good but did not act. Heb 3:15, ‘While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.’
We may not get a second chance to hear the gospel. We may not enjoy the religious freedom that we have now. Relationships with family and friends may end suddenly; nothing can be taken for granted. Heb 3:13, ‘But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.’

Remember, future rewards await those who make the most of this time with the Lord. Our rewards will be more than we can imagine.

Rom.6: 4. ‘Even so we also should walk in newness of life.’ We must not be as we were previously or do as we were. Our old life, which was full of sin and shame, is dead and buried with Jesus (Yahshua), in our baptism. We rise with Jesus (Yahshua) in the new life. It is through the glory of the Father that we rise and walk in the new life, a life free from all bondages of sin. 1 Cor.5: 7 says,’ purge out therefore the old leaven…’ We should put away from ourselves everything that comes between God (Yah) and us, everything that corrupts us. Eph.2: 10 says that we are His workmanship...created unto good works…that we may walk in them. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.(Rom.8: 1)

We are one year nearer to His Second Coming. Let us make the best use of the time Elohim has given us so that we may be ready to meet Him when He comes!

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth…3Jn 1:2.

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Maranatha Prayer Fellowship. # 311, Agarwal Chambers, King Koti, Hyderabad-500 001, A.P.India.
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