Article 14 – January 3, 2018
It’s a Brand New Year
It is a brand new year for those of us who keep a calendar, but since God is the originator of time, as we know it, I don’t know that He keeps a calendar. But all the same, lots of people around the world, at this time, are trying to figure out how to improve their lives. Some are trying this, and some are trying that. Diets and physical health and trying to improve our bodies are very popular right now.
For those of us who are concerned with the accuracy and integrity of God’s Word, the scriptures hold a high priority with us and we should want to build those up in our minds. 3 John 2 tells us, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” God wants us to prosper in the physical realm, part of which means not being overcome with the burdens of financial stress. God wants us to be in health, which means physically and mentally.
Proverbs 3:5-8 tell us: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direst thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear [respect, reverence] the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel and marrow to thy bones.” This is literal for as we put God’s Word on in our hearts it will greatly increase our mental health, which will in turn help to strengthen our physical health.
Colossians 3:15 tells us: “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also you are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” When the peace of God truly lives in your heart you will not be a candidate for the barrage of medicines that are supposed to keep you peaceful and certainly not a candidate for counselors and meditation.
God created our bodies to be healthy and to be peaceful. Because the devil rules this world for the moment, we will have to deal with the curse of the ground mentioned in Genesis 1:15ff, however, as Romans 8:37 tells us: “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” It’s amazing the positive changes that you can make in your life by just choosing God’s way. And the only way that you can know God’s way is by knowing His Word. His Word is His will, and if you want to try to get around that and go the secular way insofar as your lifestyle is concerned, then, by all means, go for it and enjoy the consequences. There will be consequences and they will not be pleasant. There is a heavy truth in this life and that is that life is spiritual and the negative things of our environment are caused by the devil, either directly or indirectly. He can try to burn you out in the summer and freeze you out in the winter and everything in between.
Unfortunately, far too many people do not want to accept the truths of God’s Word which explain all of this, and so, they get frustrated with the consequences. That’s not God’s fault: it’s our own unbelief that gets the better of us so often. The only thing that could possibly keep a person from going God’s way, especially after they’ve heard His Word, is fear! And someone once said that, ‘fear is sand in the machinery of life’, so don’t let it get into your machinery. It’s so simple and so easy to go to God’s Word and see that His love for us is far beyond our understanding.
Ephesians 1:19 tells us: “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.” This verse means that God is simply greater than the devil and his devices. Why allow ourselves to have such a hard time with this. We saw in 3 John 2 that God wants us to prosper and be in health, so why would we want to argue with that? What a great promise and what a great God who promised it!
Psalm 1 is a wonderful Psalm that sums up so much of how simple and how wonderful the lifestyle is that God wishes for us. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
What a wonderful section from God’s wonderful, matchless Word. So, if you really want to make changes in 2018, it’s ok to do the resolutions and all that, but to put God’s Word on more deeply in your heart will be the greatest change you can make. If you try it seriously for just three weeks, you won’t know yourself and it will be great.
I’m going to try it and I know it’ll help me to have funglimpses. Thanks for reading. Respectfully submitted! Will Grove