Good morning all and Happy New Year!
It seems as if 2009 just started and now here we are in 2010. What will this year be for us? What will it be for you? Many will look back into 2009 with frustrations and sadness…most will feel unsatisfied, considering themselves to not have done all they could/should in the previous year. Others will look back at 2009 with pride, always referring to the prior year’s achievements; all the while the new year is steadily slipping away.
So what will we do? One of my all time favorite verses in the Bible is Hebrews 12.2 (Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.) The final week of last year, our church sign posted: “Finish Strong Heb 12.2”. The thought is self-explanatory, it was to encourage all that read the sign to finish strong, and the only way we can finish strong is to keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…
As we walk into 2010, looking back into 2009 with thoughts of ‘shoulda’, ‘woulda’, ‘coulda’ will not benefit us or those around us. Therefore, let’s apply the ‘church sign’ during the last week of 2009 to the first week of 2010. Let’s plan today, right here right now, to finish strong in 2010. Let’s not wait until the final week to be encouraged, let’s not wait until we get down or discouraged in the year’s work. We all know what we need to do and we all know where we need to improve (whether it is church, home, work or all), we must prepare today to finish strong tomorrow.
How? By looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith… His example of ‘enduring the cross’ and ‘despising the shame’ should move us toward Him knowing that He went to the cross as a willing sacrifice, because the benefits on the other side greatly outweighed the agony on this side. The benefits, my friends, was judgment upon sin was executed and the penalty paid in full. So, with all that said this morning, move into this year with eyes set on victory, you may fall and you may falter, just keep your eyes on the One Who already finished His course, and is now at the finish line encouraging you to finish you race with joy.
Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Have a wonderful day and again a happy new year…press on dear friends till the end, let’s prepare and plan to finish strong by starting strong.
Til the Shout,
Dr. B.J. Stagner Jr.
Pastor
New Testament Baptist Church
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