Dr Tom Hover
December 31, 2023
Hebrews 13:5-6
NO NEED TO FEAR THE NEW YEAR FACING THE NEW YEAR WITH FAITH!
NO NEED TO FEAR THE NEW YEAR
FACING THE NEW YEAR WITH FAITH!
Text: Hebrews 13:5-6
Sad to say the days of our week and the months of our year is name after pagan lifeless, powerfulness and useless gods (Little g) taken from Roman Mythology. The month of January is named after the Roman god Janus who was usually depicted as a man with two faces. One face looked back into the year that had passed and that face bore traces of sorrow, dismay and perplexity: the other, forward-looking, personified hope and confidence. Today most are afraid of the unknown. And we don't know what this year is going to bring. I've never seen things change like they have this past year. You know, it's just incredible. Never in history, so far as I'm concerned, in my study of history, has there ever been a year like the year we've just come through—incredibly remarkable. And, who knows what 2024 will bring? With that in mind, look in God's Word — No Need to Fear the New Year:
I. BECAUSE GOD’S PROVISION BRINGS CONTENTMENT! Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have:” (I Timothy 6:7-11, Ecclesiastes 5:10, Luke 12:15, Psalm 37:4, Hebrews 10:34, Philippians 4:11-13, Psalm 37:25) Discontentment is a disease, and it takes away your joy, and it takes away your peace. And, what is contentment? Contentment is not getting what you want, but it is wanting and enjoying what you already have. You see, contentment will make a poor man rich. And discontentment makes a poor man poor.
II. BECAUSE GOD’S PRESENCE BRINGS COMPANIONSHIP! Hebrews 13:5 “for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Psalm 116:8) Do you know what worry is? Worry is a mild form of atheism. It's acting like God doesn't exist. We need to practice the presence of the Lord this coming year and praying without ceasing is a good start “I will never leave you, nor forsake you."
III. BECAUSE GOD’S PROMISE BRINGS CONFIDENCE!
Hebrews 13:5 “for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” This is the confidence of His promise. A promise is no better than the one who makes it. Who is it that says, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee"? It is the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God.
IV. BECAUSE GOD’S PROTECTION BRINGS COMFORT.
Hebrews 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Those to whom this was written were facing opposition from family, from friends, and from foes, alike. (Isaiah 41:10) There is one fear that removes all other fears and that is the fear of God. It was said of one great Christian, he feared man so little because he feared God so much. “Yesterday is already a Dream and Tomorrow is only a Vision, but Today Well Lived makes every Yesterday a Dream of Happiness and every Tomorrow a Vison of Hope.”
Eastside Family,
We want to thank you so much for the Christmas love offering and the fellowship that we have shared in 2023. May God richly bless each of you even more in 2024!
Love in Christ
Pastor Tom and Michelle Hover
NO SERVICES TONIGHT A BLESSED NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!
