New Year’s Message (2024)
January 2024
During my time at Bible School, a lecturer, Doc Greenway, frequently emphasized a powerful notion: “God has a plan for your life and a purpose that you, and only you, can fulfill.”
King David declared in my favorite Psalm, Psalm 139, that “all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (:16). Was Paul echoing this sentiment when he said in Ephesians 2:10 that we were God’s handiwork, saved for good works that God had prepared in advance for us to do?
God has ordained our days and prepared good works for us. For these good works we have been saved and one day we will stand before the Lord to give an account for our stewardship of those very works.
One day we will all stand before the Lord with that Book, referenced by David, opened and the chapters of our life reviewed (2 Co 5:10). Will we hear from the lips of Jesus that, “Well done good and faithful servant” (Mt 25:28). Yes, there would have been some missteps along the way (Jas 3:2). It is not, ‘well done good and perfect servant’ but ‘well done good and faithful servant’, we can anticipate hearing!
One big help the Holy Spirit gave me, early in my ministry, was during a morning devotions time. I was reading in the Book of Hebrews when verse 3 of chapter 4 jumped out at me, “his works have been finished since the creation of the world.” The context was not the creation of heaven and earth but rather the possession of the promised land by the Children of Israel. Their possession of the promised land was a finished work – a done deal since the creation of the world! All they needed to do was to trust and obey, which sadly they failed to do!
The Holy Spirit impressed upon me that the Children of Israel’s life on mission with God had been created and completed before one of their days had come to pass (Ps 139:16) and ‘before the creation of the world’ (Heb 4:3). And so had mine! All I needed to do was to trust and obey!
Striving and struggling to be fruitful in ministry is NOT God’s way (Jn 15:1-8). Entering his REST is! And when we do, we ‘rest from our own works’ (Hebrews 4:10). Remember we work WITH God, not FOR God! So, let’s in 2024 make every effort to enter his rest (Hebrews 4:11).
2024 is going to be a significant year for SM. Our prophetic mobilizing movement is going to see many new and important developments that will continue to shape our future. These were presented at last year’s Conference, and you would, no doubt, have some God inspired initiatives for your region or country, as well.
Amid global turmoil, political upheavals, and spiritual challenges these God inspired initiatives are a done deal! God, on his part, has already sealed them with a divine YES! Our part of trust and obedience awaits a response. Our challenge is to learn a vital lesson from the children of Israel and in 2024, trust and obey – for there’s no other way!
A blessed and fruitful 2024 to us all!