Planning Your Life for the New Year and Beyond
When making plans for your life, the most important thing is to think long term. If you are not considering eternity, you are short-sighted. This will affect every important decision you make. If you believe that when you die you will no longer exist, then your decisions will be very different from a person who knows they are going to live forever.
It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, (Hebrews 9:27)
Life in this world is short. Even if you live to be 120 years old, you will discover that time and life move faster than you thought possible. The Bible includes this consideration also:
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. (James 4:13-16)
Yeshua, Jesus, the Christ, is the greatest and most influential teacher, in world history. This is what He says, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)
Jesus is eternal Life. “I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24 HCSB)
Recently we celebrated Christmas, the birth of Jesus. It is amazing how many nations recognize Christmas. Even more amazing is the total number of people worldwide who celebrate Christmas. Many do it secretly because their government oppose their citizens believing in Jesus.
Why do some governments feel threatened by Christian citizens? It is because the government wants to have totalitarian control over the people. To maintain their control, they need to control the narrative that people believe. When there is a conflict between the government narrative and what Jesus teaches, Christians believe the teachings of Jesus and the Holy Bible. This is why Christian-culture nations have more freedom, including free speech.
Celebrating Christmas is also celebrating the Kingdom of God. Jesus came to be King. Since the time Jesus came to Earth His kingdom has continued to increase. When Jesus began His ministry, He announced to repent, for the Kingdom is here. To repent means to change the way you think. The Kingdom is a spiritual realm that lives in believers, at the same time believers live in the spiritual Kingdom realm. As believers share the Gospel of the Kingdom, the Kingdom expands with new believers. The Kingdom of God will continue to increase, of His government and peace, there will be no end.
For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV)
The Kingdom of God seems to be invisible because it is a spiritual Kingdom, at present. However, it is evident in the lives of believers. There are millions of testimonies occurring daily of Jesus changing peoples lives for the better. Eventually the governments of this world will all come under the Kingdom of God and Jesus will be King over the nations. Christmas is a happy time for those who believe.
“Do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:29-32 NKJV)
I pray you will be blessed by meditating on these things.