2022 What Will You Hold For The Believer?
By Bruce Cannon
Mitchell County
As this article is read the New Year will most likely have already come. The previous year will have passed and we will be facing many challenges and opportunities ahead. I am so thankful that while we do not know what tomorrow holds, we know who holds tomorrow. In the very inspirational New Year’s poem entitled His Unfailing Presence, the author (unknown) speaks to the many uncertainties and challenges we know we will face in 2022:
“Another year I enter Its history unknown;
Oh, how my feet would tremble To tread its paths alone!
But I have heard a whisper, I know I shall be blest;
“My presence shall go with thee, And I will give thee rest.”
What will the New Year bring me? I may not, must not know;
Will it be love and rapture, Or loneliness and woe?
Hush! Hush! I hear His whisper; I surely shall be blest;
“My presence shall go with thee, And I will give thee rest.”
Our Heavenly Father knows everything and is already in our tomorrow readying grace, arranging circumstances, and will be our merciful and faithful High Priest when the trials or hardships of life come.
There are several facts and truths that we must hold onto in 2022:
Our world is constantly changing. Leonard Sweet, a Christian futurist, made the following comment, “If you were born before the year 1960 the world you were born in no longer exists.” He is referring to those values once held dear which has been cast aside by so many, so quickly. Things such as absolute truth, strong work ethics, integrity, honesty, respect for authority, and so forth are some of those things of which he speaks. How sad that the values you and I were raised to respect and adhere to are for the most part gone!
The Word of God is absolutely true and speaks to the plights we are currently facing. Nothing catches the Lord off guard. The New Testament writers, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, spoke 2000 years ago telling what we would be experiencing today! Listen at a few of the prophecies:
Matthew 24:7 “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” Notice that pestilences are plural. We have not seen our last pandemic. There most likely will be many more COVID-type diseases ahead!
Matthew 24:12 “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” The word “iniquity” is defined as lawlessness. Look at the streets of America in 2021. 2022 will be worse according to this verse.
2 Timothy 3:1-4 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;”
These verses prophesy our immediate future. Neither you nor I can face any of this in our power! We must have His unfailing presence, unlimited power, and unconditional love to see us through.
Lastly, and a truth I am so thankful for, Jesus is coming soon! “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Praise the Lord! He is coming back for us! Will 2022 be the year of Christ’s return? I am very surprised that 2021 was not the year of His return! Get ready! Soon and very soon we are going to see the King! Amen!
Happy New Year everyone! How can we have a Happy New Year in the light of what the Lord laid on my heart to write this month? There are several very important things we must do to ensure it!
1) Draw Near The Lord. Get rid of known sin. Confess it and repent of it honestly.
2) Get in the Word! Don’t just casually read it. Study it. Memorize it. Meditate on it.
3) Get into a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching church. Be faithful to it. Jesus commanded it!
4) Be careful what you allow into your mind. Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6-9 that the peace of God comes to those who think on those things which are lovely, of a good report and full of virtue. The garbage of tv, music, and the world will NEVER bring peace.
5) Surround yourself with godly souls who can comfort and hold you accountable for godly living.
Do these few things and see that the peace of God which passeth all understanding will guard over your heart, your thought life, and your daily being. You will indeed have a Happy New Year!
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Reverend Bruce Cannon currently serves as the Senior Pastor of Bear Creek Baptist Church in Bakersville. Formerly he served as Director of Missions for the Bladen Baptist Association and he has served on the General Board of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.
You can read more Good Christian News from Pastor Cannon HERE.
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