MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
December 28, 2022
A NEW YEAR’S MESSAGE FROM WHOLE GOSPEL MINISTRIES
As we bid good-bye to the waning days and hours of this momentous year 2022—-with its unprecedented yet prophesied, mind-boggling, sanity-provoking, emotionally-jarring, ethics and values challenging, and generational lifestyle-altering changes and innovations—-we all need to take a deep breathe. He is speaking, “Be still and know that I am God.” “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me,” including the god of self!
Seek some quiet, safe place or any time space that enables introspection, free of unwelcome intrusions within and without. You can do it. Only be “willing to be made willing,” and God will find a way. That’s what the empowering grace of Christ will do. This is His will for all, to “Examine yourself; prove thyself whether you are in the faith.”
In more ways than we realize, the way we will meet the incoming year 2023 individually and collectively, with both its certainties and uncertainties, is determined by how much we’ve unlearned of our bad habits and presumptuous mistakes, self-centered, unChristlike spirit, immature and unbecoming ways and learned truly new and better ones, going forward from this outgoing year. Otherwise, how can we truthfully greet any one “A Happy New Year?” What could be happy and new?
Let’s adopt Apostle Paul’s eminently edifying and inspiring declaration, knowing that his martyrdom in the hands of the cruel Roman emperor Nero, was drawing near: Hear him and let’s take this as our New Year’s Resolution, as recorded in Philippians 3:7-15, KJV (emphasis mine):
“But what things were GAIN to me, those I counted LOSS for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of KNOWLEDGE of Christ Jesus our Lord: for whom I HAVE SUFFERED THE LOSS OF ALL THINGS, and do count them but DUNG, that I may WIN Christ.
“And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the RIGHTEOUSNESS which is of God BY FAITH:
“That I may KNOW Him, and the POWER of His resurrection, and the FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS, being made conformable to His death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
“Not as though I had already ATTAINED, either were already PERFECT: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
“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 ARE BEFORE,
“I PRESS TOWARD THE MARK FOR THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS.
“Let us therefore, AS MANY AS BE PERFECT, be THUS MINDED: and IF in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall REVEAL this unto you.” Be thus-minded, then we can humbly yet confidently claim this most precious promise of true and lasting peace that all the superpowers of this world can never achieve, much less give. Jesus said: “Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be TROUBLED, neither let it be AFRAID.” John 14: 27.
Dear friend, resolutely meet the incoming year 2023 by giving your heart and surrendering your life to God the Father in Christ, who purchased you with His blood shed at Calvary. Then you can rightfully claim this promise by His faith:
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them [false prophets, false spirits, and the Antichrist. see vs 1-3]: because GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU, THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD.” 1 John 4: 4, KJV.
Bless all, NMF.