[Faith-talk] Good Night Message for Friday, January 4, 2013

[Paul]

Hello and good day to you all, children of our heavenly King-Father and saints of the Most High God.  How was your day today? Mine was good, by God's matchless grace and His providential care.

Before I give you the article for today or evening, let me just tell you how things went in the Bible marathon reading in the Interactive Christian Community or ICC.  Many of you who read these lines had, in one way or another, participated, whether as readers/presenters, monitors or listeners, so you know the spirit of unity and cooperation that only the Lord could have engendered.  As nearly as I can recall, we had at least six versions of the Bible presented, and maybe even more.  Also was the fact that four nations were represented in the monitors and presenters this year: New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States.  Now only God could have orchestrated our coming together.  And, best of all from a technical point of view, the Talking Communities or TC client didn't give us any trouble or very little, if at all.

Well, enough of that.  Time for today's article.  It was written by an unknown author for the American Tract Society and is entitled "What's Ahead for the New Year?", rendered as follows:

No one knows, but one thing is sure.  No matter what the new year holds, there is one thing we are all doing, growing older.

There is no point trying to deceive ourselves that time is not writing any wrinkles on our brows, that we are wearing better than our friends and associates, that the years are not hurrying by and taking their toll as they go.

Let's face it.  Our days on earth are growing fewer.  But the fault is ours if they are growing poorer.

Many people estimate their lives in terms of money, reputation, pleasure or passion, judging it to be nothing more than the opportunity to satisfy their passing desires.  To those who indulge in this perverted arithmetic in moral values, life offers small possibilities and little meaning.

But to those who have discovered that man cannot grow to full stature until he is recreated in the likeness of Jesus Christ, life takes on new zest, new meaning, and a new quality.

This quality which Christ gives to life cannot be impaired by time.  Growth is its law, service its expression.  Those who share it have an enduring joy in their hearts.

The marvelous fact is that this new life is not something we must patiently wait to receive on the other side of death.  It is a wonderful gift of God which can be ours even now--WHILE WE ARE GROWING OLDER.

The problem, of course, is that we have no right to this new life until we settle the question of our sin, for the Bible reminds us that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), and "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).  On the other hand, the Bible tells us that "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

Therefore, now is the time to "seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while he is still near" (Isaiah 55:6) for He came that "you might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).

Growing older? We all are, but there is no reason why we shouldn't settle this crucial matter right now before any more time slips by.  Don't you agree?

And there you have it from this unnamed author.  I hope that it gave you some food for thought.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, throughout this night or day and especially in these last days in which we live.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul