Message summary: Whatever happens, as we ground our faith in the truths of God's Word, we can experience the hope, peace and assurance that is at the very core of living an abundant life.

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“We know and rely on the love God has for us” (1 John 4:16). “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness’” (Jeremiah 31:3). “God has said, never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:5,8).

At creation God established the annual unit of time (Genesis 1:14). The passing of years is like a chapter in one’s life, a good time to do some reflecting on the past while also looking ahead to the next phase in our life’s journey. Each of us can look back to particular milestones this past year, some joyful and others painful.

Many face the New Year with a great sense of uncertainty, especially in this age of moral decay, political turmoil and societal implosion which affects each one of us. Add to that your own personal ordeal which may be physical pain, ongoing management of a life altering disease or disability, a wayward child, financial hardship, the loss of a loved one, stress related to your care-giving role, and on and on the list goes.

Some things in our day to day existence include circumstances we have little to no control over. Since the computer age and the search engine availability we seek answers and cures for everything that troubles, confuses or pains us and still we shake our heads in disbelief that we can't resolve the ongoing problem we would rather not deal with. It makes no sense to our way of thinking. Consider the following words that speak to a future time for the believer:

Settle deep in your spirit that our one and only certain source of living hope is Jesus Christ. Keep this foremost in your hearts, Jesus alone is the anchor for our soul, holding it firm and secure expressed so well in the great hymn, “The Solid Rock”, especially in the line, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”

Temporal hope that is built on friendships, finances, work, education, politics or even our family and church relationships will at times let us down, but eternal hope that is built solidly on Jesus increases with intensity as our earthly journey moves us closer to our forever home: the Promised Land.

We selected verses today that express four unchangeable truths concerning God:

Whatever happens, as we ground our faith in the truths of God's Word, we can experience the hope, peace and assurance that is at the very core of living an abundant life.

B e encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13