So, Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.” So, they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem.” Gen. 35:2-4 emphasis added
One of the earmarks of a New Year is change. We change our calendars. We change our tax reporting. We often use this occasion to change personal goals or resolve to accomplish certain tasks. Every four years we usually see a change in national leadership. The new group of leaders in Washington suggests that there will be many changes in 2017.
During the political debates this past year many candidates often spoke of change. The word “change” resonated with scores of people around the country who were frustrated with the state of affairs in our nation.
And in my Year-end Letter you noticed many exciting changes that are helping our ministry to reach even more people with the word of God. I embrace positive change. I like living on the edge of innovation and creativity, especially when it comes to how we can better share the Word of God with our lost family members, friends, and neighbors.
As we search Scripture we find that some things change by their very nature; however, there are many truths that never change.
The message God provides throughout Scripture has never changed. God so loved the world that he breathed life into each one of us and gave us a Redeemer – Christ Jesus.
The mandate God gave to all His children remains the same.
God wants a relationship with His creation and desires that all would come to know Him.
The model God sent for a purpose was fulfilled in life through His Son Jesus Christ. It remains the same for all time.
Sometimes the messenger changes. God first used creation, then patriarchs, then kings, then priests, then judges, and also prophets. At the end of the day man’s prideful spirit was a barrier to accepting God’s messengers. But our loving God wouldn’t accept a broken relationship with His creation. He sent His only begotten Son to change the world.
When Christ returned to the Father, He left us His Holy Spirit to empower us to help change a lost world. Throughout Scripture and even into modern times, we see that God uses different methods to connect with His creation. Churches, conferences, the written word, tapes, CD’s, DVD’s, television, radio, personal testimony, and the internet are all methods that can project a message of grace and love. Are you limiting yourself on how to share your story and God’s Word?
Have a blessed week and New Year! We hope you will pass these Weekly Devotionals on to your directory of contacts. What are some other ways we can help you reach others? Browse this website for many new resources.
Personal Application:
- What are some of the ways you can reach the people in your network with God’s Word? Why not send on our devotionals every week? Click here to sign up.
- Would you be willing to make a list of at least three people you would like to reach with His truth in 2017?
- How can you be more intentional about utilizing resources, i.e., books, DVD’s, CD’s, or the social media to help direct people to resources that will connect with their lives?
Jim Grassi, D. Min.