Happy New Year and may God continue to work throughout 2017 for you, your family, your friends, your neighbors, your colleagues, and the many others in your life.
Colossians 1:9 states: “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives …” I am praying the same prayer over you, and may 2017 be a year where God reveals and prepares you to serve Him faithfully and daily!
How I have been praying lately is that the Lord would show me His heart. That desire helps me to stay focused and to complete every task He has for me to do. Then, the next step is I want His heart to be my heart. I want to communicate the Good News with as many people as possible, just like He would.
Al Bontrager was a beloved friend of mine and an incredible supporter of the ministry. He passed away on Saturday, December 10, 2016, surrounded by friends and family. Did you know that during his final days, Al was still sharing the gospel and desiring for people to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior? That is true commitment to Kingdom work accomplished on earth!
Al’s death is what I have been reflecting upon this Christmas season, and there is a day that all of us, like Al, will stop living on earth. Al did not see January 1, 2017, but how he reached and who he reached with sharing the Good News on this earth are eternal treasures Al now has.
How many days do we have? No one knows. Only God knows the date of when our life on earth ends. I myself know that life will end too, and I will stand and give an account to God. God will ask me, “Steve, what have you done with the number of days that I gave you?”
I want to live with the awareness of this pending question, and I want others to live with this awareness too. Life is not a game. Life is a responsibility, and we should be intentional in reaching every single person with every available means.
We have the blessing of entering into a new year. Will you join me in sharing the Good News today and during the days to come? May this start of 2017 be one that you devote your time and efforts into pursuing and accomplishing God’s will!
