HOW DID WE DO?

HOW DID WE DO?

This is the last Sunday of 2020. Many of us may say “Yaaaa! Glad this is over!” It has been a tough year for all of us. And nobody saw it coming. There may have been hints and some prophets saw this year as a time of preparation for future fruitfulness, but nobody saw this coming. I didn’t. 

I went back to the sermon I preached the first Sunday in 2020. It was on January 5; you can go back and read it on our sermon blog or listen to it on our website. This was my text for that morning. 

Psalm 103:1–5 (NKJV) Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth (life) with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

My emphasis for 2020 was on satisfaction and renewal. Let me go over my definitions. 

Satisfaction

Satisfaction is the contentment that comes when all our needs met. It comes not from possessions and riches. I have seen many who are rich but not satisfied. 

As Christians we live in a tension between two diametrically opposed ideas. The first is a holy discontent with what is not right in our lives. Acting against that is this inward peace that comes from godly contentment, knowing that God has provided everything I need for my present happiness. 

Renewal

Renewal is a freshness in our soul. It carries the idea of restoration and repair, of making things the way they should be again. 

This was my concluding text. 

Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV) But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Now I’m not a prophet or the son of a prophet, but that last verse was pertinent to where we have been. We have learned to depend on the Lord for everything in our lives. We have gotten weary, but God has proven Himself faithful. And He will continue to prove Himself faithful in the years to come. 

Let’s look at some earlier verses in Isaiah 40 and see three things Isaiah promises us.

1. God never tires of helping us.

Isaiah 40:28 (NKJV) Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.

Psalm 103:13-14 (NKJV) As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. 14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.

Hebrews 4:14–16 (NKJV) Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Psalms‬ ‭121:3-4‬ ‭(NKJV)‬‬ He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

2. God always strengthens us. 

Isaiah 40:29 (NKJV) 29 He gives power to the weak and to those who have no might He increases strength.

2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:9-10‬ ‭(NKJV)‬‬ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 10 Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

3. God always renews us. 

Isaiah 40:30-31 (NKJV) Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Psalm 34:10 (NKJV) The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.

What should you do in response? What are some personal steps of action you can take?

1. How have you fared this year?

2. Where are you struggling?

3. What can you do?

4. What can God do?

Having these promises, how do we go into this next year? I believe this trial is not going away soon. Jeremiah reminded Israel that the outlook for a quick return to Jerusalem is not likely. Here are the instructions he gave to Israel. 

Jeremiah 29:5–7 (NKJV) Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. 6 Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. 7 And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace, you will have peace.

1. Provide for yourself. 

2. Provide for your family

3. Provide for your city. 

MINISTRY TIME