The Weekly Diner

Dear Weekly Reader!

God’s Peace be with you all!

I hope and trust that you all had a very Blessed Christmas season, and you have been encouraged by God’s Word during this time! This is a very special time of year!

Let us all lay hold by faith to the words of the Angels when they proclaimed, fear not! May God grant us the peace that passes all understanding. May Christ Jesus live in our hearts, giving us this peace, joy, and gladness that is only available to those that have come to the manger and dined! Those that have come to partake of all that Jesus did through his humble birth, life, suffering, death, resurrection and ascension! Jesus is the only true Peace! Let’s partake of him and share of His peace!

Well, we have come to the last Weekly Diner of the year! It is always amazing to me how fast time goes by. It seems like a year just gets started, and all of a sudden it is the year end and a new year is upon us.

In reflecting on the past year, and looking forward to the New Year, (if the Lord allows a new year!), many scripture verses come to mind. I would like to share some scriptures with you that may be fitting for this sort of reflection.

Luke 11: 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. As we know this scripture is from the prayer that Jesus taught us, the Lord’s Prayer as we call it. As men, we often struggle in this area I believe, at least I do. We must remember that our daily bread is provided by and comes from our Father in heaven. How many times in the last year have we wondered where our provisions are going to come from? We ought not to worry, as that will not help at all! We must always remember that the Lord is the provider of all of our needs. Our food, home, clothing, water, and everything else come from the Lord!

Should we then be lazy, sit back, and let the Lord provide? God forbid. His word says in
2 Corinth 9: 6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.It also says in Genesis 3: 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Let us be faithful to our Lord, and work hard at whatever task we have before us. It is up to us to work hard! Do not expect to reap more than you have sown. Also, we must sow good deeds, sow to the Spirit as we read in the following verses.

Galations 6: 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
The corruption of our flesh as fallen mankind, leads us to expect that we can sow to the flesh, and yet receive the full blessings of God. What a shame if we allow the devil to convince us that this is so. We MUST sow to the Spirit, in order to reap of the Spirit everlasting life.

Do not weary dear Christian of sowing the good seeds of faith. Do not weary this coming year, dear Pastor of preaching the Word. Do not weary of sowing the seed very liberally in your area.

Dear Christian, do not weary of doing those good deeds for your neighbors. Do not weary of your daily chores. Do not weary of going to church, of lending a helping hand, of comforting the sick. There is so much to do that is good, so let us sow of the Spirit, which will then reap unto life everlasting.

Dear unbelieving reader. Do not forget, that as you go about sowing to your flesh, your rewards are going to be corruption. Even if for a short time you are awarded the benefits of earthly possessions, these are only borrowed to you. They are only very short term possessions. It is time to repent of your sins and unbelief. Today is the day of grace. We do not have a promise of tomorrow, or the New Year. Begin to seek the Lord today! If you earnestly seek him, look at what the promise in God’s Word is! Luke 11: 9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Dear unbelieving reader, if not yet begun to truly seek, pray that the Lord give you the grace and strength to begin to seek Him today!

Dear truly believing readers, today and in the coming New Year, enjoy the peace, joy, and rest that you have found in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Matt.11:29….. ye shall find rest unto your souls.
May the Lord Bless your week and New Year!