Greetings in the name of the One who makes all things new, King Jesus. Happy New Year 2016! This will be a year of great exploits by our God through His Church! Those who intimately know their God will be used by Him to perform these exploits. It will be a time when God’s glory encompasses the Church that seeks Him diligently.
There will also be a continuous acceleration of the antichrist spirits preparing for the revealing of the “man of sin.” This means more troubles for the world and greater darkness blinding the people who do not know the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Even Christians who know Him, but are lukewarm and lackluster will have their ability to see and understand dimmed by this darkness.
For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
—Mark 13:22
These conditions create perilous times, and in these times you need protection. Divine protection is a promise we have as a devoted follower and friend of Jesus. Psalm 91 contains the greatest protection verses I can think of throughout the Word; however, not all Christians operate fully in this protection. The Psalm says this:
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. —Psalm 91:1
If you want to enjoy the fullness of your protection promised in this Psalm, you must have your way of living in the Word and with the Spirit of God. To “abide” means “to have your way of living,” just as you abide in your home. The year of 2016 will be the most perilous year yet, but if you are seeking Him and His kingdom on a daily basis, these things should not concern you.
The “shadow of the Almighty” is not a shadow of darkness, but a shadow of light. God is light, and there is no darkness in Him (I John 1:5). However, the prophet Isaiah prophesied that a great darkness would cover the face of the earth. This is happening today. In order to pierce this darkness, we need the Word of God, which is the lamp unto our feet (Ps. 119:105).
For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.
—Isaiah 60:2
The light of the Word prevents us from living in darkness and gives us an understanding of what to do in these Last Days.
The Word of God is, of course, found in the Bible, but it is also in the local church. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). We need the local church as a place to come to be fed and led by a righteous and godly pastor. I have to say “righteous” and “godly” because some pastors today are far from either; many preach perverted grace that will allow for your sin instead of Word-based grace that teaches how to be free from sin and have dominion over sin.
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.
—Titus 2:11-12
A pastor is one of the five-fold ministry gifts given to the Church by Jesus. There are four others: prophet, evangelist, apostle and teacher. These giftings make up the ministry of Jesus. Since no one man can successfully be all five as Jesus was, it takes many giftings to help mature us as followers of Jesus. These gifts are given to us as members of the Body of Christ to build us up in our relationship with the Father (Eph. 4:11-14). As our relationship grows, we are changed into the image of Jesus Himself, (Rom. 8:29) becoming the Glorious Church that will be caught away to heaven at Jesus’ appearing.
In order to abide in the shadow of the Almighty, we must follow God’s orders for living. (Jesus did say He was the way and the life.) Godly order includes time in His Word, time with His people (the local church), and time with the anointed men and women of God who are to help build you up into the image of Jesus. Also, never forget your time in prayer with the Holy Spirit. These all will strengthen your relationship with our heavenly Father and soothe your soul concerning the days ahead.
Allow me to share what my pastor, Dr. William Luffman, had to say concerning the New Year and instructions to his flock. He advised us to take an “inventory” of our lives and quoted the wisest and richest man ever, Solomon:
Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds; for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations. —Proverbs 27:23-24
We must know the state of our affairs and give proper attention to those things that need improvement. This includes natural and spiritual possessions. What are we spending time on? Are we willing to do what is necessary to take our relationship with God to the next level? It is important for us all to sit down and look at the time we are spending on the things of God. What needs to change for us to become more effective in the Kingdom? It is possible to miss some of the good things Jesus has provided for us. If our faith inventory is off, our receiving may be less than what is possible for us.
It’s a new year, and it is never too late to fine tune the things of God in our lives as long as we are on this side of heaven. Do not feel condemned, however, if you are convicted, just take action and turn to the Father. He will show you how to increase in 2016 no matter where you are in your walk with the Lord.
Michelle and I are looking forward to many great events in 2016 and seeing many souls come into (and back) to the kingdom of God. Thank you for your prayers and financial support; we could not do this without you. We’re praying for you and call you blessed, healed and whole throughout 2016!
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