Good bye 2020

Welcome to 2021 and a hope that it is better than 2020. Can I get an Amen? When the new year of 2020 was just a few days away I preached a message to the church I was pastoring entiled “New Year, New Me”. It was a very encouraging and challenging message with hope and vision for the new year. It would be the year 2020 and I was thinking, and probably all pastors were, this is a great time to talk about having perfect vision in the new year. Being clear in seeing what God would want to do with us as the year would progress. Well, none of us saw what was only a few short months away. Think about it, if there were a time machine in the future, the dial will show 2020 with a red circle and line through it. No one would ever want to go back to what this past year has been.

That is why it is always good for us to look to His Word and find the encouragement and direction we need in our life. Look at what we find in Psalm 46:1-11

1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah

4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

7 The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.

10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

11 The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

The issue, which many have in their faith, is that it is a faith not lived. That is to say, their faith in God is not experienced each day. It is however tested in the times of need.

If you don’t walk with Him each day, that is to pray and spend intimate time with Him, when and it will, the times of turmoil come, you will wonder, wander and act as though God is not there for you.

Recently, there was a survey that revealed an important thing that will probably surprise you but it really shouldn’t. It found that in these days of Covid-19 that the people who are handling all that is going on are those who are engaged with their local church. That’s right, they are the ones who are taking the required precautions to join with others in worship. Now it will look and be different depending on your locale or your church but the results are the same.

We have the privilege of being with different congregations because I am doing pulpit supply right now. Praying God will lead us to our next Intentional Interim Pastor opportunity soon. In the meantime, we are experiencing the joy of worshipping each week with other believers and it is good for us and for them. It can and is good for you, as well.

You need to remember that as the Psalmist tells us He is your refuge.

1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah

The word selah is found in two books of the Bible, but is most prevalent in the Psalms, where it appears 71 times. It also appears three times in the third chapter of the minor prophet Habakkuk. The Amplified Bible adds “pause and calmly think about that” to each verse where selah appears.  When we see the word selah in a Psalm or in Habakkuk 3, we should pause to carefully weigh the meaning of what we have just read or heard, lifting up our hearts in praise to God for His great truths.

He is your refuge but He is also your fortress.

4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

7 The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

Remember He is your refuge, but He is also your fortress and never forget that He is your God.

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.

10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

11 The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

1) He is your refuge

2) He is your fortress

3) He is your God

So as we begin 2021 we can be excited and hopeful. Will it be like 2020? Let’s hope not. As you go into this new year, keep this thought in mind in all that you do, if the Lord is not in it, then why do it?

Happy New Year.

A thought to ponder,

Elbert Nasworthy