New Years Show

This is Han's trial from the finishing well podcast on finishing well. We help you make godly choices about Medicare long-term care and your money. Your chosen Truth Network podcast starting in just seconds. Enjoy share but most of all, thank you for listening and choosing the truth. Podcast network. This is the Truth Network encouraging prayer, God offers an open invitation for his people to talk with him at any time about anything, and encouraging prayer Dr. James Banks, author of the best-selling and many other books on prayer provides weekly biblical insight help you learn to mom and now a happy new year from encouraging prayer along the lines James title you have for this addition is one year closer to Jesus, are we closer than ever, so to speak.

Yeah yeah my closer to Jesus on this day January 1, 2022. January 1, 2021. We need to ask you. Oh yeah, I mean, and in the beautiful opportunity that we have to be mindful of what build that relationship this coming year. Yeah, we want to talk about, you know, to encourage each other in in line closer to him and realizing what they are what's available in our relationship with him instead of you know coming. We just got through Christmas being distracted by shiny objects. Those packages and ribbons and having is about a metaphor for life meet so often shiny objects that has to be done. That really keeps us from life being in his presence and so that's where we want to go today and I came across a poem from none other than John Newton. The amazing author of amazing grace and he wrote this book of hymns old me him talk about it before, but he wrote it with the genius British poet William Cooper and he writes a poem about the beginning of the year and I read it. Please, please, hard-hitting, so hold on here goes. See another year is gone quickly at the seasons past this winter. Now upon me. Too many proved their last mercy hitherto has spared but have mercies been improved and upwards, got his mercy live another year but have I grown in his mercy. Let us ask him I prepared should I be this year removed. Now listen to this in our age of covert some we now no longer see who their mortal race have run seemed as fair for life as we when the former year began somebody who God only knows who are here assembled now error the present year shall close to the stroke of lust now not messing around life.

The field of battle is installed in our view, and the next that flies may be sent to me or you what we preach.

And while we hear help us Lord each one.

To think fast eternity is near. I am standing from guilt and sin set free by the knowledge of by grace welcomed them. The call will be to depart and see thy face to thy saints will hear below, with New Year's new mercies, but the happiest year know their last which leads you, just yesterday I heard the story about this rich man that it is office. He had another room that he went into where there was a coffin and in order for him to make sure that he wasn't doing anything that wouldn't last at some point in time during every day he would go live my good about what was important that would last for what he did today while that thing you know, life passes so quickly you think about how we had to say. Well, it seems like only yesterday that said because we were made to exist in eternity.

You know the water doesn't know that it likewise we look at time and we similar passes so quickly. You know were meant to be with God for ever and so it's helpful for us to look at our lives and say yes I in my closer to Jesus and if I'm not then how can I be so much of the key that is his prayer and being in the way in the word of God. I think about someone just the first three verses. Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the waiting sinners take set in the company of mockers look about progress their walk, stand. You know you start one direction then asserted Terry there and you're stuck there but whose delight is in the law of the Lord and meditates or thinks about his law day and night, that person is like a tree planted by streams of water which yields its fruit season is least is not whether whatever they do, prosperous and you know what the psalmist is talking about. There isn't more shiny objects. You will the whole of life for life. We last gone and and that means like fine, really value relationship with him. Most of all, think about what Jesus seek first his kingdom and his righteous in all these things will be given to you as well so you and I think about this question in my closer to Jesus. Now that I was at the beginning of 2021. I think it's just great to turn prayer. Oh, absolutely.

And I and I know thing you see in the psalmist that is so clear, is he not only was in the word, but he realized that the word was Jesus right so as were in the word but also as were in prayer.

It's in the same place your fallen in love with what what what is this relationship were so blessed to have both the Holy Spirit and the word and all these things to point us in that direction that we can grow closer that's absolutely right, Robbie in and we want relationship that is better than anything else again seek first his kingdom and these things will be added to you. This year, all may be a year where we look forward to Jesus where we love you more.

Where we know his love and no history and upstarts are just reaching for him where ever we are just reaching for him and and and loving human back because he loved us first how beautiful it is know he waits for us to reach for him… Close the prayer that we may Lord Jesus bless and help us to love, to live for all to hear more from Pastor James by visiting the website. James Banks got a large, or by visiting these church in Durham, North Carolina.

May God bless you and encourage you to pray. This is the Truth Network