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New Year’s Eve

“To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy — to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” (Jude 1:24-25, NIV)

Jude’s benediction — his letter’s final words — are a fitting close to this year.

There are things we’ve done this year that we wish we hadn’t done; there are opportunities we’ve left unexplored, but we need not despair: It is Jesus alone Who is able to present us to the ultimate Judge “without fault and with great joy.”

None of us knows what the New Year holds, but we need not despair: Through it all, and at the end of all; He is able to keep us from stumbling, both now and forevermore! – Luther

Tagged accountability, judgement, New Year's Eve, the book of Jude

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“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:6-8, NIV)

What awaits you after this life?

In his final days on this earth, Paul — writing to his protege Timothy — declares that “the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day” awaits him.

The trials of this life are many, and often cause us great pain and suffering. However, do not despair. Fight the good fight, meaning: Draw on all of your resources — in heaven and on earth — to resist the evil one and his schemes. Stay in the race to the finish, meaning: Don’t quit — ever. Keep the faith, meaning: Remember that God, through Jesus, has assured victory at the end of all things — even if it doesn’t look that way now.

The rewards written of by Paul are not only his — but ours, as well, if we wait in longing for His appearing.

What awaits us after this life? Life in the presence of the Lord. The crown of righteousness. Hearing the righteous Judge say to us, “Well done.” – Luther

Tagged crown of righteousness, judgement, reward, the book of 2 Timothy

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“God saw that human evil was out of control. People thought evil, imagined evil — evil, evil, evil from morning to night. God was sorry that he had made the human race in the first place; it broke his heart.” (Genesis 6:5-6, The Message)

God had made humans in His own image and after His likeness. The potential for immense good was resident within every creature, and it broke God’s heart to see divine inspiration squandered, and human potential corrupted. Yet, it was this apparent disregard of goodness, justice, and mercy by the very people that God had created, that He regretted having created us. Moreover, God was about to hit the “reset” button on the world that He had called “good” at the dawn of Creation.

Yet, even in the midnight of divine reckoning, God does not extinguish the flickering hope of reconciliation. In the case of today’s scripture, God’s immutable righteousness required the “reset”; as His unfathomable mercy allowed a “restart” through the faithful obedience of Noah and his family members.

God continues to seek us — even in our rebellion. God continues to love us — even with a broken heart. How can we resist such love? – Luther

Tagged judgement, reconciliation, the book of Genesis