Special 2018-2019 New Year’s Eve Message

Hi guys,

Just like I recorded a special message for you last week, I thought it might be nice to record a special New Year’s greeting as well. Next week, we’ll pick back up with the regular Flashback episodes, looking at Season 3.

However, today is New Year’s Eve, and the last day of 2018. For some people, this day marks the end of a crazy year and if you’re a part of this group, I imagine you cannot wait for tomorrow when a new year begins.

However, others may have had an amazing year, and while it is sad to see this year move into history, there is nothing stopping 2019 from being just as good or even better.

Whenever I stop to think about the transition between one year and the next, I am ultimately reminded that regardless of how the last year went, or how great my hopes for the New Year are, the transition between two years marks one additional step closer to the return of Jesus.

I have no idea what year Jesus will return, and I don’t recommend spending any energy trying to figure it out. Energy spent trying to figure out the date of Jesus’ return, when Jesus Himself said He didn’t know it, seems very futile, or very speculative.

Instead, since we don’t know when Jesus will return, or when our last breath will be, our lives are best lived for God today, and each day moving forward.

With that said, while this isn’t really a New Year’s resolution, let me leave you with a special New Year’s challenge: When moving into the New Year, determine to live for God each and every day. Choose to do something each day to grow closer to God. Choose to do at least one thing that is intentionally nice for someone you know today, and choose to do at least one thing that is intentionally nice for a stranger as well.

While it doesn’t seem like much, every nice act helps and together we can help a hurting world experience God’s love as we live and grow closer to Him while loving each other.

Again I hope that whether you are looking forward to the end of 2018 or looking back on this year wishing it would never end, it is my hope and prayer that 2019 will be infinitely better than 2018, and that we all will grow closer to Jesus together!