Author: NBibens

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Hello, and Happy New Year! Every day is a blessing from God, but January 1^st always feels special because we are gifted not only another day but a new year. Of course, we don’t know what this new year will hold. We aren’t even promised that we will get to see the entirety of the year. But if God blesses us with another full year, how will you use that blessing? 

You likely have some plans to get in better shape, save more, start a new hobby, or grow in some facet of your life. And that’s great. But will you be intentional about setting goals that will help you grow spiritually? What disciplines can help you with faithfulness? In what ways can you plan to bear more fruit for the Lord? However much of a new year God blesses you with, how will you use that blessing to honor the Great I Am?

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We find ourselves at the end of another year. You may have grand goals for 2025, but before we flip the calendar and say goodbye to this year, it may be wise to reflect on the past year before heading into the new. What happened in 2024 that you have to be thankful for? Even if it was a tough year, if we look back, surely hindsight can help us see God’s goodness and care. What about growth? Was 2024 a year of spiritual maturing? In what ways did you improve your spiritual walk and increase your faithfulness? What struggles did you encounter that maybe you didn’t expect? 

Taking time to look back can be a positive way to look forward and begin a new year. Use previous success to drive more growth. Learn from challenges and struggles to become stronger in the year ahead. And always remember to place your faith in God and follow Him every day He gives you.

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In Jonah 4, the prophet was angry that God had shown mercy to the Ninevites. While he was sulking outside the city, God asked Jonah twice, “Do you do well to be angry?” Sadly, Jonah thought his anger was justified. 

If asked if we are “good people” or “doing well,” most of us would answer in the affirmative. But would we be correct? It’s easy to justify our behavior, excuse our faults, and overlook our problems. When we are the judge, we tend to think we are doing quite well. This is why God’s Word is so important. We can honestly answer whether we are doing well only when we compare our lives to Scripture. Are we trusting in the Lord? Are we obeying His commands? Does God’s Word rebuke our life? Don’t answer the question “Do you do well?” for yourself. Let God’s Word answer that question. And if it isn’t a good answer, let God’s Word guide you in the corrections that must be made. 

In Matthew 5:38-41, Jesus taught against retaliation. Jesus takes this teaching further in the following verses. He says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”[1] It’s one thing not to mistreat someone just because they mistreated you. But to love the person who wronged you? To pray for those who hate you and bless those who are your enemies? That’s another category altogether. And it’s what Jesus calls us to.

Avoiding retaliation is good and necessary—but it’s not enough in and of itself. Jesus commands us to love our enemies; that is, we choose to do good to them. We pray for them; we bless them however we can. And if this seems nigh-impossible, remember, it’s how God has acted towards us. And He wants us to share that type of love with others.

[1] Matthew 5:43-44

Much of Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount focuses on our attitudes and behavior toward others. Jesus is emphatic that we must treat others well. Even our attitudes toward others should be controlled. But what if others mistreat us? Do the Lord’s commands still apply?

In Matthew 5:38-40 He says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.”

The impulse to retaliate comes so naturally to most of us. But Jesus teaches that not only is it wrong to mistreat others—it’s wrong to mistreat others who mistreated us first, also.

In Matthew 5:33-37, Jesus continues His “You have heard it said…But I say to you” mini-series. In this passage, Jesus addresses the issue of honesty. He says, “You have heard it said…‘You shall not swear falsely…’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all…Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”

Sometimes, people think swearing an oath is more meaningful than just giving our word. But, if a person is willing to lie without an oath, they are probably willing to lie when they give an oath. Even if some will be honest so long as an oath is involved, Jesus teaches that His disciples shouldn’t need such motivation to be honest. We should always be truthful. We should mean what we say and keep our word. The absence of an oath isn’t an excuse to lie or backtrack on our commitments. Christians should be honest people whose words can be trusted.

In Matthew 5:27-28, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Similar to Jesus’ words about murder and anger, Jesus teaches that restrained actions aren’t all there is to purity—a transformed heart is also essential.

Sadly, adultery is an oft-committed offense, but it’s also understood to be wrong and evil. But Jesus reminds us that even if we abstain from the actual act of adultery, it doesn’t mean we are pure. If we allow ourselves to lust—if we harbor illicit thoughts and adulterous desires, we are as guilty in God’s eyes as if we committed the act. That doesn’t mean we should go ahead and commit the sin—it means we must be aware of our thoughts and work to purify not only our actions but our hearts and minds as well!

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Jehoiada may not be the most recognizable Bible character, but he was a good man with a great story. When an evil queen sought to secure her position by murdering any potential claimants to the throne, Jehoiada risked his life to rescue and hide the infant Joash from the queen’s murderous plot. Some years later, Jehoiada instigated a rebellion against the false queen and restored the kingship to Joash, who was only 8 years old. Jehoiada was the king’s adviser, and as long as he lived, the king ruled well.

When Jehoiada died, the Bible says, “…they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.”[1] What a eulogy! If, at the end of our lives, it can be said we were good to our family, did good for the church, and were good toward God, then we will have lived an honorable life!

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[1] 2 Chronicles 24:16