......2007 Look Back. Move Ahead Straight 2008......Happy New Year FS.

……2007 Look Back. Move Ahead Straight 2008……

 

For most of us, the start of every New Year brings excitement and anticipation for what we might expect over the next 12 months. I often find it fun to envision the wonderful things the future holds for me and my family. Rarely, however, do I take much time to reflect over the year that has just ended, especially considering the many instances of God's faithfulness that I have experienced.

 

Typically, my mindset has been along the lines of, "What is past is past. Let's move on." Unfortunately, having such a flawed, one-directional view results a tendency to miss out on the encouragement and confidence that I receive whenever I pause long enough to spend time examining what God has done over the preceding year.

 

God has always realized His people's need for reminders of His kindness and faithfulness in their lives. In Exodus 12, after 430 years of captivity to the Egyptians, we are told that God readied the people of Israel for deliverance. He forewarned them that He would strike down every firstborn son of Egypt, but was going to pass over the Israelites' first born if they would sacrifice an unblemished lamb and put the blood of the lamb on their doorposts.

 

Through this unprecedented act, God gave to the Israelites a new beginning. As a result, they received a New Year, beginning with the Hebrew month of Abib. For thousands of years since then, descendents of the Israelites have celebrated the Passover as a memorial to what God did for them. The significance of that annual ritual is an encouragement and reminder to the chosen people of God of how they were saved and protected as a people by God.

 

God said in Exodus 12:26-27, "And when your children ask you, 'What does this ceremony mean to you? Then tell them, 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians."

 

Like the Israelites – and modern-day Jews – we should make it a point to stop from our relentless march toward the future to consider how God has worked in our lives in the recent past.

 

If you ponder for long enough the wondrous things God has done for you in the past, I am certain that it will serve as inspiration to enable you to move forward with confidence.

 

As 2007 draws to a close and 2008 makes its debut, we will all be busy making plans and setting goals for the upcoming year. And it would be unwise not to do so. However, please do not underestimate the value of celebrating God's goodness to you over the last year. You may be amazed to remember how much He has done.

 

As we strive to work with integrity throughout the coming year, let us all take confidence in the fact that God has modeled integrity for us in the past – and will continue to do so in the future!

 

Reflection/Discussion Questions

1.What are some specific plans or goals that you have formulated for the next year?

 

2. As you have been looking to the future, has it occurred to you to reflect on the past year and what you have been able to accomplish? If so, what were some of the highlights for you?

If you have not paused to look back on the year that has just come to a close, take some time to do so now and write down some of the most positive developments.

 

3. As you think back and recall some of your major achievements of the past year, both professional and person, what role do you think that God played in them – if any? Explain your answer.

 

4. Thinking about how the Israelites, and Jewish people today, have observed Passover as a reminder of how God freed His people from tyranny in Egypt thousands of years ago, do you think it might be useful to have a personal holiday of your own to help in remembering God's goodness and faithfulness to your life? Why or why not?

 

Consider other passages that relate to this topic, look up the following verses:

Deuteronomy 16:1-12;http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=deut%2016-18,mark%2013:1-20;&version=64;

Lamentations 3:22-33;http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=31&chapter=3&version=64

1 Corinthians 11:23-26; http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20corinthians%2011;&version=64;

Philippians 4:8-9; http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=57&chapter=4&version=64

Hebrews 10:32-39 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2010;&version=64;

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I hope that 2007 was a good year for us because 2008 I think will be one year to remember for the ages.

1. On May 12 will be the National ID Card. This is unavoidable and IS coming. I don't like this, but can't do much to stop.

2. Election Day will be one that will remind us of Nov. 2006 when the Liberals lied their way back into power in Congress. The same will happen for the White House with a Liberal going back since Bill Clinton. Which Lib will it be? Obama? Hillary? or Edwards? No matter which one of these three Liberals wins in November will be the beginning of end of America as we know it.

3. Do us Conservatives have a chance? Not much I'm afraid. Unless we get back to our Ronald Reagan base by February, the one who wins the Liberal nomination will be president. At the moment, we have no real front runner.

Then when get done with a memorable 08' wait til 09'...that's going to be a real beauty.

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The actual effect of the the Real ID act has been postponed until December 2009, but yes it WILL happen:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REAL_ID_... and that date concerns me. (a) it's the beginning of 2010 and (b) the card might have a North American emblem on it (c) at that point we may have put a dent in ID theft, but amnesty reform may be having its own way since the Feds will have new wide open trade partners and will generally be trying to avoid offending them about illegal immigration....making even weaker borders!

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In 2007 FS members and American patriots at large made their voices heard to our illustrious leaders on a major key issue and put a temporary stop to amnesty reform. In 2008 let's make ourselves heard by all the candidates for president, Congress, governors, state legislature, and on down the line about what matters most to US in this country...not just what THEY want to talk about. We must demand, louder than ever, to have our freedoms, rights, and sovereignty preserved as well as our fundamental laws upheld...despite all the terrorism, tyranny, and greed in the world. Something in my heart of hearts tells me that we could be looking at our last chance to keep our great heritage as we know it. God bless the USA !!!

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