Articles
The Blessing of Today - 10.29.2023 Bulletin
The Blessing of Today
It is important that we not just as Christians, but as humans take life one day at a time. Proverbs 27.1 says, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” Life can change quick so we must learn to cherish the moments given to us by God and take advantage of the day we are given because tomorrow is not promised.
Two of my favorite verses in the Bible speak to the need of taking on things one day at a time. Psalm 118.24 says, “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” I try to remind myself each day of this verse when I wake up in the morning. First, each day is a blessing from Jehovah because He has given it to us. He is the one who makes each day, because He is the sustainer of the world. Therefore, because Jehovah has made the day, we need to rejoice and be happy. Each new day provides us with opportunities. Matthew 6.34 says, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (NASB1995). If we spend too much time thinking about the future it can bring about great anxiety. Giving undo thought to the future can cripple us to the point that we lose sight of the day at hand and finding the blessings in it. While each day is a blessing and needs to be rejoiced in, it comes with its own set of cares and concerns. Our focus should be on how we can best tackle the day we have before us.
Just as too much thought given to the future can cripple us, the same can be said for too much thought given to the past. In Philippians 3.13 Paul says, “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.” All of us have a past, that’s no secret. All of us regret things we have done or regret not doing something we should have done. All of us have acted or spoken in ways we shouldn’t have. The list can go on. But all these things are history, we can’t do anything about it. There is also a danger of relying on past accomplishments, and the good we have done. The key is not letting the past, good or bad, affect today. We must learn from our past and use it to better ourselves today. The devil wants us to dwell on the past, he doesn’t want us to forget, he wants us to not move forward. The devil wants us to not forgive ourselves and be stuck in the mud. The devil wants us to rest on the good things we have done in the past and think that is enough. But we can’t let him get what he wants.
What opportunities come with a new day? First, each new day allows us a chance to start over or begin anew. Each morning brings with it a freshness, and newness. God is patient with us, and each new day He gives us is a chance to grow our faith, restore our faith, or begin to have faith in Him. We have an opportunity to put the past further behind us and seek forgiveness of our sins. Anytime is a good time to grow, restore, or start your walk with the Lord. The Lord will welcome all who want a fresh start.
Along the same lines a new day provides us with the opportunity to change our attitude. 2 Corinthians 4.16 says, “Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” The new day allows us to grow closer to God, and further from the world. We can put off the old self with its evil practices (Colossians 3.5-10) and grow in the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5.22-23). We are not going to master all “the fruits of the spirit” or all the “Christian graces” in one day. But every day we are given is a chance to keep working and becoming more fruitful for God.
Finally, each new day is a chance to teach someone about Christ. Since we are only blessed with today, we must take advantage of every opportunity we are given to teach others. Many need to hear and know how Christ can change their lives. Hebrews 4.7 says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” The Bible places an emphasis on the need to obey the gospel message when one believes, and to not delay. There is a danger in delaying to obey as Felix did (Acts 24.24-25). We need to pray that the hearts of mankind will be open and receptive to hearing the gospel before it is too late.
- Glad_Tidings_10.29.2023_PDF.pdf (5.03 MB)
