Coffee With The Lord

IT’S THE LAST DAY OF 2025 – NEW YEAR’S EVE IS UPON US! In many ways we might be tempted to label the last year “Cultural Insanity!” And the challenge for followers of Jesus is living each day as devoted, obedient, and faithful as His followers! Quite a challenge – influencing our culture for Christ – not allowing it to inappropriately influence us… Holy, Christlike lives!

So this morning – the last day of the past year – this was my Bible reading from the epistles during my time of “Coffee with the Lord” … A wonderful word of assurance from Jude (in a world that held many of the challenges we face as Christians – read the entire epistle [25 verses] if you doubt me!

“Now to him WHO IS ABLE to KEEP YOU FROM STUMBLING and to PRESENT YOU BLAMELESS BEFORE THE PRESENCE OF HIS GLORY WITH GREAT JOY, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 24–25 ESV)

And as I worshipfully pondered those wonderful inspired words at the end of 2025, the words of this powerful gospel song came to mind…

“I don’t know about tomorrow
I just live from day to day
I don’t borrow from its sunshine
For its skies may turn to grey

“I don’t worry o’er the future
For I know what my Jesus said
And today I’ll walk beside Him
For He knows what is ahead

“I don’t know about tomorrow
It just may bring me poverty
But the one who feeds the sparrow (yeah), oh
Is the one who stands by beside me

“And my path that is my portion
May be through the flame or flood
But His presence goes before me
And I’m covered with His precious blood

Refrain:

“Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand!”

Songwriters: Bill and Gloria Gaither & Ira F. Stanphill.

A God-blessed New Year to you as a follower of Jesus!

FREE BIBLE READING PLAN!

Have you tried to read the Bible through and gotten bogged down in 1 & 2 Chronicles… “Begat…begat…begat?”

A reading plan I developed helps with that problem! Using it, you read a passage of Scripture from each of the major divisions of Scripture (Old Testament historical, Biblical poetry, the prophets, New Testament historical, and the epistles) every day…

AND YOU FINISH THE ENTIRE BIBLE IN A YEAR! …and it’s FREE!

Just request it! Text (972-921-9317) me your preferred e-mail address and I’ll send you a free pdf of the plan. It’s name? “Necessary Food Bible Reading Plan” based upon Job’s words in Job 23:12

This morning I read a very encouraging passage of Scripture (and I think you may be surprised that I found it encouraging)!

This morning I read Revelation 17 that speaks of “Babylon” or “the great prostitute that sits on many waters” at the end of time. Leon Morris, in his commentary identifies this imagery as “humanity in organized opposition to God.” This chapter describes the incredible evil and the terrible persecution against God’s people unleashed at the end of time (“In her hand she held a gold goblet full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality… she was drunk – drunk with the blood of God’s holy people who were witnesses of Jesus.” Vss. 7-10). As I read this chapter I could only imagine how wicked human culture will become and how vicious persecution will become before Jesus returns! Not a pretty picture!

But then I read these encouraging words… “God has put a plan into their minds – a plan that will carry out His purposes… and so the word of God will be fulfilled!” (vs. 17). Although this verse predicts escalating evil at the end of time and increasing persecution, NOTHING that happens will be outside of God’s control… NOTHING!! Ultimately God’s plan and purposes will be fulfilled!! The world may seem to be spinning out of control! Culture may be in decay! Evil may seem to be escalating and winning the battle for human hearts. Righteous people may increasingly be the object of derision and persecution. All may seem hopeless… BUT GOD IS IN CONTROL!! In the end He will make the very “wrath of man to praise Him!” (Psalm 76.7-10)

So, at this Christmas season the words of this old carol come to mind…

I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day : by John Baptiste Calkin (1848), Johnny Marks (1956), and others. Interestingly the original text is from a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1863)

“I heard the bells on Christmas Day
their old familiar carols play
And wild and sweet the words repeat
of peace on earth goodwill to men

“I thought how as the day had come
the belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along unbroken song
of peace on earth goodwill to men

“I can hear your voice, I can hear your voice
like the bells on Christmas Day.

“And in despair I bowed my head
‘There is no peace on earth’ I said
For hate is strong that mocks the song
of peace on earth goodwill to men

“(Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead nor does he sleep
The wrong shall fail the right prevail
with peace on earth goodwill to men)

“Till ringin’ singin’ on its way
the world revolve from night to day
A voice a chime a chant sublime
of peace on earth goodwill to men

“Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead nor does he sleep
The wrong shall fail the right prevail
with peace on earth goodwill to men!”