Daily Devotional For Monday, January 1, 2024

Happy New Year everyone. 2024 has just started and it is a New Year with adventures. Think of 2024 as an ocean. You're about to enter these unchartered waters for the first time. No one can tell you what this year will be like for us. Oh, we can reflect back to 2023 and possibly assume some common elements and experiences from 2023 will be in 2024, and our familiarity with 2023 may give us some idea and comfort for 2024. BUT the ocean/waters of 2024 will have their own unique experiences for us. Some of the these waters we travel in 2024 will be safe and familiar. Some may be treacherous and even dangerous. No psychic can tell you specfically what 2024 will be like for you.

Oceans have a way of changing and turning quickly as mine did in Septemer 2019 when I had a stroke while driving. I went blind and drove into 2 parked cars. Actually, I hit the back of one car and pushed it into the parked car in front of it. Since then, I have had two more TIAs. Life comes at us and sometimes in harsh and cruel ways, but at least I had my faith in Christ and my relationship to Him, as well as my personal family and church family to help me navigate through those waters.

As Christians we are at a crucial time in life. The world itself is sailing and lost on a vast, wide and deep sea. More people are dying and going to hell more than any time in the world. Why do I say that? The world's population is the biggest it has ever been -- over 8 billion people. Statiticians say every day in the world --150,000 people die. That is every day. That is 6,250 every hour.  That is a lot of deaths every hour and every day.

Before Jesus ascended back to heaven He said to His disciples gathered around Him this in Matthew 28:19-20, "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (20) Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (NLT). This command was not given just to pastors and ministers. This comand is given to every single Christ follower.  Our English translation does not translate the words of Jesus accurately. Why?

1. First, there is only one command in this passage and it is not the word "Go." It is "make disciples." A better way to translate this is, "As you are going . . ." Meaning, "As you are going to work . . . as you are going to school . . .  as you are going to the grocery store . . . as you are going anywhere . . . make disciples." Jesus knows we go out into the world for which He died on the cross for, but as we are going, do not forget that our main goal in life is not to make money, not to make a retirement account, but to make disciples. 

2. Nations -- there are around 195 nations, but the Greek New Testament word used here is not the typical Greek word for "nations." The New Testament Greek word used here is [ἔθνη, ethne] and it is where we get our English word "ethnic." How many ethnic groups are there in the world? Well, it varies depending on which source you use. Some say as low as 11,500 and others say as high as 24,000. Ethnic groups are those with their own language or dialects, customs and traditions. This certainly makes it more challenging. Of the 8 billion people on the planet currently, it is estimated that 3.4 billion of them have no access to the Gospel. That is a lot of lost people closed to the Gospel and on a boat to hell.

This is why the true church of our Lord needs to get busy. Jesus said this to us in Luke 9:62, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God" (NLT). We can't look back to 2023 and keep patting ourselves on the back for how much we got done. The real issue is: how much will we do personally and individually to tell people about Jesus. I really believe that if more people who call themselves Christians were more fearful about the reality of hell as the devil and his demons are, we would see more people sharing Christ. 

As 2024 is here, make your New Year's Resolutions, have fun, work hard, play, attend church, but also be conscious of those around you who are lost and going to hell. There is a very convicting, horrifying and disturbing story Jesus tells in Luke 16:19-21. Read it below:

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. (20) At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores (21) and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. (22) “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. (23) In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. (24) So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ (25) “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. (26) And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ (27) “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family (28)  for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment. (29) “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ (30) “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ (31) “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead’” (NLT).

What is implied in this story is that at some point in both of their lives, Lazarus was either a slave or servant for this rich man. Even in Hades the rich man still saw Lazarus as his slave. He suggested to Abraham to have Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in some water and bring it to him to quench the thirst on his tongue.  There are several truths in this story:

1. Hades as two parts: Paradise/heaven for God's people and Hell for the lost. In this story, each can see and talk to the other but their finality is sealed in eternity based on either their acceptance or rejection of Christ while alive here. 
2. The fiery part of hell is real. The rich man begs for just a single drop of water to quench his thirst. 
3. The Gospel is enough to convict people of their sin and bring about repentance in their heart. 
4. Jesus coming back from the dead is to some people not enough to convince them. 
5. Christians must get more serious about sharing the Gospel rather than just so busy making sure their church buildings are clean and kept up. We need a revival today in the church about the lost and for the lost.

Do you believe this story told by Jesus is true? If you do, in 2024, make sure you let the light of Christ in you shine. Jesus said in John 12:32, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself” (ESV). Let's lift Jesus up for everyone to see and be given the opportunity to accept or reject Him.

Scripture to Meditate On: Matthew 5:16, "Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father" (NLT).

Prayer to Pray: "Dear Jesus, 2024 is here and so are You as well. Jesus, forgive me for not taking the reality of an eternal hell serously as well as sharing the light of my faith for others to see. I do not want my family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors and nor do I want anyone to go to Hell. Convict me to shine for You. Jesus, You said in Matthew 10:33, "Whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before My Father Who is in heaven" (NLT). Jesus, I don't want to be a denier; I want to be a deliverer for You. In 2024, I commit to do this for You and the salvation of others. In Jesus' name, Amen."