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To the Editor:
A new year often causes people to reflect and re-examine themselves and their goals. Most have regrets about what they did or didn’t do in the past. We can’t alter the past but we can and should put the past on the alter and give Jesus complete control of our lives. Many will make New Year’s resolutions. The top resolutions or goals are: (1) diet or eat healthier, (2) exercise more, (3) lose weight, (4) save more and spend less, (5) learn a new skill or hobby, (6) quit smoking, (7) read more, (8) find another job, (9) drink less alcohol, (10) spend more time with family and friends. These are worthy goals. Yet despite the good intentions of those who made them few will actually follow through on these resolutions. Studies show less than 25 percent of the people stay committed to their resolutions after 30 days and only 8 percent or 1 in 12 accomplish their personal improvement goals.
So 92 percent will fail to change, to break bad habits, or to develop new good habits. Only Jesus and the Holy Spirit can create lasting positive change in us. The moment you believe and receive Jesus and let Him control your life the Holy Spirit produces love, joy and peace in you and helps you live a life you thought was impossible to live. “Therefore if any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
The birth of Jesus was the only event in history that had the importance to change time from B.C. to A.D. and restart the calendar. C.S. Lewis said, “The central Christian belief is that Jesus’ death has somehow put us right with God and given us a fresh start.” The new year will not give you a fresh start; only Jesus can do that. Without Jesus in your life, welcome to a bleak new year and the most horrifying eternity possible. We must pray for a genuine nationwide Christian revival in which the Holy Spirit would change people’s attitudes and motivations. Perry Stone said America must repent from unbelief and self-love. Most American’s are arrogant and are in love with this world, stuff and themselves. This evil is predicted in 2 Timothy 3, “In the last days people will be lovers of self.” God is jealous and commands us to put nothing before Him. Without revival God’s great judgment on America will come. As the late preacher R.G. Lee said, there will be a “payday someday!” Only Jesus can deliver each of us and America from the wrath to come! Seek the Lord Jesus while He may be found, call upon him while He is near!
We can expect even greater disasters and earthquakes for 2022. As the Bible says in Psalms 9:17, “The wicked shall be turned into hell and all nations that forget God.” The Bible also says in Luke 21:11, “And great earthquakes shall be in divers places.” The bad news is great judgment on America is coming but the good news is Jesus is coming soon. The Bible says these last days are dangerous times (2 Timothy 3) and nuclear weapons will be used. Soon Damascus, Syria will be destroyed and a city in Iran will have to be evacuated because it becomes radioactive. History has shown that anyone who tries to take your guns is your enemy and often becomes your executioner or dictator. God doesn’t promise a world free from danger but he does promise his help whenever we face danger. (Psalm 91) Christians must have the mind of Christ Jesus and keep their mind on Jesus. Isaiah 26: 3 says, “Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusts in thee.” You are either awaiting Jesus Christ or the Anti-Christ. Christians must as Titus 2:13 says keep, “Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ!”
Many delusional arrogant Americans think God needs America. The Bible says in Isaiah 40:15, “Behold the nations are as a drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the balance. After the coming seven year tribulation Jesus comes back and reigns from Israel not America. Russia just said their nukes will turn America into radioactive ash. God hasn’t promised America that there will be a 2023, at least not for America or for each of us living in America. So we should spend 2022 living a life that is pleasing to Jesus, a life that will have meaning long after our own obituaries have faded away. We can take comfort in that although we are changing and the year is changing, God isn’t changing; this is a new year but we still serve the same almighty God. Jesus is the best comfort in changing dangerous times and the only way to really begin anew in 2022!

D.D. Nave
Elizabethton