At no time in human history has humanity not been assaulted by some type of great affliction, malady, crisis, war or deception. 2020 was no acception. The biblical “law of sin and death” reared its ugly head perhaps a bit higher than previous years…but the truth is: “the overwhelmingly more powerful “law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” rose above the chaos, confusion, fear and turmoil and revealed to millions that Jesus Is Lord of and over all!

In 2020, people were healed. Individuals were born again into the family of the living God. Children were born! Husbands remained faithful to their wives and families as a firm anchor that keeps ships from drifting into the treacherous rocks of life’s ravaged seashores. Wives proved once again that they are the heart and soul of family unity and life.

Young men boldly stepped out into the streets and proclaimed Jesus is Lord. Young woman stepped up right alongside them and shouted out “Victory in Jesus!” Families sang together, praised together, prayed together and stayed together! The Church of Jesus the Messiah “woke” up on the right side of 2020 and ran fully clothed in the full armor of God into the streets and shouted out in unison “HE IS GOD!”

2020 proved to all third day believers the awesome resurrection power and divine faithfulness of God. We most certainly mourn for all who were afflicted and continue to be hurt by the Wuhan virus, as well as all other forms of disease and sickness unto death or debilitating illness. And we must continue to pray that the God of Truth exposes all evil, whether it is in the church, the media, the home, the government, or the political arena of life.

Let us all take up and put on the full panoply of God, eat much fruit of the Spirit and as soldiers of the cross of Jesus the Messiah march bravely into 2021 with the pure and fresh knowledge that Jesus is, indeed, LORD of the valleys as well as LORD of the mountains.

Let us help one another. Let us help the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the prisoner…the least, the last, the lost, the most, the first and the found, the good, the bad, and the ugly, the runaway, stayaway and throwaway, the no deposit, no return individuals, the homeless, the helpless, the hopeless.

Because, in the end everything will be OK. And if it’s not OK, then its not the end. For the third day believer in the Christ who rose from the dead, what is the END? Is is not the blessed hope the Bible calls eternal life in Christ? Is not this great END that this blessed Word calls an endless life in Christ? And is not this great END reason for you and me to never ever give up on our mission to proclaim His great name!

Even and especially and in spite of years like 2020!

On this first day of the rest of our lives and a new year, can you give Jesus the great shout-out due His name because you believe He is LORD of the valleys and the mountains? Can you with us sing “Shout it! / go scream it from the mountains / go tell it to the masses / HE IS God!” Amen.