2023 

Bobby Gums    

How was your 2022? Was the “year” good to you? I certainly hope & pray that each of you can truly look back and say that it was a “good time” in your life, meaning that you drew closer to the Lord than ever before, that the fruit of the Spirit is increasing in your life, that you are indeed becoming more & more like Christ Jesus, and all to God’s glory. In the “natural”, I can certainly understand

if you feel this past year has been one of the most disconcerting of your lifetime. Inflation is skyrocketing in our nation & around the world. We see signs that indicate possible food shortages in the future, as well as medicines & other things we use on a regular basis. Many people have been sick multiple times & have lost loved ones. Lawlessness seems to abound in many cities in our nation, “groups of people” feel they have more of a right over your life & liberty than you do, corruption is rampant, and although some make promises, accountability for the wickedness is in short supply. Wars & rumors of wars seem to be “trending”. How did death & mayhem become so popular? And the morality & ethics of today’s culture seems intent on, at least, rivaling that of Sodom & Gomorrah. If some of these things have affected you in some way this past year, you are not alone. Everywhere we look, it seems the enemy of our souls is gaining ground & power in this world. However, I believe that 2022 has been the most amazing year in my walk with the Lord since He saved me back in 2001. At the top of the list, our youngest son gave his heart & life to the Lord Jesus Christ. We do not hear very much about it these days, but God is still in the “saving” business. And what I really wanted to begin to write about today is how the Spirit of God has been revealing Himself to us all throughout 2022. It is very hard for me to summarize these things in a paragraph and yet I feel led to write papers about them. Sharing this with my friend, he said, “I’ll be looking forward to reading those!” I replied, I’ll be looking forward to reading them myself, lol! I am totally dependent on the Holy Spirit to give me the scriptures & the words to write. The longer I walk with the Lord, the more dependent on Him I become. The following may be a preview into how the Lord has been revealing Himself: But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are sav ed;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:4-6). Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3). (At this very moment, I feel as if my vocabulary & my understanding is dreadfully insufficient to speak of such things). The Lord has been emphasizing these kinds of passages as if with flashing neon lights. He has been asking questions like, DO YOU BELIEVE THIS? Do you actually believe My Word when you read it? Do you believe Me when I say, that upon placing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ & having your sins forgiven, that you entered into spiritual union & fellowship with The Living God? Do you believe My Word when I say that you are now seated together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus & therefore you have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ? I believe God wants us to ponder these things & the limitless possibilities if our answer is yes.