We made it, my fellow Americans.
The great God of the universe, the God of all energy and life itself allowed you and me to live the wonderful year 2017 and come now to what may be the greatest year ever, year 2018.
What a year it has been. There were wars and rumors of wars. There was political unrest everywhere. There were violent, lawless reactions to the election of President Trump. There was a change in the United States Supreme Court. Terrorism, radical Islam, ISIS and even lone wolves continued their murderous assault on civilization.
The Constitution and especially the First Amendment were further weakened and attacked. Freedom of religion became less free. Academia turned further progressive even radical. Sanctuary cities grew up in so many places. The Rule of Law, Constitutional America became much less so. Americans grew angrier, polarized more than ever, seemingly hopelessly divided. There were red states and blue states, not 50 American states. The United States of America became the divided states of America. We were not one nation, indivisible but rather a nation divided in so many ways. The divisions grew deeper and the anger and mistrust increased. So many of us felt helpless in so many ways. Our lives, 330 million of us, seemed ruled by 535 people, the House, the Senate, the Supreme Court and the President and it mattered only what they wanted. The swamp dwellers, as President Trump called them, ruled the day and ruled us.
But the time of year calls all of us, my fellow Americans, to reflect upon the world, our country and ourselves. The end of the year asks that we think back, consider carefully what happened and especially evaluate our own lives. Yearend asks that we carefully consider the problems we have faced, how we have contributed to those problems, and how we can correct them in the New Year. And, not repeat them. The New Year asks us to carefully reflect upon the potential, the opportunities which we will have in the great year 2018. No matter the world, we should think in terms of how we can change our lives, the freedoms we enjoy to do that, and to resolve that we with the help of God can and will change and change for the better. The yearend asks us to make:
RESOLUTIONS
Resolving that we will be better, do better mentally, physically and spiritually. That we who are people of faith will grow deeper in that faith, share it and never, NEVER allow anyone or any government to take it from us. The New Year allows us to better band together and fight the fight of faith. We should look the world over for ways to help our spiritual brothers and sisters whose lives are in danger every day. And perhaps that would have us RESOLVE to spend more time in the study of the Scriptures and spiritual things. We now have the clear opportunity to both appreciate and participate the opportunities we have to engage in prayer, meditation and thoughtful analysis. We have the opportunity which 2018 brings to reorganize our lives, reprioritize our values, make better use of our time, and abilities, and money perhaps a New Year’s Eve without parties and champagne spent in reflection and resolution would indeed be of far greater value.
But no matter the negative, there is so much positive, so much good at work. When times are the darkest, the love of the Gospel shines brightest. We who are Christian can rejoice in our faith and revel in the love of Christ. For that love is the greatest force on earth. Enjoy it more and share it more.
And we can take comfort in the fact that America is on the grow economically. There are jobs to be had, financial gain for family and ourselves with greater opportunities for those who are willing to work. We can participate with President Trump and resolve that we will do our part to:
MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN
That should allow us to reexamine one of the most important things in life:
GIVING
A productive life can allow us to rethink and reinvest our:
TIME
EXPERTISE
MONEY
For the benefit of our families, our friends, our community and our great country. We can resolve to do more. We can once again embrace the words of President John F. Kennedy:
ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU
ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY
And for the church. And for needy citizens. And for your family. A resolution to challenge ourselves, as Kennedy asked, to determine what WE CAN DO to make all things and all people BETTER. That resolution should be first priority for it gives focus, meaning and energy to a changing life in 2018.
And, let us resolve, my fellow Americans that we will stand up for:
THE TRUTH
The whole truth and nothing but the truth. We get little of it from a biased media, news sources which have turned into public relations machines and move us into the era of what some call the time of:
POST TRUTH
Where there is little fact but only opinion, distortion of events for political and social purposes. We should stand against that crippling trend and demand the truth for it is only the truth that will make us free and keep us free. We should require a new accountability for word and deed, especially in the areas so important to our great country:
THE MEDIA
ACADEMIA
HOLLYWOOD
We should demand higher standards from all. We should do our best to stimulate helpful dialogue and get away from rank argumentation. We should generate new respect for others and other points of view. We should learn better how to make friends as Scripture indicates at the same time we stand firm and convicted with respect to what we believe. Academia thrives on true diversity, that is diversity of opinions, thoughts, beliefs and values. All should be heard without restriction so that THE TRUTH will prevail. You and I can contribute much to making that happen. We can demand CHANGE. We can hold all who communicate accountable for truth, including our churches, our pastors and those who would lead us spiritually. The Church of Jesus Christ suffers because it continues to be secularized, a slow but sure wandering from the fundamental principles of the faith and the Gospel. The change that really matters, the SPIRITUAL CHANGE offered by the Gospel and the Christ of Glory must be reprioritized so that the REVIVAL which America desperately needs can truly begin in the great year 2018. America was founded upon the principles, ethics and values of the JUDEO-CHRISTIAN faith that is being eroded daily. Even as it is time to Make America Great Again, so it is time to:
MAKE CHRISTIANITY GREAT AGAIN
Such an effort needs YOU and all that you can do. Be ready, now more than ever, to INVEST your:
TIME
EXPERTISE
MONEY
For this greater good.
Back to you and me. We should resolve to spend more time in:
PRAYER
We are admonished as Christians to pray without ceasing. There can and should be constant fellowship with THE LORD asking, thanking, praising, searching, searching for direction and leading. We can wander around in 2018, or we can follow a godly path laid out for us if we search for that with all of our heart. As we do, we should remember the words of Second Chronicles which remind us to turn away from wrongful conduct, to pray, to seek and to humble ourselves. All four are necessary preconditions for the will of God to be known and for the unleashing of the power of God through the Holy Spirit in our lives. That would be a marvelous RESOLUTION 2018, don’t you think? So, resolve to turn, pray, seek and most importantly perhaps, HUMBLE ourselves before this all powerful and all loving God.
There abide in this world of ours three things of first priority:
FAITH
HOPE
LOVE
So, we THE RESOLVING PEOPLE should determine to grow in our faith, walk in that faith and have our life guided by that faith. And, we should share that faith with others.
And we should always be in a state of HOPE. There should be a wonderful expectancy of marvelous godly things to come in 2018, hope for the present and hope for the future. The God of ALL controls, directs, and asks that we participate in this divine plan. No matter the things of this world, there is always hope for the better, and there should be no fear, especially of death. For the person of faith to live, as the Apostle Paul so well said, is CHRIST and to die, says Paul, even death itself is GAIN. It is for people of faith THE HOPE OF HEAVEN. I do sincerely hope that you have that HOPE.
And, LOVE. The greatest of all things, the greatest force in this world is LOVE. Nothing like it. It stands alone, melts away everything. Love humbles the ego even as it fills the heart. Love motivates us to share, to give, to help. It makes our lives all that life should be. So perhaps the most important resolution for the great year 2018 is this:
THOU-YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD
WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART, SOUL, MIND AND STRENGTH
AND
YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF
Those are the great commandments and all else, everything else derives meaning from them. The love of God is there for you to claim now more than ever in the great year 2018.
We the Crawford Broadcasting Company and I its President Don Crawford wish you and yours a very blessed, prosperous and Happy New Year. You live here and now by the grace of God. Thank Him for that and RESOLVE that you will take full advantage of the opportunities given and the great possibilities which are yours. Start January 1, my fellow Americans, my fellow conservatives, and my fellow Christians to make a better life and do so each and every day thereafter.
May you truly have a joyful and happy NEW YEAR!