Religious View: It’s a new year; find a new you in the Bible – Fairfield Daily Republic

Religious View: Noel Reese

My wife and celebrated our wedding anniversary on New Years Eve in Tiburon.

I saved for a year to take a couple of days off and booked a room at a hotel that looked across the bay at San Francisco so we could watch the fireworks and have a real celebration.

I didnt know when I booked it that the fireworks would be canceled, apparently due to Covid.

We enjoyed great food, a deluxe room and loved looking at the real estate ads in the windows of the local Realtors. We saw some nice-looking places in the $20 million range.

As we sat by the fire pit on the roof deck, we met a lovely couple who were there on a scouting trip to see about moving there. They were moving from Marthas Vineyard and were not remotely troubled by the prices.

When they found out I was a pastor, I thought they would excuse themselves, but no, they had a couple of hours of questions.

Seeing the frustration of futility in our society has left many people searching for answers that hedonism and the endless quest for unanswered self-gratification cannot provide.

I am so thankful all the answers to all the problems all people face can be found between the pages of our Bibles, and if we are willing to listen, we can receive hope.

For myself, I am thankful I found Jesus, who rescued me from that life of hedonism and the futile, frantic search for happiness. He brought joy, peace and love.

I fly to Orange County on Friday to perform a wedding for a couple of friends and then fly back Saturday to deliver the Sunday sermon for our little church.

Then I have to prepare for a memorial service at our church for a close relative.

As I think about all this, I think there is hope, new life, joy, but there is also death. No one likes to talk about it, but everyone dies.

The Bible tells us in Hebrews 9:27: Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment.

No one ever asks, What happens after you die? and yet we all die and if we believe Gods instruction book, shouldnt we at least prepare?

Our new friends were checking out what kind of schools there were in the million-dollar home neighborhoods, but what if?

The following verse in Hebrews states: Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.

We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Confess your sins to him, ask his forgiveness, accept that he sent his son to pay for your sins, and get your ticket for the kingdom of heaven.

Theres no A/C in hell, and if your friends are there, its not going to be enjoyable. Its going to be hell!

Jesus loves you. Accept his love today.

The Rev. Noel Reese is the pastor at Calvary Chapel Rio Vista. He can be reached at http://www.calvarychapelriovista.com.

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Religious View: It's a new year; find a new you in the Bible - Fairfield Daily Republic