In my reading I came across a humorous story about a married man who got the “You just don’t appreciate me” speech from his dear wife. He, in turn, promised to treat her royally for the remainder of the day. He took her to lunch at Burger King and Dairy Queen for dessert. According this highly-sensitive male specimen, “she’s never mentioned it since.”  Sadly we are just as hopeless in how we treat the One who rightly deserves to be our absolute Sovereign.

You have only ONE DECISION to make for this New Year-Will you allow God to get the true “royal treatment” and wear the crown in your life?

Psalm 65:11 “Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.”

How would God adorn the next four seasons if you would fully yield them to Him?

According to Psalm 65, God crowns twelve surrendered months with three annual jewels:

Gracious Connection

I don’t think we fully realize the awesome privilege it is to enter a new year WITH GOD!

Have a connection through God’s atonement.  (1-3)

The psalmist expressed his conviction that when God atones for sin He blesses abundantly.  The God of this “crown” refines out of our mouth flippant praise and half-hearted vows.  We cannot have God’s full blessing (“waters” at the end of the Psalm) until our individual and corporate sin is cleansed by God (“water of the word”)!  Psalm 32:1 offers, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”

Have a connection through God’s access.  (4)

One who is brought near to the presence of the Lord will experience happiness.  Psalms 16:11 “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”  You will never be truly happy until you Christ is in your heart, your home, your life, your future!

This access brings not only happiness but satisfaction.  Among the peculiar privileges of the chosen is the privilege of dwelling in the courts of God, even of thy holy temple. David foresaw this as Israel’s privilege. The believer foresees it as his privilege in the courts of heaven.  There is nothing that can compare to be connected to the “house of God!”  In Psalm 84:10, David exclaims, “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.”

Great Confidence

Have a confidence through God’s word.  (5)

On Twitter, a friend of mine posted a picture of Bible in bookstore with “Signed Copy” Sticker on it-the caption reads “Seems legit.”  In contrast, God Word is absolute truth.  God exhibits His grace when He hears our prayers; He exhibits His glory when He answers them.  We must believe that God loves to get glory from fulfilling His promises to such undeserving and inglorious people like us.

Note only was the psalmist confident that God answers prayer; but also He is the hope of people in the farthest regions of the earth.  Do you believe that there is no person, place, or era that is outside of the range of God’s reach?

Have a confidence through God’s works.  (6-8)

God’s answers to prayer often come by awesome deeds; this is natural for God. He demonstrated His power and strength by forming the mountains and soothing the seas and their waves.

God’s wonders bring fear to people and songs of joy throughout the world (where morning dawns and evening fades).  If you let God into your year, He will not be a passive presence; He will fill it with divine fingerprints and miracles that can only be labeled “God things.”

Good Crop

:)-A little boy was standing at the end of an escalator. The sales lady asked, “Son are you lost?” “No ma’am, I’m waiting for my chewing gum to come back.”  Are you “salivating” for the harvest that only God can bring?

Have a crop through God’s richness.  (9-11)

Verse 9a summarizes God’s care for the land, and verses 9b–13a develop the theme of God’s blessings on the land. God’s control of the water produces the grain (v. 9b); God’s rain showers prepare the land for produce (v. 10).  We must remember that we “dry up” without God’s enabling rain!

I don’t think we realize how much abundance is “couched” inside God’ promises!  According to one author, “Most Christian who are non-givers are not greedy; they are just are worried that they will run out.”  God’s blessing produces an abundant harvest (“fatness”).  God crowns the growth cycle with His goodness. Wherever His feet have passed, the streams of plenty flow.  Psalm 81:10 promises, “I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.”  You will not “miss out” if you allow Jesus to be crowned in your life this year!  You will miss out if you don’t!

Have a crop through God’s rejoicing.  (12-13)

New Year’s revelers jammed along Shanghai’s historic riverfront stampeded about a half hour before midnight Wednesday, killing at least 36 people and injuring 47 others, Chinese media reported.  A witness said people had scrambled to grab coupons resembling U.S. dollar bills that were being thrown from a third-floor window near the Bund.   This world cannot throw a big enough party to make up for the joy that only God bring this year!

The pastures of the uncultivated countryside and hills rejoice over the outpouring of the rain.  Do you realize any productiveness you experience will be the result of God’s preparation of the “soil”?

Often the land of Israel is described as “naked” when the people are being judged.  Here the exact opposite condition is anticipated.  The pastures are clothed with flocks, a scene well-known to the psalmist, for any shepherd of the Judean hill country. The valleys also are covered over with corn. Those areas of his homeland not covered with flocks were producing grain bountifully.  Those who are saturated with God’s blessings sing, witness, sacrifice, and minister in a singular fashion!  Do you want to be one of them in 2015?

The Crown Jewels, which are part of the Royal Collection, are displayed to millions of visitors every year, guarded in the Tower of London.  At the heart of the Crown Jewels display are the ceremonial and symbolic objects associated with the coronations of English Kings and Queens.  They include the crowns of Sovereigns, Consorts and Princes of Wales, both past and present, scepters, orbs, rings, swords, spurs bracelets and robes, all of which have a specific part to play in the ritual of the English coronation service. Much of the Regalia is in use to the present day, a feature which distinguishes the English Regalia from most of its European counterparts.

Too often we treat the “crowning” blessings of God less like the English and more like the other European countries.  The crowning blessing of God are not just of historical value in a dimly-lit museum; they are meant for NOW!  Will you allow God to “crown” your 2015 with His GRACIOUS CONNECTION, GREAT CONFIDENCE, and GOOD CROP?

Here is the video format of this post.