You’re on a need-to-know basis.
God is Eternal and snow is not.

Mr. Snowman’s not going to last no matter how much you tell him to stand up straight, avoid the sun, encourage him, or advise old Frosty to stay cool. You know he’s going to melt sometime. We are like Mr. Snowman in the fact that we won’t be around forever either. Hopefully this won’t happen in 2013, but it will happen someday. However, we do have the ability to determine how that change will take place, which in turn effects how we will live for today or in the upcoming new year.

Apostle Paul, as he neared his final days, said he had “fought the good fight” meaning he lived a disciplined life in spite of all he encountered,  “finished the race” enduring to the end following the course set by the Lord, and “kept the faith” by meeting life’s troubles in God’s truth. This was because Paul received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord which compelled him to live for God’s glory and His promised “Crown of Righteousness” when he would finally meet the Lord face to face.

Jesus offers the same life to all of us who receive Him as Savior and Lord, followed by a "Crown" and not just a frozen temporary existence ending as a stovepipe hat floating in a puddle. Isn’t it good to know what we need-to-know and need-to-do to have a truly Happy New Year?

You’re on a need-to-know basis.
God is Here

This was foretold many years before His birth as recorded in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 NIV, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel, (meaning, “God is with us”).

On the very night of His birth an angel proclaimed to shepherds, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (for the complete story -Luke 2:10-20) ...“When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”

So, I too am spreading the word, and one other thing... He is still with us, and in us, when we receive Him in our hearts as the Messiah, the Lord. I just thought you needed-to-know that if you didn’t already. Please, go out tell this amazing story to others, because they need-to-know, in order for them to also have a Merry Christmas.

You’re on a need-to-know basis that you are His Choice because...
God is Gracious

God chose you from the beginning of time to be on His team. This is something you need-to-know when life seems lonely, you don’t get chosen by others for their team, or when you feel like you don’t have anything to offer that could be of value.

God has made us all special, and once we allow God to bring us into His training camp, we become the major leaguer He intended.

Although it might not be in sports, or anything else the world values, it will be what God wants us to become. Our signing bonus is salvation, and that isn’t dependent on our abilities, it all depends on us trusting His graciousness and receiving His Son (Team Captain) as our Lord and Savior. Then we are truly on His Team.

It’s a home run when what we know-our-need is to chose God as He has chosen us. Don’t wait. We can shout it together, “Let’s play ball!”

You’re on a need-to-know basis.
God is Ready when we are.

Whether it is a country’s flag or the flag of our soul, when it is up side down, we are displaying a signal of distress. Distress is not what God intends for a nation or for an individual, but it happens when that nation or individual is not living in a proper relationship with their Creator God, and sin is at the root.

God’s Word says that He is there to hear us and bring us back from our distress, and heal us. Let us all humble ourselves and confess our sin and the distress it causes, turn from it, and trust in Jesus to save us, and heal us from all unrighteousness (that improper relationship).

Many students will gather around their school’s flag pole September 26, 2012, for the annual “See You At the Pole” prayer event. It is a time for praying to God for one another, for friends, school, community, country, and the world.

It is great that our children know what-is-needed, and that is to go to God for healing for our distressed souls, the souls of others, and the whole world.

Do we know-the-need to go to God? He is ready when we are.

You’re on a need-to-know basis.
God is Glorious
- mankind is not unless we glorify God.

One needs-to-know that everything can have its own degree of glory, but there is no comparison to the glory of God. Everything is for God’s glory, because everything ultimately comes from God, the creator of it all.

If you plant a vineyard, you might step back a harvest time, and think what a glorious thing I have accomplished, yet it is God who made it all possible. From the materials you used, to your strength to complete the task, it all came from God who deserves the glory.

Our work can glorify God and benefit others as we plant our grapevines, and make our wine or jelly to be enjoyed by all, but if one drinks all the wine or eats all the jelly, it becomes a selfish act that doesn’t bring about anything but drunkenness or selfish gluttony and a life not well enjoyed. It is our choice as to how we live our lives, either for God or for self.

It is great to know what we need to enjoy life and God forever, is to glorifying Him in all things.

You’re on a need-to-know basis.
God is Merciful to those who yield to Him.

To yield must mean that there is some sort of conflict going on. With God, the conflict is the result of sin that separates one from God. Sin can be referred to as a wall of separation. Building one comes naturally to humankind, but this wall of sin can be expanded upon until it is not only high, but surrounds the builder until there doesn’t seem to be a way out. In reality, a large wall of sin is not any easier to breach than a small one. A wall is a wall, and sin is sin. Either one will entrap us.

What you need-to-know is that God has made a way through. Jesus destroyed sin on the cross when He took our wall (big or small) on Himself to make it possible for all to have a right relationship with our Heavenly Father. This right relationship is available to everyone who yields by confessing one’s sin, turning from it, and trusting that Jesus has destroyed that wall (sin) and is now our Lord and Savior.

Isn’t it good when we know our need to bust through is as close as our cry, “I yield! I yield!!!”

You’re on a need-to-know basis.

God is not cheap. He doesn’t go about things in a small way. Even what seems to be a little deal to us, is really gigantic. For example: Try making some mud. At first it sounds simple enough, but when you have to create your own dirt out of nothing, like God did, it becomes infinitely more complex.

Like dirt, sin has been around a long time. God made dirt out of nothing, and God has the power to make nothing out of sin - one person at a time, worldwide. That’s big, and we can work with God on this one. Our part is to confess we have sin, and trust in his Son Jesus, who paid the price (redeemed) us from our sin through His blood on the cross. God then removes it. It isn’t covered, hidden, or disguised. It’s GONE. That is something the scripture calls lavish, and we can’t do that on our own, or does God do it without our participation.

So, if we find yourself in a dry place like this "old timer" in the cartoon, covered with dirt (sin), and needing refreshment... Isn’t it good to know what we need-to-know to get rid of the sin in our lives? Come on and celebrate God’s grace! It is extravagant!!!