Peace to you this Christmas, New Year

Gateway News taking seasonal publishing break

Whew! I am sure I am not the only one looking forward to some time out after a busy year. I do wish you and your loved ones a joyful, restful Christ-centered end to 2013 and beginning to 2014.

Please note that our final Gateway News weekly newsletter of the year goes out tomorrow (Friday, December 20, 2013) and that we will start posting news again on Monday, January 13. Our first newsletter of the year will go out on Friday, January 17, 2014. While we won’t be manning the office during our break, you are welcome to email us at news@gatewaynews.co.za. We will respond when we start up again.

While working on today’s news I skimmed through our archives of this year’s Christian news reports. The footprints of the evil one in our world are evident in various accounts of persecution, injustice, violence, bondage, deception and disaster. But the evidence of Christ’s redeeming work, restoration, goodness, power and wisdom shine through the news more brightly. Jesus is the hope of people, of cities of nations. He is indeed more active and more newsworthy than the defeated devil — and we trust that next year we will have even more opportunities to tell our readers about the great things He is doing.

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With Christmas just a week away at the time of writing, let me close this short note by pointing to a great prophesy delivered by Isaiah some 740 years before our Saviour was born in Bethlehem. What good news that He personally carries the weight of our world’s present and future  condition on His tireless shoulders and that he is zealous and relentless in extending His glorious Kingdom. We have a partnering role to play. But He is absolutely focused on finishing the job well.

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.
— Isaiah 9:6-7 (NASB)