New Year 2010 Message from His Eminence The

Archbishop Samuel T.L.Yemey, Patriarch of The

Good Samaritan Church
Grace and peace of The Lord who was, is and will be abide with
you all.

2009 has finished its career and is fading away. Started with deep
economic recession worldwide there have been a lot of ups and downs in life,
families, business and government around the globe. Many experienced
hardships and failures in 2009 and many other experienced success. Is this a
result of the economic environment and situation each one of us life in or a
harvest of our own deeds over the year period?

At the porch of this new year 2010, having learned some lessons
from the ending one, I suggest that each one of us asks himself this
question:”How to be successful in 2010?” The epistle of James 4.13-17 gives
us four answers to this question, which I’d like to share with you:

1. Planning with God

2. Depending on God’s will
3. Doing good
4. Founding life upon God’s Word
I. Planning with God

It is always reasonable before doing anything to plan for it. Many

responsible and organized people have already set goals for the new year for
marriage, projects, trips, business, studies in order to increase their income,
things to buy, entertainment…etc. All these projects are good and legitimate.
But, they become corrupt and immoral when they are done without any
reference to God, to His will, the brevity and uncertainty of life. Proverbs
21.1 says:”Do not boast about tomorrow. For you do not know what a day
may bring forth.”

No human being has ever tamed future. Despite the horoscope,

weather forecast and high-tech of our post-modern society, no one has
control over future. God alone has control over time and circumstances. He
is omniscient and eternal. He know our past, present and future. He was
before we were born and He will be after we are dead. Planning things or
activities without consulting Him, is an attitude of carnal independence. It is
a pretention of being superior, above and over providence or destiny.
 A new year is a new period of time during which, if we are alive,
we can fulfill our programs. We cannot succumb to the temptation of
forgetting the following words of Ecclesiastes 8.8 which holds that:”No one
has power over the spirit to retain the spirit. And no one has power in the
day of death. There is no release from that war…”. Planning without taking
into account the creator who has power over time and life is an absurdity. In
fact, your success during the year 2010 will depend on the divine grace of
life, protection and providence.

Man is only steam. He can be rubbed out of the earth any time.
God wakes us up in the morning, protects us and gives us the breath of life.
He is our provider. We need to plan with him. If anyone wants to be
successful in 2010, he needs to plan with God. For the bible says:”Trust God
with your projects, and they shall be successful”.

II. Depending on God’s will

Here is how to do our programs according to apostle

James:”This year 2010, if the Lord wills, we shall live and do this and that.”
Many people did programs that they never fulfilled, started buildings that
they never completed, studies that they never finished, journeys without
reaching the destination, ministries whose results they never enjoy, because
the breath of life was taken away from them.

God has set each one of us in this life with and for a purpose.
Each one is God’s project, God’s solution to a specific problem in this world.
To be successful one needs to follow God’s will for his life. All plans that He
has for him is for his well-being and are not detrimental to him. Thus, no one
will live his life unless he abides in and lines up with God’s will. 2010 will be a
happy and new year to you, only if you submit to God’s will for your life. You
success will be determined by the will of God .

III. Doing good

What is good is what has admirable qualities morally, pleasant

qualities, high qualities, what is virtuous, right, and not bad.

In all our program this year let us pursue and do good, do the will
of God. What is correct and righteous. We need to put altruism in motion and
demonstrate divine love toward our neighbor. Which that we want people to
do for us, let us do that for others.
 What is good is accepted and acceptable by the societal values
and lines up with the word of God. It is also what edifies others and doesn’t
cause them to stumble. As we sow good around us we will reap good at the
end.

IV. Founding life upon God’s word

The word of God is God’s breath. It is the will of God and the
mirror which allows us to find out how we look before others. It is to be
listened to and put into practice. Two categories of believers will be
distinguished over the new year: those who listen to the word of God only
and those who hear the word and put it into practice.

He that hears the word only is comparable to a man who built

his house on the sand whose house got washed out by the hurricane and
erosions of life. He that hear the word an put it in practice is comparable to a
man who built his house on a rocky foundation and can resist and survive the
hurricane.

Everything in life is a building process: marriage, studies,

journeys, work, business, ministry,…etc, must have a solid foundation. The
word allows to resist assaults and temptations from the devil. Its others
biblical names are such as the sword of the spirit, a lamp unto our feet and a
light unto our path.

We all enjoyed the Advent this year as the new mandate and
term that The Lord has set before us. We expect good things from God this
year as Socrates said:”Man everywhere and every time longs for well-being”.
2010 will be a year of SUCCESS for those that wait on the Lord and the
theme is: “ Trust God with your projects and they shall be
successful”. This success will be guaranteed as we plan with God, depend
on His will, do good and found our life upon His Word.

Happy New Year.

The Most Rev. Samuel T.L.Yemey,PhD

Patriarch of The Good Samaritan Church

Good Samaritan Cathedral

128 E Holt Street, Burlington, NC 27217