Tom and Susan Shanklin

Dear Friends and Partners,

As I write this first letter of the new year. I want to talk to you about your spiritual vision. I want to share three portions of scripture, one about your past, one concerning the present, and one focusing on the future.

The Bible says that we walk by faith (that is, unseen realities) and not by sight. Every born-again believer has the capacity to see in the spirit. But too often, we are largely focused on what we see with our natural eyes. We must train ourselves to look into the unseen realm, as portrayed in the Word of God.

The Past: Looking to the Sin Bearer

Many of us have a deep sense of grief and failure over our past sins. In John 3, where Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus about God’s plan of salvation, He shares a message that shows us the power of the cross over our past:

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:14-16, NKJV).

Oddly, Jesus compares Himself to a snake. He says that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. Jesus was lifted up on a cross at Calvary for our sins, just as Moses lifted up a serpent as a remedy for Israel’s sins. At the cross, a great substitution occurred, and all of our past sins were placed on Jesus, and His righteousness was imputed to us.

When Israel sinned in the wilderness, judgment came in the form of fiery serpents that bit the people, and many died. When they repented, Moses prayed, and God told him to put an emblem in the midst of the congregation, a fiery brass serpent. When the people “looked” upon the brass serpent they were healed.

They were not told to “look” at the sins of their past and dwell on them. They were not told to focus on the judgment which had come upon them. They were told to look to the remedy which had been provided for their past failure, the brass serpent on the pole.

Believing in Jesus is equivalent to looking at the fiery serpent the Old Testament story. We are to see our sins upon Jesus through the work of the cross and no longer upon ourselves. Jesus took our sins, and we no longer have them or are accountable for them. God has dealt with your past through the cross. As we enter this new year, let’s look to the cross and let go of all condemnation.

The Present: Looking to the Problem Solver

We all can be overwhelmed by the circumstances that we face in the present. If we focus on those problems, we can easily be swallowed up in defeat.

We see that Judah under King Jehoshaphat was facing a massive invasion of armies from several nations. The situation seemed hopeless and they trembled in fear for the great multitude. But instead of giving up hope, they turned to the Lord in prayer:

“O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” (2 Chronicles 20:12, NKJV).

Our eyes are upon You! So often, when we are in trouble, our eyes are fixed on the problem, the great multitude of bills, sickness, controversy, and spiritual opposition that is coming against us. But the truth is, God is bigger than all these “armies.” He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.

Because Judah turned their eyes upon the Lord, they were able to hear the word of the Lord. The prophet spoke, “The battle is not yours, it is the Lord’s.” They sent the praise and worship team out ahead of their army and set the enemy in confusion, and their enemies began to destroy one another.

Likewise, when we are in trouble, we need to turn our eyes upon Jesus so we can hear what the Spirit of God is saying. As we begin this new year, we need to turn our fearful thoughts and words to praise and see God turn our situation around through His mighty hand. “Our eyes are upon You, Lord!”

The Future: Looking to the Bright Guiding Light

Fear of the future is something that can affect all of us a times. But God has a promise for your future, and that should give you hope.

But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. (Proverbs 4:18, NKJV).

We can expect our guidance to grow clearer and our path illuminated in a greater way as we grow in the Lord. This is my prayer for you and for me as we enter this new year. I want to be in step with God’s plan and fulfill all His purposes. I’m convinced that God has more for us than we can comprehend, if we can just tap into His vision for our lives and walk it out.

The Scriptures tell us that Jesus is the author and the finisher of our faith. And He that began a good work in us will complete it until the day of Christ. You may be facing difficult challenges and what seems to be an uncertain future, but remember the Lord has said that He will never leave you nor forsake you. Your future is secure! You are in the hands of the Father and the Son, and you are guided by the Holy Spirit. So fix your eyes upon Jesus. He will never let you down!

Benin Update

In December, a total of $60 came in for the Benin Bible School and Vocational School Classroom Addition Project. This means $9,475 remains to complete this project. We trust that this money will come in in due season. As the scripture says, it is by faith and patience that we inherit the promises. (See Hebrews 6:12) Click here for more information on the Benin vision, or to make a contribution>>>

Challenged but not Defeated!

For Susan and me, the last 14 months have been full of challenges, especially concerning our health. But you know what? We still believe God! I believe my sins and sicknesses were carried by the One who compared Himself to a serpent on a pole. And my eyes are now upon the One who is bigger than all the enemies who come against me. And I see a bright future and an illuminated path ahead of me. The Lord has a good plan for me—and for you!

When the Apostle Paul prayed for his friends at the church at Ephesus, he prayed that the eyes of their understanding would be enlightened. Likewise, let us pray for one another for clear spiritual vision in this coming year. Let us pray that we would recognize the great power that He has given us as believers in Christ, and that we would all fulfill His great purposes for our lives.

Susan had an unexpected hitch in her hip replacement surgery on Dec. 2. During the surgery, her femur was fractured. The surgeon is confident that it will not cause any long-term problems, but it will require extra time to heal. Pray for patience for her, as she is more of a doer than a sitter, and deals with frustration over what she can’t do.

We were so blessed by all the cards, family newsletters, well-wishes, and gifts that we received in December. It was such an encouragement to Susan and me, and made our Christmas a lot brighter. Thank you!

Be blessed, my friends, and have a wonderful 2025!

Keeping my eyes on Jesus!

Tom

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