You have just begun another chapter in the fabulous and exciting book which is your life. Joining you in the writing of this chapter will be people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences that will forever color your perception of reality. Choose your friendships carefully and protect them as the treasures they truly are. These are undoubtedly among the most challenging and fascinating years of your life. Make the most of them, for they contain surprises and encounters that will never come to you in quite the same way again.

The task before you is not a light one. You have been caught in the vortex of amazing change—a paradigm shift, if you will—in which the views of your teachers are changing almost as rapidly as they are presented to you. Therefore, the challenge to you is not simply one of learning what is put before you, but that of discerning what is accurate and what is not.

Privilege and Potential!
Not since the creation of man has there been a generation of students with such privilege and potential! In this coming year alone, you will have the opportunity of accessing more information than any college student ever has before. Not long ago, we hoped that good professors would pass on their knowledge to their students. That’s no longer good enough! Today that goal has been supplanted by the need for your teachers to guide you in mastering the use of a growing myriad of tools that you will use to acquire knowledge surpassing that of your teachers. In just a very short period of time, you must develop the wisdom to sift through all of that information and decide for yourself what it means and how it can best be applied.

Some of the greatest minds that have ever lived may even now be in your presence as you go about your daily activities at school. Perhaps it is your own ability that will one day illuminate the dark recesses of human endeavor. You are, after all, a very special creation of God. You may encounter those in the halls of academia who will try to sell you on the proposition that you are nothing more than the product of some evolutionary accident, thus limiting your potential to a function of the laws of random chance. Never believe it! You are a supernatural being of great destiny and power. The story of your life of accomplishment has already been published in eternity. It only remains for you to write the pages as you go.

Happily, there are some very visible landmarks that, apparent to all, will attest to the validity of our assertion that God is still in control of what goes on in this world. You can watch them come and go with great assurance that they will be living, contemporary proof of the unfolding plan of God for mankind:

• The increase of knowledge will accelerate, bringing with it amazing achievement, growing instability and academic arrogance.
• Economic inventiveness will produce even greater extremes of prosperity and poverty than exist today. The “haves” and the “have-nots” will become increasingly polarized and antagonistic towards one another.
• Ethnic diversity and respect will be supplanted by racial antagonism and antipathy, throwing a divergent reality in the face of mindless utopianism.
• Utopian propaganda and Globalist politics will become pervasive on the international level, while nationalist rhetoric will produce a seething cauldron of unrest that will threaten to over-turn international stability.
• The cry for peace in the Middle East and around the world will be on the lips of more and more people, as mounting terrorist activities touch lives too close to home for comfort. Fear for personal safety will engine a massive peace movement.

Christ is Lord of History
We can make these and many other “predictions” without fear of contradiction or any pretense of being some kind of modern-day prophet or guru. They are all contained and clearly explained in the Word of God. Now, isn’t that marvelous news! The book of the history of mankind has already been written, and details have been passed down to us from eternity—not so much to frighten or offend us, but to provide powerful assurance that Jesus Christ is, indeed, the Lord of history.

Now, what might that mean to you? It means that you are not simply here, floating aimlessly in a sea of evolutionary despair. If the world is truly moving towards a known outcome, then your life can have far more meaning and impact than you may ever have imagined. You could be one of the very important players in the End-Time drama that will bring the world to its final denouement.

History does not pass us by, nor do we stand to the side as idle observers of events in which we do not play a role. Each and every one of us contributes to the swelling tides of our time. Some, like Marcellus of Rome or young David of Israel, may win single-handed victory over entire kingdoms. Others will make contributions of somewhat lesser impact. But none of us will leave behind a world unchanged by our presence. The extent of that change, generally, depends upon us.

In the days to come, you will equip yourself with many of the skills that will, in a large way, determine the direction you take in your life. Even more importantly, you will formulate a view of life that will guide and direct those vital decisions that will confront you day by day. Our lives are, in the final analysis, the product of our decisions. We live and die in direct correlation to those decisions.

There is an ultimate decision which we all must face, and that is the question of what to do with Jesus Christ. Some of the great educational institutions of America (Harvard, Yale, and others) were founded for the express purpose of helping people make the right decision in answer to that question. Sadly, many of them have drifted far from their founding principles and their professors would be hard-pressed to present the rightful answer. So we encourage you to question the viewpoint of those who would teach you! Never let their limited ideas become a prison from which you cannot escape.

We hope and pray that you have found the only acceptable answer to the greatest question of life and have come to believe in Jesus Christ as the only Son of the living God. After all, it is not only this life, but all of eternity which hangs for you in the balance of your decision. Have you made that decision? If not, why not? If not yet, why not now? Why not make that decision today, believing on Christ to become your Savior? That choice will not only secure for you eternal life, but also guarantee that this life will have the potential to be the best it can possibly be.

Ah, what a life lies before you! What exciting discoveries will you make? Will you unlock the secret to preventing cancer or curing AIDS? Will you develop an as of yet unforeseen technology that will provide a cheap, clean and inexhaustible source of energy for mankind? Will your selonic thoughts provide a bridge whereby divergent groups could finally unite? Will you found a charitable enterprise that will save thousands—perhaps millions of lives? Will you raise an articulate voice for the cause of Christ and spark a revival that will sweep over the world? Adults who have gone before look to you with hope, and wonder, “What extraordinary accomplishment will mark your life?”

Astonishing Realm of Possibilities
Many people will touch your life and a few will truly change it, but not a single one of them will have more to say about what or who you become than will you. Of course, if you are to fulfill your true potential, you must begin by believing in Jesus Christ. Then, an astonishing realm of possibilities opens up before you that would otherwise not be yours. Then, you will inherit the promise of God, which says, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him” (I Cor. 2:9). In fact, as a child of God, you will also share in the promise of Jesus Christ: “Behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it ” (Rev. 3:8).

An open door of opportunity and a life of unlimited potential are yours. The sometimes formidable obstacles of life and the mounting turmoil of society which the Bible says will continue to rage, will not in your case be the determining factor. The child of God is a creature of eternal destiny and a force to be reckoned with indeed.

So, welcome back to the halls of learning. Establish your schedule as early as you can. A truly great adventure lies before you and has really already begun. Work hard and plan well, for you will enjoy the fruit of your labors for many years to come. Perhaps the greatest investment of your time is to be sure that you are a partaker of the prophecy of Daniel, who voiced the promise of God: “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever” (Dan. 12:3).

We have been told, and truly, that you are bright! Put that indefatigable iridescence to work for God, and you will light the paths of many for time and eternity. You can start today right where you are. There are many around you who may not even have a clue as to what life is really about. Share your faith and knowledge with them. They may challenge you. They may even want to debate with you. But be patient, gentle and persistent. They may never be more open to the discovery of truth than they are right now. You may very well change their lives with the Gospel, and that will ripple down through countless lives they too will change, because of your faithful testimony.

The doors of opportunity for you are open. Will you walk through? Which door will you choose? We suggest you make those decisions a matter of very serious prayer and consideration. But be careful, Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will be your future. Make sure you set aside time to spend with the Lord. And don’t allow yourself to become overly tired—it’s easy to neglect your sleep when there are so many pressing deadlines and interesting things to do. Just remember, the decisions you make when you are tired generally leave much to be desired!

Also, invest some quality time in appreciating the fellowship which surrounds you as of now. The friends you make in college are unlike any others you’ll find in life. Some of them will probably hold a special place in your life many years from now, should the Lord delay His return. I have found that to be true in my life. I would be very surprised if it’s not the same for you.

I am delighted to have you in our “Collegiate Letter” circle of friends. Do keep in touch! We want to know how things are going for you, and will be happy to help answer your questions and address your vital concerns. We are writing, after all, because there are people who love you and care about you very much. You are in our prayers that this will be an exciting and successful year of growth and blessing for you.

Taken from the writings of Dave Breese
Edited by the Christian Destiny Staff