Happy New Year!

 

 

 

Many of you have probably begun thinking about your 2014 goals. Typically resolutions include losing weight, picking up a hobby, planning a vacation, etc...Regardless of the goals you want to accomplish this upcoming year, there are three very important facts we should not lose focus of.

 

1. God must be the priority in our life. Building our relationship with the Lord and seeking to please him in all of our ways should be at the forefront of everything we do. We should continuously build on the fruits of the Spirit--- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control--- as these impact all areas of our life. 

 

2. Be in line with the will of God.  “For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). God has great plans for our lives, but we must be willing and obedient to his calling and have faith that he makes all things work together for our good. We can make plans but if they aren’t in line with God’s word or God’s will for our life, then they are meaningless.  

 

3. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.  We often take life for granted because we think “there’s always tomorrow”. The problem is we don’t know if there will be a tomorrow or what it will bring.  “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring” (Proverbs 27:1). We need to approach each day as the blessing that it is from God.  Live each moment knowing that you are making good use of it.  That your life isn’t just flying by you without you making an impact.  Make your mark in life! With God's guidance, we should seize each day. Seek to love, to bless people, to serve, to grow, to live; not just exist! 

 

So as you set your resolutions, I encourage you to spend time in prayer. Present your petitions to the Lord and be open to his guidance. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). 

 

I pray you have a Blessed, Prosperous, Spirit-filled, Happy New Year!

 

Merry Christmas

Christmas traditions are a dime a dozen.  Some decorate a Christmas tree together; some gather around the tree to divide up gifts.  Some incorporate Santa Claus and dress up like elves while others like to bake cookies together and make their own decorations. The options are endless. In my home, we like to remember the birth of our Savior! We gather around the tree Christmas morning, in our comfy pajamas, and read the story of Jesus’ birth.  We each take turns reading a verse until we complete the story.  Afterwards, we bless each other with gifts, all the while, bearing in mind that the greatest gift we have received is Jesus! 

 

 

Luke 2:9-16 says:

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.

Regardless of how you celebrate this holiday, I encourage you to take some time to meditate on the birth of our Lord and Savior.  Spend time thanking him for all of the countless blessings in your life. And even if you couldn’t afford a gift for someone or didn’t receive a gift from someone, remember, that the greatest gift we can ever receive is Jesus himself.  Because only through Jesus, can we obtain eternal salvation.  “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

 

Merry Christmas to All!