As you start your journey into 2016, are you willing to yield all of yourself to the Lord…conforming yourself to His ways, not yours? Are you willing to give Him that secret part of you that you’ve been holding on to…hiding from Him…unable to give Him fully? Obedience is the fundamental key in our relationship with God…for His love is truly made complete in it. ( I John 2:5)
Author: kezha1
A Christian mother, grandmother, and retired nurse living in Illinois. Called into a ministry of encouraging others to find their ultimate plan and purpose in life through Christ.
Psalm 94:11 ” The Lord knows the thoughts of man; He knows that they are futile.”
The Lord knows them all…every ill-intended, evil thought. He sees every vain and worthless plan, and will listen to every ridiculous scheme when we’re trying to impress Him with our wisdom. To paraphrase I Corinth. 3:20, The wisdom of the world is utterly absurd and ridiculous to God is so very true. Every time we think we know it all…we need to remember that we know nothing.
Jude 1:2 ” Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.”
On this first day of 2016, I pray this scripture over you and yours. May the Lord’s compassion be ever evident in your life…may you discover true peace that is only brought about by God’s tender mercy, granting you deliverance and freedom from sin…and may His unconditional love shine brightly on you as you journey ahead in this new year. God loves you!
II Chronicles 20:20 ” Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in His prophets and you will be successful.”
On this last day of 2015, whose report will you believe today? The pessimistic and slanted world’s view, or the Lord’s divine perspective on things? The most reliable truth comes from God and His people. His Word will sustain you, and cause you to prosper…to be happy and victorious in this next coming year. Look to Him and His people for this guidance as you move into 2016.
II Peter 2:20 ” If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.”
So why do Believers fall away…even after experiencing the saving grace and mercy of Jesus? Is the pull of the world too strong, or is their confidence in this new-found faith too frail? Has the self-centered human nature triumphed over the newly gained eternal perspective? And why does Peter tell us they are worse off than before they knew Jesus…could it be that they may spend eternity lamenting their decision?
John 5:7 ” ‘Sir,’ the invalid replied, ‘I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.’ “
Something bad happens to us… what’s the first thing we usually do? We blame someone or thing for it. Blaming others rather than taking responsibility for the circumstances we find ourselves in is something we do rather well. I remember a saying that was popular years ago…”The devil made me do it!” No, the devil didn’t make you do anything…it’s all on you.
Jeremiah 14:7 ” Although our sins testify against us, O Lord, do something for the sake of Your name. For our backsliding is great; we have sinned against You.”
Backsliding…slipping from good behavior to bad. Most times it’s slow and insidious…our waywardness creeping steadily towards what’s wrong…and before we realize it, we’re caught up in evil. Rarely do we see a Believer blatantly plunge into the deep end of wickedness without regard of the consequences for themselves and their relationship with God. Backsliding is rationalizing away God and putting ourselves in control…and that never ends well.
Psalm 32: 1 ” Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.”
The Bundt cake would not come out of the pan. My young Granddaughter and I were baking a birthday cake for baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. Try as I might, the cake was stuck…so I resorted to a knife to pry it out. What plopped out on the plate was anything but a pretty cake. It was cracked , marred, and missing a few pieces here and there. But suddenly, this flawed cake become an illustration and teaching tool for us all in the kitchen that afternoon. When we come to Jesus, we can look just as ragged and messed up as that poor cake. But Jesus comes and covers over all our sins…just like the fluffy pure white frosting we used to ice the cake. And soon that cake was beautiful…all the imperfections hidden…all our sins now forgiven.
Isaiah 9:6 ” For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Jesus the Messiah has come to earth for you and me this Christmas Day. He offers mercy and love, peace and comfort, salvation and eternal life in place of the pain, loss, and hopelessness that may be in your life today. Allow Him to come into your life and change you from the inside out…taking all the negatives and transforming them into hope for the future. A Blessed Christmas to all of you!
Matthew 2:11 ” On coming to the house, they saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.”
The Magi came seeking the Messiah, and bringing with them, gifts…but very special gifts. These gifts were expensive luxuries of the day…fit for royal presents. But beyond that, they were also very symbolic in their meanings. The burning of frankincense symbolized prayers rising to heaven like the fragrant smoke it gave off… the prayers of Jesus interceding for us at the right hand of the Father. The myrrh was used for burials and symbolized death…Jesus’s death on the Cross for us. Finally, the gold was given to symbolize His royal status…and also for the very practical reason – His parents would soon need finances as they escaped to Egypt to flee from King Herod.
