Nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?..." (Isaiah 43:18-19)
A New Year, filled with all kinds of possibilities! Let's start the year off right by making sure to do a few important things:
1. accept God's free gift of salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, and then be filled with the Holy Spirit: And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. (Romans 13:11-14)
2. become a part of a local church family: And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25) "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20) Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. (I Thessalonians 5:11)
3. study the Word of God daily and allow it to change us from the inside out: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (II Peter 1:2-8)
4. let the past go and move forward in faith: As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12) You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19) Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8) Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. (I Timothy 4:15-16)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
No comments:
Post a Comment