It's been too long since I have posted, because my schedule didn't allow for blogging until I made time. I was just thinking that although, we're already one month and 5 days into a new year, it's still appropriate to say Happy New Year, which I would like to extend to you!
A new year provides us with a clean slate and the opportunity for possibilities we didn't have during the previous year. It also motivates us to make positive changes based on previous blunders, fears and losses. In order to have better in our lives, we must THINK BETTER. Everything we do in life begins with a word or thought. If you BELIEVE you can, you're right; and if YOU believe you can't, you're right! Proverbs 23:7 says 'as a man thinks in his heart, so is he' {of course, this applies to both genders}. There are so many people today, who are suffering from depression, anxiety and other emotional conditions, but they fail to realize that the root cause of these conditions is wrong thinking {if not due to drug abuse}.
RESOLUTIONS: I quit making resolutions years ago, because I found that I never kept them past the first month. It was like competing with myself just to impress other people. Today, I choose to make lifestyle changes that will improve my physical, spiritual and emotional health. I want to be organized in daily personal tasks and in the workplace. To prevent from vacillating all over the place in my life, I am being diligent about keeping my focus on who and what will keep me grounded. MY FOCUS IS on God and His Word, which is vital for my life. We all have a focus, but it's important that what you focus on what will truly enrich you- not only for the year, but for your entire life. Avoid focusing on who and what can wreck your life in a few months.
Another thing that is needed in a new year is CONSISTENCY. This requires doing the right things over and over again, until they become a habitual. Did you know that it takes 21 days to cultivate a habit: good or bad? The problem with some of us is that we start out well, but end up finishing weak with little to no results. If you don't SET PRIORITIES in your life, you will have a casual regard for most things in your life, when there are things in your life that require higher regard.
Most of us have friends, right?! Right and wrong! Some people don't ever consider the difference between true, stick around friends and acquaintances with whom they may shoot the breeze with, by doing unproductive things. We don't all agree on what constitutes a friend, but I will share a definition:
friend:
a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations.
The key words in friendship are bond and mutual affection. A friend is also someone with whom you have a bond of mutual affection, common interests and in whom you can confide about personal things that shouldn't be told to just anyone. It's important to know who to trust, so what you tell another will not be disclosed to others over coffee in the break room at work.
Although, many people underestimate ASSOCIATION, it is very important in our lives, because we become like the people with whom we associate. There's a colloquial phrase many use that says: "If you lay down with dogs, you will get up with fleas." The Bible speaks clearly about our associations: “Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend [to show rage or worthy purpose].” (Proverbs 27:17 Amplified Bible)
One thing that is important to me is a relationship with God. I can't see Him, but I can feel and hear Him speak to me daily. I believe that His Word, which is truth makes a difference in my life. I have always believed in God, His Son Jesus and the Person of the Holy Spirit [the Godhead or Trinity] ; but I didn't always live to please God. I have have had a relationship with the Lord for decades now, but the only regret I have is not making the decision sooner and having a more consistent focus on Him years ago. My not being focused on righteous things interfered with my ability to have consistent fellowship with the Lord. I haven't been a prodigal daughter, but I wasn't always obedient to God's Word either. My experience has been journey and although, I may have made some wrong turns during my journey, I reread the Road-map {the Bible}, considered my life and the need for change, confessed my sins and got back on track.
I am not suggesting that you find religion, but want you to realize that GOD LOVES YOU. He and Jesus desire to have a personal relationship with you! God proved His love for us by giving His only begotten Son as a sacrifice to pay for the sin we had inherited from Adam and Eve over 2,000 years ago. We were born with their sin nature, which had a penalty of eternal damnation. There was nothing mankind had in himself that could pay the debt that we owed; and because of Satan's maneuver to ruin our lives and future, we would have been lost forever WITHOUT the shed blood and salvation of Jesus. God had this plan to redeem us after the fall of Adam and Eve; and so at the right time, He sent His son to earth to be born of a virgin girl, named Mary (Matthew 1:23). He was born to be the Savior of the world, the Messiah and the One, who would SAVE US from our sins. Salvation has been and IS still available to whosoever will accept it (John 3:16-17; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8). Jesus had always been with the Father in Heaven, but left His seat at the right hand of the Father to spend three (3) years on earth to redeem us from the hand of Satan.
I invite to you to CONSIDER not only your future on earth, but your future after your life on earth is over. JESUS is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE and no man can come unto the God the Father, but by Him {John 14:6). So if you are one, who believes in God, but not His Son, you must realize that if you reject Jesus, you're also rejecting God. What Jesus told the religious skeptics, who refused to believe in Him, during His earthly ministry, I will also tell you:
RESOLUTIONS: I quit making resolutions years ago, because I found that I never kept them past the first month. It was like competing with myself just to impress other people. Today, I choose to make lifestyle changes that will improve my physical, spiritual and emotional health. I want to be organized in daily personal tasks and in the workplace. To prevent from vacillating all over the place in my life, I am being diligent about keeping my focus on who and what will keep me grounded. MY FOCUS IS on God and His Word, which is vital for my life. We all have a focus, but it's important that what you focus on what will truly enrich you- not only for the year, but for your entire life. Avoid focusing on who and what can wreck your life in a few months.
Another thing that is needed in a new year is CONSISTENCY. This requires doing the right things over and over again, until they become a habitual. Did you know that it takes 21 days to cultivate a habit: good or bad? The problem with some of us is that we start out well, but end up finishing weak with little to no results. If you don't SET PRIORITIES in your life, you will have a casual regard for most things in your life, when there are things in your life that require higher regard.
Most of us have friends, right?! Right and wrong! Some people don't ever consider the difference between true, stick around friends and acquaintances with whom they may shoot the breeze with, by doing unproductive things. We don't all agree on what constitutes a friend, but I will share a definition:
friend:
a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations.
The key words in friendship are bond and mutual affection. A friend is also someone with whom you have a bond of mutual affection, common interests and in whom you can confide about personal things that shouldn't be told to just anyone. It's important to know who to trust, so what you tell another will not be disclosed to others over coffee in the break room at work.
Although, many people underestimate ASSOCIATION, it is very important in our lives, because we become like the people with whom we associate. There's a colloquial phrase many use that says: "If you lay down with dogs, you will get up with fleas." The Bible speaks clearly about our associations: “Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend [to show rage or worthy purpose].” (Proverbs 27:17 Amplified Bible)
One thing that is important to me is a relationship with God. I can't see Him, but I can feel and hear Him speak to me daily. I believe that His Word, which is truth makes a difference in my life. I have always believed in God, His Son Jesus and the Person of the Holy Spirit [the Godhead or Trinity] ; but I didn't always live to please God. I have have had a relationship with the Lord for decades now, but the only regret I have is not making the decision sooner and having a more consistent focus on Him years ago. My not being focused on righteous things interfered with my ability to have consistent fellowship with the Lord. I haven't been a prodigal daughter, but I wasn't always obedient to God's Word either. My experience has been journey and although, I may have made some wrong turns during my journey, I reread the Road-map {the Bible}, considered my life and the need for change, confessed my sins and got back on track.
I am not suggesting that you find religion, but want you to realize that GOD LOVES YOU. He and Jesus desire to have a personal relationship with you! God proved His love for us by giving His only begotten Son as a sacrifice to pay for the sin we had inherited from Adam and Eve over 2,000 years ago. We were born with their sin nature, which had a penalty of eternal damnation. There was nothing mankind had in himself that could pay the debt that we owed; and because of Satan's maneuver to ruin our lives and future, we would have been lost forever WITHOUT the shed blood and salvation of Jesus. God had this plan to redeem us after the fall of Adam and Eve; and so at the right time, He sent His son to earth to be born of a virgin girl, named Mary (Matthew 1:23). He was born to be the Savior of the world, the Messiah and the One, who would SAVE US from our sins. Salvation has been and IS still available to whosoever will accept it (John 3:16-17; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8). Jesus had always been with the Father in Heaven, but left His seat at the right hand of the Father to spend three (3) years on earth to redeem us from the hand of Satan.
I invite to you to CONSIDER not only your future on earth, but your future after your life on earth is over. JESUS is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE and no man can come unto the God the Father, but by Him {John 14:6). So if you are one, who believes in God, but not His Son, you must realize that if you reject Jesus, you're also rejecting God. What Jesus told the religious skeptics, who refused to believe in Him, during His earthly ministry, I will also tell you:
" I and the Father are one (John 10:30)."
IF, you will think better, focus on the right people and things, remain consistent in your efforts, set priorities, watch your associations, and consider your life and eternal destination, you will not only have a good year, but a good life: now and for all eternity.
If you have questions about being born again and receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior, please don't hesitate to leave me a message: or after careful thought about your life, you realize your need for Salvation, please click on the following link for and pray to accept Jesus as your Savior: Prayer of Salvation.
As always, I thank you for taking the time to read my blog and pray that you will be blessed in 2015,. It is the Lord, Who gives us His favor (what we could never earn) and mercy every day of our lives (withholding from us what we really deserve). SHALOM!
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