Happy New Year!

For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11 

Happy New Year to all, the year has flown by, I needed to remind myself that today is 2013. Can you believe it? What will this year hold? Only the Lord knows, but one thing is certain we must be “about the Master’s business”.

As each day goes by it is another day closer to eternity. What can I do differently this year from what I did in 2012? Each year I set goals for my life. I reviewed my goals yesterday and noticed I “fell short” of meeting some of them. Does that mean I set no goals in 2013? No, but it does mean I review and think about why I did not meet them? Was I too busy doing other things than things I should have been doing? Did I set the goals too high? Did circumstances change from the beginning to the end of the year?

There are a lot of variables when we set goals. We need to be realistic. I usually set a goal of 4-5 Christian (counseling, growth, biographies) books to read. I love to read so it is usually a realistic goal for me, if you are not a reader setting a goal of 1 or 2 Christian books a year might be just right. Knowing ourselves and our time constraints will help us to attain practical goals.

Here are some suggestions:

·        Prayer journal – record your prayers/answers

·        Be thankful – make a thankful journal and write something in it every day or once a week

·        Read the Bible daily

·        Attend a Bible study or pick up a Bible study to do individually (Kay Arthur, Elizabeth George, Beth Moore, etc.)

·        Acts of kindness – do something for someone every week or month – make a meal, call, send a card, babysit – it will be different for different people

·        Memorize verses to help your spiritual growth

·        Read non-fiction Christian books

The main goal during 2013 is to grow closer to the Lord.

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18  

As you set goals for 2013, do not look back on what you did not do, look forward to what you will do, with the Lord’s help.

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

Have a wonderful day and a  Happy New Year.

Have a blessed day, 

Donna

Straddling the fence

[1] On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever; [2] Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing. [3] Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude. Nehemiah 13:1-3

We are coming to the home stretch in the book of Nehemiah. This is the last chapter. While reading this I came to the conclusion that chapter 13 is not the same time frame as chapter 12 . Nehemiah was not in Jerusalem at the start of this chapter. He had gone back to his previous job after being the governor for twelve years. When reading this portion of scripture, one can see the people returned to their “old ways.” Nehemiah arrives and starts to restore the people back towards God.

The book of Moses is read. The people listen and obey God’s word.  The Israelites had been told not to let the Ammonite or Moabites come into the congregation of God (Deut 23:3). The Ammonites and Moabites are a type of the world. When the law was re-established they followed it and separated themselves from the world.

As I was thinking on this I thought of how stubborn the Israelites were, always being reminded to do the right thing. Oh that reminds me of myself. How many times to do I need to be reminded of things in the word of God? It seems that I have a selective memory.

God’s word is here to teach us, not for us to put on the “back burner” of our mind but for us to learn. We need God’s word to grow. We need to have it implanted into our lives each and every day.

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18 

We don’t have Nehemiah prodding us but we do have the Word of God. We need to beware of the lure of the world. Satan is standing in the shadows waiting.

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 2 Corinthians 2:11 

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1Peter 5:8 

God knows we have to physically  live in this world but we are not to participate in all of the world’s detrimental activities. It is a tall order but when He gives us something to do He also give us the power to do it.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2 

As you start this week, reflect on God’s word. Is there something He wants you to change? Is there something He wants you to do? Only you can answer. Start today by reading and studying His word for the answers you need.

Have a blessed day,
Donna