2018 Encouragement

2018 Encouragement

As 2017 comes to a close I would like to share these verses with you.

Philippians 3:13-14

 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Isa 43:25 “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.

Psa 51:9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

2017 is done its over, In our Christian walk as an adopted child of God we had failures in 2017 some may have been extreme some not so extreme yet they missed the mark, they were and are sin. What have you  done about those sins? Hopefully you have asked forgiveness for them. If you haven’t they will drag on you like an anchor on a ship and will imped you forward movement or you continual growth in your relationship with the Lord our Savior . Start 2018 by seeking  forgiveness of your sins. The hardest part of forgiveness for me anyways and I would also feel others feel the same way is forgiving yourself.  Paul tells us in Philippians 3:13-14 the past is done, you cant dwell on it continue to press forward towards the goal to which you have been called, that call that comes from God in Christ Jesus. Isa 43:25 tells us that God blots out your sins and remembers them no more for his own sake. It’s like they never even happened in Gods mind. In our human minds we almost never forget our failures, but we can certainty not dwell on them don’t bring them back up. Once they are forgiven then the issue is resolved. I need to add this  there are consequences of our actions and those may be a constant reminder of our failures, still you need to move forward relying on Gods strength to bear us thru the times we may start dwelling on the past. Like Paul put it straining forward towards our upward call. The Psalmist  in Psa 51:9 ask God to blot out his iniquity’s and to create a clean heart  and a renewed stead fastness spirit with in him. Not only do we seek forgiveness but a cleansed heart and steadfast spirit towards God.

Meditate on Gods Word on Gods precepts   Psa 119:15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.  God never said it would be easy to follow him the road to destruction is wide and the road to eternity with Christ is narrow. In this society it gets harder to keep Gods moral and just laws for society says its right to do what God say’s is wrong. Society is becoming a woe. In Isaiah it say’s “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.” It doesn’t seem to matter much who our worldly leaders are, you cant legislate morality. Duet 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”  

Eph 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

In closing start the new year with a refreshed heart for Gods word seeking forgiveness for un-repented sins, seeking to strengthen your relationship with God, dwelling on his Word, make your walk with the Lord intentional  make it a habit.

May this next year be a year of growth in your relationship with God, a year that your study habits grow and your understanding flourishes, may your prayer life blossom into a want to talk to God instead  of waiting for a need, May you grow stronger   being part of the world but not acting like the world.
May you be encourage that you are being knit together to reach full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of Gods mystery, which is in Christ. (Col2:2)

I look forward to what God has instore for me this next year , my family ,my friends, and the body of Christ I’m part of.

 May we all walk in the strength of the Lord

God Bless