As explained in the message from my pastor at this Link, a new and glorious morn is dawning.
A take away for me was the need to prepare our hearts and mind. John the Baptist prepared the people for Jesus and the new plan. This New Year, we can reflect on the past so we can go forward using our experiences to better apply God’s Plan For Us.
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A reblog today from Jesus Quotes and God Thoughts about keeping our lives simple and honest. A thought inspired from this post is that keeping things simple allows us to focus on what we can do as an individual and then each of us contributes as we work together. In so doing, we do what is possible and God does what is impossible.
God’s goal: Jesus summed up what God wants us to do. It was nothing new. God is all about simplicity. God goal for us is to love Him and to love everyone else we know. That’s it. To do that, we need to be able to focus. That requires we live our lives simply.
These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another; make true and sound decisions within your city gates. Do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love perjury, for I hate all this”—this is the Lord’s declaration.| Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Zec 8:16-17). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
What this is about: The terms of the covenant made it clear that people determine their own destiny, while God responds accordingly. These are the things you must do reveals that the function of the sermon was more than simply rebuilding…
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God helps us overcome the difficulties we face by providing us with a model to follow in His Son Jesus Christ. Take inspiration from this poem to help apply your faith in the New Year. The new covenant with God changes our way of life and our thinking.
Difficult days faced Going from desolation But things fall in place To restoration Because of the Savior I learn His ways To change behavior To give Him praise As I pray for help You will carry me To a place of joy And set me free In a sun-scorched land Needs are satisfied Reservoirs of water Far and wide Like memories Of glorious scenery The power of grace Fuels my energy Poem by Mark Shields – © 12-24-2020 Inspired by “This Day with God Devotional – Desolation to Restoration“
Teach us to number our days aright. That we may gain a heart of wisdom. – Psalms 90:12
In today’s culture, we are enticed by things that take up so much time but provide little benefit. There’s something to be said about using our time towards getting acquainted with the true treasures found in the precepts of the Bible!
The post “A Lift” discussed the need to be enticed towards worshiping the Lord rather than idols. To be enticed towards gaining a heart of wisdom rather than useless items that provide no benefit.
Today, let us be encouraged by the Lord so we can give each other a lift. Let us be encouraged by songs like Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman that give us a lift towards things that matter and build memories.
The memories you make can give you a lift but the ultimate lift is knowing that the future is bright because of the reward God has for all that believe in His Son.
This day with God, we are ready to take in what is uplifting, what is amazing, and gives a great benefit with inspiration from the past, preparation for the present, and a readiness to step ahead into an incredible future.
In Deuteronomy 13, Moses warns of several areas of enticement to idols as he prepares the people for the Promised Land. The Canaanite gods were many and Moses was warning them not to listen to others who would try to get them to follow their many Gods.
The other areas of enticement Moses discuses are friends and relatives who can be very persuasive in idol worship but Moses tells them to keep their focus on the ONE true God. There’s something to be said about using our time and money at getting acquainted with the true treasures of God’s precepts found in His Word.
Another area of enticement Moses warns against is following the multitude. In today’s culture, we face the same temptations. Many follow the crowd and don’t speak up when the crowd is going wayward. The crowd may buy into things that cost more than what they are worth. Many are enticed by things that cost more than what they can afford.
Instead, we should be enticed into spending time learning about God’s way and giving each other a lift. The picture below was taken at the Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo years ago. We also went to a Joe Nichols concert that evening. It was great weather as in his hit song “Sunny and 75”.
The memories we make give us a lift, the weather can give us a lift, and the ultimate lift is knowing that the future is bright because of the reward God has for all that believe in His Son.
This day with You Lord, we worship You only. The time with You is of essence as we study Your Word, reflect on how to apply Your Word, and pray for direction in our life. We are grateful for memories that last forever. Memories that give us a lift and lift You higher in the thoughts of others. Amen.
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