Hi how are you all today? I am well and ready to begin a new year. As I look back at last year, there were highs and lows but God was with me through all of it. I am so grateful for that.
As we start walking in this new year, get before God and give Him this year. Then, pray and ask God what things He needs you to focus on this year. He will not tell you everything but for me it was prayer and exercise. That is not all I am doing this year but just two small changes I need to make to my everyday.
As we saw last week, 2023 is the year of the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. I am not sure what that looks like but what I am sure of is that we need to be prepared. So how do we do that?
Micah 6:8 comes to mind and in the Message Bible, it states:
8 But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
take God seriously.
This verse is God talking to us about how we should live our daily lives.
1. Treat others right – this year let’s be intentional about how we treat others. We should treat them like we want God to treat us. We want God to show grace, mercy, forgiveness and love towards us. So let’s do the same for others.
2. Love others~ let’s be intentional about loving others as God loved us. We need to cultivate friendships this year with those around us. It is the love and kindness that we show others that will show them Jesus.
3. Fear God – we need to fear God more in our lives this year. It does not mean be scared of Him but be in total awe of Who God is. Ask ourselves intentional questions this year like would God want me spending my time this way, what is Gods purpose for me in this new year and how do I cultivate my relationship with God more this year.
Another thing that needs to happen for the sons and daughters of God to be revealed is Romans 12:1 – 2. It states in the Message Bible:
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
God wants to mature us this year in Him. Another version states that we are not to be conformed to the world. For the revealing to occur, there must be a difference between the church and the world. The difference is not in church on Sundays but in our everyday.
We need to live each day as an offering to God. This means that we sacrifice our own needs and desires for what He wants to do in our lives. We still need to work and go food shopping etc but make it a place where we show the love and character of God to others.
This year those around us need to see Jesus in us. My question is can they and if not what do we need to change? This is a question that will be resonating in my life this year as well.
Are you up for the challenge? I pray we all are as we see the kingdom of God come to this earth.
Have a great week and keep living the life God intended for you.
Bless you
Karen
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