Wednesday, January 2, 2008

The New Year, The New Man, The New You!!!

Well, it's that time of year again, when we feel we have to make a resolution as to what we are going to do better, or just start doing in the coming new year. Why do we feel we have to make these resolutions? When probably none of us keep them. Oh, yah, we may start out good, doing like we said we were, but then after the new wears off, we are back to where we were before. "Usually" Now there are some that probably do keep their resolutions. I can't think of any, but maybe you know someone. HA!

While doing my devotional, yesterday I was reading in Col. 3 and I thought if we would just live like Christ has instructed us to do, we would not have to make resolutions, because we would be living right already and we would not let bad habits come into our lives.

So I was thinking if we would just do this one simple thing for the next year, we would not have to worry about all those other pointless resolutions. Read Col. 3 vs 1-17 everyday. Cut it out and laminate it and start your day off with these words and you will fall into line with what you are suppose to do and you will not want to do the things that harm you.

Col. 3 vs 1-17....If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek, nor Jew circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
...Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the LORD. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the LORD JESUS, giving thanks to GOD the FATHER through HIM.........

That pretty much covers it all, if we act accordingly, we should have no need of other resolutions. What better resolution could be made, than to be more like JESUS in the next year? And in that last line...whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the LORD JESUS giving thanks to GOD the FATHER through HIM.....
This is telling us that if we stop and think about what we are about to say or do, and question is this something that I can do in the LORD's name, is this something that will be pleasing to the LORD when I say or do it? And if we answer NO, then we need to stop and not say or do whatever we were about to do. Let us slow down our pace and live more like Christ, not in such a rush all the time, but in more of a slower more peaceful mode, so as to have sufficient time to make the right call. Quit letting the world and the things of the world rush you into bad decisions. Take time to seek first what God has to say before you make a decision. I know if I had done this in many decisions of my life, I would not have made so many of the mistakes that I made, and I would not have missed out on so many of the blessings the LORD had for me. We need to be patient and wait on the LORD for His answer to our cares and quit trying to work things out on our own. So many times we throw in the towel just when the LORD was getting ready to let our season come.

Let the LORD bless you in this next year, let Him bring your season to pass in His timing and not your own. Cast your cares, and then don't take them back. Take time to make the right decisions in all areas of your life. Seek Him First!

Have a Blessed and Prosperous New Year and in all your decisions, Seek Him First!


Neta

No comments: