First, I cannot believe that the first day of 2015 is in a few days. 2014 has absolutely flown by even more so than the other years before it. It has been a great year overall--full of traveling to different places, new jobs, and a challenging school-year. What I think of when I think of the approaching new year: New Year's Resolutions. We've probably all made them at some point if we're honest, and probably all broken some (or most) of them early on in the new year as well. Instead of drawing up resolutions for this upcoming year, I'm making eight clear-cut goals. So here goes...now I'm accountable to you! ;)
1. Grow in Christlikeness. As 2015 starts and even as it ends, I'd like to grow visibly and obviously in Christ. We are called to grow in our relationships with God, not to regress or even stay in a rut like stagnant water, unwilling to move or change.
1 Corinthians 11:1: "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." {Paul}
Ephesians 4:15: "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ." {Paul}
2. Practice Humility. In 2015, simply more of Him and less of me. If we humble ourselves to Him, the rest will fall into place. And if we don't humble ourselves, He will rightly bring us to our knees somehow.
Psalm 55:19: "God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah because they do not change and do not fear God."
Psalm 25:9: "He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way."
3. Have Consistent & Goal-Seeking Prayer-Time. I aspire for my prayer-life to grow in this new year. If we open ourselves up to Him, He will reveal Himself and speak to us. One way many have suggested is simple prayer cards. From experience, I know that purely relying on my memory sometimes leads to forgetfulness and distractions. Your prayer-life is a pretty accurate evaluation of your walk with God considering it is direct interaction between you and Him!
Matthew 7:7: "Ask, and it will be given to you seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."
John 14:13-14: "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it."
John Bunyan: "Prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God. and a scourge for Satan."
4. Be Submerged in God's Word. Another important part of your walk with God is how often you spend reading His Word. The Bible says that the Word was God. That makes it very important besides the fact that it is God-breathed. Not only is it His love letter to us, but tells us how we should live. If we don't read it, how will we know? It is our road-map!
2 Timothy 3:16-17: "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."
Joshua 1:8: "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
5. Guard My Thoughts, Actions, and Words. When we see or hear something, it is so easy to make quick judgments. But this is not pleasing to God. So in 2015, I will not be so quick to make judgments about others.
John 7:24: "Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."
Romans 12:2: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
6. Give Back to God. You may think that you don't have anything to give to God. However, there are many things that we can give back to God, all of which are already His anyways. One thing is our TIME. I know, there's not enough time in the day, weeks just pass us by, and there's plenty of things to do. But one thing we can always make time for is God. If not, we might need a priority-adjustment. Time can seem to fly by and it only goes faster as your get older. But, with the right time-management, it's possible. Another thing God asks for is TITHE. I'm sure a lot of people reading this have jobs, including me. We are called to give some of that back to Him, (example: 10%) and if we don't, "He'll get it out of us some way." It will become something we want to do instead of something that we have to do. It's just the way I was raised, I couldn't imagine anything different. Lastly, (but not the end of the list) we can give Him our DEDICATION and focus. All of these He so deserves, and SO much more!
Psalm 90:12: "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
Malachi 3:10: "'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be good in my house. Test me in this,' says the LORD Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.'"
1 John 4:16: "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."
7. Find Joy in the Little (& big) Things. Joy can be found in lots of things--the good and the bad. Happiness and joy are often confused or intertwined with each other. However, the truth is quite the opposite. You can have joy without being happy, and you can be happy without containing joy! There will be times in life when it seems that all hope and joy are lost--but we need to remember that they're not!
James 1:2-4: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
8. Do Everything I Do to the Glory of God. Lastly, in 2015, I want to be synonymous to a beacon of light for God in my words, actions, thoughts, etc.; we are called to be the light(s) of the world! If we don't show God's love, who will? After all, that is why we are here on Earth.
Colossians 3:17: "And WHATEVER you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.'
Matthew 5:14: "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden."
Happy New Year! ~M
