HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HOWDY FOLKS; I don't know about the rest of you but as for me, and my house we are happy to see this past year fade out and a new year begin. With each new year we are given a chance, with God. He has washed away all of our past mistakes and sins and now we can look forward to the forgiveness that God has in store for us as believers. It is written in scriptures, that God removes our sins from us as far as the East is from the West! God does that for us the moment that we decide to follow His Son Jesus Christ and be born again. God keeps his promises and NEVER forsakes those who will believe in Him, His Son Jesus and obey His commandments! He did it for Noah, for Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, David, for all of His people of  Israel and for all of His Prophets and Saints, AND He will do it for you and me too.  This scripture in Isaiah is one we need to remember throughout the new year:

Isaiah 43:16; 18-19
Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters... Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Read all of Isaiah 43 because there is a lot there for us.

          God and God alone, through the power of the Holy Spirit and by the power of our faith in Him and His Son Jesus Christ, can bring forth new things in our life. It is only by faith that we can move ahead in our walk with Christ, and by His grace keep sin away from us. In James chapter 4 we are taught that if we submit ourselves to God and resist the devil he will flee from us, and if we come close to God He will come close to us. It also says in James 4 verse 10 that if we humble ourselves before the Lord that He will lift us up! The book of James in the New Testament is one of my favorite books to study. There is a lot of wisdom for new and old Christian's alike there. With God ALL things are possible! There are times when Satan comes against us and tries to hold up our past sins in front of us and rub our noses in them, like some folks try to train a puppy when it has an accident in the house, (so to speak) but God has washed them, our sins, ALL away the moment we became believers, as I said before! If we let God have His way in our lives we need never to think about or be bothered by those things of the past. We have a new year ahead of us and with God in our lives we have a new chance to live according to His Commandments. People are always making "New Year Resolutions" every January, and usually end up breaking them in just a few weeks or months. The thing is, if we let God have His way, and keep or own willfulness under control with the help of the Holy Spirit, we really can make the new year one in which Christ rules our every thought and action. We can be a true heir to the Kingdom of God, and have all that is promised us, as believers and brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. If you don't have a Bible find one, borrow one or buy one, and if you cannot afford one, talk to your Pastor. I'm sure he will find one for you. Study Scriptures EVERY DAY if you can. Pick a time when you can sit down un-interrupted and read and study the word of God. When I worked days and had to get up early I used to get up an hour or so early for my study time. Same thing when I worked nights. Now that I am retired I like to read and study in the mornings before I take my dogs for their play time. When ever you can make the time. Study. You won't be disappointed. The best thing you will ever do in your life is to spend time with God. Do not ever let Satan have his way. Cast him out with prayer by the power of Jesus Christ. Alone we cannot prevail, BUT with God in our corner and Jesus on our side and the Holy Spirit in our hearts we can do anything. Philippians 4:13 says; "I can do all things through Christ which strengthenst me." Believe it. Hold on to it always. Don't let things get you down. Read John 14 all the way through when you can, but for today I have included verses 1-3 here:

John 14:1-3
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
 
And also John 16:33:
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

I have added a little list of  12 Things that God wants you to remember for 2011:

God is for you. Who can be against you?
God loves you. He did before you were born and He loves you now, and He will always!
God will guide you. As long as you study His word and believe.
God will not fail you. God keeps all of His promises!
God will be with you. Acts 2 tells us He sends His Holy Spirit to in-dwell us!
God will provide for you. All our needs will be met!
God will bless you. He has already and will continue to do so!
God will give you rest. This is one of His promises (see John 16:33 above)
God will strengthen you. Always! No matter what comes against us He is always with us!
God will answer you. It might not be the answer you want, but He will answer you!
God will uphold you. If we humble ourselves (James 4:10)
God will keep you. God knew you from your mother's womb and as a believer you are His child!

John 10:7, 9-10
Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief (Satan) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior ALL these things are yours as a child of God. If you have not yet accepted Jesus and been Born Again do it now.
      Ask God to forgive your sins, tell Jesus you believe that He is the only Son of the living God, and ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit. Do this and you will be born again. Find a good Bible believing church and be baptised in God the Father, Jesus the Son, and by the Holy Spirit. Then attend regularly  because fellowship with other Christians is VERY important. It is how we learn to live and grow as a Christian. It is also how the changes we begin to see in our lives once we are "born again" can be supported and nurtured. We can change ourselves to be more like Christ when we fellowship with other Christians. We can see Christ in others by the way they live, the way they share, love, care for and respect each other. When I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior I had to turn away from some of my old friends because of the lifestyle I, and they, lived. I had to put away from me those things, and those people, that were NOT supportive of the life in Christ that I had chosen. We are known by the company we keep. It may be unfair, it may be wrong, but others do judge us that way. It is a reality of life. I witnessed to old friends, and I rejoiced when they came to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Once they did, I could be in fellowship with them again. Those who did not come to accept Jesus I had to drop as friends. I moved them into the group of people I considered as acquaintances. I would still witness to them when I saw them or bumped into them, I still pray for them, but I could no longer include them in my circle of friends. If you come to love Jesus and accept Him, the more you want to be like Him! The more you want to be in fellowship with people who are also striving to be more like Christ! Folks; trust me, it is worth it! God will bless you for it! There are also family members that I have that have not yet accepted Jesus and I have to do the same thing for them. I still witness to them, I still love them, I still pray for them, and I spend time with them at family get togethers . . .but until they come to accept Jesus they are not included in that special group of family members that are true believers and true born again Christians. Don't ever give up on them. Keep them in your prayers. My mother never gave up on me . . .thank God! She kept praying for me, and praying that I would come to accept Jesus, and when I finally did . . .she rejoiced with me and praised God with me, and we lifted up our prayers of thanks together. We added something special to the bond we already shared as mother to son. We were now  both born again!   When people are born again you can tell. There really is something "different" about us. We have Jesus! There is something special you feel inside when you know that God has a special place reserved for you in heaven because you have accepted His Son  as Lord; when Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to indwell you. I know I am different . . . I know Jesus . . . I know that He knows me!  I also know that the Holy Spirit is within my heart. I do not want to live the "old life" of sin!  I'm glad I am different. I rejoice that I am a true child of God and an heir to the Kingdom because I know Jesus. Please, I pray you . . . if you don't know Jesus . . .pray the prayer I have shown you above. God loves you. He wants you to come to Him through His Son. Do not disappoint Him do it now! If you do come to accept Jesus let me know so I can rejoice with you. God bless you.      

PEACE and a Healthy, Prosperous, HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all.