Happy New Year!
Welcome 2015! Here we having begun this New Year. For many, including myself, 2014 was challenging to say the least, but God brought us through it and saw fit to let our eyes behold 2015. I know that this year is a year to walk with Jesus upon the waters, and see the hand of God do great things despite the momentary afflictions that must be. There is a heavenly momentum preparing the people of God to streamline, shred away, and skim off what needs to be left behind us. As the Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 3:13-14:
...but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. NKJV
The Lord is speaking so much to my heart.. One thing He wants us to remember is that there is grace from Him that helps us to forget. What the Apostle Paul says above sounds really good...but how to attain to it is not always easy. Therefore, we do what children of God do, we cry out to our Father to help us; we find out what He said about it, and by faith believe He will bring His promise to fruition in our lives. He possesses the power to forgive and forget our sin when we believe that His son, Jesus, died on a cross taking our place for fallen man and every wrongdoing we have committed and shall commit; and then raised up Himself from the dead by the power of His Holy Spirit. As believers, the Lord says to us in Psalm 103:12-14:
He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. NLT
Elsewhere, the Lord says that he cast our sin into the sea of forgetfulness; He causes Himself to forget. He says that He remembers our sin no more! This is the incredible grace of God that lifts our head when our memory caches what we have said and done, and the things others have said and done to us. The Father erases that from His heavenly memory chip. Then, He heals our spirit, cleans up the cookies that want to trigger that thing over and over again and crumble our faith. He has done this in my life and continues to do so.
This year, I choose to draw upon this grace as often as necessary that the Lord died to give us. Others may choose to be the best record keepers. As a writer, I can keep a detailed scroll too...but there is grace to forgive and forget because we are created in the image of God. We are not random happenings. As a sister and I shared recently, there was a "Big Bang" in the beginning of creation. A very Big God spoke the word, and Bang...it happened! Yet with mankind, He formed and fashioned us with His very own hands from the dust, tenderly. We are but dust...and Jesus thought you and I were worth it.
I pray in Jesus name for anyone reading this post who does not know the love of God, to ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you, and forgive you. He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. He bore our sin and bears our burdens when we believe on Him and trust in His sacrifice to pay the ultimate price so that we can have peace...peace with God, a relationship with Him day by day, a meaningful life, and eternal life.
May we continue this new year leaving old baggage behind. We pray Lord for the grace to seek your face more than ever before, love you more, and be your bride on the earth to do your will. I pray for anyone struggling to forgive and forget that you would help us, remind us of your love, and give us the power to be your sons and daughters in this area of our lives. As we dine with you in your word, the Bible, please nourish our souls so that we may be like you, and invite others to this great feast of life, peace, and hope. We choose to dine with you Jesus and not on the things that this world and the devil try to serve. You are the bread of life and your love fully satisfies the hungry soul. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen!
I pray in Jesus name for anyone reading this post who does not know the love of God, to ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you, and forgive you. He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. He bore our sin and bears our burdens when we believe on Him and trust in His sacrifice to pay the ultimate price so that we can have peace...peace with God, a relationship with Him day by day, a meaningful life, and eternal life.
May we continue this new year leaving old baggage behind. We pray Lord for the grace to seek your face more than ever before, love you more, and be your bride on the earth to do your will. I pray for anyone struggling to forgive and forget that you would help us, remind us of your love, and give us the power to be your sons and daughters in this area of our lives. As we dine with you in your word, the Bible, please nourish our souls so that we may be like you, and invite others to this great feast of life, peace, and hope. We choose to dine with you Jesus and not on the things that this world and the devil try to serve. You are the bread of life and your love fully satisfies the hungry soul. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen!
If you have been encouraged by this post, please send a note. What do you want to leave behind? What do you look forward to? How do you want God to help you?
God bless you!
