My thoughts for 2007

December 28th

We will soon leave the year of 2006. How did you experience last year? Each and every one of us could tell our own story. For some of us it has been a good year, but for others it might have been a year full of sickness and sorrow. What do we do with what has been?

I want you to meditate on the year of 2006. Have you thanked God for being your Father? Did you thank Jesus for being your Savior? Did you thank the Holy Spirit for being your Helper? Maybe you did’nt even use the Holy Spirit as a Helper. You might have tried to solve the problems on your own and in your own strengt and the result was not a great success.

Where was your focus last year? Did you look at the negative things around you and all your failures or at the successes? Sometimes we put on a beautiful shirt or dress and they might have a tiny little spot on them. That spot might take all of our attention and almost ruin a very nice gathering. If you are a student and managed ten exams very well but got a bad mark on one, the last one might be the one you remember and cry over. You might even say that you are stupid because of this. You forget the ten good ones because your focus is wrong.

When we meet other people, what do we look for?

Do we look for shortcomings and failures or for the positive things? I have heard about people who do not want to be with people with a special hair-do. We are much more than our hair. Another chooses friends with a special dialect. What have you been looking for in other people? Did people hurt you or disappoint you during the passed year? If the answer is yes, what did you do with the hurt? Did you talk to God about it or to everyone willing to listen? I have had this happen to me and I have not handled it right every time. I do not believe that we should pretend that it does not hurt us. Personally I believe we should talk with the person if possible. Ask God for guidance in each incident. There is one thing we must do and that is to forgive: Jesus says that we should forgive seventy times seventy. Jesus cried out on the Cross: “Forgive them Father for they do not know what they are doing.” We are not forgiving because we feel like it, but because God has told us to. It is an act of obedience. We can forgive again and again until all that is within has forgiven. In addition to that we can ask God to heal our hurt emotions. That stops the devil to play on our hurt feelings and to tempt us to become bitter and even revengeful. God has put His love down in your heart and with that love you can love the person. Maybe you have to forgive some people before the year has come to an end?

Did you and I confess our sins during the past year? Ask the Holy Spirit to show you if you harbor any sins? It is wonderful to start a new year with a clean conscience and an assurance of righteousness.

Have you used your gifts and talents last year? Did you dig them down or did you use them to be a blessing to others and yourself? Some people say that they are not worthy to be used by God. Right, none of us are, but God has chosen us as His vessels on this earth. We are only living by grace. God is not pleased when we do not use the gifts He has given to us. This might be one of the sins that you need to confess.

How was your relationship with the Lord last year? Maybe you did’nt even have a relationship. Your answer may be that you have gone to church. That is not a relationship. I might meet a business-associate twice a year, but we do not have a relationship. God wants to be with you every day. He wants to listen to you and you to Him. He wants to be with you as a father. Jesus spent a lot of time together with His Father. To be a Christian does not mean to follow a lot of laws and regulations. It is a relationship with the Lord and everything else in life is affected by what kind of relationship we have to Him.

What about your priorities? What is most important to you and how much time to you spend on that? “No, I do not have time to think about these things. Life takes its course and my work and family take all of my time.” I warn you, do not allow life to just pass away. You can together with the Holy Spirit decide the content of your life. I do not believe in Fate.

WHAT ARE YOUR DESIRES FOR 2007?

Many make a decision on New Year’s Eve to stop smoking or to go down in weight. These decisions might be forgotten after a short time. Don’t make them unless you have a conviction and a real will to do so. Ask the Holy Spirit to make the right decisions and to give you the strength to go through with it.

The most important choice you can make is to spend more time with the Lord, get to know Him better. God is good and He wants so badly to spend more time with you in the year to come. Do you really know that He wants you to be well and have a good time? God has lately talked to me about the fact that He has created us as human beings with a body, soul and spirit. He says that so many of His children are disappointed and lack energy and joy. One of the reasons is that we are not just a body within a spirit. We are full of activities. We are running from one meeting to another conference, to voluntary work, to, to, to………………….

You yourself might have a long list. Do you have any time to build relationships in and outside of the Body of Christ? We are created to be with God and each other. Are you doing anything nice for yourself? Anything that makes you happy? You might ask: “Am I allowed to do that?” Yes! God is very sad when I am sad and disappointed with life. I am not talking about committing sins. That does not make me happy. GOD WANTS US WELL AND HAPPY IN 2007!

Parents are like mirrors for their small children and we are like mirrors for each others. When you are talking to somebody, what do you say? Are you a good mirror for your child, spouse, colleague or friend? When you are together with them, what do they see in the mirror? The Bible is like a mirror for us. You can take the Word every day and you become what the Word says about you. The Word says that you are dearly loved, that the love of God is above nakedness, fear, pain and despair and nothing can separate us from it. Enter the new year and know that YOU ARE DEARLY LOVED!

You can enter 2007 and know that Jesus is your defender. He is for you and stands by your side when the accuser comes. Jesus says: “I HAVE CARRIED ALL YOUR SINS AND ALL YOUR MISTAKES AND YOU ARE ACQUITTED!” He died in order for us to live. Death does not belong on the road of the righteous. Sickness might lead to death. He wants us to be in good health. PRAY FOR DEVINE HEALTH IN 2007.

Remember that Jesus intercedes for you and you are never alone. He also wants us to pray for and with each other. He also wants us to pray for leaders both inside and outside the Body of Christ. We are partly deciding what will happen during the next year. If we do not pray, we give more room to the devil. Never forget that the Word says: “PRAY AND YOU WILL RECEIVE!”

Please, do not forget those who are not saved. Pray for people you know who are not saved. Just think if could have a lot of new spiritual babies in 2007. We should both sow and reap in the year to come. GET PREGNANT WITH SPIRITUAL BABIES!

I AM THANKING YOU FOR THE PASSED YEAR AND WISH YOU A BLESSED AND JESUS-FILLED 2007!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mother Else