A New Beginning
15th of January
We have recently started a new year and you might have promised yourself that this year will be different from other years. You might have thought about all the negative experiences from last year and you might say: g This year will be different.h I appreciate all positive decisions, but want to help you to think. What is important and what shall you do in order to make changes?
You did not read the Bible very much last year and you really want to do something about that. What changes are you going to make this year? When are you going to read the Bible? In the morning? If that is the answer, you have to either get up earlier or stop doing something else as reading the newspaper for example. Are you going to read after a plan or are you going to ask the Holy Spirit to lead you day by day? How much do you want to read? Are you going to do it before or after breakfast? I am asking all these questions in order to test your seriousness. Are you really going to do something about it?
Changes require planning and they must be precise and concrete. Why should you read the Bible more? Because a well known preacher said so or a woman wrote that on her website? Is this something that you really want or are you trying to satisfy either God or man?
Changes are most of the time hard to do in the beginning and it is therefore very important to know your motives behind them in order to have success. One needs to see the use of it in order to continue.
I could give you many scriptures saying how important it is to read the Bible, but I will give you only two. The first one is Matt. 4:4. It says: gBut He(Jesus) answered and said, gIt is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.h Jesus was answering the devil this when He was tempted by him in the desert after a long period of fasting. The second one is from 2.Tim.3.16-17. It goes like this: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, That the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.h The first one says that we live by the Word of God. I recently got a revelation of this and caught the importance of the Word more than ever. The other one describes all the different areas and emphasizes the fact that we are equipped by the Word, equipped for every good work. I really pray that you and others should see the changes in you caused by the Word. I do not know if the morning is the best time for you to have your main Bible reading for the day, but it is better to fill you with that than a lot of negative news. That might steal your joy and your power.
What other changes do you desire? Some people want to get slimmer. Others want to stop smoking or other bad habits. How do you want to do it? You can find hundreds of methods for reducing weight, but you must find a way that is suitable for you. You should not stop after a week. Some people weigh everything they eat and count calories. That is not for me. I do not eat any sweets and try to avoid fat food. I would have become thinner if I had moved more and done more exercises. This is an area I have to work on. Start where you are to-day and do not compare yourself with the model in the magazine you are reading. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you in setting realistic goals and to give you the will and the ability to reach them. God is not only interested in your spirit. He calls your body for a temple. A temple should look good and it should function.
Smoking requires other measures. It has created a dependency and that is one reason why it is difficult to quit. Both smoking and overeating can be symptoms of other problems. It might be a substitute. There might even be a demonic power behind it. Ask God to show you the root of the problem before you start on the symptom. Maybe you need professional help. Ask the Holy Spirit for the right measures and the right help and for the power to make the necessary changes.
Others are bitter and they are having a grudge against one or more people. Maybe your daughter will get married this year and she wants to invite this person to her wedding. You understand that you must do something about this problem then. You have already forgotten a very important order from God, an order to forgive, so this is high time. We can read from Matt.6:14-15. It goes like this: gFor if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.h This is actually very serious. I do not want to carry my sins without being washed by the blood of Jesus. Think of Jesus when He was hanging on the Cross and He said: gFather forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.h This word has helped me many times. The Holy Spirit will help you in the process of forgiving. You cannot do it from your fleshly nature. When you have forgiven, ask the Holy Spirit if you should take any actions toward that person. If the answer isgyesh, then do it.
Others feel that they do not have enough time for themselves, together with God or their partner. What will you do about that? Maybe you live in a prison of gI should have done this and I must do this.h You might not have learned a simple word, consisting of two letters, the word no. You might also have forgotten that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.(Matt.11:30) God wants you to be in balance. There should be a balance between how much time you should spend with God, on yourself and your partner.
We live in different phases of life and we know that small children take a lot of our time and attention, but that does not mean that we should forget God, nor our partner or ourselves. If you forget God, you lose your strength and your joy. If you forget your husband, he might turn sour and that will hurt you. If you forget yourself, you might turn sour and depressed.
It is important to find out what is most important for you and make priorities according to that. We are all individuals and I cannot make any rules for you.
When it comes to your communication with your partner, I recommend you to ask each other and yourself about your glove-languageh. Your husband might think that he shows love to you by giving you gifts, but yourglove-languageh is physical contact. You want him to hold you tight. You might spend a lot of time in the kitchen making good food for him and you do not understand why he is not satisfied. His glove-languageh is time with you. A new beginning might mean to talk more together, but also with God. Praying is a kind of conversation.
A stressful job might ruin our relationship to both men and our heavenly Father. Is there anything you can do about it? Can you reduce your 100 % job to less? Can you delegate some tasks to others or work at home one day a week? I am sure that you can manage with less money, at least in Norway where I live right now. We do not need so many and expensive material things. God will give us that occasionally, but there are so many more important values to cherish.
WHAT CHANGES DOES GOD REQUIRE OF YOU IN 2011 AND HOW MANY CHANGES DO YOU REQUIRE OF YOURSELF. BE SPECIFIC AND DO NOT WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mother Else