Reflections of a year gone by

As we draw close to the end of this year most of us will reflect over the past, our triumphs and failures, we will reflect on lost loved ones and miss them , we should reflect and be grateful for those days we had with them and rejoice with those we still have with us.

Life has no pause or reset buttons, it always leads onward.

As we reflect over the past don't let the demons of discouragement and despair get into your mind, they will only lie to you and deceive you. They will dishearten you and destroy your hope, joy and focus.

This is a time to refocus on God , look back and see where failure grew and raised it's ugly head is where we pressed on without God, we do things in our flesh and forget to ask and seek God, then ask Him why, when we fail.

This I know unless I surrender daily to Him, I will surrender to my flesh, the world or the enemies lies and deceit, which leads me to defeat.

I need God in order to love another person unconditionally. I need His help to overlook offenses. I need His help to guard myself against all the temptations that lurk around every corner. I need His help to become more like Christ so I can lay down my life for my family. Without Him, my marriage wouldn’t be anything special. Odds are it would end badly, just like so many do.

We all get to choose who we will surrender our will to daily, our weaknesses and our strengths , we must learn out of obedience to surrender to God before our feet hit the floor, our enemies wait in darkness to attack in our thoughts, dreams and mind.

You can have the life God wants you to have. But you can’t have it without God’s help. No matter what’s happened in your past, this is a new day. A new chance. A new beginning. A new year awaits, let's not squander this gift from God.

This is a new day the Lord has given to us, be glad and rejoice in Him. Things can be different, let's go forward in Christ in Him we will find healing, in Him we will be more engaging, in Him we can truly forgive as we've been forgiven, in Him we can have peace, strength and overcome what gets in our way,in Him we can be more intimate with our spouse, in Him we can become closer to others than ever been before.

The past is the past. It's dead and buried don't dig it up and relive it. We can’t change it. But God can change our future. He can take what the enemy meant for evil and use it for good.The enemy wants us to It feel like we have too much to overcome, like the damage is too great to be repaired. We don't and It’s not.

We don't have what it takes to face life alone, we need God .

Life is complicated, we need all the help we can get. Jesus said ““Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:28-30‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

We need to take Him up on this, we don't need to fight back fairly, we need to learn to fight like men and women of God. You don’t fight for victory; you fight from the victory God has given you.

““When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you. When you are about to engage in battle, the priest is to come forward and address the army. He is to say to them: ‘Listen, Israel: Today you are about to engage in battle with your enemies. Do not be cowardly. Do not be afraid, alarmed, or terrified because of them. For the Lord your God is the One who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.’”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭20:1-4‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring — what your life will be! For you are like smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes. Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So it is a sin for the person who knows to do what is good and doesn’t do it.”
‭‭James‬ ‭4:13-17‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Standing on the outside

The world religions whether they are self religious or organized religion look in at the Church of Jesus and condemn us for being hypocrites ,because we are sinners some are there who have received grace, others in search of grace and still others who are there as plants to lead the lost away from grace.

People on the outside looking in and condemning, are self righteous and believe in themselves that they can make their way to God on their terms.

Jesus makes it clear He is not here for them,  only those who will acknowledge their need for His grace and salvation.

The picture here in Luke is a perfect picture of the Church who is in and who is out, it also is a picture of the world, the self religious and self righteous.

This coming New Year won't you gather with the sinners in a House of Worship that teaches the word of God and hear for yourself the message of God's grace and see the power it has to change the hardest of hearts.

I once to stood on the outside.

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me! ”  So, leaving everything behind, he got up and began to follow Him. Then Levi hosted a grand banquet for Him at his house. Now there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were guests with them.  But the Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to His disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? ” Jesus replied to them, “The healthy don’t need a doctor, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Luke 5:27-32

The cost

Jesus said to follow Me, most people follow Him to the foot of the cross , but that is where they stay.

They believe this is their salvation, but it is not.

To follow Jesus goes way beyond the cross, we must follow Him to the end. We must forsake all and seek Him and His righteousness, we must take up our cross acknowledge Him.

The cost of discipleship is grand but it is nothing when compared to being a child of God.

Have you gotten up yet from the foot of the cross?

If not get up and go to the other side, your Lord and Savior awaits to walk with you.

“Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven. Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.   The person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; the person who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow   Me is not worthy of Me. Anyone finding   his life will lose it, and anyone losing   his life because of Me will find it.

Matthew 10:32-39

The answer to life's hardest a question.

People ask all the time why does God allow this to happen?

Remember God is always at work in the lives of His children, working on our behalf, conforming us into the image of Jesus.

The answer to life's hardest question is this ;God will work in you, before He works through you.

We are now at the end of this year , look back reflect and see where the hands of God have been upon you and your family this year, be encouraged in His love and care and meditate upon these verses and seek God in all you do in the New Year.

May you be blessed in 2015.

Philippians 1:6 HCSB

I am sure of this, that He who started a good work  in you  will carry it on to completion  until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:29-30 HCSB

For it has been given to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe  in Him, but also to suffer for Him, having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I have.

Philippians 2:13 HCSB

For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.

Philippians 3:4-10 HCSB

although I once also had confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised the eighth day;  of the nation of Israel,  of the tribe of Benjamin,  a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law,  a Pharisee; regarding zeal,  persecuting  the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law,  blameless. But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value  of knowing Christ  Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ   and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law,  but one that is through faith in Christ  — the righteousness from God based on faith.   My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings,  being conformed to His death,

Philippians 3:12-14 HCSB

Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold  of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers, I do not  consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind  and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly  call in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:21 HCSB

He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious  body,  by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself.

Philippians 4:4-9, 11-13, 19 HCSB

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.   Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses  every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brothers, whatever is true,  whatever is honorable,  whatever is just,  whatever is pure,  whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence  and if there is any praise — dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received  and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot.  In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content — whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him  who strengthens me.   And my God  will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.