HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Article #70 by Jennifer on Thursday, January 01, 2009 at 01:35 AM

An appropriate time, it seems, to get back into the swing of things here at the website.
Below are some good areas to think about as we set goals for the new year.

10 GUIDELINES FOR NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

In your relationship to…
GOD: be prayerful. Remember dependence and helplessness in your relationship with God are prerequisites for spiritual health. How about a thorough spiritual check-up this year?
OTHERS: be helpful. Make a commitment to show love and encouragement to someone everyday. Challenge yourself to be kind and helpful especially to those who least expect it!
YOUR MIND: read and think about something noble and creative everyday. Bring every thought into captivity to Christ. Start the day with the Bible. Let the words of life fill your heart and mind before anything else gets to them!
FEELINGS: express them with love and honesty. Whether fear, guilt, grief, rage, shame, or anxiety, express your feelings to God, self, and a trusted friend or spiritual mentor.
ACTIONS: be generous. Without thought of reward or praise be extravagant in your giving to others. Give freely of your love, time, money, spirit, creativity, encouragement, and praise. Don’t be stingy with the most important and powerful gifts in your possession, let your actions reflect the startling love of God!
SUCCESSES: be thankful. Most if not all of our successess are the result of God’s grace and not our cleverness or hard work. Count your blessings regularly.
TROUBLES: be trustful. For some mysterious reason, many times, God has chosen to make us mature through trials and hardships. Look for the hand of God in every circumstance and trust His guidance in the highs and lows of life.
HEART: be careful. Focus your love on the Father and Savior who reside within you. Be careful what you allow to creep into this sacred space which belongs to God.
WORSHIP: be still. Expressing our love and adoration to God isn’t reserved for Sundays only. Don’t get too busy throughout the week to make continual offerings of praise to God. Jesus is Lord of every day!
SIN: be repentant. Don’t let any sin harden your heart or break the connection between you and God. Confess your sins to the Father every day. Claim His promises forgive you and make you pure and clean by the blood of Jesus!

Bulletin Digest Dean Fitch - Kerrville, TX

WATCH

Watch your thoughts.
They become your words.

Watch your words.
They become your actions.

Watch your actions.
They become your habits.

Watch your habits.
They become your character.

Watch your character.
It becomes your destiny.

~Borrowed

READ THE BIBLE THROUGH IN 2009

JANUARY
Week 1: Matthew 1-12; Mark 1-3; Luke 1-7
Week 2: Matthew 13-25; Mark 4-13
Week 3: Luke 8-24; Matthew 26-28; Mark 16-14
Week 4: John 1-21