New Year gives an opportunity to look back over the past year and count all the blessings in our lives. We need to celebrate New Year with genuine spiritual values, and not the values of a fallen world like “eat-drink-and-be-merry-for-tomorrow-we-die”.

 Scripture speaks about New Year in Exodus 12:2 “This month shall be unto you the Beginning of Months: it shall be the “First Month of the Year” to you”.

 Our  New Year Resolutions should be Godly virtues, commitments to change, grounding in holiness , righteousness ,keeping and seeking for all the commandments of the God, delighting in Gods word and constantly growing in the Knowledge of the Scriptures, by repenting of our sins. Since the last days are going to be so evil, we are advised in the scriptures that we need to put on the Armor of God against all the spiritual forces of Satan and its evil people. We need to stand firm, with the belt of truth buckled around their waist, with the breastplate of righteousness Keeping the Full Armor of God Enduring Hardships, Sufferings, and Trials through Christ. Ephesians 6: 10-18

 Many celebrate New-year in sinful parties that involve alcohol, drugs, smoking, gambling, fornication, provocative dancing, sinful pride, heathen music, immodestly dressed women etc. Galatians 5:19-21 says, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

 As believers, we are to guard ourselves against temptation, remembering that “bad company corrupts good character” (1 corin 15:33). God says to focus our thoughts on heavenly things not earthly things. We are to set our minds on the things of God and on the things that bring glory to Him Not Conforming to the Things of This World. 1 John 5:19 says we know that we are from God and that the whole world lies under the control of the evil one.

Jeremiah 10:2 God says that we are not to learn the ways of the heathen.

 Conclusion: We all need to thank God that we are alive for another New Year day because many of them do not have that opportunity.

I want to wish each one of you a prosperous, healthy New Year filled with joy, peace love and God‘s blessings . Happy New Year!

Do you feel worthless?  Do you feel like you’re a mistake?  Don’t Believe It!

You are special – You are uniquely and beautifully made!

I remember as a child, my mother told me in the heat of an argument that she was sorry I was born.  When I was in my twenties, she told me the story how she tried to abort me 3 times.  These statements surely had a negative affect on me well into my 30s.  Thank God, he has healed me from the stings of these words.  Today, I look at these happenings in a very different way….despite the fact that my mom tried to abort me several times…God willed me into existence.  What incredible plan God must have for my life.  It made me also realize that my words might have hurt people and that we need to be careful about what we say to one another.  The subconscious can’t take a joke.

Words are one thing.  I can only imagine the abuse some of you might have had to endure.  Some of you might had to endure not only verbal abuse but also physical and sexual abuse.  Watching the movie “Precious” gave a glimpse of what that would be like.

Abuses like that can make you feel worthless and full of shame.  I understand that there are even symptoms of guilt with being sexually abused, making you feel like that somehow it’s your fault you have been abused.  Let me make it perfectly clear…these are all lies of the enemy, who wants nothing less than to kill and destroy you.  Don’t you believe it!

You are special!
There is only one like you and God has a plan for your life.  He willed you and me into existence.  Let’s take a look at what the Bible says about your and my existence.

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.  Psalms 139:13 (NKJV)

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.  Psalms 139:14 (NKJV)

“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  “Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.  Matt 10:29-31 (NKJV)

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.  How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!  Psalms 139:16-17 (NKJV)

God Loves You!
In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  1 John 4:9-10 (NKJV)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  ”For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  John 3:16-17 (NKJV)

God Can Help

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. Prov 18:10 (NKJV)

He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.  Isaiah 40:29 (NKJV)

He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.  Psalms 147:3 (NKJV)

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’  Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)

Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.  Matt 5:4 (NKJV)

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  ”Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  ”For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Matt 11:28-30 (NKJV)

New Beginnings
We can’t undo our past, at the same time however, we should not live with our false past identity.   I surely could have not done it myself.  God has not only healed me, but he has also given me a new identity…one that is based on my true identity that is in Christ.  As a Christian, we are no longer bound by our old identity…we’re a new creation.

Jesus is waiting.  Ask him to give you a new identity.  His word says…”Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it wll be opened to you.  “or everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Matt 7:7-8 (NKJV)

Don’t ever give up, because God has not given up on you!  You can choose to cling to your loss or hurt, or you can , with the help from God, learn to dance again.  LET GO AND LIVE!

Check out this beautiful video You are Special – by Max Lucado

Also, check out our articles on We’re Created Different, But We’re All Useful, What is Heaven? A world better than Avatar’s Pandora, Can Your God Do This?, In The Wilderness, It’s not fair! But, why isn’t life fair? And, can it be?, The Comforting Word of God, Salvation, Success and Failure Articles,

I also found other blogs that relate to this subject like this one that talks about that Americans are more pro-life now than ever before…praise God.  Or this site Jill Stanek…a true fighter for the cause…go Jill.  Stay up to date about he abortion issue on Pro-Life with Christ and check out this new movie that is hitting theaters this fall called “True2LifeTheMovie“.  Here is a great site called Stand for Life…I love the video on “How to defeat a pro-abortion argument“.

Shining Perspective

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”. ~Genesis 1:1

What comes to mind when you read this verse?

My son is learning this verse at preschool.  The children in his class learn a new bible verse each month.  I thought to myself: “this is an appropriate verse for the beginning of the school year.”  I didn’t give it another thought.

I noticed this verse staring at me this morning.  It was among a pile of papers on the counter.  I believe I absorbed the impact of its power for the first time.  It’s quite possible that this verse in the beginning of the bible is overlooked.  It is not a verse that one generally refers to as a life verse or a promise.  But the word of God is living and active.  This morning I was overwhelmed by the power in this verse.  “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

This verse alone should inspire awe. One day God just said, “I’m going to create the heavens and the earth.”  Really?  On my very best possible day, I couldn’t dream up the earth, let alone create it and the heavens too!  Wow!   That is power.  I began to take in the amazing creation that is our earth; the perfect balance that exists because God made it that way.  God perfectly crafted each tiny detail of it.

Why is it so easy to overlook the beginning?  When I begin something new it is exciting.  But it doesn’t take long before I am racing to the finish. We seem to be in such a hurry to get to the end.  No matter where we are in life, we struggle to get somewhere other than where we are.  I propose it is pure selfishness.  God blesses us with the beginning of his amazing plan, his plan for this season of our lives and we just want to get through it. We just endure it.  But God has a purpose for each season.  God’s purpose is the reason that we don’t get to just jump into something and then poof, it’s done.  God wants to build patience, character, perseverance and test our loyalty.  God wants to prepare us for something amazing. If only we would be willing to let him.

I am extremely impatient, especially with myself.  I propose that it’s time to slow down a little.  Take a look at the beginning.  The beginning is God. No matter what it is you are trying to accomplish in your life, look to the beginning.  You may discover how far you’ve come.  Or you may be shown that you have gotten off track from where you once began.  When you take time to look at the beginning, you will see that your focus shouldn’t be the task at hand, but the hand of God guiding your steps; that is what you truly seek.

If you are at the beginning of something, live in that moment.  Embrace it.  God fashioned every tiny detail in your life and planned each set of circumstances that lead you to this exact moment in time.  Today I am at the beginning; the beginning of this season in my life.  I am at the beginning of this semester; the first semester of my college career.  I am going to live here, in this moment and not focus on the end.  I do not know what tomorrow will bring.  I can’t see where this season will take me.  But I will choose today to trust in the Lord for his plan is perfect.

Perhaps you are at the beginning too.  At the beginning of something awkward and new, at the beginning of something and you don’t know what to do.  Maybe you are in the middle, and your circumstances are bleak, or each day feels mundane.  Wherever you are, if you will take a look at the beginning, you will find your focus, your purpose, at the beginning of it all, you will find God.