“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” 2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV
Dear Heavenly Father – You are the One True God. Beside you there is no other. I acknowledge your Lordship over my life. I praise and thank you for all you have done! Please help me as I search myself to see if there is any ways within me to repent of. In the name of Jesus – Amen
As I said yesterday, the Biblical New Year is coming upon us, Rosh Hashanah! Shalom! As with the approach of any new chapter, some self-reflection and thoughts of the old year should probably fill our minds. I have been thinking. Yesterday we also studied HOPE. I don’t know about you, but I needed that.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13 ESV
“So that the power of the Holy Spirit” – I need more of that power in my life. Lately the battle, the distractions, and the hindrances seem almost too much. I am tempted to lose hope, myself. Dear Lord, we need hope – please, fill us with joy and peace so that your Spirit may abound in hope in us. In Jesus name we pray ~ amen
Let us cling to the verses of hope we looked at yesterday while we remember and reflect in preparation for the new year, because in this new year God will be doing a great thing!
“Now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes.” Samuel 12:16 ESV
Therefore we need to be prepared and be that new creature He has called us to be (2 Corinthians 5:17).
“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” Ezekiel 36:26 NLT
Lord, I know my heart has been stony and stubborn – I acknowledge you have been changing it and making it new during this past year, and I thank you for those lessons. Please continue the work you have started in me ~ amen
As I reflect, looking into the mirror at my last 12 months – I can see that when I asked God to change my situations, He said ok, and started to change me. This is a blessed process of internal growth – but also it can be difficult as many things you and I would not want to admit about ourselves are either being exposed by others or mercifully God is reveals them to us – and we have to work out the process – repeatedly.
Let me explain: God reveals something negative about my nature that needs to change and then we have to change – sometimes this requires asking forgiveness and help changing – other times, we start to pull out this thing God wants changed in us and it slowly uproots thing after thing and then repentance after repentance. Slowly – God is working it out for us, but in the meanwhile it may seem that it’s a never ending process. (Not to even get started with the number of time over the last 12 months which I have failed at turning from something.) Then the enemy comes in and says that we are beat up and condemned.
“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” Romans 7:18 ESV
And we can all say – Amen! I know we are all feeling the battle more and more lately. As discouraging as this is, it means we are drawing closer to God and are walking more in the spirit, praise the Lord. Here in this verse we see a truth, we cannot hide from – in and of our self, we are no good and unable to change and do the things the Bible tells us to do. And we hear that voice that condemns us – see, I told you that you couldn’t. I say back to that voice: I know I can’t and I don’t need you to tell me, besides the Bible already tell me – BUT MY GOD CAN DO IT IN ME AND THROUGH ME!!! MY GOD IS ABLE!!! We must know our limitations and inabilities – because as we empty and become weak – God is strong. As we seem like a lost cause and condemned to our frailty – grace and God Himself, swoop in with deliverance – just read a few verses further: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 ESV
We are NOT condemned – No! We are justified and washed clean from our transgressions and from the things we try to do outside of His will for our lives.
“Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!” Lamentations 3:40 ESV
Heavenly Father, I come to you humbly through the Blood of Jesus and beg for forgiveness from ……….. and ask that you please help me not to continue, pour out your grace an mercy on me. Help me to change and be transformed into who you want me to be – In Jesus name we pray
I hear the voice saying – some of your readers have been Christians for a long time, they are all well beyond this. And I say get the behind me! God set up the standard for annual self-reflection, leading to the new year. God also set up the Day of Atonement at the beginning of each year (Yom Kippur – Sunset on September 27th to sunset on September 28th). God also gives us many other times throughout the year for do a self – check and keep ourselves in line. This is God’s way. So no matter how long you have been saved – check yourself. What areas have you sinfully not committed to God? How many areas have you been praying His promises in and not yet seen the answer and sinfully given up saying it apparently not God’s will.
“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,” Acts 17:30 ESV
In such a time as this, we are no longer in times of ignorance. God has shown us the evils in this world, in each of our nations, and in our selves. Not only is the new year a time for the new you which God intended – it is also a time of repentance and even MORE so in such a time as this.
King David, was a man God said was a man after His own heart. We know God loves us – and we love Him (Lord, help us all fall more in love with you!); so shouldn’t we also try to be after God’s own heart.
David sinned and was human and He loved the Lord – and God honored that love, showed mercy and grace, as David humbled himself and cried out:
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:1-12 ESV
Let us make that our prayer for our world, for our nations, and for ourselves. Let us begin the work of repentance now and not wait until the Day of Atonement. Let us draw even closer to God now and have a stronger relationship with Him – now and throughout the new year.
If you don’t already, and today you would like to have a relationship with a God who can communicate with you and be part of your life (and protect you) – one who is full of mighty power and tender love, one in whom you can hope against all odds, then please know that I have put the “A, B, C’s of Salvation” in my introduction. Please click here to follow the link.**
Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!
If Not For Grace 