I want my focus this year to be Christ.
These thoughts have been on my mind this past week. I love how God works in our lives and often brings messages at church to continue the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. That is what happened today.
I get the wonderful privilege of having my husband as my SS teacher. He does a wonderful job covering the material each week. We are going through a book written by Paul Chappell "a Season to Celebrate" Today's lesson we started a Season to Worship. A few thoughts that stood out to me.1. God sent a message of peace to a humble place.
He was/is not looking for personal accomplishment. He is not concerned with what I have personally done. He wants us to simply be fully yielded to Him. That is much easier said than done. To be yielded to Him I must move myself out of the equation. WOW!! Is that ever hard! I want what I want! I can be a pretty selfish person. I want to be noticed. I want to be the center of attention at times. I would rather do what pleases me with no thought of others. Yet to truly be yielded to God I have to put self on the shelf. Something I constantly have to work on.
2. God sent a message of peace to a holy woman.
Mary is not to be worshiped only Jesus is to be worshiped. Yet she was specifically chosen by God. She was favored because of her faithfulness to God. She proved herself faithful. This got me thinking. Am I being faithful to God? Can he chose me to do tasks for Him? Am I limiting my usefulness because I am centered on self? This makes me think of one of my favorite verses
I Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
Mary had plans- she was betrothed to Joseph- she had dreams. When the angel revealed that she would conceive, her plans where put on hold. She had to put her full trust in God's plans. We all make plans for the year and dream/think of things we want to do. Then as the year goes by these plans come to pass or sometimes they are changed by unforeseen circumstances. That happened to us in the past year. We never imagined what 2016 would bring. We never expected that Doug's brother a lively 42 year old man would be tragically killed in an accident. Yet, God knew. We continue to watch God work through this change in our plans. He has a purpose in all he allows in our lives. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Am I willing to trust His plan for my year? Will I yield to His leading? Yes, some things that happen may hurt, but I have to trust his will for me.
How I respond is my choice.
I have to chose to follow God and submit my will and desires to Him. I have to put "self on a shelf".
It is not easy to put God first. Yet, it is SO rewarding. It is more self pleasing if I just do what I want. But when I do that there are consequences to my choices. When I make choices to please myself it is often out of selfishness which is sin, and leads me away from a close relationship with my Saviour Jesus Christ. We all fall into this lie of Satan at one time or another.
So the choice is up to me daily and sometimes even minute by minute. Will I put God first or me first? Will I let the Holy Spirit guide me? Will I be willing to listen when he speaks? I have to be in God's Word daily in order for Him to speak to me. Am I willing to put the time in? Again, setting aside my (desires) time to seek Him. Keeping my focus on the Bible not just books written by man. Some can be a help, but our main reading should be from the Bible. We must be very careful that any book we read NOT contradict God's Word.
During our am service our Pastor's wife sang a song I have never heard before. The words are amazing and went right along with my thoughts from SS.
Only You, Lord written by Mac Lynch
vs. 1 What am I committed to? A man or worthy cause? A godly institution, Lord, or brotherly applause? I lay aside what might seem good for something that is best. Commitment to the Savior true- when I pass the test.
vs. 2 Truth within the inward parts, Lord, honesty must reign. I find myself attached to things that hint of my own gain. This one thing I search and seek and that I will pursue: to love my God and God alone, to give Him what is due.
Chorus: Only You, Lord, only You, No one else but only You. Woo and win my selfish heart; may Your Spirit draw each part. Only You, Lord, only You.
May this be my prayer this year. Put Christ first. Am I willing to really live like this? ONLY You, Lord!!! Are you? Are there areas of selfishness that we can set aside and let God take control? Real control?
Happy New Year!! May it be a year of spiritual growth and awakening!!
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