Greetings 2014!

New beginnings and fresh starts are like . . . . mint on the tongue—refreshing!

A recent study suggested the following 10 New Year resolutions as most common:

  1. Eat healthy and exercise regularlyChristmas lights
  2. Better work/life balance
  3. Learn something new & read more
  4. Quit smoking
  5. Drink less &/or quit
  6. Get organized
  7. Get out of debt & save money
  8. Spend more time with family and friends
  9. Help others
  10. Finish those around the house “to-do” lists

These are noble goals. I’m committing to several. But where is the mention of God?

When I’ve resolved to seek, honor, and follow Him, He has always helped me in the big and small challenges.

Proverbs 28:14 says: Blessed is the [one] who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

To fear the Lord means to honor and revere Him.

Jesus, “being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:6). He spent His life for us so we might live fully now and for eternity. “[Jesus] humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Vs. 8) Why? Through His sacrifice, He is bringing many people to glory—into His family—through His atoning sacrifice and forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 2:10-18).

We’ve celebrated Jesus’ birth as a baby during Christmas, but Revelation 19:11-16 portrays Jesus returning as the mighty King of Kings and Lord of Lords, “dressed in a robe dipped in blood,” bearing the name: Word of God.

MP900216154

One day, every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, (Philippians 2:10-11). Why not do it now, under His favor?

Prayer: Jesus, you are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Help us resolve—and desire—to keep you first and center. May we continually seek you, “work[ing] out [our] salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12) through daily Bible reading, prayer, and following your lead. You are more than worthy! In you alone, Lord, is an unending reservoir of life, strength, peace, and hope. Give us “the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so [we] may know you better” (Ephesians1:17). Amen.

Related articles

The B-i-b-l-e

Thank you to everyone who participated in my poll last week, posted under Back to the Basics. I asked: What do you believe about the Bible? At last check, a whopping 100% of you agreed that the Bible is God’s inspired Word to us.

I don’t want to preach to the choir, but want to follow through with my theme from last week.

5f41713a9399cc27e5b0ee50818691f0

The B-i-b-l-e, yes that’s the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God.

I hope the following summary might be useful to you or someone you know.

What’s so unique about the Bible?

  • Through sixty-six separate books, 1,189 chapters, the Bible is divinely orchestrated and inspired by God—a claim the Bible makes for itself (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:2).
  • Although God’s Word was composed by 40 different authors in three different languages (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek) over a span of 1,500 years on three different continents (Africa, Asia, and Europe), it is a unit from beginning to end.
  • The Bible shares one extraordinary message: God loves you.
  • The Bible proves God is intimately involved and concerned about people. His unconditional love is shown in the death of His Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross. His sacrifice for sin allows anyone to be in a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus’ work.

Interesting Facts

(Source: Study Bible Apologetics for Students, Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission)

  • Hundreds of biblical prophecies have been fulfilled (e.g., Isaiah 13; Daniel 2; Luke 21:5-6).
  • The Bible has been confirmed as being historically, archaeologically, and geographically accurate.
  • The Old Testament is 99% accurate when compared to the Dead Sea Scrolls dating from 200 B.C.
  • The New Testament is 99% accurate when compared to more than 5,600 partial and complete NT manuscripts dating from the first three centuries A.D.

80844cdbbb4f82927197b3b167c6afdbDo you regularly read God’s Word, the Bible?

Coming next . . . . “Why Study the Bible?”