Skip to main content

I Am Resolved

This is that wonderful time of year when we look to the New Year as a fresh start.  It is an opportunity to throw away all the mistakes and regrets of the past and hold fast to a bright and promising future.  Many have already resolved to take on various tasks such as: losing weight, better financial management, and spending more time with their families.  If perhaps you find yourself still trying to decide on some New Year Resolutions, here are a few suggestions:

Resolve to pray more.  One of the great blessings of this life is the ability to approach our Almighty Creator in prayer.  When our hearts are filled with joy, prayer becomes a great avenue to express our gratitude to Almighty God.  When our hearts are heavy, prayer becomes a great resource for strength and comfort.  Peter writes, “Cast your cares on Him for He cares for you.” -1 Peter 5:7.

When problems arise in our lives, prayer is our number one asset. Jesus tells us that our heavenly Father knows our needs before we ask (Matthew 6:8). Paul teaches us to, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6)

Resolve to study God’s word.  The Scriptures contain God’s message to mankind.  His word illuminates the narrow path before us. This is needed in a dark world of religious confusion. David wrote, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalms 119:105).

His word also provides us great comfort during times of distress. Paul referred to God as the “God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation…” (2Co 1:4) David wrote of the comfort he has in God’s presence. He wrote, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalms 23:4)

Resolve to fellowship with God’s people.  As Christians, we all need encouragement and strength. The Hebrew writer tells us that it is our fellowship that keeps us encouraged and strengthened (Hebrews 10:24-25).  We come together for edification through praise, study, and fellowship.  The devil is always trying to discourage us. However, when we come together, great joy fills our hears when we see the love of Christ reflecting through the lives of our brethren. We then find the courage and the strength to continue living faithfully to God each day.

There are many great resolutions one can certainly make for this coming year.  Take just a moment and imagine how great 2023 can truly be when you are resolved to have a closer walk with God!  This goal does not have to fall by the wayside. It can be a reality when we abound in prayer, study, and fellowship with one another.

God bless each of you,

Eric Hicks

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Walk Worthy

  The Christian life has been compared to a variety of things. One in particular is that of a walk. A walk in the context of the Christian faith involves the way we live and conduct ourselves throughout our lives. The manor in which we live will either reflect Christ or it will reflect the ways of the world. Paul wrote, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (Ephesians 4:1). There are a multitude of ways we must walk to be pleasing unto the Lord. We will consider a few. Bearing with one another. Walking worthy before the Lord strongly involves our conduct with one another. Paul continued, “ with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). Bearing with one another is not possible apart from a humble mindset. It is the humble mindset that keeps us from thinking too highly of ourselves. It also enables us to focus on the needs of others rather than ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Taking Time to Pray

  We have all had those busy mornings where we rush around trying to get out the door. We scrabble frantically trying to gather everything we know we are going to need for the day. We fly out the door only to remember that the cell phone is still on the dresser. If we are honest with ourselves, we know that we will turn around, go back inside to retrieve our cell phone no matter how late we may be running. While this is all well and good, the question arises, what if we run out the door and remember we had not yet prayed to our heavenly Father. What would be our response. Would we stop dead in our tracks and offer a prayer before God, or continue in moving toward our daily pursuits with the intention of praying when we have more time? Our great example of a prayer life is Christ. He too had a busy schedule to maintain. Mark records, “And He said to them, ‘Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’ For there were many coming and going, and they did not even ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Take Careful Aim

       In the book of Proverbs, we read that where there is no vision the people perish. Vision is an absolute necessity if one is to accomplish anything worthwhile in life. Without vision, there is no goal. Without a goal, there is no purpose. Having a vision for the future is like having a target you do not intend to miss. Like a marksman taking careful aim at his target, we too must take careful aim if we are to accomplish great things for the Lord. There are various goals we should take careful aim at. One is increasing our relationships with one another. The only way this can be accomplished is through effective communication with each other. We can do this in a variety of ways including phone calls, personal visits, and through the positive side of social media. Equally, we grow in our relationship with one another through worshipping God together. The Hebrew writer stated, “…not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but ...
Post a Comment
Read more