He Makes All Things New
The beginning of a new year is a great time to reflect on God’s incredible love and provision. 
We have so much to praise Him for and to rejoice for and in. If He stopped with providing eternal salvation for us, that alone would be worthy of our eternal gratitude and praise. But God also gives unconditionally of His infinite love, mercy, and kindness and goes far beyond providing our salvation. He abides within us, providing all that we ask and need to navigate the struggles of life.
I can reflect back over 2010 and see the hand of God loving me and directing me in many ways. The sovereign God of all creation loves me so much that He participates in my daily life! How crazy wonderful! I could never thank Him enough if I stood praising Him every moment from now through eternity.
This year I am asking God to help me:
- First and foremost – depend on Him every day in all things
- Dwell more in His presence in the Holy Spirit
- Ask the hard questions. Like, if Jesus said “these signs will follow them that believe…”(Mark 16:17) why do I rarely see “these signs?” Why do I rarely perform these signs?
- Consider others more significant than myself, especially when those others agree that they are more significant than me (Phil. 2:3)
- Speak only the best of my brothers and sisters (I Peter 2:1)
- Be obedient to the Holy Spirit
- In ALL things give thanks (II Thess 5:18) because I know HE loves me more than I understand the circumstance
Care to join me??
Karen Sleeth
Karen Sleeth has lived in North Carolina for 26 years. She shares her home with two kitties who cause her to laugh every day. She firmly believes that a merry heart does good like a medicine and some days overdoses.
HAPPY NEW YEAR Karen! Thanks for another great blog and reminder of God’s goodness! A couple of weeks ago I was stopped dead in my tracks when the Holy Spirit made me realize that I had been focusing so much on the things that didn’t go right for me rather than the AMAZING blessings God granted me over the past year. All of my experiences last year were life changing (good & what I considered bad) yet, I focused mostly on the things I thought should have gone right but didn’t. I finally see that even the not so good things will/have worked together for my good. The Lord has a much bigger and greater plan for us than we have for ourselves. I don’t why it takes us so long to see that sometimes! Many blessings to you in 2011! Hugs, p
Happy New Year to you, too, Pauline! What a good word from the Holy Spirit! It is amazing how changing our perspective can change us, isn’t it? I’m so glad that God operates in our lives (if we let Him) to remind us of that. For me it is often on a daily, hourly, moment-by-moment basis! Thank God for his love and patience!!! I stand in amazement!
Love you!
Karen, I haven’t met you but I can say that I serve a totally awesome God with you. 2010 has been an extremely difficult year for our family and also a year of joy. In the difficult times my Lord and my church (Bethel Fuquay NC) was their for our family and continues to walk with us. It is a joy to know God and the awesome family of God that we have. This year my prayer is to love God deeper and more steadfast and to bring others who don’t know HIM or like HIM to know HIM and LOVE HIM. thank you so much for sharing and I totally agree with you. God bless and OH! I share my home with my husband J.C. and our 3 1/2 pd Yorkie Maggie Mae who keeps us moving quickly. God Bless and Happy New Year to all.
Dora, thank you for sharing. We haven’t met, but I feel like I know you. I’m glad to hear you have had God’s joy to sustain you this year. You stand on a solid foundation! I look forward to meeting you in person some day. God Bless you and Happy New Year!
I totally agree with all! We serve such an awesome God who loves us and wants to be involved in our daily lives! That is so much more than I can imagine or deserve!
Thanks, Kim! I’m so glad his love isn’t based on merit or justice! Give me MERCY!!!!
I agree with you too!
Thanks, Marie! Happy New Year!
Thanks, Karen, and Happy 2011. God is certainly a God of new beginnings with new mercy for us every morning. What an encouraging thought that we can lay the past behind us and start fresh in His love and grace each new day. Our beloved pastor who is now with Jesus in Heaven, Paul Gordon, used to say that if God had only saved us and done nothing else, “Dienu-(di-a-noo)–which is Greek for “it would be sufficient.” But through Jesus our Lord, God has done so much more and promises more still. Amen, and Happy New Year, day by day.
Thanks, Beth, for those good words. I’m sorry I never got to meet Paul Gordon, but I thank God regularly, and I know you do too, to be led by Pastor Dub Karriker! What an awesome man of God!
I noticed you didn’t jump into the resolution pool. lol